Although it is said by many modern preachers that our redemption was accomplished by Jesus’ death on the cross, the apostle Paul would have disagreed. He wrote:
If Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins (1 Cor. 15:17).
Obviously, Jesus’ resurrection was an essential component of redemption. Had He not been resurrected, our faith would be “worthless,” and we would all still be “in our sins.”
Note Paul’s choice of words to describe our tragic state if Christ had not been raised. We would “still be in our sins.” Did he mean that if Christ had not been resurrected, the penalty for our sins would not have been paid? No, that was accomplished by Jesus’ death (1 Cor. 15:3; Col. 1:20; 2:14; 1 Pet. 2:24).
Did Paul mean that if Christ had not been resurrected, forgiveness of our sins would not be possible”? No, again, the penalty Jesus paid by His death for our sins made our forgiveness possible.
So what did he mean?