Proofs of the Believer’s Resurrection, Rev. Dr John Kwasi Fosu

Amazing Grace Baptist Church, Hamburg Bible Study Material on 1 Cor. 15:1-34

Introduction

This material on 1 Cor. 1 Cor. 15:1-34 focuses on the bodily resurrection of believers learning from the example of Jesus’ resurrection.

Understanding the Historical Background of 1 Cor. 15:1-34

The Greeks did not believe in the bodily resurrection of the dead. When Paul preached the resurrection at Athens, some of the people actually laughed at this doctrine (Acts 17:32). Their philosophers taught that the body was the prison of the soul, and the sooner the soul was set free in death, the better off a person would be. The Greeks looked upon the human body as a source of weakness and wickedness. They could not conceive of a body that continued to exist after death. It was this kind of thinking that Paul had to deal with when he wrote this chapter.  There will always be people who say that Jesus didn’t rise bodily from the dead.  Paul assures us that many people saw Jesus after his resurrection.

         1.  The Proofs of the Believer’s Resurrection (15:1-34)

Historical proof (verses 1-11)

The Corinthians did not doubt the resurrection of the Messiah, so Paul began there in his argument for the resurrection of the human body. The resurrection of the Messiah is a historic fact proved the message of the Gospel, the testimony of witnesses and the conversion of Paul himself. If there were no resurrection, there would be no salvation, for a dead Savior can save nobody! “Now,” argues Paul, “I know that you Corinthians believe in the resurrection of the Messiah, otherwise your faith is empty. Jesus was a man and now He has a resurrection body. If He has a glorified body in heaven, why should we believers not have one also?” This is another aspect of the believer’s union with Jesus: because He has been glorified, we shall also be glorified one day.

Personal proof (verses 12-19)

The resurrection of Jesus is the center of the Christian faith.  Because Jesus rose from the dead as He promised, we know that what he said is true – he is God.  Because he rose, we have certainty that our sins are forgiven.  Because he rose, He lives and represents us to God.  Because He rose and defeated death, we know we will also be raised.

Paul points to the Corinthians’ own personal experience. He had preached the Gospel to them, they had believed, and their lives had been transformed (6:9-11). But if the dead rise not, then Jesus is dead, and that Gospel was a lie! Their faith was vain and they were still in their sins!

Doctrinal proof (verses 20-28)

Here Paul deals with the Bible doctrine of “the two Adams.” (He uses this argument also in Romans 5.) It was through the first Adam’s sin that death came into the world.  But through the Last Adam (Jesus), death has been conquered. Jesus the Risen Lord is the firstfruits.  That is, He is the first of a great harvest that is yet to come. Jesus is God’s “Last Adam,” and He will reverse the wrong that the first Adam brought into this world. When Jesus returns to earth, the dead in Jesus will be raised (verse 23 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). Jesus will finally put all things under His feet, including death. In other words, to deny the bodily resurrection of the dead is to deny the future kingdom of our Lord.

Practical proof (verses 29-34)

Paul mentions several practices in daily life that prove the resurrection of the body. For one thing, the Corinthians were “baptizing for the dead.” There is some disagreement over what this means. Were they baptizing living people on behalf of saints who had died before being baptized.  In any event, the church at Corinth was still practicing baptism, and baptism is a symbol of death, burial, and resurrection. (New Testament scholars generally agree that the early church baptized immersion.) The ordinance has no meaning if there is no resurrection of the dead.

 In verses 30-32, Paul cites the many dangers in his ministry, and says in effect, “Surely it is foolish for me to risk my life daily if there is no resurrection!” In verse 32 he argues, “If there is no resurrection, then we ought to eat, drink, and be merry! Enjoy life while we can!”

In verse 33, Paul tells them keeping company with those who deny the bodily resurrection could corrupt good believing character.  Don’t let you relationships with unbelievers lead you away from Jesus or cause you faith to waver.   “Shame on you!” he concludes in verse 34. “You ought to have this knowledge!”