In 1 Corinthians Chapter 15, Paul is writing to the Church of Corinth about the resurrection from the dead. There is doubt among Paul’s audience as to whether there is even a resurrection. After telling of the over 500 eye witnesses who saw the risen Lord (v. 5-8) and thus defending the resurrection of Christ, Paul begins to write of the Christian’s resurrection from the dead.
His first aim is to show how ludicrous it is to believe that there is no resurrection from the dead. If there is no resurrection, Paul writes, then even Jesus Himself was not raised. And if Jesus was not raised, then the Apostle’s preaching and the Corinthians’ faith have been in vain.
Something really struck me as I was reading. Verse 17 says:
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.
You are still in your sins.
He doesn’t say, “if Christ wasn’t raised, you need to try plan B.” He says “your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.” If Jesus Christ wasn’t raised from the dead, our faith is in vain and we are still dead in our sins! And by the way, those who have died in Christ, they have perished if Christ didn’t rise. There is no do-over when you die; no second chances. And there is no fall back plan. Jesus Christ is our only hope.
In verse 19, Paul writes of the pity that we deserve if it has only been in this life that our hope in Christ existed. Think of it...Surrendering one’s entire life for the sake of the One who spoke with the authority of God because He was God. If Jesus turned out to be a liar or a crazy person, what a pitiful legacy we have left behind.
Of course, this way of thinking was only Paul’s way of setting up his next statement in verse 20:
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
We can rest securely in this fact. Our hope is not only in this life. It will be realized and we will be taken up in glory to spend eternity reigning with our Lord Jesus Christ.
No futility. No pity. No doubt.
His first aim is to show how ludicrous it is to believe that there is no resurrection from the dead. If there is no resurrection, Paul writes, then even Jesus Himself was not raised. And if Jesus was not raised, then the Apostle’s preaching and the Corinthians’ faith have been in vain.
Something really struck me as I was reading. Verse 17 says:
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.
You are still in your sins.
He doesn’t say, “if Christ wasn’t raised, you need to try plan B.” He says “your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.” If Jesus Christ wasn’t raised from the dead, our faith is in vain and we are still dead in our sins! And by the way, those who have died in Christ, they have perished if Christ didn’t rise. There is no do-over when you die; no second chances. And there is no fall back plan. Jesus Christ is our only hope.
In verse 19, Paul writes of the pity that we deserve if it has only been in this life that our hope in Christ existed. Think of it...Surrendering one’s entire life for the sake of the One who spoke with the authority of God because He was God. If Jesus turned out to be a liar or a crazy person, what a pitiful legacy we have left behind.
Of course, this way of thinking was only Paul’s way of setting up his next statement in verse 20:
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
We can rest securely in this fact. Our hope is not only in this life. It will be realized and we will be taken up in glory to spend eternity reigning with our Lord Jesus Christ.
No futility. No pity. No doubt.
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