I’m Not Ashamed of the Gospel

Why the Resurrection of Jesus Still Stands Up to Scrutiny—Even in a Skeptical Age

By Iam. Kerr

At Easter, many of us post a familiar image: the silhouette of a cross seen from inside an empty tomb, bathed in morning light, with the caption “He is Risen.” Among fellow believers, it’s a shared celebration. But when that same image crosses the screens of those who don’t share our faith—friends who see themselves as scientific, rational, or even skeptical—we sometimes pause.

We wonder:
Will they think I’m naïve? Unintelligent? Superstitious?

It’s a quiet hesitation many of us have felt. And yet, Paul’s words in Romans 1:16 continue to speak with timeless boldness:

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes…”
(Romans 1:16)

So, in a world of questions and skepticism, we ask ourselves:
What is there to be ashamed of?

He Is Risen—But Did It Really Happen?

At the heart of the Christian message is a historical claim: Jesus Christ rose from the dead. This isn’t just a metaphor or spiritual symbol—it’s a real event that, if true, changes everything.

The apostle Paul understood this. Writing in 1 Corinthians 15:14, he states:

“If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”

That’s quite the gamble. It invites investigation. So let’s look at what many historians—believers and non-believers alike—agree upon when it comes to the historical Jesus.

1. Jesus Lived and Was Crucified Under Pontius Pilate

There is wide scholarly consensus that Jesus of Nazareth was a real historical figure.

Bart Ehrman, an agnostic historian and New Testament scholar, writes:
“The reality is that every single author who mentions Jesus—pagan, Christian, or Jewish—was fully convinced that he at least lived. Jesus certainly existed.”
(*Did Jesus Exist?*, 2012)

The Roman historian Tacitus, writing around 116 A.D., refers to Jesus’ execution:
“Christus… suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus.”
(*Annals*, 15.44)

2. He Was Buried in a Known Tomb

The Gospels report that Jesus was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Jewish ruling council. This detail is significant.

N.T. Wright explains:
“The burial by Joseph of Arimathea is very widely regarded as one of the most certain facts about the historical Jesus.”
(*The Resurrection of the Son of God*, 2003)

3. The Tomb Was Found Empty

The discovery of the empty tomb is attested in all four Gospels. Notably, the first witnesses were women—whose testimony in that culture was considered less credible, which supports the authenticity of the story.

William Lane Craig notes:
“If the empty tomb story were a legend, male disciples would have been made the discoverers… The fact that it is women who are the chief witnesses is most plausibly explained by the fact that they were the discoverers.”
(*Reasonable Faith*, 2008)

Even Jesus’ opponents didn’t dispute the empty tomb—they claimed the body was stolen (Matthew 28:11–15), which ironically confirms the tomb was empty.

4. Multiple Witnesses Claimed to See Him Alive

Paul, writing just 20 years after the resurrection, records in 1 Corinthians 15 that Jesus appeared to individuals, groups, and even skeptics—such as James and Paul himself.

Gary Habermas writes:
“Virtually all scholars agree that these individuals truly believed that they had seen the risen Jesus.”
(*The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus*, 2004)

Faith Isn’t Foolish—It’s Grounded in History

Believing in the resurrection of Jesus is not blind faith—it is a reasoned trust in a historically grounded claim. While science cannot reproduce resurrections in a lab, history can evaluate whether one happened in real time.

C.S. Lewis once said:
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.”
(*Mere Christianity*)

This Is the Gospel

The resurrection is not merely a religious concept—it is a declaration:

That Jesus lived
That He died for our sins
That He was buried
And that He rose again

This is the Gospel. This is our hope. And there is nothing to be ashamed of.

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation…”
(Romans 1:16)

Recently, the President of the United States proclaimed April 3rd as “Liberation Day”—a symbolic day to recognize and celebrate freedom. But for Christians, the greatest Liberation Day was not declared by any earthly leader. It was declared from an empty tomb in Jerusalem, over 2,000 years ago.

On Easter morning, Christ broke the chains of sin and death, not with fanfare or politics, but with the quiet power of a risen Savior. That is the day our souls were set free. That is the day death lost its grip. That is the day history changed forever.

He is Risen. He is Lord. And we are free.

Sources and Further Reading:

Ehrman, Bart. Did Jesus Exist? HarperOne, 2012.
Wright, N.T. The Resurrection of the Son of God. Fortress Press, 2003.
Craig, William Lane. Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics. Crossway, 2008.
Habermas, Gary, and Licona, Michael. The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus. Kregel, 2004.
Lewis, C.S. Mere Christianity. HarperOne, 2001 edition.

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