Every so often I hear some people say how they admire and respect Jesus as a good man, who gave us some very great moral and ethical teachings, but they do not believe that He was anything more than a good religious leader, nor that He rose from the dead. They say that the resurrection is not important to believe, whether it is the resurrection of Jesus or that of believers after death. They believe that if Jesus did rise from the dead, that’s great, but if He didn’t, it’s no big deal, it’s not important. They feel the only thing that is important is that we follow the teachings that He gave, that’s all. However, that is not what Scripture teaches. Not only is the resurrection of Jesus a fact, but as we look into today’s passage we see how important the resurrection really is.
Our Scripture passage today continues on with Paul’s great teaching about the resurrection in Chapter 15 of I Corinthians. There were some people who had crept into the church in Corinth who were teaching that there was no resurrection of believers after death. In chapter 15 of this epistle, Paul thoroughly challenges this heresy. Let’s continue on with our examination of what the Lord says through this Scripture.
Paul tells us that if there is no resurrection of believers from the dead, then Jesus did not rise from the dead, either (vs. 12-13, 16). If one believes that Jesus rose from the dead, then it follows that His children will, as well. Paul continues on to teach that there would be several disastrous consequences if there were no resurrection of the dead. The first one that he tells about is that the teachings about Jesus and salvation would be senseless (vs. 14). If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, what would be the purpose in traveling the world to bring His message? If there were no resurrection, then having faith in Jesus Christ would be useless. As Paul said, our faith would be empty. What good would faith in Him serve?
Paul continues on in saying that if there was no resurrection then all of the witnesses and preachers of the Gospel would be liars (vs. 15). All of the apostles and other missionaries and preachers from the days of the early Church on till today would be preaching lies if Jesus never rose. Why respect or ever believe them further?
Very importantly, without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, no one would be redeemed from sin (vs. 17). Without the resurrection, Christianity would be like every other religion - powerless to save. There would be no triumph over sin and death, and we would have no assurance of eternal life. There would be no hope for us.
Without the resurrection then all deceased Christians would have perished in their sins (vs. 18). I remember reading about something that the widow of a very famous astronomer and astrophysicist who died in the 1990’s said. As neither of them were believers in the Lord Jesus, she said that, as much as she loved him, she knew that she would never see her husband again. How sad and how hopeless! If there is no resurrection of believers, that would be the case, and if that is the case then Christians would be the most pitiable of people on earth (vs. 19). If Jesus did not rise, we have no forgiveness of sins, and no hope of eternal life.
However, Paul did not leave us with these dismal thoughts because Jesus did, indeed, rise from the dead, and with that He opened the door for all believers and followers of His to also rise from the dead, as well (vs. 20). Paul describes how Jesus is the “first fruits” of those who died. The term “first fruits” describes the first installment of the harvest to eternal life, which Jesus’s resurrection will precipitate and guarantee that all believers who die will be resurrected.
Because Jesus rose from the dead as He promised, we know that what He said is true. Because He rose, we have certainty that our sins are forgiven. Because Jesus rose, He lives and represents us to God. Because Jesus rose and defeated death, we know we will also be raised.
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