The Gospel and Resurrection – 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Randy Alcorn, author of the wonderful book, Heaven, has a short video on what he calls Christoplatonism, ideas of Plato adopted by some in the Christian church, and it seems, by some of the Corinthians, that body is evil and spirit is good.  Randy explodes that idea biblically.  Paul explodes it in regard to the very bodily resurrection of Jesus and our resurrection.

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.  (1 Corinthians 15:1-11 ESV)

Questions have been raised about the resurrection.  It seems some of the Corinthians, though acknowledging that Jesus was raised from the dead, are teaching that there is no resurrection for believers other than a spiritual resurrection.  Their evidence that the spiritual resurrection has taken place is their tongues speaking and seemingly superior knowledge.  But this belief is based in a false philosophy of the day that says the body is not redeemable and actually a hindrance to our spiritual progress.  The kingdom has no use for it and the Corinthians, some at least, believe that the kingdom has spiritually arrived and they are ruling (see chapter 4).

But Paul reminds them that the gospel they received was entirely predicated on the fact of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, as the Scriptures predicted.  In fact, many eyewitnesses to Jesus being alive, including Paul, are still alive so that this fact can be established on eyewitness testimony.  Paul has faithfully handed on the true gospel and it is what saved the Corinthians, if indeed they are saved.  Paul’s labors on their behalf, done through the grace of God working in him, was the basis for their believing.

For the Corinthians, or for anyone who says they believe in Jesus, to minimize the resurrection puts one in jeopardy of denying the faith that saved them.  The body does matter and is to be redeemed.  It will be resurrected like Jesus was.  Your salvation hinges on the truth of that resurrection.