Christianity is not just a philosophy and neither is it a way of life or a set of principles. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is important because Christianity is a relationship with the risen Christ, who died for our sins but rose from the dead for our justification, and is alive forevermore! And because Jesus is alive, we can have a life-giving friendship with Him.
Another reason that the resurrection is so important is that forgiveness of sins cannot come through a doctrine but it comes from a person. Doctrine cannot give you forgiveness of sins, we receive forgiveness of sins from Christ himself because He is alive!
Matthew 9:2-6 The Passion Translation (TPT)
2 Just then some people brought a paraplegic man to him, lying on a sleeping mat. When Jesus perceived the strong faith within their hearts, he said to the paralyzed man, “My son, be encouraged, for your sins have been forgiven.”
3 These words prompted some of the religious scholars who were present to think, “Why, that’s nothing but blasphemy!”
4 Jesus supernaturally perceived their thoughts, and said to them, “Why do you carry such evil in your hearts? 5 Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or, ‘Stand up and walk!’? 6 But now, to convince you that the Son of Man has been given authority to forgive sins, I say to this man, ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk home.’”
Jesus is the one who gave forgiveness, it didn't just come from a doctrine! Forgiveness of sins comes from a Person, it comes from Jesus!
Acts 5:31 New King James Version (NKJV)
Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.
In the Greek, “forgiveness of sins”, means that he gives repentance and removal of sins. This is talking about forgiveness and how forgiveness of sins comes from a person, Jesus, not just a doctrine. 1 Peter 1:3 says, “blessed be the God of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to his abundant mercy has begotten us unto a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” This is saying that through the resurrection we are born again we receive forgiveness of sins – all because of the resurrection of a real person from the dead! We receive forgiveness of sins through the risen Christ and we can be born again because of the resurrection! 1 Corinthians 15:17 -19 says “and if Christ not be not raised your faith is in vain and your yet in your sins,” so that means that because Jesus is raised up from the dead, our faith is not in vain and we are not in our sins, we are no longer sinners but now, because of the resurrection, we have been made saints, we are made holy ones, set apart for God! Amen!
Because of the resurrection we are not in our sins – all sins have been cancelled! So many Christians struggle with that thought, and religion has really infiltrated Christianity to make Christians not really believe this. But the scripture says in so many places that we are forgiven that all our sins have been cancelled!
Hebrews 9:12 The Passion Translation (TPT)
And he has entered once and forever into the Holiest Sanctuary of All, not with the blood of animal sacrifices, but the sacred blood of his own sacrifice. And he alone has made our salvation secure forever!
I receive forgiveness of sins from a person, and that person is Jesus, who is alive! And because he is alive and because of the resurrection I am now born again, no longer dead in my sins but now I'm raised up to a new life – alive to righteousness! My identity has changed because of the resurrection, and because I've placed my faith in what Jesus has done for me, I'm no longer a sinner that needs his grace; I was a sinner but I got saved by grace, and I'm now the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus!