seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
1 Corinthians 15:12 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.
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.
29 Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 30 And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? 31 I face death every day—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised,
“Let us eat and drink,
for tomorrow we die.”
for tomorrow we die.”
33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.
Maybe the commentary will clear things up.
Apparently, some of the Corinthian Christians (probably those of the “Paul Party”) made a big deal of the fact that they had been baptized by Paul. Because it was becoming a divisive issue, Paul was therefore grateful that he had not baptized very many in Corinth (lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name).
Lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect: Paul makes it clear that it is possible to preach the gospel in a way that makes it of no effect. If one preaches the word with a reliance on wisdom of words, they can make the gospel of no effect.
How sobering this is! The great gospel of Jesus Christ, the very power of God unto salvation - made empty and of no effect through the pride and cleverness of men! This danger was constantly on the mind of the apostle Paul, and should be constantly on the mind of any preacher or teacher.
To us who are being saved it is the power of God: Though it is a strange message, and regarded as foolish by the perishing, to those who trust in it and are being saved, this message of the cross becomes to them the actual power of God.
To the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness: The Jews regarded Christ crucified as a stumbling block; perhaps this is better understood as an offense or a scandal. The Greeks regarded Christ crucified as foolishness. But God did not respond to the polling data. He kept to His gospel, because for those who believed it (both Jews and Greeks), Christ crucified is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
In Christ, all shall be made alive: Does this mean everyone is resurrected? Yes and no. All will be resurrected in the sense that they will receive a resurrection body and live forever. Jesus plainly spoke of both the resurrection of life and the resurrection of condemnation (John 5:29). So, all are resurrected, but not all will receive the resurrection of life. Some will receive the resurrection of condemnation, and live forever in a resurrected body in hell.
There are a lot of verses in the Bible Study this morning. The commentary is long. In my Online Bible... This section is titled "The Resurrection of the Dead". That's a very hoity toity subject for an old woman with some online commentary to go with her Online Bible. In today's society there must be quite a few big-headed preachers, priests, and [yep] even politicians who are sure they have the correct interpretation and they are working on it daily. It's way above my paygrade.
The church in Corinth, with firsthand knowledge of the day when Christ was beaten and hung on a Cross, was splitting. According to the commentary, the church was as split as the government of today. There was a "Paul Party" who liked Paul's preaching so much they would throw the other preachers out.
In my opinion, the most important verses here aren't about Paul and his big-headed self-centered preaching, or the other preachers. It's about what Jesus did. Jesus survived death. Jesus got out of a tomb made of solid stone. The stone that rolled across the entrance was sealed and guarded by Roman Soldiers. Jesus had been stabbed in the ribs to test His demise. Jesus was declared dead. Then He left a sealed tomb. Only the strips of cloth they had His body wrapped in like a cocoon were left in the tomb. On top of that.... the strips were not unwound. The body was just not in the cocoon anymore.
In my opinion, the most important part of Paul's lengthy speech is the Resurrection of Condemnation.
Everyone who drew a breath since Jesus walked the earth will wake up.
Everyone who drew a breath since Jesus walked the earth will be judged.
Everyone who drew a breath since Jesus walked on earth will go to one of two places.... Heaven or Hell.
If the human being Judged is a Christian, Jesus will be there to stand up for them.
If the human being judged is NOT a Christian, Jesus will be there to prosecute them.
People will either experience the Resurrection of Life [Heaven] or The Resurrection of Condemnation [Hell].
Which side of the isle will you be on? Will you be Resurrected to Life, or Condemnation?
Life or Condemnation?
