IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

If Christ Has Not Been Raised…

Date: Apr. 5, 2023

Passage

1 Corinthians 15:12-19

The Resurrection of the Dead

12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 15:19

If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

In these verses, Paul debunks doubters of the resurrection. If the dead cannot rise again, then Jesus did not rise again. If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, then Christian faith and preaching is useless and vain. Moreover, Christians are then liars, who are preaching a false gospel and misrepresenting God by saying that he is mightier than he really is (if God cannot actually raise the dead). Does it make sense that the apostles and all the Christians who died for their faith died for a lie? Surely, they believed that Christ rose from the dead since people will not die for what they know is a lie.

Without Jesus’ resurrection, Christian faith is futile, and we would have no assurance or power over sin. Plus, Christians who’ve died are simply dead, and there is no heaven (or at least we can’t get there through Christ). If Christians only have hope in this world, then why would we live a holy life, denying ourselves and striving to grow in Jesus’ image? That would be pitiful. Not only that, why then did Jesus live a holy and beautiful life of self- sacrifice, and with such conviction and courage? Of course, Jesus knew the reality of resurrection and eternal life in heaven. This belief is not optional but rather vital for followers of Jesus.

Prayer: Prayer: Father, thank you for the compelling truth of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Christian lives are not pitiful, but full of hope, power and promise because Jesus rose, and so will I.

One Word: One Word: Christian life is not pitiful, but glorious

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Remember Who God is

Psalm 77:1-20

Key Verse: 77:11

I will remember the deeds of the LORD;
yes, I will remember your wonders of old.

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