It is the focal point of Christianity and means of salvation.

• As  the Apostle Paul writes, belief in the resurrection is required for salvation.

  • if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  (Romans 10:9 CSB emphasis added)

• As the Apostle Paul writes, if the resurrection did not occur, then our faith is worthless and we are still sinners in danger of judgment!

  • And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.  (1 Corinthians 15:17 CSB)

• As the Apostle Peter writes, the resurrection has given us a new hope and secured an inheritance in heaven.

  • Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, (1 Peter 1:3-4 CSB)

It was the evidence that Jesus provided to validate His claims.

• Jesus initially rebuked a request by the Jews for a sign for His authority, perhaps because of their motive, but then mentions He will provide one ‘sign’ to validate His claim. That ‘sign’ is His resurrection.

  • Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from You." But He answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. (Matthew 12:38-40 CSB)

The resurrection was also the chief evidence provided by the apostles that Christianity is true.

• Paul reasoned with the Jews that Jesus had to die and be resurrected.

  • As usual, Paul went to them, and on three Sabbath days reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and showing that the Messiah had to suffer and rise from the dead, and saying: "This is the Messiah, Jesus, whom I am proclaiming to you. (Acts 17:2-3 CSB emphasis added)

• Peter explains the importance of Jesus dying and rising for our forgiveness.

  • We ourselves are witnesses of everything He did in both the Judean country and in Jerusalem; yet they killed Him by hanging Him on a tree. God raised up this man on the third day and permitted Him to be seen, not by all the people, but by us, witnesses appointed beforehand by God, who ate and drank with Him after He rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people, and to solemnly testify that He is the One appointed by God to be the Judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about Him that through His name everyone who believes in Him will receive forgiveness of sins." (Acts 10:39-43 CSB emphasis added)