The Living Christ and the reality of the resurrection

My heart has been turned recently to a document that hangs on the walls of many Latter-day Saint homes and is printed in the front of our scriptures: "The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles."

When we study the scriptures, we often focus on the stories of the past—the miracles in Galilee, the sermons in Jerusalem, and the tragic yet triumphant events on Golgotha. But the title of the apostolic declaration reminds us of a crucial truth: He is not just the historical Christ; He is the Living Christ.

In that inspired document, the Apostles declare: "We solemnly testify that His life, which is central to all human history, neither began in Bethlehem nor concluded on Calvary."

I would like to focus on the phrase that changes everything for us, both in eternity and in our daily struggles: "He rose from the dead."

The Reality of the Resurrection

If we were to strip away every other miracle, every other parable, and every other historical fact about Jesus of Nazareth, the validity of our faith would still hinge on one singular event: the Resurrection. The Apostle Paul taught the Corinthians, "If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain" (1 Corinthians 15:14).

But our faith is not vain.

"The Living Christ" testifies: "He rose from the grave to 'become the firstfruits of them that slept' (1 Corinthians 15:20)."

Imagine for a moment the despair of that Saturday following the crucifixion. The disciples were scattered. The heavens were silent. The man they believed to be the Messiah lay cold in a borrowed tomb. It must have felt like the end of hope. They had seen Him raise Lazarus; they had seen Him heal the leper. But now, He Himself was dead.

We all face "Saturdays" in our lives—moments when hope seems dead, when a diagnosis comes back positive, when a marriage fails, or when we stand by the open grave of a loved one. In those moments, the logic of the world tells us that death and loss are final.

But then came Sunday.

The women came to the tomb, expecting to anoint a body. Instead, they found an empty stone slab and angels who asked the question that rings through the centuries: "Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen" (Luke 24:5-6).

Because He rose, the silence of the grave was shattered forever. The resurrection is not a metaphor. It is not poetry. It is a physical reality. Jesus Christ took up His body again—flesh and bone—never to be separated from it again. And because He did, we have the absolute promise that we, and those we love, will do the same.

Witnesses of the Living Christ

The testimony of the Resurrection does not rely on a single empty tomb. It relies on witnesses.

"The Living Christ" document outlines these appearances beautifully. It reminds us that as the Risen Lord, He:"Visited among those He had loved in life." (Mary Magdalene, the Apostles on the road to Emmaus)."Ministered among His 'other sheep' in ancient America." (The Nephites)."Appeared to the boy Joseph Smith."

I love the account in 3 Nephi. When the Savior appeared to the people of the Americas, He did not stand at a distance. He invited them to come forth one by one. He said: "Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the prints of the nails in my hands and in my feet" (3 Nephi 11:13-17).

Why? "That ye may know."

He wanted them to know that He was not a spirit, not a ghost, but a living, tangible Man who had conquered death.

Then, we have the witness of the Prophet Joseph Smith. In a world that had largely relegated Jesus to history, the heavens opened in 1820. Later, in 1832, Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon gave this powerful testimony recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 76:22,23, which is quoted in "The Living Christ":

"And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! For we saw him, even on the right hand of God"

That exclamation mark—That he lives!—is the heartbeat of the restored gospel.

What Does a "Living Christ" Mean for Us Today?

So, what does this mean for us, right here in Palmer, Alaska?

If Christ were only a historical figure, we could admire His ethics, but He couldn't help us. A dead teacher can inspire, but only a Living Christ can save.

Because He rose from the dead, He is alive now.He is active in our lives now.

He has the power to heal broken hearts now.

Jesus Christ offers victory over physical death. We all carry the grief of losing someone. Maybe it is a parent, a spouse, or a child. The doctrine of the Living Christ dries our tears—not because we don't miss them, but because we know the separation is temporary. As the document says, "He is the light, the life, and the hope of the world."

Christ offers victory over spiritual death (Sin and Despair). Just as He walked out of the tomb, He can help us walk out of the "tombs" of our bad habits, our addictions, and our sins. Sometimes we think, "I've made too many mistakes; my spiritual life is dead." The Resurrection teaches us that God specializes in bringing life out of death. If He can make a crucified body breathe again, He can make a repentant soul live again.

He is our Advocate. "The Living Christ" reminds us that He "stands today on the right hand of His Father." He is pleading our cause. He knows our names. He knows our struggles because He felt them in Gethsemane, and He is alive to help us through them.

The tomb is empty. The stone has been rolled away.

In a world that is often confused, dark, and cynical, we have the light of this testimony. As the Apostles concluded in their document, "God be thanked for the matchless gift of His divine Son."

Linda Cox is a friend, grandmother, and genealogist. She practices faith and gets where she is going slowly, having lived with MS for over 30 years. She is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.