Why Our Resurrection Matters

but if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.

And of course, this is pretty simple logic. If resurrections don't happen, well, Jesus's resurrection didn't happen. Right? So if you lose our resurrection, you lose Christ. Now, of course, some of you are thinking, but wait a second, couldn't Jesus be the exception? Maybe we aren't raised, but Jesus was raised. Well, when we get ahead to verses 20 through 23, Paul is gonna explain why that will not work theologically. That there is this union or connection between Jesus and his people such that his resurrection and our resurrection is inseparable. And if you deny one, you will sooner or later deny the other. So, if there's no resurrection for us, there's no resurrection for Christ. That's the first consequence. Second consequence, that means the gospel message is vain. Look at verses 14 and 15. He says,

and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise, if it is true that the dead are not raised.

Right, so if the dead aren't raised, then Jesus isn't raised, and if Jesus isn't raised, the whole message of the gospel is wrong. Paul's preaching is in vain, the Corinthians' faith is in vain, and all of the apostles have been committing the sin of bearing false witness against God himself by preaching a resurrection that didn't happen. Third consequence, it means there's no forgiveness of sin. Verses 16 and 17,

for if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.

In other words, denying our future resurrection would mean that the cross wasn't effective. Because if we're not raised, then Jesus wasn't raised, and if Jesus wasn't raised, then our sin wasn't paid for. As Romans 4.25 says,

Christ was delivered up for our offenses and raised for our justification.

The resurrection justifies us because it demonstrates that the cross was effective. But the lack of a resurrection would demonstrate the opposite. Fourth consequence, it means the dead have perished. Verse 18, if we will not be raised, then Christ won't be raised. Verse 18,

then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

That means believers who have already died have died in sin and gone to hell. If there's no resurrection, then death has the last word with them. The wages of sin is death, and if death can hold them, they have perished in sin. And then fifth and final consequence is that this would mean Christians should be pitied more than anyone else. Paul says in verse 19, if in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. Right, not only would this mean that there's no hope for anybody, but that Christians actually have it the worst. And as I wrestled with how to maybe illustrate what Paul is saying there, what I came up with is just imagine a bunch of people joyfully and excitedly getting on a bus that they think is taking them to a beach vacation, but it's actually taking them to a concentration camp. I mean, wouldn't you feel even more sorry for those people than for someone who knew the grim truth about where he was going? Paul's saying without the hope of resurrection, we have no hope at all. In fact, we have a false hope, one that makes us most to be pitied. Friends, these are the devastating consequences of denying our resurrection. And yet, I think so many Christians sort of unknowingly do so or just don't even realize the importance of it. Let's consider just a few points of application of this. First, I think this tells us that the resurrection of believers is a first-order doctrinal issue. So unlike, you know, an issue like, you know, our millennial view, am I a pre-millennialist, a post-millennialist, an amillennialist, where we can just agree to disagree here in the same church, this is not like that. Also, unlike something like baptism, where, you know, maybe we tend to go to different churches, but we can join arms with Paedo-Baptists who baptize babies as brothers and sisters in Christ, right? That's still just a secondary issue. But when it comes to the resurrection of believers, I think this is showing us that this is first order issue. Someone who denies this is actually outside the bounds of Christian orthodoxy because it's tantamount to denying the gospel itself. Now, a Christian can certainly be confused about this. I think many of us have probably accidentally said heretical things about the Trinity or Christology. Certainly, we need to be instructed. But the point is that to persist in denying our resurrection is actually to be guilty of heresy. Now, a second point of application here is that this illustrates for us how interconnected Christian theology is. And I think for me, for a long time, this teaching is just sort of a fact of theology that I sort of knew, but I didn't really think it was that big of a deal. But Paul here is showing us how if you deny that, there's this whole string of dominoes and these disastrous effects. I think it reminds us that our theology is really like a intricate web, where if we kind of go astray on one point, I mean, that can have these ripple-down effects that we don't even realize that can be quite disastrous. And so I think this should be a warning to us to beware of theological creativity. You know, beware of trying to be clever and incorporating new ideas and sort of, you know, being the one to figure out that obscure verse. Let's first just try to be faithful as Christians. We want to be Christians that, you know, hold fast to the main things as the plain things and the plain things as the main things. Christians who are sort of very careful about thinking we've figured something out that 2,000 years of Christians in church history haven't. As Titus chapter 1 verse 9 says, an elder, you know, it's not someone who is especially clever and insightful. But an elder is to be one who

holds firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine, and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

We want to be Christians like that, who hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught. And listen to people who do that, so that we won't be tossed to and fro by every wind and wave of doctrine, but so that we would be sound in the faith. Then a third application here. I just want to note how opposite to the prosperity gospel, verse 19 is. But Paul says there, if in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. I mean, it's almost like he was intending to refute your best life now. I mean, for Paul, the Christian life is about suffering, shame, and self-denial. It's a way of life that only makes sense in view of the hope of life to come. So I think it challenges us to ask the question, are we living that way? You know, would people have reason to pity you if the gospel wasn't true? Are we living such that we would be, of all men, most to be pitied if Christ isn't raised? If we won't be raised, how should that challenge the way that we live? Well, we've seen here the devastating consequences of denying our resurrection. Well, secondly, let's consider the wonderful consequences of Christ's resurrection. Look with me now at verses 20 through 28. And in these verses, Paul lays out at least three major results of Christ's resurrection. First, in verses 20 through 22, he says that Christ's resurrection guarantees our resurrection. He says,

but in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep, For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

" Now, as I mentioned before, this is where Paul is going to explain this connection whereby Christ's resurrection and our resurrections are inseparable. And basically the answer is, for the same reason that Adam's sin and death and our sin and death are inseparable. I mean, just think about how ridiculous it would be if you thought, I'm never gonna die. That somehow, in spite of being a part of the human race, in spite of being born in Adam, in spite of the fact that you have sinned and that death has come into the world through Adam and spread to all men because all have sinned, that somehow you're exempt from that and it doesn't apply to you. That's crazy. Well, Paul's point is that it's equally crazy to think that you can be in Jesus as the new Adam. that Jesus can die for your sins and then rise on the third day and that you can somehow stay dead. He says,

for as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

And by the way, if you're here this morning and you're not a Christian, I think this is so important for you to understand. You know, that the biblical explanation for all of the sin and the evil and the death in the world is ultimately because the first man, Adam, was the original representative of the human race. And he rebelled against God. And therefore the entire world has been plunged into ruin because of that. And yet the good news of the gospel is that God has provided a new representative. a new Adam, his own son, Jesus, who has come to stand on our behalf and win salvation for us. And that's why the great question for you and for me is not, you know, how good of a life have I lived? You know, do I measure up? The question is, are you in Adam or are you in Christ? In Adam, all die and perish in hell for eternity. But in Christ, all are forgiven, all are redeemed, all are reconciled to God, and all shall be made alive unto eternal life. And friend, the way that you come to be in Christ is by simply trusting him. It's by placing your faith in him alone. And you can have confidence that this is true. Because God has raised Jesus from the dead. As Paul says here, Jesus is the firstfruits, right? He is the foretaste that assures us of the great harvest of resurrection that is yet to come. So we see here first that Jesus' resurrection secures our own. But second consequence of Jesus' resurrection is that it guarantees the vanquishing of every enemy. It guarantees the vanquishing of every enemy. Look at verses 23 through 27a. So right after saying that all will be made alive in Christ, Paul continues,

but each in his own order. Christ the firstfruits, then it is coming those who belong to Christ, then comes the end when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For God has put all things in subjection under his feet.

Now that last line there is a quotation from Psalm 8, verse 6. And I think Paul quotes it because he knows that by virtue of Jesus' resurrection, God has crowned him the son of David. the Son of Man, the Son of God, the great Messiah in Christ promised throughout the Old Testament. And as such, every messianic promise belongs to him. So when Psalm 86 says,

you have given him dominion over the works of your hands, you have put all things under his feet,

Paul knows that that will be, and that that must be fulfilled in Christ, because his resurrection entitles him to it. He's already seated at God's right hand. And he will remain there until every enemy, every demonic power, and everything that exalts itself against the knowledge of God is cut down and subjected to him. And notice also what Paul says the last enemy is. He says,

and the last enemy to be destroyed is death.

Right, death is the great sign that God's original intention for his creation has been at least temporarily thwarted. Right, death is the fruit of the devil's schemes. And as long as there is any enemy of Christ in this world, as long as there is any agent of sin, and as long as any human being persists in rebellion against God, death will continue to have a claim in this world. And all things will not be subjected to God as they ought. That's why death is the last enemy. It's also why Paul says here that there's an order to the events that happen. He says first, Christ is raised as the firstfruits. Then there's this time of his reign in which some of his enemies are converted and brought into his kingdom and others persist in rebellion. Then there's Christ's coming when every remaining enemy will be crushed. and when those who belong to Christ will be raised, and then in that resurrection of believers, the last enemy is destroyed, which is death itself, and then comes the end, when Jesus delivers the kingdom to God the Father, having put all his enemies under his feet. All right, so the point is that Jesus's resurrection guarantees his victory over death, which is the last enemy, and guarantees his victory over every other enemy as well. For death to be conquered means that every other enemy will fall. His resurrection secures it. And then that brings us to the third consequence of Christ's resurrection, which is that God's perfect kingdom will come. Look at how Paul continues in verses 27 and 28. After saying that Christ will deliver the kingdom to the Father, he says that's because

when it says all things are put in subjection, it is plain that he is accepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him that God may be all in all.

Okay, now the point here is not to discuss intra-Trinitarian relationships. The point is to show how Jesus as the new Adam, the one who is given this great authority from God, he is the one who is going to fully and perfectly restore all that was lost by bringing all things back into subjection to God himself. Okay, so remember that in the very beginning when God made man, he gave us dominion. He commanded us to exercise dominion over the earth. We were to establish his kingdom on the earth under his authority. But instead of doing that, we sin, we let sin and death and the devil reign instead. We let all manner of disruption and loss and the failure of God's kingdom to be like it should. But the point is that Jesus is the new Adam. Right? He is the one who has come to undo all the destruction that the first Adam and that we have created. And as the new Adam, he has received the authority by which he is going to bring everything back into subjection to himself, that he may then deliver this kingdom to God, the father, so that God may be all in all. And the point of this is that all of this is secured. All of this is guaranteed by the resurrection. Jesus' resurrection is his victory. It is the sign that he really has triumphed over death. That he is the truly righteous new man who is going to bring this wonderful restoration of the kingdom of God to its completion. Now, as we reflect on this, two points of application here. And the first is just a brief sort of theological point, which if you are a premillennialist, I just want to point out, I think this is a really tough text for you. He already said, you know, this is something we can agree to disagree about. But this is the question of, you know, when Jesus returns, what is the sequence of events going to be? Revelation 20 speaks of this thousand-year reign. Well, does Jesus come back first and then there's a thousand-year reign? Or does the thousand-year reign represent something else and Jesus comes back at the end? That's the question. And Premil believes he comes back first. So he returns. And when he returns, dead Christians are resurrected, and then Jesus reigns on earth for a thousand years, and then the devil is released, and there's this final battle. But I just want to point out, I think that view really has some challenges when you come to this passage. Because not only does that view insert this thousand-year gap between the end of verse 23 and the beginning of verse 24, But I think that view totally misses the logic of Paul's argument here that the last enemy to be destroyed is death. Right? Because if the resurrection of believers comes when Jesus returns, I think the point is, that is when death is destroyed. When the believers are brought forth from the graves, it shows his victory over death. Death is defeated. But on a premetal view, there's this thousand years, and then there's other enemies, and there's this other battle. It creates a real tension there. You can also look ahead to verses 54 and 55, where again, Paul is connecting the defeat of death with the resurrection of believers. So, I'm just going to point out food for thought. I think this is a difficult text for premillennialists. I think it's one reason why I favor the amillennial view. But now secondly, and I think more importantly, as we think about the application of this, This is one of the greatest reasons why we, in the darkest of circumstances, in those moments when we might be pressed to despair, we as Christians have a reason for hope and joy. The reality that Jesus really is risen and therefore that death is not the end. Death is not something that can conquer us. We don't have to fear death. You know, death is gained because we know that even after death, we will be with the Lord, and then he will raise up our dead body to be with him forever. To know that Christ, through his resurrection, is already reigning triumphant, and every enemy will be subjected to him. In many ways, I was reflecting on how this passage here is really like a little microcosm of the whole book of Revelation. In Revelation, we read about how Jesus is the lamb who was slain, but he's risen. And therefore, he is the one worthy to take the scroll and to open its seven seals. And yet, maybe surprisingly, as he begins to break these seals and then open the scroll, It doesn't seem to be bringing peace and harmony, and it's not like everything is going well. I mean, there are these plagues that are unleashed. And there are these fierce enemies that arise that are opposing Christ's people and his church. There's this great red fiery dragon. There's the beast from the sea. There's the beast from the earth. There's the great prostitute Babylon. And yet the point of Revelation, is that even as here we are surrounded by affliction, surrounded by enemies, surrounded by so many things that seem so out of kilter with the idea that Jesus is reigning, yet Revelation shows us the picture that Jesus is the one with the scroll. He is the one who is sovereign over it all. He is the one who is reigning until all of his enemies are placed under his feet. And as Revelation describes, at the end, Jesus will come back, riding on the white horse with the armies of heaven coming with him. He'll take the beast and the false prophet. He'll take the dragon. He will throw them into the lake of fire. He raises up the dead bodies of his people. He judges the world in righteousness. And then it says right at the end that he takes death itself and throws death into the lake of fire. And then there's this new heavens and this new earth where there is no more death, there's no more pain, there's no more sickness, there's no more crying or tears, but all things have been made new. And friends, that's when Jesus, who has fulfilled this, who has subjected all things beneath his feet, delivers the kingdom to God the Father. that God may be all in all, that as we read about earlier, we can be with him and behold him face to face. So friends, I hope and pray that that reality would be a source of strength and encouragement when we are facing temptation, when we're facing discouragement, when we're facing trials, when we're tempted to lose heart. Oh friends, the good news of the gospel, the good news of Jesus' resurrection, is that we have forgiveness through his blood, we have the hope of eternal life, that we can know that all of his enemies have already been conquered, and he is even now bringing all things in subjection to himself. So we've seen the devastating consequences of denying our resurrection, and now we've thought about the wonderful consequences of Christ's resurrection. And now thirdly and finally, let's look at this plea for repentance in verses 29 through 34, as Paul pleads with the Corinthians to turn from false doctrine to the truth. He says,

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? Why are we in danger every hour? I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord. I die every day. 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. Do not be deceived. Bad company ruins good morals. 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.

" Now, this section begins with two examples of practical absurdities, if it is true that the dead are not raised. Because at first, Paul talks about baptism for the dead. And I'll just say that this has been widely debated. One commentator noted that at least 40 different interpretations have been proposed. So this is a good example where we don't want to build our theology on one verse. But the most natural reading of the text is that some in the Corinthian church were being baptized on behalf of a dead person. So perhaps someone had become a Christian and then they had died before they had had the opportunity to be baptized. And someone else was baptized on their behalf. And Paul's concern here isn't to affirm or refute that practice, but rather to point out the Corinthians' own inconsistency. That if they are denying resurrection, why on earth would you do that? I mean, the whole meaning of baptism is to symbolize death and a resurrection. Why would you be baptized for someone who's dead that you don't think is going to rise? He's saying your practice is incompatible with your theology. And then secondly, Paul points to the example of his own life. And he says,

why are we in danger every hour?

You know, why am I risking myself for the gospel? Then he swears by the Corinthians' own faith. He says, I die every day. Probably a way of saying, I'm risking my life daily. In fact, he references fighting with beasts in Ephesus. It sounds like while he's there, he's in mortal danger. In fact, in 2 Corinthians 1, he talks about a situation when he was so utterly burdened beyond strength that he despaired of life itself. A lot of commentators think that was from while he was in Ephesus. So Paul is writing this and he's experiencing daily peril and he's telling the Corinthians, do you realize how absurd it would be for me to live like that if there's no resurrection of the dead? He says, look,

if the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die.

It does not make any sense to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Christ if there's no resurrection. And friends, by the way, earlier I talked about the prosperity gospel, but I also want to point out how opposite this is to the social gospel. You know, the social gospel is basically when we say, I really like Christian ethics. I'm not too sure about Christian theology, I'm not too sure that we can trust that there's really a resurrection, that miracles really happen, but I really like the way Jesus tells us we should live. So maybe we can just encourage people to live like Christ. But Paul is making very clear here that the backbone of Christian ethics is Christian theology. That the call to follow Christ is a call to die. And we can't do that, we won't do that, without the hope of resurrection. We're not prompted to live this way out of some empty sense of nobility. But what's true? That's why Paul says here, what do we gain if, humanly speaking, we fight with beasts in Ephesus? We fight with beasts in Charlottesville, or China, or Afghanistan. If the dead are not raised, let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die. See, the whole Christian lifestyle is absurd. It's unlivable, if not for resurrection. So, why then are the Corinthians going astray on this point? What's caused them to sort of veer off like this? I mean, how could they be denying something so fundamental? Well, the answer seems to be because false teachers have their ear. Paul says,

do not be deceived. Bad company ruins good morals. 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.

It's an impassioned plea to repent, to wake up from a spiritually drunken stupor and realize that bad company has been leading them astray, to realize that people who have no knowledge of God are guiding them, and that by listening to them, they have shown this shameful lack of discernment, and have realized that they need to repent of sinning against Christ by so flippantly denying the resurrection that he died to obtain. Now, for many of us, we probably don't need to repent of denying resurrection. I mean, hopefully you and I heartily affirm that. But I think we do need to take to heart this warning about the corrupting influence of bad company. The fact is the people who surround us will inevitably affect us. First, especially for those of you who are teenagers, the friends that you choose have a huge impact on you. Choose your friends wisely. I mean, don't be deceived into thinking you can be unaffected by their bad example. And Paul says,

bad company corrupts good morals.

Don't be deceived into thinking that if these other influences were affecting you, you'd be able to tell. That's not how the corrupting of our character works. It happens slowly. It happens in ways that we don't realize. Instead, hear the words of Psalm 1.

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

And also for those of us who are older, I think it's so important that we not underestimate the importance of this either. We too need to beware of surrounding ourselves with people who encourage gossip, who invite complaining, who speak indecently, who constantly question and undermine the reliability of scripture. We too need to not be deceived. Bad company corrupts good morals. Some people have no knowledge of God, and that can have a corrosive influence upon us. As Proverbs 13.20 says,

the companion of fools will come to ruin.

But what's interesting about that verse is that it gives the flip side as well. It says

whoever walks with the wise will become wise.

And so if bad company corrupts good morals, Well, surely good company can help form it. So on the flip side, what a blessing it is to have a church. of fellow believers who we can come alongside, who can come alongside us, and like iron sharpening iron, we can be spurred on, we can be encouraged. What an encouragement this should be to us, to spend more time around people who know God, people who can disciple us, instruct us, and be good examples to us. How could you prioritize your schedule to spend more time with people like that who will spur you on, who will form godly character? And especially as we think about this text, how can we spend more time around people who do this and be people who do this, who encourage one another in the hope of the resurrection? Both Jesus's and ours. As 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 says,

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore, encourage one another with these words.

" Oh friends, may we encourage one another with the hope of the resurrection, with the faithfulness of God, It's the love that God has for his people, and his power to perform all that he promises, and this wonderful reality of all that God has done for us in Christ. And 1 Corinthians chapter 15 shows us how devastating it would be if Christ were not risen, or if we were not to be raised. Without that hope of resurrection, we would have no hope at all. But the good news is that He is risen. We're not still in our sins. Our faith isn't vain. Our preaching isn't vain. The dead in Christ have not perished. And we're not most to be pitied. No, we can say with great joy and confidence that

from heaven we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

What a great hope we have. Amen. Let's pray. Father, we rejoice knowing that Jesus is risen. He is risen indeed. We rejoice knowing that our sin has been paid for and that we will rise with him on the last day. Oh God, we rejoice knowing that our every enemy, everything that is in opposition to you, Lord, you are bringing into subjection to Christ, that he may deliver his perfect kingdom to you and you may be all in all. Well, we praise you for this. We pray that you would help us to cling to that hope, to have joy and peace, and to pursue lives of holiness and fruitfulness that bring you glory. It's in Jesus' name we pray, amen.