1 Corinthians 15:12-19
12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
It seems that many Christians in Corinth were doubting the hope of the resurrection at Christ’s return. The Apostle makes it clear that Christianity makes no sense if we don’t expect to be raised and spend eternity as a human with the Lord. If there is no such thing as resurrection, then Jesus has not been raised and death for us would be the end.
Of course, Paul strongly affirms that Jesus did rise, and so we will rise because through faith we are in union with him. In affirming this reality, he has a particularly challenging statement for us in verse 19. “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.”
A great temptation for us when we try to make the gospel seem relevant for our age is to play down the miraculous and issues like life after death. It is often almost a slogan that we should make Christianity “practical” for “real life.” Paul’s verdict here on a Christianity that doesn’t emphasise the wonder of a resurrected life is that it makes us an object of pity. A pitiful Christianity is entirely irrelevant!
David Johnston
