Resurrection
Category
Future, Judgment, & Kingdom
Biblical Definition
The raising of the dead by God's power, climactically displayed in Christ and promised bodily to all humanity, unto life or judgment.
Origin(s)
Greek: ἀνάστασις
Transliteration
anastasis
Literal meaning
a standing up again, resurrection
Key Scripture(s)
John 5:28-29; John 11:25; 1 Corinthians 15:20-23,42-44; Philippians 3:20-21; Revelation 20:12-13
Theological Significance
Resurrection is essential to Christian hope because salvation is not escape from embodiment but the redemption of the whole person. Christ's resurrection is the firstfruits and guarantee of the final resurrection.
Common Misunderstanding(s)
Resurrection is not merely the immortality of the soul or symbolic renewal. Scripture teaches a real bodily raising by God's power.
Practical Application
The hope of resurrection strengthens endurance, relativizes earthly suffering, and anchors Christian courage in the certainty of life beyond death.