CHRISTIANITY WITHOUT THE RESURRECTION

Some of the members of the church at Corinth heard some false teaching that had an adverse affect on their faith. Consequently, they had began to doubt the bodily resurrection of the dead in Christ. Paul wrote to set them straight because such false doctrine as this would completely destroy their faith. Sometimes it is difficult to wrap our minds around full and complete resurrection of the dead followed by a life of perfect bliss for eternity. However, Paul argued that doubting the resurrection could lead to catastrophic consequences.

SOME CHRISTIANS MISUNDERSTAND THE RESURRECTION ()

NO RESURRECTION MEANS GOD HAS NO POWER ()

Notice here Paul uses a passive verb when talking about the resurrection of Jesus Christ because God raised Him. true Christian preaching is centered on the fact that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead so that believers could have victory over sin and death and receive the blessings eternal life.

IN ADDITION TO A POWERLESS GOD THINGS GET WORSE

NO RESURRECTION MEANS PREACHING AND FAITH ARE IN VAIN ()

PREACHING AND FAITH ARE IN VAIN ()

nO ACHING AND FAITH ARE IN VAIN ()

To deny the resurrection (either of Christ or of us) means that our preaching is vain. The word "vain" (kenon PWS: 4201) means empty, groundless, void of all truth and meaning.

To deny the resurrection of Christ means that our faith is vain, that it is empty, groundless, and meaningless. If Christ is in the grave, then our faith is in a dead man, and no dead man can save a living man. We are doomed, for we are following a mere man, a man who is still dead and lying in a grave. Our faith is empty, groundless, and meaningless.

NO RESURRECTION MEANS WE ARE FALSE WITNESSES ()

To deny the resurrection of Christ means that we are bearing a false witness, that we are deliberately lying. Very simply, the apostles bore strong testimony that Jesus Christ had been resurrected from the dead. They were lying or else telling the truth. If He did not arise, then they were liars.

NO RESURRECTION MEANS NO SAINTS ALL SINNERS ()

If Jesus Christ did not arise from the dead, then dead believers have perished. If believers are not to be resurrected, Jesus would be no more than any other human being. He would be powerless to penetrate the other world, the spiritual dimension of being. He would know no life beyond the life of this world. He, just as all other men have always done no matter how great their philosophy, would have perished in the ground of the earth. Therefore, all our loved ones who have gone on before are perished. They are nothing more than decayed flesh and bones lying in a cemetery. They have ceased to be, for if there is no resurrection, then Jesus Christ has not risen. A horrible consequence!

GOD RAISED CHRIST THE FIRST FRUITS (1 CO. 12:19-20)

CHRIST