But Now: The Resurrection
"For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures"(1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
"Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?" (1 Corinthians 15:12)
The Gospel that Paul preached as he say's in (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) and yet some at Corinth were saying there was no such thing as a resurrection of the dead.
Then look at what Paul states would be the result if there is no resurrection.
1."But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen."(1 Corinthians 15:13)
2."And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty"(1 Corinthians 15:14)
3."and your faith is also empty."(1 Corinthians 15:14)
4."Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God"(1 Corinthians 15:15)
5. "And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile;(Useless)"(1 Corinthians 15:17)
6."you are still in your sins!"(1 Corinthians 15:17)
7."Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished."(1 Corinthians 15:18)
8."If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable."(pathetic)(1 Corinthians 15:19)
If there is no resurrection of the dead then Christ is not risen,preaching is empty,our faith is empty,the apostles were false witnesses,our faith is useless,we're still in our sins,the ones that have died in Christ have perished and the only hope we have in Christ is in this life only and we are pathetic.
BUT NOW
"BUT NOW (my emphasis) Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." (1 Corinthians 15:20)
I love it when Paul say's those two words after such dire statements of hopelessness have been made.(Romans 3:21,6:22,7:6,)for example:
"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
BUT NOW (my emphasis) the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets"(Romans 3:20-21)
"For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.BUT NOW (my emphasis) having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life."(Romans 6:20-21)
"For when we were in the flesh, the sinful passions which were aroused by the law were at work in our members to bear fruit to death.BUT NOW (my emphasis) we have been delivered from the law, having died to what we were held by, so that we should serve in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the letter."(Romans 7:5-6)
Then here.Everything we have and ever hope to have hinges on the resurrection of Christ,even all the "BUT NOW'S."
Then if there is no resurrection and Christ is not resurrected then these words of comfort,our blessed hope don't mean one thing.
"But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.Therefore comfort one another with these words."(1Thessalonians 4:13-18)
But we do believe Christ is resurrected and we that have accepted Him as our Savior are justified and we do have the hope of Him coming back for us.
PERHAPS TODAY |
