“If Jesus had not been raised, none of the following things, listed in order of their appearance in Acts, would have been possible:

The sending of the Spirit (Acts 2:33)

Physical healings (Acts 3:15–16)

The conversion of sinners (Acts 3:26)

Salvation by union with Jesus (Acts 4:11–12)

Jesus’ role as the leader of his church (Acts 5:30–31; 9)

Forgiveness of sins (Acts 5:30–31)

Comfort for the dying (Acts 7)

The commissioning of gospel messengers (Acts 9; 10:42)

Freedom from the penalty and power of sin (Acts 13:37–39)

Assurance that the gospel is true (Acts 17:31)

Our own resurrection (Acts 17:31)

Jesus’ future judgment of this world (Acts 17:31)

In summary, because of his life, death, and resurrection, Jesus has brought God close to us.”

— Adrian Warnock Raised with Christ (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2010), 114