1 Corinthians 15 – a critical and pivotal chapter. I’m going to provide some of the verses that are so profound in my world, what I’ve discovered, been taught, and learned. Read them as ‘information’ and discover what they say to you.
“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,” (v. 3-4)
“Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.” (v. 12-14)
“For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.” (v. 16)
“But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.” (v. 20)
“Christ the first fruits,” (v.23)
Do these verses inform you of just how important the crucifixion’s was to us and our restoration back to the Father? That without Jesus’ willing sacrifice we would be eternally lost? BUT that it is the resurrection, this act, that is the heart of restoration.? Verse 16 points this out – without the resurrection our faith is less than nothing… it is worthless and we are still left in our sins. Forever estranged. Forever lost.
The reality is that if Jesus hadn’t risen from the grave then He wasn’t who He said He was… and couldn’t do what He said He would do. Verses 3-4 are the foundation (and don’t forget the confirming words: according to the scriptures). Risen means that He did conquered the last enemy. Paul, somewhat frustratingly says in 1 Corinthians 15:29, “Otherwise, what will those do who are being baptized…” The point is verse 26 – ” The last enemy to be abolished and put to an end is death.”
‘Risen’ trumps! When we read verse 23 – first fruits. I really like what one pastor said, if Jesus is the first fruits then I can become the second/next fruits. The point is that we can be included, belong, part of God’s family. Every morning we can rejoice in what has happened in our lives when we accepted Jesus as our Lord, and we can also delight in that this is an ongoing process – we are always in a state of becoming.
The fact of the resurrection also distances Christianity from every other ‘religion’. Because there is no ‘leader’ that has died AND risen again. There is no one that could have atoned for the sins of the world except for the sinless Jesus, the spotless lamb… no one, except the Son of God. He and the Father did everything so that we could be in relationship and restored. He is risen… and we who are His will do the same.
