November 22nd~Naught for Not

1 Corinthians 14:1-15:58

Our passage equally covered two topics — the imperative to have order in worship and the importance of the resurrection of the dead. First, Paul confronted what seemed to be chaos in the Corinthian church; services were not regulated, so naturally they were informal and free. When they got together, everyone practiced or paraded his spiritual gift (particularly that of tongues or prophecy), which promoted disorder and confusion. Therefore, Paul laid down some basic guidelines so that “everything would be done properly and in order” (14:40).

The motivation behind this free-for-all was selfishness, to draw attention for personal praise or to focus on personal growth. However, Paul reminded the Corinthians to “let love be their highest goal” (14:1). If their motivation was love, then they would not focus on themselves or their gifts but on others; and, everything they did in their worship services would “be useful to all and help build them up in the Lord” (14:26).

The second issue that Paul addressed was the importance of the resurrection. Without the reality of the resurrection of both Jesus and His followers, the hope that we have unravels. Paul wrote, “If Christ is not raised, then all our preaching is useless and your trust in God is useless. We apostles would all be lying about God... If Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless, and you are still under condemnation for your sins; all those who have died believing in Christ have perished. If we have hope in Christ only for this life, then we are the most miserable people in the world” (15:14-19).

As you can see, the resurrection is the lynchpin holding together the entirety of the Christian faith. If Christ is dead, then He was not God; and, if He was not God, then He was a phony, the Bible is not true, our hope is unfounded.

Daily Reflection

However, Christ is not dead! His resurrection is a reality, which means that our resurrection will be a reality. Otherwise, Paul wrote, “Why should we be continually risking our lives, facing death hour by hour?” (15:30). How could Christ promise us eternal life if He were still in the grave? He defeated death Himself, so then He is able to offer His followers the same opportunity.

Your body, which is a disappointment to you now will one day be raised full of glory. Though your body is weak today, it will then be full of power. What excites you most about the afterlife, your resurrection from the dead, or your second body?

Paul’s purpose in writing about the truth of the resurrection was to encourage the Corinthians (and possibly himself) in their work on God’s behalf. “So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord’s work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless” (15:58).

Have you ever grown weary in God’s work? Have you ever questioned the reality of the resurrection and whether or not your sacrifices, your persecution, and your efforts are worth it? How do Paul’s words encourage you?

BiAY.org | Day 326 — 39 Days to Go