If you are a genuine believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you believe that he has been raised - physically - from the dead. He died - physically - for our sins. His body was placed into the earth, a real tomb, in which it was sealed with a great rock. His body was raised from death, and he then appeared to many, even eating breakfast with Peter before Jesus ascended in the presence of witnessing disciples.
The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the Christian hope. Because of Christ's resurrection we know that we too will one day be raised from the dead into eternal life. We know that Jesus has indeed been gloriously victorious over sin and death. We know that the power by which Christ paid for sin and rose from the grave is the power and authority of God to forgive us of sin and bring us into new life in Christ. Especially in his letter to Corinth, the Apostle Paul makes it clear that while our Christian faith relies on Christ's sacrificial atonement for sin on the cross, it would be futile to hope in the accomplishment of the cross if Christ was not physically resurrected to life.
1 Corinthians 15:12-17 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.
The Christian hope is not that we just have a transformed life in our temporal worldly existence but that we will one day be physically transformed in resurrection, and perfected in Christ for all eternity. Unfortunately, the expectation of the physical resurrection of believers at the future return of Christ has been under attack in the church. Even within the evangelical church, some have attempted to relegate the concept of resurrection to being a purely spiritual phenomena that happens to the church in this world. In consideration of what Paul said to the Corinthians, we might guess his reply: "What's the point of a resurrection that has benefit in this life only?"
The reality is that for the believer, we have both a spiritual and a future physical resurrection. Paul has already made it clear that if we don't believe in a future physical resurrection that our faith is in vain. Paul, however, also tells us that Christians participate with Christ in his resurrection as we live in the newness of life in him in this world awaiting perfection in the next.
Romans 6:1-6 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
Colossians 3:1-4 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Ephesians 2:4-7 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved-- 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
This is a simple reminder for Christians today. If you believe in Jesus, then you have participated with Christ in his work of the cross which includes resurrection. We have had a spiritual death to sin and a spiritual resurrection to new life in Jesus. We will one day still face the consequences of physical death in this world because of sin. We will also share in the resurrection victory of Jesus over that death. Those who die before his return will be with him until he comes, and both the living and the dead in Christ will receive new resurrected bodies on the day of his return. If you are in Christ, your resurrection glory and hope is both physical and spiritual. When we understand this, we will avoid the heresies that surround us and live with joy as we live in Christ for our future glorious day with him.