Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. Acts 10:40-41

Last time we considered how the Christ’s crucifixion for the forgiveness of His people’s sins is a key ingredient to any gospel presentation. Without it there is no gospel, since that is the reason for which Jesus came (Matthew 1:21).

But the crucifixion without the resurrection is no less essential. Had Jesus remained dead after being crucified, His mission would have ended in failure and He would be no more than another martyr. But Hallelujah! He did rise from the dead on the third day!

By dying He purchased forgiveness for His people’s sins. And that was paid, not merely by Roman crucifixion, but by receiving the unmitigated wrath of God the Father that we, who He came to save, deserved—a wrath undeserved by Him, because He had no sin of His own.

Then when Jesus rose from the dead, He secured eternal life for His people by defeating sin, death, and Hell on our behalf.

If or when either Christ’s death or His resurrection are omitted, that “gospel” is incomplete, and therefore not the gospel. And let us be reminded, “the gospel is the power of God to salvation.”