Useful Bible Studies > 1 Corinthians Commentary > chapter 15
We have often seen that the Christians in Corinth cared too much about their present lives in this world. For example, they followed their emotions and they argued about their importance. People only do such things if their present lives matter more to them than anything in the future.
In 1 Corinthians 15:12, Paul explains why they behaved like that. It was not merely a foolish attitude. Some of them actually thought that there is no life after death.
It astonished Paul that any Christian could even think such a thing. He himself had declared in Corinth that Christ became alive after his death. This was the message that Christians were declaring across the world. More than 500 of them were witnesses of that fact. This was an essential part of God’s good news.
Already, twice in this letter, Paul has referred to dead Christians as people who ‘sleep’ (11:30; 15:6). Paul was not just using a word-picture. He really believed that after death, Christians will live again. Their spirits are already alive with God in heaven. Their bodies will become alive again when Christ returns. This is as certain as the fact that Christ became alive again. In fact, it will happen because Christ became alive again.
God’s good news is not a series of clever stories that someone invented to make us into better people. God’s good news is the facts of what God did in order to save his people from death and hell. Either those facts are true, or they are a lie. A lie cannot save anyone; but God’s good news changes people’s lives. By it, God gives people a right relationship with himself that death cannot destroy.
Next part: Is your religion sensible? (1 Corinthians 15:16-19)
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© 2014, Keith Simons.