1 Corinthians 15. What if Christ’s Resurrection did not Happen?
After the disciples of Christ witnessed his resurrection they became changed men. They shared their lives with him for a further forty days. Seven weeks after the resurrection they experienced God’s empowerment when the Holy Spirit came upon his church. Consequently they gave their lives to tell the world about Jesus, who he is, what he taught and what his death and resurrection meant.
At the end of his first letter to the troubled church at Corinth, Paul emphasised the vital importance and significance of Christ’s resurrection. He describes this event as being of ‘first importance’.
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures . . .” 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
Paul then lists some of the people that the risen Jesus personally met.
“ . . . he appeared to Peter, and then to the twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. n|then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.” 1 Corinthians 15:5-8
The reason he lists all these people as witnesses, stressing that the majority are still alive gives great credibility to Paul’s claim. Can you see the effect on a judge and jury if all these witnesses give their evidence one after another in a court of law?
Thomas Arnold was a Professor of History at Oxford, who specialised in Roman times. He was also the famous headmaster of Rugby school. He said,
“I have been used for many years to studying the histories of other times, and to examining and weighing the evidence of those who have written about them, and I know no one fact in the history of mankind which is proved by better and fuller evidence of every sort, to the understanding of a fair enquirer, than the great sign which God has given us that Christ died and rose agin from the dead.”
Consequences if the resurrection did not happen
In the next paragraph Paul lists the consequences if the early witnesses were mistaken or dishonest about the resurrection. These are clearly important arguments.
a. There is no resurrection hope for us
“But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead. If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.” 1 Corinthians 1512-13
Our hope that there is something after this life is both instinctive and intimately linked to the evidence of the resurrection of Christ. A nurse’s first experience of meeting Christians who had this hope came while she was working in a hospital where some believers and some nonbelievers were dying every day. “There was such a peace with some patients, I wanted to know why.” Her first interest in the Bible came as a result of this experience.
b. Faith in Christ becomes a waste of time
“And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” 1 Corinthians 15:14
All the work and sacrifices of the apostles would have been useless. Furthermore the commitment of Christians to Christ would be a waste of time. The Christian faith is utterly dependant on the real person, Jesus Christ dying on that cross for our sins and then rising again to prove his claims and to give us an assured hope.
c. The apostles would be liars
“”More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead.” 1 Corinthians 15:15
Dishonest apostles would undermine the Christian faith which is dependant on the New Testament being authoritative. These writings were recognised by the early church because the documents were all written by or ratified by the apostles. Show that the apostles were deliberate liars and the whole edifice of faith comes crumbling down.
d. All the Christian teachings are interdependent
“But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.” 1 Corinthians 15:15-16
Some people have always held that this life is all there is and that there is no after life. Christ’s resurrection not only refutes this but gives life meaning.
e. Christians would not be forgiven our sins
“And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” 1 Corinthians 15:17
One of the great joys Christians have is the knowledge that past sins have become the responsibility of Jesus Christ who died on our behalf to pay the price for them. If Jesus is not God who rose from the dead to prove his claim then we are still sinners and will have no hope when we come to stand before God in judgment. The message of the early apostles was that because of Jesus we can be forgiven our sins. Only Christians have been given the promise of forgiveness. Peter’s message was one of forgiveness that can be found in Christ. At his Pentecost sermon he told the crowds about he resurrection of Christ. ‘What shall we do,’ they asked,
“Repent and be baptised, every one of you for the forgiveness of your sins.” Acts 2:38
At Peter’s next sermon his message was the same,
“You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this . . . Repent then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out.” Acts 3:15,19
f. Those who have died in and for the faith have nothing
“Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.” 1 Corinthians 15:18
The English word ‘cemetery’ is derived from a Greek word meaning ‘a place of sleep’. It reflects the almost universal belief that there is more to life that our present existence. Without a resurrection our lives become meaningless.
g. Christians live for another world
“If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.’ 1 Corinthians 15:19
Why are Christians self-sacrificing now? It is because Jesus taught us that he will reward his people later, according to how we have lived. Without the resurrection of both Christ and ourselves, sacrificial love becomes a waste of time. Yet something assures us that that is not the case and than honesty, integrity and love are eternally worthwhile.
But the Resurrection really did happen so we have hope
“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” 1 Corinthians 15:20-22
The only hope any person can have when facing the prospect of meeting the holy God who created the universe is if we have been forgiven our natural rebellion against him and have been credited with Christ’s righteousness. Have you noticed how often Christ is mentioned in this paragraph. Our hopes, the basis for our sacrificial godly behaviour, as well as our need for forgiveness are all met in the risen Christ.
All we achieve in this life will count for nothing if we have not returned to Christ acknowledging that without him we are still lost in our sin but with him we have forgiveness and hope of a new better life.
The Habsburg funerals
This traditional ceremony for the burial of Habsburg emperors and princes is a glorious example of the need for all people to take our place as sinners before we come face to face with God.
The cortege with the coffin of the dead emperor is taken through the streets of Vienna to his final resting place, the Capuchin convent which contains the Imperial crypt.
The Grand Chamberlain knocks three times with a silver cane on the door of the convent.
The Capuchin porter asks:
“Who is there?”
The Grand Chamberlain proclaims the name and titles of the deceased Hapsburg emperor:
“I am (Name) … Emperor of Austria, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Bohemia, Dalmatia, Croatia, Slavonia, Galicia, Lodomeria, of Illyria, and King of Jerusalem, Archduke of Austria, Grand Duke of Tuscany and Cracow, Duke of Lorraine , Salzburg, STIR, Carinthia, of Carniola and Bukovina, Grand Prince of Transylvania, Margrave of Moravia, Duke of Upper Silesia, Lower Silesia, of Modena, Parma, Piacenza and Guastalla, of Auschwitz and Zator of Ticino, Friuli, Ragusa and Zara, Prince of Conde-Hapsburg and Tyrol, of Kyburg, in Goritz and Gradisca, Prince of Trent and Brixen, Margrave of Upper and Lower Lusatia and Istria, Earl of Hohenembs of Feldkirch of Brigance, in Sonnenberg, Lord of Trieste, of Cattaro and Marche, Great Voivode of Serbia, etc. … ”
Upon hearing this, the porter refuses to open the door and says:
“I do not know you.”
The Grand Chamberlain knocks on the door again and in answer to the porter’s question “Who is there?” gives just the name of the deceased prince.
“I am (Name) … His Majesty the Emperor and the King. ”
The porter again refuses admission:
“I do not know you.”
For a third time, the Grand Chamberlain knocks on the door and the porter asks anew,
“Who is there?”
This time, the Grand Chamberlain simply says:
“I am (Name)… a poor mortal and a sinner.”
To this, the Capuchin friar responds:
“Come in.”
The convent doors open wide and the casket is carried in.
It is only because of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus that we can have hope.
BVP
