Wow … a great deal of meat can be found in 1 Corinthians 15! Have you ever studied out the wisdom Paul wrote in this chapter’s letter? One of the first teachings is found in verse 3, MSG:
“…of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to [that which] the Scriptures [foretold],”
The critical understand is – according to the Scriptures. Who the Messiah was to be and what He was doing for us [dying for OUR sins] is the foundation and proof to the world. Jesus came for US (all) so that we would be reconciled to God! If He had come as the conqueror we would still be lost. There is NO scripture that says He was coming as a conquering King! Quite the contrary. There had to be the shedding of blood by a spotless lamb. (Hebrews 9:22, ESV)
But His death wasn’t the end, though everyone thought so…
“…and that He was buried, and that He was [bodily] raised on the third day according to [that which] the Scriptures [foretold], and that He appeared to…” [v. 4-5, MSG]
There is no question that He was buried… and then the miracle, death lost, He was raised up and appeared (to many). Dramatic – yes, but it had to be based in the Old Testament prophecies or it had no validity. Everything had to be according to the Scriptures.
“Now, let me ask you something profound yet troubling. If you became believers because you trusted the proclamation that Christ is alive, risen from the dead, how can you let people say that there is no such thing as a resurrection? If there’s no resurrection, there’s no living Christ. And face it—if there’s no resurrection for Christ, everything we’ve told you is smoke and mirrors, and everything you’ve staked your life on is smoke and mirrors. Not only that, but we would be guilty of telling a string of barefaced lies about God, all these affidavits we passed on to you verifying that God raised up Christ—sheer fabrications, if there’s no resurrection.”
(v. 12-15, MSG)
Without the resurrection… how would we know to trust everything we’ve heard and learned about Jesus? The resurrection is our proof that everything He did and said is valid and true. As important as the need for a sacrificial lamb, there is also the need for the resurrection (v. 16-17).
“Now I say this, believers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit nor be part of the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable (mortal) inherit the imperishable (immortal) (v. 50, AMP)
…
And when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then the Scripture will be fulfilled that says, “Death is swallowed up in victory (vanquished forever). O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin (by which it brigs death) is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory (as conquerors) through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
(v. 54-57, AMP)
I know that I have presented a great deal of scripture… but we stand and prove our case according to the Scriptures. Without scripture our foundation isn’t sure, and we don’t present truth with assurance. We have a life giving message to present which is substantiated by scripture. This enhances our message. And look at the power the word gives us! If you don’t use scripture as your basis for your belief… what source is your foundation?
