April 4, 2018
I Corinthians 15:12-19 (Modern King James Version)
(All Scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated)
Today we will finish studying Paul’s logical argument concerning the resurrection found in I Corinthians 15:12 through 19 (Modern King James Version).
But if Christ is proclaimed…that He was raised from the dead, how do some
among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no
resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ been raised. And if Christ has
not been raised, then our proclamation is worthless, and your faith is also
worthless. And we are also found to be false witnesses of God, because we
testified of God that He raised Christ; whom He did not raise if the dead are
not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ is not raised. And if
Christ is not raised, your faith is foolish; you are yet in your sins. Then also
those that fell asleep in Christ were lost. If in this life only we have hope in
Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
The Apostle Paul in this Scripture is presenting what would follow if the claim some were making was true: “…there is no resurrection from the dead…”! (I Corinthians 15:12). What would that logically mean to our Christian faith? We already looked at…
• I Corinthians 15:13 and 16 – “If there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ been raised….For if the dead are not raised, then Christ is not raised.”
Let’s go on to the next four steps in Paul’s logical argument:
• I Corinthians 15:14 and 15 – “And if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is worthless….And we are also found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified of God that He raised Christ; whom He did not raise if the dead are not raised.”
✞ One thing Paul was careful to do was to tell the truth! He had found the truth on the Damascus Road when the One who is called the Truth appeared unto him! (see John 14:6). He was totally convinced of that truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ! He said so in…
▸ …Philippians 1:6 – “…being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you [Philippians] will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
▸ …II Timothy 1:12 – “…I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.”
✞ According to I Corinthians 4:1 and 2, Paul considered himself, and his fellow apostles, “…as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” A steward was someone put in charge of managing what belonged to another. It all belongs to God! (See Psalm 50:10-12). And Paul, above all else, desired to be found faithful! So he was not about to be considered a false witness concerning the resurrection!
✞ He lays it all on the line in I Corinthians 15:14 and 15: If Christ has not been raised…
▸ …our proclamation of the Lord being raised from the dead is worthless!
▸ …And we are also found to be false witnesses – found to be believing and spreading a lie…
…Without The Resurrection!
• I Corinthians 15:14 and 17 – “…and your faith is also worthless….And if Christ is not raised, your faith is foolish; you are yet in your sins.”
✞ One’s faith is what one really believes is true! Something claimed by faith cannot be proven by the five senses – sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. Because “…faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen….By faith we…please…God…believ[ing]…that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:1, 6).
✞ The person with strong faith will direct his or her whole life by what he or she believes! But can you imagine your strong faith being worthless and foolish?
✞ The hope of our sins being forgiven rests not only of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on Calvary’s cross, but also on the resurrection! It was the Father’s stamp of approval on what the Son did! It was as if the Father said, “I accept! ” But there would be no forgiveness, no payment for sins, no eternal life…
…Without The Resurrection!
• I Corinthians 15:18 – “Then also those that fell asleep in Christ were lost.” Being asleep is a Christian euphemism for death, since for the Christian, physical death is not final, and we will be awakened at the resurrection! (See Daniel 12:2; Mark 5:39-42; John 11:11-14; 25, 26).
✞ One of the great hopes for the Christian is to be united again with believing loved ones at the resurrection of the righteous! (See II Samuel 12:23; I Thessalonians 4:13-18).
✞ But since Christ is “…the firstfruits [of the resurrection] of those who have fallen asleep…” (I Corinthians 15:20) – if He didn’t rise from the dead, no one else will! They are eternally dead and lost, because they died still bearing their sins…
…Without The Resurrection!
• I Corinthians 15:19 – “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” Most miserable? Why? Because we have hoped in a lie, we have staked our lives on a falsehood, we are all going to hell, and we have wasted the opportunity of earthly enjoyment in this life to “…eat, drink, and be merry…for tomorrow we die.” (Luke 12:19; I Corinthians 15:32)…
…Without The Resurrection!
I Corinthians 15:20 – “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” He is alive! And He lives forever! (See Hebrews 7:25; Revelation 1:18).
✞ And because He lives, we shall live also! (See John 14:19).
✞ The resurrection also has procured for us the power to die to self and live for God in this life! (See Romans 6:1-14).
✞ Is it any wonder that Paul exclaims in I Corinthians 15:57: “…thanks be to God, who has given us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ…”! We can say the same…
…With The Resurrection!