Faith in the resurrection of Jesus is invincible

By Msgr. John Wynand Katende

Posted on: Wednesday, 29th April 2026

“When they heard this, they were furious and plotted to kill them…. Then one in the council stood up, a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law held in respect by all the people, and commanded them to put the apostles outside for a little while. And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing;  but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.” (Acts 5:34-39).

We learn from Church history that owing to a deaf ear turned against Gamaliel’s advice, the persecution of Christians backfired on the perpetrators. The Church continued to thrive even in the face of martyrdom, at the hands of Jewish and Roman authorities, lasting about 300 years. Historically, while other messianic movements vanished after the death of their leaders, the "Jesus movement" endured specifically because Jesus had defeated death, accounting to the invincible belief of Christians in His resurrection and everlasting life.

Christ had indeed often claimed to be God, and that once killed, He would rise from the dead, but His words fell on deaf ears. It was only after His resurrection that His disciples began to understand that He had spoken literally; it was only then that they believed He was indeed the Son of God, in human nature.

While lying dead in the tomb, God transformed the corpse of Jesus into a “spiritual” body, which appeared to the disciples and, later, entered into heaven (1 Corinthians 15). The glorification of Christ was not completed by His resurrection from the dead. He went to the Father also as man, that He may take possession of His throne and, as the glorified Savior, share with God dominion over the world. He would return in His glory, on Judgement Day.

Several refutations of the resurrection accounts were advanced but failed to overcome the post-resurrection faith. Firstly, the possibility of Jesus’ disciples stealing the Body from the tomb would have been impossible owing to fear, lack of motive, and physical impossibility. The tomb was sealed and guarded by trained Roman soldiers. Secondly, in Jewish tradition, there was no precedent to enable people to imagine the bodily resurrection of an individual before the end of the world. Thirdly, the accounts of the resurrection appearances stress that those who witnessed them were initially incredulous, to the extent of failure to recognize Jesus immediately. Fourthly, Jesus generally appeared to more than one person at a go. Fifthly, Jesus was so visible and tangible to them, ate and drank with them, proving He was not a ghost (Acts 10:41).

According to New Testament accounts, following Jesus’ resurrection, there was a continuing experience of the presence of His Spirit, which was an invisible force. When He appears, He either gives the Holy Spirit or promises that He will do so soon (John 20:19-23, Luke 24:49). Paul himself, while on the way to Damascus to arrest Christians, encountered the Risen Christ and did not only convert to Christianity, but also became a pillar of the Church, alongside Peter.

After Jesus’ resurrection appearances ended, the people who heard about them continued to experience the presence of Jesus, though in a less dramatic and tangible way. This experience reinforced faith in His resurrection, becoming convinced that He could not simultaneously be dead and alive. Acts of the Apostles 2:41-47 reveals that the invincible belief in the risen Christ created a unique bond among believers, fostering a community of unprecedented and unconditional charity. Following the story of the two disciples of Emmaus, the early Church, specifically, recognized Jesus’ real presence in the breaking of the Bread, an expression which became synonymous with the Eucharist sacrifice or Mass.

It must be noted, however, that the resurrection did not involve God saving Jesus from suffering and death, but saving Jesus after His faithfulness in accepting suffering and death. Consequently, the resurrection challenges us in earthly tragedies to focus on final salvation rather than expect God to fix the situation here and now with a miracle. Ultimately, the resurrection is viewed as a present power that enables believers to walk in newness of life, offering hope for life after death and changing the way Christians live, even in the darkest circumstances.