First Corinthians 15 Part 4 The Necessity Of Christ's Resurrection From The Dead

False teachers taught that there was no resurrection from the dead

1 Corinthians 15:12  Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 

The Holy Spirit guided Paul to introduce the resurrection by reminding the Corinthians (and all Christians) that there is indisputable proof of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Hundreds of eyewitnesses saw the risen Lord and a first hand eyewitness carries the most weight in a court of law.

Since Paul established factually that Christ rose from the dead, he addressed some Corinthians who denied the reality of Christ's resurrection. 

They called into question the resurrection of the saints at a future date.

Jesus taught that each true Christian has received eternal life. 

John 5:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 

Faith is the victory of sin, death, hell and the grave for a believer in Jesus Christ. Those who hear Jesus' words in the gospels and believe with repentant faith, are regenerated by God's Spirit. 

We have passed from death (the wages of our sins) to eternal life which is the gift of God through faith in His Son (See Romans 6;23).

Jesus taught that all the born again will hear His voice and live.

John 5:25-27  Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 26)  For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 27)  And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 

One day, the Father will send His Son, Jesus Christ to this world to bring home His bride, the Church. Paul tells us about the rapture of the church in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.

This is the moment that all the saints who died "in Christ" shall be raised and receive new, glorified bodies. 

Jesus will then take us home to heaven and we will participate in the marriage supper of the Lamb (See Matthew 22:1-14; 25:1-13; Revelation 19:6-10).

Jesus will judge the Christian's service for God and we will gain or lose rewards, depending upon the motivation of our heart in serving God (See 1 Corinthians 3:9-16). 

Jesus taught that the resurrection of life for all who are "in Christ" happens first, before the wicked are raised for judgment and condemnation.

John 5:28-29  Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29)  And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. 

Jesus taught His disciples that all people saved and lost, shall be resurrected from the grave.

The believers in Christ shall be raised first and this is called the resurrection of life.

After the tribulation period, all sinners will be resurrected from the grave, judged according to their works, and cast into the eternal lake of fire. 

This is called the resurrection of damnation. 

Some Corinthians cast doubt upon the resurrection of believers from the grave and propagated a serious error in the church.

Paul confronted these false teachers because they opposed and denied the clear teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In spite of overwhelming proof of Christ's resurrection, some Corinthians thought that being raised from the dead was impossible.

If there is no resurrection then gospel preaching and faith are vain.

1 Corinthians 15:13,14  But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14)  And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 

Messiah's resurrection was foretold in many ancient prophecies and it has been proved by multitudes of eyewitnesses that He rose. 

Acts 1:1-3  The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2)  Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: 3)  To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 

The book of Acts records Luke's account of Jesus' resurrection from the dead and His ascension to His Father in heaven (Acts 1:8-11).

Hundreds of disciples saw Jesus after His resurrection during forty days before He returned to His Father.

The factual basis of the resurrection is beyond any doubt.

Therefore, Paul asked how any of the Corinthians could dismiss the resurrection which God had promised, had fulfilled and had established with infallible proofs.

If there is no resurrection as the false teachers claimed, then Christ is still in the grave and unable to save us from our sins. 

The apostolic preaching of the gospel of Christ and the tens of thousands of people who believed and were born again, was all for nothing. 

Our faith in Christ would be empty without the resurrection of our Lord. 

If there is no resurrection, then the apostles were false witnesses. 

1 Corinthians 15:15-17  Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 16)  For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17)  And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 

Paul continues exposing the absurdity of the false teachers at Corinth. 

The apostles would be false witnesses because they preached the gospel and the good news that Jesus rose from the dead and is now willing to save all who repent and put their trust in Him.

Believers who trusted the work of Christ on the cross to save them, would still be in their sins if Jesus had not risen from the dead.

We can readily see why the Spirit of God guided Paul to write a lengthy doctrine about the resurrection of Christ and of the dead in Christ. 

If there is no resurrection then all who died in Christ, perished in their sins.

1 Corinthians 15:18-19  Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19)  If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 

If the false teachers were correct and there was no resurrection, then all the believers in Christ who died (fell asleep) perished in their sins and have no hope. 

The end result is that Christians professing faith in Christ would be the most miserable of people on earth, because Jesus was still dead, unable to save us from our sins. 

We would be eternally condemned and hopeless.

If there is no resurrection, then eat, drink and be merry like the world.

Isaiah 22:12-14  And in that day did the Lord GOD of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth: 13)  And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we shall die. 14)  And it was revealed in mine ears by the LORD of hosts, Surely this iniquity shall not be purged from you till ye die, saith the Lord GOD of hosts. 

If there was no resurrection then we might as well live like the corrupt culture, eat, drink and be merry.

God pointed out Israel's sins and commanded them to fast and pray. Instead, the people engaged in eating, drinking and making merry because "tomorrow we die."

God made it very clear that refusal to hear and heed His Word means they would die in their sins and face condemnation.

This is the same philosophy that operates in our depraved culture. Get all you can get now, and experience all that you can before you die.

Without resurrection hope people live for self as hedonists.

Luke 12:16-21  And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17)  And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18)  And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19)  And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20)  But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21)  So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. 

Jesus taught this parable to demonstrate the foolishness of living for the world instead of living for God.

A certain rich man had more than enough food and wine to meet his own needs. God blessed him with an exceptionally abundant harvest. 

Instead of sharing his great surplus with those who were less fortunate, he built larger barns to hoard it all for himself.

This is very much the world's philosophy of get all you can get and enjoy it all right now. 

This rich man had so much that his needs were supplied for a period of many years.

Yet, that night, he died without faith in God and all his labors were for nothing. 

This is what Paul is getting at when he shows that if the resurrection of Christ did not happen, then we are miserable and without hope.

Knowing that Jesus was raised from the dead and ascended to His Father, all who turn to Christ with repentant faith, have hope. 

We have been granted eternal life through faith in Christ. 

We must live our lives in such a way that we are seeking heavenly treasures instead of earthly pleasures. 

We can walk in newness of life and live for our Lord, because we know this world is not our eternal home. 

In our next post, Paul will turn to expound upon the glory of Christ's resurrection and its implication for all Christians. 

Bob