The Resurrection of Christ

These verses are pretty well self explanatory. Paul was convincing the Corinthians that if there was no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not raised, and he was preaching a lie, and there was no salvation in Christ.

A derivative truth to the doctrine of Christ's resurrection is our own resurrection. Paul clearly teaches that if there is no resurrection of believers, then Christ is not risen, and our faith is in vain.

Paul is addressing Christians, and he is pointing out the absurdity of not believing in the resurrection of believers. He was not saying that you cannot be saved if you don't believe in the resurrection of believers, but it is a fundamental truth of Christianity.

1Co 15:20-23 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

It would logically conclude from verses 20-23 that if Christ is the firstfruits, then we shall be raised in like manner as Christ at his second coming.

Luke 24:36-40 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
24:37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
24:38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
24:39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
24:40 And when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet.

From this passage in Luke and the accounts of all the gospels, we know, and Paul knew, that Jesus has risen physically and bodily. So then it is an essential doctrine of Christianity to believe that Christ was raised in the same body that He was buried in.

Philippians 3:20-21 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ:
3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

And it is clear from the passage above that our flesh bodies will be changed into a glorious body like Jesus Christ's at His coming.

So, the essential doctrine of the resurrection is that Christ was raised bodily, in the same body He was buried in. You cannot be saved if you don't believe in our Lord's bodily resurrection.

And the derivative doctrine of the resurrection of believers is that the dead in Christ shall be raised bodily in like manner with our bodies transformed into glorious bodies like Christ's. Although not an essential doctrine for salvation, it is essential for an understanding of and directly tied to the resurrection of Christ, and is our blessed hope as believers.