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Don't Ever Forget the Resurrection
As I mentioned a few days ago in the post about communion, I think that the Church (at least in a lot of the US) is sadly lacking it its focus on the resurrection. We talk a lot about the crucifixion, we have crosses everywhere, and talk a lot about the sacrifice of Jesus. The problem is that we rarely talk about the VICTORY of Jesus. You can't think about the cross without thinking about the empty grave. That is one of the reasons why I think our communion services are sorely lacking. Paul writes in our passage today about this very topic. Evidently there were some in Corinth who were denying the resurrection of Jesus and/or of believers at Jesus' return. Paul spends today's reading correcting that view. Why is the resurrection so important? Read:
"The resurrection brings us to the very center of the Christian faith. When Paul was on trial for his life before the Jewish leaders, he summed up the charge against him as his “hope in the resurrection of the dead” (Acts 23:6; cf. 24:21; 26:6–8). When he clothed the gospel for the Athenians in almost entirely different garb, he nevertheless still focused on “Jesus and the resurrection” (Acts 17:18). His emphasis on the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15 in no way contradicts 2:2—Christ’s death and resurrection are inseparable. Without the latter, the former has no eternal significance. To counteract those who play down the weakness and servanthood of Jesus, Paul must stress the crucifixion, but to refute those who deny a future material hope for believers and the cosmos, he must stress Jesus’ bodily resurrection." [1]
The resurrection not only is the center of our belief in Jesus, but it is what sets us apart from believers in other religions:
"Christ’s death and resurrection in space and time, as bona fide historical events, actually set Christianity apart from all its major rivals. Later Western religions that developed in part in reaction to Christianity do not claim deity or resurrections for their originators, merely prophetic status (e.g., Mohammed in Islam or Joseph Smith in Mormonism). Older Eastern religions do not even require the actual historical existence of their founders for their beliefs and practices to make sense. In some ways they are more akin to philosophies than to historical truth-claims (e.g., Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism). But Christianity lives or dies with the claim of Christ’s resurrection. To be sure, it is possible to believe in Jesus’ resurrection and not become a Christian, but without the bodily resurrection Christianity crumbles. Finding the bones of Jesus would assuredly disprove our religion!" [2]
Paul is clear. If there is no resurrection, we're wasting our time with Christianity. Christianity isn't convenient - it demands a lot of things people are unwilling to give. The reasons we do give up our very selves is that it also has the foundation of being TRUE. If it were just a belief system, Paul says, "Abandon it." But it's more than that - it's a risen Savior, a Person.
"Why does Paul say believers should be pitied if there were only earthly value to Christianity? In Paul’s day, Christianity often brought a person persecution, ostracism from family, and, in many cases, poverty. There were few tangible benefits from being a Christian in that society. It was certainly not a step up the social or career ladder. Even more important, however, is the fact that if Christ had not been resurrected from death, Christians could not be forgiven for their sins and would have no hope of eternal life.
In many places in the world today, those who believe in Christ still pay a heavy price. Some are dying for their faith. But for many, Christianity is little more than a convenient faith. If following Christ doesn’t place you at odds with the world around you in some way, examine the depth of your roots." [3] (emphasis mine)
Being at odds with the world in which you live isn't pleasant. But that's the point: you don't belong here, so you shouldn't feel like you do. Christianity isn't a religion that will gain you points with many people, but that's not the point. The point is the resurrection - the point in history in which everything changed. The point at which you were changed: made a new creation. Don't ever forget that.
Don't Ever Forget the Resurrection
As I mentioned a few days ago in the post about communion, I think that the Church (at least in a lot of the US) is sadly lacking it its focus on the resurrection. We talk a lot about the crucifixion, we have crosses everywhere, and talk a lot about the sacrifice of Jesus. The problem is that we rarely talk about the VICTORY of Jesus. You can't think about the cross without thinking about the empty grave. That is one of the reasons why I think our communion services are sorely lacking. Paul writes in our passage today about this very topic. Evidently there were some in Corinth who were denying the resurrection of Jesus and/or of believers at Jesus' return. Paul spends today's reading correcting that view. Why is the resurrection so important? Read:
"The resurrection brings us to the very center of the Christian faith. When Paul was on trial for his life before the Jewish leaders, he summed up the charge against him as his “hope in the resurrection of the dead” (Acts 23:6; cf. 24:21; 26:6–8). When he clothed the gospel for the Athenians in almost entirely different garb, he nevertheless still focused on “Jesus and the resurrection” (Acts 17:18). His emphasis on the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15 in no way contradicts 2:2—Christ’s death and resurrection are inseparable. Without the latter, the former has no eternal significance. To counteract those who play down the weakness and servanthood of Jesus, Paul must stress the crucifixion, but to refute those who deny a future material hope for believers and the cosmos, he must stress Jesus’ bodily resurrection." [1]
The resurrection not only is the center of our belief in Jesus, but it is what sets us apart from believers in other religions:
"Christ’s death and resurrection in space and time, as bona fide historical events, actually set Christianity apart from all its major rivals. Later Western religions that developed in part in reaction to Christianity do not claim deity or resurrections for their originators, merely prophetic status (e.g., Mohammed in Islam or Joseph Smith in Mormonism). Older Eastern religions do not even require the actual historical existence of their founders for their beliefs and practices to make sense. In some ways they are more akin to philosophies than to historical truth-claims (e.g., Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism). But Christianity lives or dies with the claim of Christ’s resurrection. To be sure, it is possible to believe in Jesus’ resurrection and not become a Christian, but without the bodily resurrection Christianity crumbles. Finding the bones of Jesus would assuredly disprove our religion!" [2]
Paul is clear. If there is no resurrection, we're wasting our time with Christianity. Christianity isn't convenient - it demands a lot of things people are unwilling to give. The reasons we do give up our very selves is that it also has the foundation of being TRUE. If it were just a belief system, Paul says, "Abandon it." But it's more than that - it's a risen Savior, a Person.
"Why does Paul say believers should be pitied if there were only earthly value to Christianity? In Paul’s day, Christianity often brought a person persecution, ostracism from family, and, in many cases, poverty. There were few tangible benefits from being a Christian in that society. It was certainly not a step up the social or career ladder. Even more important, however, is the fact that if Christ had not been resurrected from death, Christians could not be forgiven for their sins and would have no hope of eternal life.
In many places in the world today, those who believe in Christ still pay a heavy price. Some are dying for their faith. But for many, Christianity is little more than a convenient faith. If following Christ doesn’t place you at odds with the world around you in some way, examine the depth of your roots." [3] (emphasis mine)
Being at odds with the world in which you live isn't pleasant. But that's the point: you don't belong here, so you shouldn't feel like you do. Christianity isn't a religion that will gain you points with many people, but that's not the point. The point is the resurrection - the point in history in which everything changed. The point at which you were changed: made a new creation. Don't ever forget that.
[1] Craig Blomberg, 1 Corinthians, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1994), 300.
[2] Ibid, 308.
[3] Bruce B. Barton and Grant R. Osborne, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1999), 226.
[2] Ibid, 308.
[3] Bruce B. Barton and Grant R. Osborne, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Life Application Bible Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House, 1999), 226.
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