Daily Scripture Reading 1Corinthians 15:9-32
In recent decades many so-called preachers have had the goal of gaining as many so-called converts as possible. In order to do that, they have been crafting a message that appeals to as many people as possible. This means leaving out teachings that non-Christians would find repulsive.
These so-called preachers do not talk about hell. Nor do they talk much about the resurrection of Jesus or the need to believe in His resurrection in order to be saved. Instead, they focus on how life on earth will better as a Christian.
Today’s passage teaches us the absurdity and emptiness of that approach, and informs us of the absolute essentials that need to be proclaimed in order to gain true converts to Christianity.
In the first 8 verses of chapter 15 Paul reminded the Corinthians that the most important truths are the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Then Paul listed those to whom Jesus had appeared after His resurrection: Cephas, the twelve, 500 brothers, James, all the apostles, and then Paul.
1Cor. 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, and not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
1Cor. 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
1Cor. 15:11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
1Cor. 15:12 ¶ 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?
Apparently, some of the Corinthians were saying humans cannot rise from the dead. That contradicted the central tenet of Christianity which is that Jesus rose from the dead.
1Cor. 15:13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised.
1Cor. 15:14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.
The resurrection of Jesus is so central to Christianity that if He did not rise from the dead, then our faith is in vain.
One of the trends in modern Christianity is to water-down the gospel in an attempt to make it palatable to more people, so as to gain more converts. The focus is on gaining a huge number of so-called converts instead of making sure any converts are true converts. This often involves proclaiming a message that is long on the benefits of Christianity, but very short on the requirements of Christianity.
Sometimes people proclaim a gospel message where they do not declare the necessity of believing in the resurrection. That leads to false conversions. Believing in the resurrection is a requirement to be saved. Therefore, those who truly want to tell people how to be saved must always talk about the resurrection.
1Cor. 15:15 Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we bore witness against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised.
1Cor. 15:16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised.
1Cor. 15:17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.
1Cor. 15:18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
1Cor. 15:19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.
The great benefit of Christianity is not the benefits we receive while here on earth. Instead, the greatest reason for becoming a Christian is the fact we receive eternal life, but eternal life can only happen if we will rise from the dead.
Many of the so-called preachers who water-down the gospel in order to gain the greatest number of so-called converts do not talk about hell. Therefore, they do not tell people that the benefit of being a Christian is deliverance from hell. That is a mistake. Being saved from an eternity in hell is the most important reason for becoming a Christian.
1Cor. 15:20 ¶ But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
1Cor. 15:21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.
1Cor. 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.
1Cor. 15:23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming.
1Cor. 15:24 Then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.
1Cor. 15:25 For He must reign UNTIL HE HAS PUT ALL HIS ENEMIES UNDER HIS FEET.
1Cor. 15:26 The last enemy to be abolished is death.
1Cor. 15:27 For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him.
This verse is hard to follow because of all the pronouns. All things will be under the feet of Jesus, but the Father is excepted because it is the Father who put all things in subjection to Jesus.
1Cor. 15:28 And when all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.
When all things are subjected to Jesus, then Jesus will be subject to the Father.
1Cor. 15:29 ¶ Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them?
Apparently, the Corinthians were being baptized for the dead. This verse does not tell us we should do this. It simply informs us it was happening. Paul pointed out the senselessness of being baptized for the dead if the dead are not resurrected.
1Cor. 15:30 Why are we also in danger every hour?
1Cor. 15:31 I affirm, brothers, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
1Cor. 15:32 If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE.
If the dead are not raised, then we have no existence after life here on earth, which means there is no point in serving Jesus. If the dead are not raised, then we should live life to benefit ourselves. Obviously, the dead are raised; therefore, we should not live life for ourselves.
The tendency in modern Christianity is to refrain from preaching anything that non-Christians would find offensive or hard to believe. That means many preachers do not talk about hell or the resurrection. However, as we saw in verse 19, if our only hope in being a Christian is the benefit we derive here on earth, then we are to be pitied. The greatest benefit of being a Christian is being saved from hell; therefore, we should proclaim the existence of hell and the true requirements for being delivered from an eternity in the lake of fire. One of the non-negotiable requirements is to believe in the resurrection of Jesus.
How often does your church proclaim the existence of hell and the true requirements to be saved from it?
How well does your pastor teach the necessity of believing in the resurrection of Jesus in order to be saved?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”