I am repeating the intro of our first entry into this chapter. Now Paul reaches the pinnacle of his gospel message the mystery of the
resurrection and the power of GOD released within it on humanity's
behalf. Oh! the wonder and splendor of this one event in humanity's past
existence, for it corrected the wrong of the first and of many other such offenses. This old pattern now broken and secured by the blood (death burial) and resurrection of humanity's image and likeness of GOD that is Jesus the Christ, his messenger of this gospel (Deuteronomy 18:15-18 of 15-22, Psalm 2).
1Corinthians 15:12-19 "Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins (unbelief). Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." (KJV)
1Corinthians 15:12-19 "Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins (unbelief). Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied." (ESV)
1Corinthians 15:12-19 "What is important though is that you understand the revelation of his resurrection. The resurrection of Christ from the dead is the theme of preaching; for some to say that he is not also raisen within you is to miss the whole point of the message. If our co-resurrection is not proclaimed then the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is no longer relevant. If Christ is not raised from the dead there is nothing left for us to preach and nothing left for us [you] to believe. We would be misrepresenting GOD since we declared that he raised Christ from the dead; when in fact he did not, so it would be man's word against GOD's! If there is no global resurrection from the dead then there can be no individual resurrection from the dead; then Jesus did not really rise from the dead. And if Jesus is still dead your faith has no revelance and you are still in your sins. (In Paul's understanding the body of Christ on the cross was the document of humanity's guilt and the resurrection was the receipt of our acquittal [Colossians 2:14-1 and Romans 4:25]. If humanity was still guilty after Jesus died, his resurrection would neither be possible not relevant! This explains Acts 10:28, 2Corinthians 5:14-16 and Acts 17:31 says, "because GOD had fixed a day on which he would judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed, and of this he has given assurance to all men by raising his from the dead." ) No resurrection implies no hope for anyone beyond the grave; it makes no difference whether you believe that you were included in Christ's death or not. If our hope in Christ was restricted to only benefit us in this life then imagine the severity of our disappointment if it aall had to come to an abrupt end when we died." (The Mirror)
I wonder what Paul would respond if Islam was active in his time, just a thought. Until our next visit may the LORD of All be with you and yours.
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