By Sam Nobles
A major issue that was being faced by the Corinthian church was confusion about the resurrection. The Apostle Paul will restate the fundamentals of the faith – Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, and discuss how the resurrection proves that we will one day believers will also rise to be with Christ.
The Resurrection According to the Scriptures (v.1-11)
The Apostle Paul combats the false doctrine of false teachers by reminding the believers in Corinth that the gospel proclaims the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Paul told the Corinthians that Christ died for all sins, and that he was buried and rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures. On top of what was declared in the Word, Paul also goes on to show that Jesus was seen by many eyewitnesses, including Paul himself. This was the message that had been preached to Corinthians. This was the message they believed.
The Resurrection Verified (12-34)
The Apostle Paul then proceeds to verify the resurrection with several different lines of debate. There are a few things that Paul declares happens if Christ is not risen from the dead: The apostles' preaching and the Corinthians' faith is vain; the apostles are false witnesses; people remain in their sins; those who have died in Christ have perished; those who hope in Christ are the most deplorable of all.
Paul then applies how Christ’s resurrection connects to our resurrection. Christ is the "firstfruits" of the resurrection. This means all who were born as humans, or in Adam, will die. Likewise, all in Christ all shall be made alive when he returns and sets up his kingdom. Paul concludes his argument by asking, “If the resurrection is not real, then why are people being baptized for the dead and suffering persecution?”
The Resurrection Explained (v.35-58)
The last half of the chapter is devoted to answering anticipated questions concerning the resurrection body. According to Paul, the mystery of the resurrection is that the body, whether live or dead, will be changed in a moment from flesh and blood and corruption, to an immortal, incorruptible, and glorified state. All who take part of this resurrection will be victorious over death through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Scripture to Claim:
“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” (1 Corinthians 15:55 ESV)