Sunday, 12 April 2020 1 Corinthians 15:1-28
“For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.”- 1 Corinthians 15: 22
It is good to be reminded every now and then of the basic tenets of our Christian faith and that’s what Paul does here - Christ died for our sins, was buried and raised on the third day! As Paul explains the essence of the Gospel message preached to the Corinthians, he urges them to live in assurance of eternal life in Christ. To those who are doubtful about what happens after death, the resurrection of Christ and eventually of those who are in Christ, is the great hope of Christian faith. The Message of Salvation (1 Cor 15:3-4): In highlighting the essential elements of the gospel message, Paul brings to remembrance the message of salvation that the church had received by faith and through which they had been saved. The sin in the Garden of Eden led to man’s separation from God. In Adam all died (1 Cor 15:22) refers to man’s spiritual death. In our own ability, we could do absolutely nothing be made right with God. Despite our sin, God’s love for us was so great that He sent His beloved Son that all who believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16 Paraphrased). Jesus Christ the perfect sinless Son of God bore the punishment for our sins and died on the cross so that all who believe in Him can have their sins forgiven. Christ’s death was part of God’s eternal plan for the salvation of the fallen mankind. Jesus suffered and died and was buried in a tomb, and He rose again the third day. In His resurrection, Jesus Christ - the perfect Saviour, reigned victorious over sin and death and this victory is for all those who believe in Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:55-57). The Transforming Power of the Gospel (1 Cor 15:9-10): "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5:17). This is a reality that only children of God experience. Paul demonstrates himself as an example of the life-transforming power of the Gospel. Paul, who had earlier persecuted the church, after accepting Christ as his Saviour began to labor earnestly for the advancement of the gospel, not considering his own life of any account (Acts 20:24). The resurrection power of God that brought Christ Jesus back to life transforms the lives and hearts of all who believe, leading us in a joyful and victorious walk with the Lord. A Believer’s Future Hope (1 Cor 15:20-22): A believer’s joy and hope is not just to live out in this world, but there is the hope of a joyful eternal life with God that we look forward to. … in Christ all will be made alive (1 Cor 15:22b). Christ’s resurrection from death is the assurance to children of God of being united with Him in His second coming. Jesus himself gives us this assurance, "For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day." (John 6:40) Let us find our hope in Jesus. Dear brother/sister, if you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, let this be a time of renewing your commitment. If you have not yet accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, this is a personal invitation to surrender your life to the Lord. Would you open your heart and let Him cleanse you and transform you and lead you to a closer walk with God?
Can we like Paul declare:
"For His sake I have lost everything, and I consider it all garbage, so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having any righteousness of my own… but that which comes through faith in Christ... so that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection....”
Philippians 3:8-10