Without It Nothing Else Matters1 Corinthians 15:16-18
For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.
Thoughts for Today:In our passage today, Paul uses a series of untrue statements to demonstrate the consequence of not believing in the resurrection. However, because Jesus rose from the dead, the opposite of these things are true. Our faith is not pointless. We won't be bound by sin any longer. And our friends and loved ones who have passed before us will be waiting in heaven. Why? Because of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior.
So whenever we are speaking with the skeptic next to us -- on a long flight, at work, on campus, or anywhere else -- there is only one issue: Did Jesus rise from the dead? If so, He is unique in all of history. It validates His claim of divinity. It confirms His purpose. And it means our sins are forgiven. Every part of our faith hinges on the single issue of the Resurrection. Without it nothing else matters.
Questions to Ponder:What do you really believe in? Is it a resurrected Savior and King? Many people like the teachings of Jesus, yet struggle with His claims. He is all or nothing. Either He was just a man (like the rest of us), or He is the risen Lord. Have you adjusted your life to this truth?
For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.
Thoughts for Today:In our passage today, Paul uses a series of untrue statements to demonstrate the consequence of not believing in the resurrection. However, because Jesus rose from the dead, the opposite of these things are true. Our faith is not pointless. We won't be bound by sin any longer. And our friends and loved ones who have passed before us will be waiting in heaven. Why? Because of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior.
So whenever we are speaking with the skeptic next to us -- on a long flight, at work, on campus, or anywhere else -- there is only one issue: Did Jesus rise from the dead? If so, He is unique in all of history. It validates His claim of divinity. It confirms His purpose. And it means our sins are forgiven. Every part of our faith hinges on the single issue of the Resurrection. Without it nothing else matters.
Questions to Ponder:What do you really believe in? Is it a resurrected Savior and King? Many people like the teachings of Jesus, yet struggle with His claims. He is all or nothing. Either He was just a man (like the rest of us), or He is the risen Lord. Have you adjusted your life to this truth?
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