Thursday 4th May
Read 1 Corinthians 15:29-34
“Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptised for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptised for them? 30 And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? 31 I face death every day – yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised,
‘Let us eat and drink,
for tomorrow we die.’
33 Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’ 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God – I say this to your shame.” (NIVUK)
Sometimes it is really hard to live consistently with what you believe. It may be hard because we enjoy certain practices we know to be wrong and struggle with stopping. Or it may be hard because we simply haven’t thought through the implications of our beliefs. Both reasons present real challenges in terms of living in a way that honours God. At times in his writing Paul can very gently, with pastoral care and wisdom, make people aware of both their own sin and how the gospel changes how we should live. But sometimes the pastorally astute approach is to, not putting it mildly, slap some sense into the church!
Paul adopts the second approach here…In case they were falling asleep in the pews trying to understand the dense arguments related to ‘second Adam’ resurrection theology Paul takes a quick break and makes a number of rapid-fire logical jabs. First, to deny bodily resurrection makes their practice of ‘baptism for the dead’ look pretty silly (v29). Why do it if people are going to just stay dead? Second, the life-threatening consequences of preaching the gospel would be an absurd risk if Paul held no resurrection hope. There is simply nothing in it for him to place his life in danger for a lie (v30-31). Third, the only logical conclusion one can draw from deciding this life is all there is would be to party hard now – it will never get better than this (v32). A decision that only makes sense if one is foolish and remains bound up in sin (cf Isaiah 22:11-14). This means the sin they think Jesus has paid for remains on their account (v18). Finally, Paul argues (by quoting Greek poets and playwrights!) that everyone knows living amongst people who care nothing for the future destroys moral character. Hence the basis for all moral behaviour is the resurrection.
So, Paul says, in light of all these different facts – stop being ignorant, stop sinning, and wake up to yourselves (v34). If they were drifting off, they have woken back up. A flawed understanding of the resurrection is a rather dangerous thing to possess. I wonder if there is any basic misunderstanding lurking in me that would warrant such a determined rebuke? The answer is obvious. It is why Paul prays so much…
“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” (Ephesians 1:17) (NIVUK)
