1 Corinthians 15:12-34

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TALKS FOR GROWING CHRISTIANS

The Resurrection of Christ is Essential to Christian Faith and Hope

BACKGROUND NOTES



DOCTRINAL POINT(S)

  1. The resurrection of Christ is essential to the Christian faith.

  2. The resurrection of Christ is essential to the Christian hope.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

  1. Let the obscure be subject to the clear.

  2. Don’t endanger your spiritual health.

QUESTIONS

  1. What was the Corinthians’ specific problem with resurrection?

  2. What was Paul’s logical argument for the bodily resurrection of human beings?

  3. What is the danger of not believing in bodily resurrection?

  4. What does it mean that Christ is the “firstfruits” (verse 20)?

  5. What doesn’t baptism for the dead mean?

ANSWERS

  1. Because of their background in Greek philosophy and religious thought, some of them had doubts concerning the future bodily resurrection of the believer.

  2. If God raised the Man, Jesus Christ, from the dead, then it was logical that He could raise any person from the dead.

  3. If there is no such thing as bodily resurrection of persons from the dead, then even Christ could not have been raised from the dead. If Jesus is still dead and was not resurrected, then there is no foundation to the Christian faith.

  4. As the early fruit is the promise of the harvest soon to come, so the resurrection of Christ is the guarantee that death has been conquered for every Christian.

  5. It doesn’t mean that you can save believers who have died by being baptized for them.

DISCUSS/CONSIDER

  1. Review and discuss the six logical conclusions we must come to if Christ is not risen from the dead: a. If Christ is not risen, our preaching is empty. b. If Christ is not risen, our faith is empty. c. If Christ is not risen, we are false witness of God. d. If Christ is not risen, our faith is worthless, and we are still in our sins. e. If Christ is not risen, those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. f. If Christ is not risen, and if only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.

  2. Discuss how the sequence of wonderful events from the resurrection of Christ until eternity is revealed in 1 Corinthians 15:23-28.

CHALLENGE

  1. “Evil company corrupts good habits.” 1 Corinthians 15:33 No matter your age or stage in life, this principle holds true. Watch the company you keep this week.

KEY VERSES

  • “But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen.” 1 Corinthians 15:13

  • “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.” 1 Corinthians 15:19

  • “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” 1 Corinthians 15:20



1 Corinthians, Talks, New TestamentDeb Harms1 Corinthians 15:12-34