City Life Starter

The Word (1 Corinthian 15:29-34)

29 Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? 30 Why are we in danger every hour? 31 I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! 32 What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

By Blesson C Selvanesan

In this chapter, Paul is expanding on the reality of the resurrection. He states that Christ resurrected and so all of us will resurrect. Baptism is a symbolic ritual that depicts death followed by resurrection. Paul argues that if there is no resurrection, baptism is meaningless. He strongly takes issue with the denial of resurrection and the confusions that were created within the church. Paul risked his life for the sake of Christ and resurrection. If resurrection is not true, why should anyone risk their life to defend it? All the hardships that Paul underwent as a Christian will be meaningless if the resurrection is not true. Paul then exhorts the church to wake up from their ‘drunken stupor’ and realize the reality of the resurrection. If there is no eternity, then there is no meaning and life’s existence will revolve around eating and drinking with an ultimate purpose of death. Paul admonishes the church at Corinth about their lack of historic and spiritual knowledge.  

Application

If Paul were to be alive, he would have said the same message even today. Resurrection is the linchpin of the Christian faith. If there is no resurrection, there is no Christianity and faith in Christ will be a mega Sham! Christianity will crumble into nothingness if one can provide the dead body of Christ. When eyewitnesses saw Jesus after his resurrection, they witnessed his bodily resurrection. Many suffered torture and died for their faith. Paul himself suffered severely for his faith in the resurrection of Christ and he ultimately died for this faith. Will anyone be willing to die for a lie? The truth of the resurrection is kept alive by the blood of the martyrs.

Paul will be appalled to see many ‘Christians’ denying the resurrection of Christ in today’s world. There are many churches which proclaim that resurrection was a fantasy. Often, even those who claim to believe in the resurrection of Christ behave in a cowardly way by compromising on the truth. We need to be bold to state the truth and live by it. There is an eternal life and there are eternal consequences. Atheists, existentialists, and deniers of resurrection will have to stand in judgment one day in front of Almighty God and will have to give an account of their life just like any believer in Christ.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for dying for me and my sins. You are not a dead God, you conquered the grave and resurrected just as you had promised. Help me Lord to worship you in spirit and truth and proclaim boldly of your resurrection. Thank you for the resurrection and eternal life that you have promised to every one of us. Help us to live a life that will give glory to you. In the name of resurrected Christ, we pray. Amen.