Paul’s logic is as impeccable as it is irresistible. The whole book of Romans builds from the depravity of man to the salvation plan to the arguments against it, and how it plays out in the believer’s life. As you read along, you say, “Yes, okay. I understand and agree with that.” And then the next point builds in and you repeat.
Finally, at the end of the treatise, you just shake your head and say, “Well, whaduya know? He is right.” 1 Corinthians 15 follows the same trajectory, only we can see it in a much shorter time. The whole book was to address problems in the Corinthian church. Paul did not jump on his hobby horse, but took them in a reasoned fashion. I will let you read the book to discover that.
The 15th chapter deals with the question of resurrection. As we progress through it, you will find the master at work. Any good logician and master of argumentation will begin at the common ground. Verse 1 reminds or reviews the Gospel. First, it was what Paul preached to them. Second, they received it. Third they took their stand on it. All of this is common ground and they readily agreed.
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.
The hook is next. Verse 2
By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
Their salvation is based on the Gospel. The next phrase is not a concession that they might lose their salvation. Just hold on a minute here. Notice that the alternative is that they might have believed in vain. But if they believed, how could it be in vain? He opens a query without addressing it immediately. Read on.
Paul repeats the message that he preached, and they received, and on which they took a stand..
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
We will not exegete every phrase, but the main thrust is a reprise of his preaching. Notice that it was “according to the Scriptures.” Nothing is fabricated here. Christ died, was buried, rose on the third day, and appeared to an indisputable number of witnesses. That is what they have to hold to be logically consistent with what they believed and to which they made a commitment.
Parenthesis: Paul wants to insert a disclaimer that he is not a super apostle, and nothing in his history justifies basing what they believed on him or his credentials. Rather it was “according to the Scriptures.”
9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
End Parenthesis. Notice the end of verse 11 gets back onto the topic. “What you believed.” Not who preached it or any other extraneous consideration. The Gospel is paramount. The hook was in verse 2. He sets it firmly in verse 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?
The “problem” is unveiled, just like a fisherman jerking the hook and whipping the fish from the water. The cover of the statue is dramatically whisked off the object and it stands exposed. “If it is preached....” by me, Paul, which you have received and stood on, “that Christ has risen,” how can “some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?” you have a logical fallacy. “Christ has been raised from the dead.”
You believed it. Did I mention that before? Now we see what the question of “holding on to” dealt with. Not belief for salvation, but of whether Jesus was raised. And if they did not believe, they were never saved. And here Paul crushes any other argument.
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.
He exposes two mutually exclusive propositions. One cannot believe in no resurrection and still claim salvation. If there is no resurrection, there is no salvation. Our faith depends upon Christ having been raised. Otherwise, preaching is “useless” and believing is in vain. It is worthless or worse.
The ramifications amplify as we go deeper.
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.
Paul becomes a false witness, a liar because he testified (that is a legal term signifying, under oath) testified that God raised Christ. That makes it perjury. Continue:
But he (God) did not raise him (Jesus) 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.
If God could not or did not raise Jesus, then there is no hope for anyone else. A friend of mine used to proclaim, “Not this mouse.” If something was not going to happen, do not look at “this mouse” for help.
Paul said that if not Jesus, then no one has a hope. And that is not just one unbeliever.
18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.
This is deep water. IF the unbelievers are right, then our friends and family have perished. There is nothing to look for anytime. “Unbelievers” is deliberate. If they “believe” the Gospel, then this is a moot point. If they dispute the resurrection, then they do not believe the Gospel. Paul sums it up in verse 19.
If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
We are piteous as well. I think of snatching a drowning kitten out of a stream. You hold up the sopping, dripping, mangled mass of fur and have pity. That is us. And our destiny is to go back into the “crick” and finish drowning if there is no resurrection. (Parents, you might want to omit this if reading to the kiddies.) But Paul pulled no punches.
And if we stopped here, it would indeed be a major downer. I will sneak a peak into the next paragraph.
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
Notice the twofold response. 1) Christ has been raised. 2) Firstfruits means that there is more to follow. That is the dead in Christ and us. If He is alive, we will be too.
We will continue the consideration of this chapter later. But this triumphant proclamation rings through history. We cannot surpass King James at this point: “But now is Christ risen from the dead.”
That just demands a glory hallelujah.
Glory! Hallelujah! See you next time.
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