There will be a resurrection of the dead. Some of the Corinthians were not so sure. They were more than doubting, they were saying that there would not be a resurrection of the dead. Paul had preached that there would be a resurrection of the dead when he first came to Corinth. He had preached the gospel for he said that he did in verses 1 to 4 of 1 Corinthians 15. In these verses he tells them just what the essence of the gospel is; Christ died for our sins, in accordance with the Scriptures, and that He was buried but on the third day He rose from the dead as the scriptures foretold.
Note; the gospel has in it that Christ was raised from the dead. They believed this at first, but now they were saying that there would not be a resurrection of the dead. Paul points out in (1 Corinthians 15:13-17) “If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.”
The resurrection of Christ is the most important part of the gospel. This is the part that proves that the gospel is true. There were lots of witnesses that saw Jesus alive after He had died. Paul names them: (1 Corinthians 15:5-8) “And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all, he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.”
Here we have the evidence that proves that there will be a resurrection of the dead because Jesus was resurrected. This is strong evidence that Jesus’ resurrection from the dead really did happen. Since Jesus was raised from the dead, we can know we will be raised from the dead too.
Here is what Paul says, (1 Corinthians 15:51-54) “Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality…” this is God’s promises to the ones that are believer in the resurrection of Jesus. Paul goes on to say that death will not have the victory over life. And there is no sting in death for the believer. The sting of death is the separation of a man from God.
When this happens there will be no more death God told Adam that he would die if he ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and the death that God was talking about is the separation of man from God.
(1 Corinthians 15:52) “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” and “so shall we ever be with the Lord.”(1Thess 4:17)
The real victory over the sting of death, over death, is the resurrection of the dead in Christ.
*Devotional written by Ralph Williams, retired pastor and member of One Hope Mobile.
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