Life after Life

Do you believe in the resurrection?

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after he has destroyed every ruler 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.” But when it says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is plain that this does not include the one who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to the one who put all things in subjection under him, so that God may be all in all. Otherwise, what will those people do who receive baptism on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? - 1 Corinthians 15:12-29

In his first letter to the Church in Corinth, Paul tries to prove them wrong about mortal life and death.

They were taught that there is no life after this one, that there is no resurrection, but can they continue to believe that, now that Jesus was raised from the dead?

Paul knows that is the key.  If they believe Christ is raised, then they must believe resurrection is real, and they too could be raised.

That changes everything, doesn't it?

For Paul, the whole point of God becoming man was to show us what happens when we die.  Either we die and that is all there is, which is what most believed at the time, or something else happens.

That something else is what Jesus proved to be real, by reappearing after having been crucified.

Now, if you don't believe that Jesus was raised, then this is all there is.

But if you do believe, then life can be eternal.

Paul's mission was to give us hope in eternal life through Christ.  And all we need to do is accept it.

What have we got to lose in doing that?

More to come...