I Corinthians 15:12-20, February 11-17, Year C:

Several groups of people in Paul's day did not believe in the resurrection of Christ.  There were, of course, the Sadducees among the Jews, who did not believe in any form of resurrection from the dead.  Even among many who considered themselves Christian, however, there were those who did not believe that Christ had been raised from the dead.  These were various groups of Gnostics within the church who could not accept that God came to earth in bodily form or who had some other misgivings about the message Paul was preaching concerning the resurrection of Christ or the general resurrection of believers at the last day.  Paul was endeavoring to show the logical implausibility of their positions.

 

Paul says that if there is no resurrection of the dead at all, then Christ is not risen; but if Christ is not risen, then his preaching and the faith of the believers is in vain.  If their faith is in vain, then all the believers are still in their sins.  If that is true, then all who have already died who were part of the church are lost.  In short, if we only have hope in this life, then we of all men are most to be pitied, because we have staked everything on Christ.  Paul assures his readers, and us as well, that such is not the case.  Christ is in fact risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits "of them that sleep."

 

It is not a matter of whether the resurrection of Christ is "true for you."  In fact, from one standpoint, it really doesn't matter whether you believe in the resurrection of Christ or not;  your belief in His resurrection has absolutely nothing to do with whether it actually occurred.  If it did occur, then Christ has won the victory for all believers over sin and death.  If it did not occur, then we are all terribly deluded; and I, as a preacher of the Gospel, would be far better off to brush up on my jazz piano skills!

 

Paul does not believe himself to be speaking in metaphors here.  He means exactly what he says.  Too often these days, I have the feeling that preachers are somewhat less candid with their congregations than was the apostle Paul as he spoke to the church in Corinth.  Does anyone else share my suspicions?