Unlike most of
1 Corinthians, chapter 15 is devoted entirely to doctrine Doctrine of the
Resurrection.
A)
In
these 58 verses Paul gives the most extensive treatment of the resurrection in
all of Scripture.
B) Important thing that we need to understand is The doctrinal problem on which this chapter focuses was not the Corinthians’ disbelief in Christ’s REZ
1)
but
confusion about their own.
A) Basic thought of much ancient Greek philosophy was Dualism/ which considered everything spiritual to be basically good and everything physical to be basically evil.
B) Now To anyone holding that view, the idea of a resurrected body was not something they looked favorably upon –
So Paul was not trying to convince them at Corinth that Christ rose from the dead but that one day they, too, would be raised with Him to eternal life.
A) In the first 19 verses where Paul establishes that the Resurrection. is the cornerstone of the GOODNEWS / foundation of our faith
B) He supported this w/ the testimony of eyewitnesses, giving a list of those who saw Jesus alive after his death
1) Then Paul described what life would be like if the Resurrection. didn’t take place
C) Then in v. 20-28 Paul explains how our Resurrection is tied into Christ who is the FIRST FRUITS OF THE REZ. HARVEST
1) And the order of that harvest as ordained in scripture (Last wk.)
Tonight we pick up in v.
29 where Paul describes the motivating affects that believing in the
Resurrection can have on your life.
A) And then he proceeds to answering the question – what Kind of bodies
will we have - & How will they be RAISED!!!!! Read v. 29-34
Now v. 29 is a rather puzzling verse –only place in scripture where BAPTISM FOR THE DEAD IS MENTIONED in SCRIPTURE
A) To be honest we are not sure what it means – many different ideas – not dogmatic /sadly been used to support many strange & heretical ideas.
B) Now even though we
cannot be dogmatic on the interpretation of what
this means or exactly what they were doing
1) We can be dogmatic, from the clear teaching of other parts of Scripture, about some of the things it does not mean.
C) For example, it does not teach proxy- baptism for the dead, as claimed by ancient Gnostic heretics such as Marcion & by the Mormon Church today.
1) Paul was not teaching that a person who has died can be saved, or helped in any way, by another person’s being baptized in his behalf.
A) Plus Baptismal regeneration, or the idea
that a person is saved by being baptized, / or that baptism is necessary for
salvation, is unscriptural.
In the laws that have been
set up for scriptural interpretation, called theologically "the Laws of Hermeneutics," = what do we accept for
common church practice today?
A)
The
Law of Hermeneutics declares that if it was taught by Jesus Christ, if it was practiced in the book of Acts and taught in the
epistles,
1)
Then
we accept it for general church practice today.
A) For instance, the Lord's supper was taught by Jesus Christ.
1)
The
Lord's supper was practiced in the book of Acts, as they would gather
together breaking bread from house to house.
A)
And
there is teaching on the Lord's
supper here in the 11th chapter, 1 Corinthians.
1) Thus, taught
by Christ, practiced in the early church in the book of Acts, taught
in the epistles -- we accept it for general church
Water baptism:
taught by Jesus Christ, practiced in the book of Acts, and taught in Romans,
chapter 6.
A) Thus we accept water baptism as a legitimate
ritual within the church today. Accompaniment
to Salvation
A)
So,
following the same criteria, here is a mention of Baptism for the dead. It
isn't taught as a doctrine. It isn't commended.
1)
It
isn't taught as something that should be done/
A)
Paul
is merely making a ref. To something that was being practiced in that society
& we are not sure what it was.
1)
Jesus
never mentioned it / Wasn’t practiced in Acts/ so throw it
Out
A)
Yet, the Mormons have made a very big thing
over baptizing for the dead, & that is why they have the archives of the
genealogies
1), that you can
go and find out all of your relatives that have died,
and you can go in and be baptized for
them.
B)
Idea being if you're baptized
for your dead relatives, then you can save them out of hell & they can be
saved, ( Not at all scriptural)
So
Getting back to out text / why did Paul even mention this.
Apparently
those who believed in the Resurrection of the dead were involved in some sort
of baptism for the dead's salvation.
I believe the answer to why is to illustrate a Pt. that those who believe in Resurrection. will do Radical things to make sure those they love will be raised
1)
That
is the kind of affect the Resurrection. has on people –
Do
Radical things on behalf of the unsaved.
1) One reason the early church was so effective!!!!
Paul proceeds to explain that this is one of the motivating factors of his life for ministry v. 30 –32
30 And why do we stand in jeopardy every hour?
31 I affirm, by the boasting in you
which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
32 If, in the manner of men, I have fought with
beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise,
"Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!"
A) Paul is saying why
do I put my life on the line everyday – if there is no Resurrection. what is
the point
1)
Beast at Ephesus – Literal or – just
Demetruis & blacksmiths that came against him - ( My opinion)
A) Paul’s point is the REALITY
OF THE REZ. - Keeps me going –
motivates me to share w/ others about Christ.
1)
Everyone
spend eternity in one of two places heaven or Hell
I have worked harder, been put in jail more often, been whipped times
without number, and faced death
again and again. 24 Five different times
the Jews gave me thirty-nine lashes.
25 Three times I was beaten with
rods. Once I was stoned. Three times
I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. 26 I
have traveled many weary miles. I have faced danger from flooded rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the
Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the stormy
seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be Christians but are not.
27 I have lived with weariness and pain & sleepless
nights. Often I have been hungry and thirsty and have gone without food. Often
I have shivered with cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. Then,
besides all this, I have the daily burden of how the churches are getting
along.
That is
merely a small description of what Paul went through for the sake of Christ
- because he believed in an after life
1)
Then
Paul says hey if there is no Resurrection. "Let
us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!"
A)
That
was the philosophy of Epicureanism in that day, and it is widespread today. "Live
it up. Get it all now. Don’t worry about tomorrow
D) Don't bother with giving yourself and wasting your time on doing things
for God. Enjoy yourself. Spend all your free time having fun and
pleasure."
B)
Paul
says the person who believes in the Resurrection knows that there is more than
just this life - TREASURES IN HEAVEN .
1)
MOTIVATION
FOR SERVICE
33 Do not be deceived: "Evil company
corrupts good habits."
34 Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the
knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.
1)
Don’t
be DECEIVED !!!! –
b)
Real deception / it won’t affect me !!!
Play in a pig – look & smell like the pigs
B) I work in it everyday – corruption immorality –
how do I not let it affect me/ Battle
- Salt & Light / ( Come out & be ye separate )
1)
–
but watch what you are doing - time
spending -
A)
Belief
in the reality of the Resurrection should encourage you to wake up & live
for Jesus .
1)
Many
die – not right w/ God ( Jim & Kim’s daughter – Pray)
b) NOT EVERYONE GETS THAT CHANCE !!!!
A)
Time
to wake up & get our hearts right w/ God .
Romans 13:11turn
11 And do this, knowing the time, that now it
is high time to awake out of sleep; for
now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.
12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand.
Therefore let us cast off the works of
darkness, and let us put on the armor
of light.
13 Let us walk
properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness
and lust, not in strife and envy.
14 But put on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and make no provision for
the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.
1Thes. 5:
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others
do, but let us watch and be sober.
7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and
those who get drunk are drunk at night.
8
But let us who are of the
day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the
hope of salvation.
D) Often say
– This life compared to eternity -
BLINK – 70 YRS
1)
Compared
to 80 billion or whatever
E) See People all bent on this life – ( not fair – I
want my way – why am I going through so much - no concept of eternity .
A)
Paul says we have so much more to live for – so lets wake up & walk right & serve the Lord !!!!!