Steadfast Day 5 The Essential Truth: Digging Deeper
March 31, 2023
Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!
1 Corinthians 15:12-19
The Original Intent
1) Who was denying the resurrection of the dead? (verse 12)
In the beginning of time … God brought everything to life. It was good. But sooner than later, sin came into the picture with a devastating sentence on humanity: Death to all. (Genesis 1-3) Surely the gut-wrenching question on the hearts of Adam and Eve was “will there still be life after this death?”
Job wrestled with this question as he lamented his mortality. (Job 14:13) In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul communicates his agony over the startling news that there were those in Corinth who were denying the resurrection of the body. Many in the Greco-Roman world believed death was the end for a person. (preceptaustin.org)
But what was so shocking was that there were Corinth believers who affirmed the bodily resurrection of Jesus while denying the bodily resurrection of their fellow Christians. Paul was firmly reprimanding those with this mindset. Paul wanted them to understand that if there is no future resurrection for believers, then Christ himself was not raised!
This truth was an essential teaching in the ministry Paul. He made that clear when he wrote to encourage the Thessalonians as well. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14)
The Everyday Application
1) Who was denying the resurrection of the dead? (verse 12)
Sadly, denying the resurrection was not limited to a few Corinthians thousands of years ago. There has been a movement within the ‘faith culture’ in the last several years to encourage people to question … well, everything. It is hyped as a kinder, gentler approach to biblical ideas.
While there are many layers within this belief system, it has become known by what it holds loosely rather than what it holds firmly. A self-identified progressive shared her thoughts on a blog: “Find grace in the search for understanding and believe there is more value in questioning with an open mind and open heart, than in absolutes of dogma…” (Ginny Baxter) While this seems like a humble approach, it undermines any belief system with absolutes.
TGC author Trevin Wax speaks to this with wisdom and grace: “We cannot reduce Christian truth claims to merely systematic affirmations or mathematical formulations. But even when considering the personal nature of knowing Jesus as the Truth, we shouldn’t resist certainty. What we need is not the kind of scientific certainty elevated by the Enlightenment, but a personal certainty, the kind of certainty that rests assured in God’s demonstration of love for me through sending Christ to die for me, a sinner.
And that kind of certainty should keep us from asserting our doctrinal confidence in a way that seems like we’re just scoring points in intellectual debate or dressing down our theological interlocutors. The Christian faith is full of mystery and paradox, but much of this mystery has been divinely revealed. Certainty, then, should not be set in opposition to humility.”
Hear this, friend. “If Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say, ‘There is no resurrection of the dead?’” (verse 12)
The Original Intent
2) How does the reality of the resurrection of Christ impact the witness of the apostles and other believers? (verses 13-15)
After the resurrection of Jesus, the apostles began preaching and teaching and doing miracles. They spoke with courage and power. Their testimony about the deity of Christ (anchoring truths about the one true God) was directly tied to their certainty of His resurrection. Peter’s sermon in Acts 2 demonstrates how the apostles interpreted the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.
Peter’s testimony to the resurrection did not include the common logical arguments. Instead, he turned their attention to a familiar psalm of David as a prophetic example of life after death. David had confessed to the Lord his belief in his own resurrection one day. (Psalm 16:9-11) And Peter wanted the hearer to understand the connection of David’s words: “Seeing what was to come, he spoke concerning the resurrection of the Messiah: He was not abandoned in Hades, and his flesh did not experience decay. God has raised this Jesus; we are all witnesses of this.” (Acts 2:31-32)
The theme in Peter’s message was no doubt relayed to Paul as he learned more and more about the life and death and resurrection of Jesus. He himself had unexpectedly encountered the risen Jesus on his way to Damascus one day. Paul knew that believing in the resurrection of the dead was an essential facet of the gospel message. Not believing in resurrection would be an indictment on every witness to Jesus’ appearance after His death.
It may have been unintentional, but by denying the resurrection of the human body, the unbelieving Corinthians had become false witnesses regarding Jesus. They were also guilty of denying the teaching that was scattered throughout the Old Testament writings like we find in Hosea 13:4-14. God was always clear: life exists after death.
The Everyday Application
2) How does the reality of the resurrection of Christ impact the witness of the apostles and other believers? (verses 13-15)
Although we emphasize the resurrection at Easter, every Sunday service in which believers gather is a witness to the resurrection of Jesus. We read in Acts 20:7 that on the first day of the week, the saints were gathered together to “break bread”.
Most Bible scholars believe this was a meeting to celebrate the Last Supper. Remember, Jesus had told His disciples to remember Him often. (Luke 22:14-20) Why was the early church meeting on Sunday? Because it was the day their Savior had left the tomb and triumphed over death and the grave.
Every time we gather to worship on Sunday, we are collectively witnessing to the reality that Jesus Christ is risen! Even though the cross of Jesus stirs our hearts as we consider His sacrificial death, it is His resurrection that completes the purpose of Christ’s coming. Had Jesus not been raised, every Sunday service would be a farce. Our worship would be meaningless. But He was raised!
And with tears filling my eyes and chill bumps filling my skin, I stand with the gathered people of God and raise my hands in worship:
The ground began to shake, the stone was rolled away.
His perfect love could not be overcome.
Now death where is your sting?
Our resurrected king has rendered you defeated!
Forever, He is glorified!
Forever, He is lifted high!
Forever, He is risen! He IS alive!!
The Original Intent
3) Why should believers not compromise their belief in the literal resurrection of Jesus? (verses 16-19)
If believing the resurrection isn’t an essential doctrine for a Christ follower, then there is nothing in which we can connect the dots of our salvation. Without a resurrection, there is no living Christ. And if there is no living Christ, there is nothing to hope for beyond this life.
If there’s nothing to hope for beyond this life, even now what we have is meaningless. Apart from Christ’s resurrection, we have no Savior, no salvation, and no hope of eternal life. Apart from the resurrection of Christ, we have no future hope. And this hope is at the core of our gospel message! (1 Peter 3:15) The resurrection of Jesus divinely defines, endorses and interprets His death.
The resurrection signifies that Jesus is God in the flesh who not only came into the world miraculously, but also came back to life miraculously. When Jesus conquered death, He ushered in the beginning of His kingdom as the reigning Lord of all. If there was no literal resurrection, there would be no reason for Jesus to tell His disciples to remember when He offered them the bread and the wine. (Romans 1:3-4 Romans 4:23-25 Luke 22:14-20). What happened to Jesus on the cross loses clarity without the resurrection. (John 19:28-30)
The good news of the gospel must include the resurrection as the proof of the cross’ saving power. Paul included resurrection alongside Jesus’ death to emphasize that the forgiveness of our sins is related to Jesus being raised. (verse 17) Thanks be to our God that neither Jesus nor Paul nor His followers are left as dead martyrs to be pitied. (verse 20 Philippians 3:10-11).
The Everyday Application
3) Why should believers not compromise their belief in the literal resurrection of Jesus? (verses 16-19)
Many today believe it is valuable to downplay the literal, bodily resurrection of Jesus. No, I am not referring to those outside the faith. The refusal to accept the resurrection as an essential core belief occurs among those who call themselves orthodox Christians.
A few years ago, a children’s pastor wrote these words to help parents in her church teach their children a more pleasant Easter story: While there is much beauty to be mined from the resurrection narrative, I don’t think it’s helpful or healthy to suggest that resurrection is a present-day reality that our children can hope/wish for in their own lives. This idea hinders the grief process and doesn’t help them to effectively process death. It’s important for our children to learn to face loss gracefully, accepting the reality of that loss while being held as they grieve.
One thing to bear in mind is this: the point of the Easter story isn’t whether or not Jesus LITERALLY rose from the dead. We’re missing the point if we’re fighting over the historical accuracy of a bodily resurrection. There’s so much more depth to the story than that … Stories don’t have to be factual to speak truth. And it’s okay to question a literal resurrection – questions are how we learn. And there is always truth to be found in curiosity, even if the answers don’t turn out to be what you thought they’d be.” (patheos.com)
I can hardly type that without tears. I feel Paul’s angst as he writes his friends. Oh, dear Sister, the Easter story is absolutely about whether or not Jesus rose from the dead. Denying that is to deny that anyone will ever be raised. That includes you. And me.
And that leaves us all hopeless.
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