'For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and he appeared to Peter and then to the Twelve. After that he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time.'
1 Corinthians 15:3-6
God raised Jesus from the dead, declaring by this act that Jesus had fully paid the penalty for the sins of the world, so that all who believe on Jesus are freely forgiven all their sins and accounted righteous for ever in the sight of God for the sake of Jesus Christ.