“But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise.” - 1 Corinthians 15:15
It’s one thing to be mistaken; it’s another thing to be a false witness. Were the disciples liars when they said Christ was risen? Were they deceivers? If so, why would they lie? People usually lie in order to gain something. But what gain did they have if Jesus Christ was still in the grave? They died as martyrs. They were tortured, persecuted, and burned at the stake. They reddened the mouths of lions, were stoned, crushed, and humiliated. Hypocrites and martyrs are not made of the same stuff. People tell lies to get out of trouble, not to get into trouble. A man may live for a lie, but few, if any will willingly die for a lie. No, they did not lie. Jesus Christ has indeed risen as they said! If someone were to ask you, “What proof do you have that Jesus Christ really rose from the dead?”—what would you answer them? Are you prepared with a well-thought-out, logical answer?
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