1 Corinthians 15:1-19

 1 Corinthians 15:1-19

The church at Corinth was deeply divided, and as a result, they were susceptible to the deadly attack of the enemy by means of the denial of the resurrection of Christ. The Corinthians had heard, received, and taken their stand in the saving message of the resurrection. But now they were apparently leaving, or were about to leave, the faith having “believed in vain.” In verse three Paul begins to outline the single core and most important foundational doctrines of the faith, what is “of first importance.” If we could only have one passage of scripture, this would not be a bad choice. He presents the fact of the death, burial, and resurrection, showing it was the eternal intent of God by the statement “according to the Scriptures.” Paul talks about our salvation by reference to Jesus‘s death for our sins. Verses three and four are a near complete picture of the gospel. But Paul is not just telling a story; he is relating history, and he offers a diverse group of witnesses to the fact of the resurrection.

Having addressed the historical fact, Paul points to the idiocy of a resurrection-less faith. Both Sadducees and various Greek philosophers rejected the possibility of any resurrection. They taught that the only reality for man is material; you see, materialism is no new ideal. If there is no resurrection, then not even Jesus has been resurrected. If that were true, then the list of disasters is almost endless. Paul begins pointing out various disasters associated with a resurrection-less religion. Number one: faith is worthless, and we are guilty and worthy of wrath because we are still in our sin. Number two, the dead have perished; they may exist no more. The best the Greeks had to offer was an existence of ghost-likeness as a ghost in the gloom of the underworld. But they are certainly not alive in a vibrant sense. Point of fact, atheism is more comforting than a resurrection-less Christianity.

There is no doubt that Christianity is the best worldview for a strong moral ethic by which we can live. But the cost of being a disciple is so high that if it is lived faithfully, it is too expensive a price to pay for just a good moral life. To be a disciple means persecution and a level of sacrifice too great for any earthly reward. If there is no resurrection life to be enjoyed, then it would be wiser to satisfy the passions and pleasures of this life and pursue hedonism or epicurean philosophies. But the hope of the resurrection is so great that it makes any sacrifice a fantastic bargain.

“Lord, thank You for the hope of the resurrection. AMEN”

Bonus Devotion coming out in an hour