Paul's Second Letter To The Church At Corinth. Day 1, The God Of All Comfort

As Paul begins his second letter to the church at Corinth he speaks of the hardships that have befallen him. These hardships have thus far prevented him from making a visit to the Corinthian believers. We don't want to miss the fact that when Paul speaks of the comfort of the Lord he is speaking of this comfort in the midst of suffering. He isn't simply speaking pleasant platitudes. He is speaking as a man who has been tested and tried almost to the breaking point but who has been given the strength to endure it. If Paul had led a life of ease and pleasure we wouldn't be able to put much stock in his testimony about the ability of God to comfort the afflicted. But Paul is a man who knows what it's like to be hated, to be beaten, to be imprisoned, to work to the point of exhaustion, to go without sleep, and to do the Lord's work even while hungry and thirsty. We can trust his testimony about the faithfulness of God to comfort His people.

He begins with this salutation: "Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all His holy people throughout Achaia: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Corinthians 1:1-2) It is believed by many scholars that Timothy wrote down this letter as Paul dictated it to him. In the salutation at the beginning of the first letter, Paul greeted the believers along with Sosthenes, who is thought to have transcribed the first letter. Today Paul greets them along with Timothy, who likely transcribed the second letter.

Now we arrive at the passage that is the theme we chose for this blog: "Comfortable Words". If the Scriptures were not inspired by the Holy Spirit, and if they did not have the power of God in them, there would be no comfort for us in our study of the Bible. But God is able to do what He says He can do. And God is able to help us do what He has told us to do. His word is trustworthy. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

Paul is able to extend comfort to others because he has experienced the comfort of God in his darkest hours. It isn't very comforting when someone who has never experienced real hardships tells us everything is going to be alright. But when we are reassured by someone who has been through the same things we are going through (or worse!) we can take heart. I know people who have experienced the comfort of God in the death of a child, and in the loss of a spouse, and in the breakup of a marriage, and during treatment of serious illnesses, and during a time of job loss and financial hardship. I see the peace in their hearts and the comfort they feel in spite of what they are going through. People like that are able to reassure me that God will be with me and help me. I trust what they say because they have experienced the comfort of God themselves. In the same way we should comfort others who are going through things we've been through. "For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort." (2 Corinthians 1:5-7)

None of us enjoys suffering. We are especially resistant to it when we can't figure out the meaning for our suffering. We may not always know why hardships come against us in this world, but we have the power to use our experiences to bless others. We can make our suffering mean something by ministering to those who are enduring the same things. During hard times we must lean on the Lord and let Him comfort us, and then we will be able to tell others that His grace was sufficient in our time of need. (2 Corinthians 12:9) This proves to those around us that His grace will be sufficient in their time of need. 

"We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself." (2 Corinthians 1:8) We don't know what situation Paul and the other apostles endured, but we do know that wherever the gospel went, persecution followed. The circumstances were so grievous that the apostles felt they were about to meet their death.

"Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead." (2 Corinthians 1:9) Paul says, "God used this situation to teach us to rely on Him and not on ourselves. The God who raises the dead is able to deliver us from all persecution."

"He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us again. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many." (2 Corinthians 1:10-11) Does God need our prayers in order to do great things? No, but He invites us to participate in intercessory prayer. Don't we feel more invested in situations that we have prayed about? Our faith grows when we pray about something and then see God do great things. We have more confidence to come to the Lord with our own troubles after witnessing how He helps others in their troubles. The Lord intends for all of us to work together as a family: to pray for each other, to encourage each other, and to rejoice together when our prayers are answered.

Paul's First Letter To The Church At Corinth. Day 45, Closing Remarks And Instructions

We conclude our look at the book of 1 Corinthians today as Paul informs the believers at Corinth of his travel plans and makes his final remarks.

"After I go through Macedonia, I will come to you---for I will be going through Macedonia. Perhaps I will stay with you for a while, or even spend the winter, so that you can help me on my journey, wherever I go. For I do not want to see you now and make only a passing visit; I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord permits. But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost, because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me." (1 Corinthians 16:5-9) I think the Apostle Paul would far rather have spoken to the believers at Corinth in person than through a letter, but at the present time it is the Lord's will for him to continue planting a church at Ephesus. Paul intends to see the believers at Corinth when he will have time to spend a nice long visit with them.

Now the apostle makes mention of his dear friend Timothy. "When Timothy comes, see to it that he has nothing to fear while he is with you, for he is carrying on the work of the Lord, just as I am. No one, then, should treat him with contempt. Send him on his way in peace so that he may return to me. I am expecting him along with the brothers." (1 Corinthians 16:10-11) Earlier in this letter we learned that some of the believers at Corinth were so prideful about their own spirituality that they scoffed at the authority of Paul, even though he was an apostle and an elder. He is concerned that they will show disrespect to Timothy because of his youth. (1 Timothy 4:12) So he cautions the church, "Treat Timothy with the same respect you'd treat any apostle or elder or teacher. He works just as hard for the Lord as any of us."

"Now about our brother Apollos: I strongly urged him to go to you with the brothers. He was quite unwilling to go now, but he will go when he has the opportunity." (1 Corinthians 16:12) I don't know whether the church at Corinth had requested Apollos to come with the brothers who visited them and delivered Paul's letter, but Apollos is as busy right now as Paul himself. Wherever Apollos is and whatever he is doing, he does not feel it's the Lord's will for him to make a journey. It would appear that Paul greatly desires Apollos to go to Corinth and straighten out some of the problems there, but at the same time Paul respects the decision of Apollos not to go right now. Both these men are being obedient to the will of the Lord, and the will of the Lord prevails over the will of man. This doesn't mean that the Lord doesn't care about the problems at Corinth, but Paul's letter to the believers is inspired by the Holy Spirit and should be enough on its own to convince them to change the things that are wrong. The people at Corinth are already in Christ, and although they are missing the mark in some areas, they are not lost sinners who don't know the Lord. The Apostle Paul is at Ephesus preaching to people who are not already in Christ, and the salvation of these people's souls is vitally important.

Paul has already said enough to cause the people of Corinth to change their childish ways, so he sums everything up like this: "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love." (1 Corinthians 16:13-14) In the original language, where we find Paul saying "be courageous", he is literally saying "behave like men". He's saying, "Grow up! Stop bickering among yourselves like children. Behave like mature adults and show respect to each other. Love each other as Christ would have you do."

"You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the Lord's people. I urge you, brothers and sisters, to submit to such people and to everyone who joins in the work and labors at it. I was glad when Stephanas, Fortunatas and Achaicus arrived, because they have supplied what was lacking from you. For they refreshed my spirit and yours also. Such men deserve recognition." (1 Corinthians 16:15-18) Paul says, "Treat Stephanas as you would treat an apostle. He was the first convert I made in Achaia and he works very hard for the Lord. So do Fortunatas and Achaicus." The names Fortunatas and Achaicus were commonly used for slaves, so these two men may have been former slaves of the household of Stephanas who are now freedmen. Paul doesn't want the people of Corinth to treat them with less respect because of their background. In Christ we are all equal, no matter our background or status in life.

"The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house. All the brothers and sisters here send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss. I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand." (1 Corinthians 16:19-20) It is believed that the Sosthenes mentioned in this letter wrote it down as Paul dictated it, but Paul writes the final remarks himself.

"If anyone does not love the Lord, let that person be cursed. Come, Lord!" (1 Corinthians 16:22) This may seem like an odd way to end a letter, but the fact is that anyone who does not love the Lord has put himself under a curse. The one who does not love the Lord does not say what Paul says, "Come soon, Lord!" But the one who loves Him says, along with believers like the Apostle Paul and the Apostle John, "Amen! Come soon, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20)

"The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen." (1 Corinthians 16:23-24)

Join us tomorrow as we move on into Paul's second letter to the church at Corinth.

Paul's First Letter To The Church At Corinth. Day 44, The Collection For The Lord's People

Today Paul moves on to the subject of the collection for the poor believers at Jerusalem. We first learned of this collection in Acts 11:27-30, "During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) The disciples, as each one was able, decided to provide help for the brothers and sisters living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul." This collection for the poor at Jerusalem appears to be an ongoing thing, because the offering mentioned in today's passage is not the same money that Paul and Barnabas took to Jerusalem. The offering Paul and Barnabas took to Jerusalem was evidently the first of many that were given to the poor.

Paul begins by reminding them that the work they do for the Lord and for the Lord's people has eternal significance, "Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:58)

"Now about the collection for the Lord's people: Do what I told the Galatian churches to do." (1 Corinthians 16:16) Many of the Apostle Paul's letters have no doubt been lost in antiquity. In our current letter he references a previous letter he wrote to the Corinthians, but we have no record of it today. In the only surviving letter we have to the Galatians, Paul's specific instructions are not included regarding the collection for the poor, so we must assume there were other letters he wrote to the believers at Galatia. He does mention to the Galatians that at the Jerusalem Council he and Barnabas were urged to continue to remember the poor at Jerusalem even though they were taking the gospel to the Gentiles. (Galatians 2:9-10) He says that this is "the very thing I had been eager to do all along". Paul never forgot his own nation. Though God chose him as an apostle to the Gentiles, his heart deeply desired to help his own people.

He instructs the believers at Corinth how to lay aside extra money for the offering to the poor at Jerusalem. "On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made." (1 Corinthians 16:2) Paul is a practical person and he knows we have to be deliberate and consistent when setting aside money for an offering. If we don't get ourselves in a habit of setting aside this money, it will be easy for us to gradually stop giving altogether. So he instructs the people of Corinth to go ahead and put the money aside on the first day of the week, before they have time to spend it on anything else. But he does not ask anyone to give more than he is able according to his income. He doesn't say, like many unscrupulous television evangelists have said, "The more you send, the more the Lord will bless you! Give everything you can. Sell your house and your cars. Send your children's college funds. The Lord will replace it!" The Bible warns us not to be foolish with money. Paul doesn't say, "Don't worry about the bills coming due this week. Put all that money aside for the poor at Jerusalem." He knows the people of Corinth have families to support, so he says to set aside a sum "in keeping with your income".

"Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me." (1 Corinthians 16:3-4) The church at Corinth is to choose men who are to convey the offering to Jerusalem. Paul intends to send letters to the elders at Jerusalem to introduce these men from Corinth and to ask the elders to extend their love and hospitality to them. If it is the Lord's will, and if these men from Corinth wish him to, Paul with go with them. We can easily understand that these Gentile believers from Corinth might feel a bit shy about meeting face to face with the Jewish-Christian leaders of the church at Jerusalem. The Gentiles come from a vastly different background and they are probably going to feel like a fish out of water at Jerusalem. If it makes them feel more comfortable about going, Paul is willing to make the journey with them. Paul, a Jew, probably felt like a fish out of water when he first started ministering to the Gentiles, so he understands that the people of Corinth might be a bit hesitant about going to Jerusalem without him. He's so kind to these believers! Though the tone of this letter has largely been that of a father scolding his children for misbehavior, the scolding has come from a heart full of love.

Paul's First Letter To The Church At Corinth. Day 43, The Resurrection Body, Part Two

We look at the second half of Paul's discussion of the resurrection body in Chapter 15. In it we find one of the most familiar, and most comforting, verses regarding the eventual death of death itself.

In yesterday's passage Paul compared the burial of our bodies to the planting of seeds. The seed we plant in the garden looks very different than what grows from it. The seed is often quite ugly and small, whereas the plant that rises from it may be a plant that provides food or it may be a plant that provides beauty. Our bodies are going to rise in the same way. Our mortal flesh that is so weak and so prone to sin will be planted in the earth to rise someday in a much more beautiful and glorious form. "So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body." (1 Corinthians 15:42-44a)

Paul isn't saying we are resurrected in spirit only. In fact, that's the Gentile ideology he's been arguing against in this letter. Much of the Gentile world believed in a spiritual life after death, but most of them did not believe in a bodily resurrection. What Paul is saying is that the body we plant in the ground is the body that had the fallen nature; the body that rises has a spiritual (holy and incorruptible) nature. "If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: 'The first man Adam became a living being;' the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man." (1 Corinthians 15:44b-49) We have borne the image of the first Adam, the one who fell from grace. We who are in Christ (who is the last Adam) will bear the image of the One who is perfect and sinless.

"I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed---in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality." (1 Corinthians 15:50-53) Corinth was a Roman colony, and it was a practice of the Roman military to blow three trumpet calls as an army broke camp. The first trumpet told the soldiers to take down their tents and pack up, the second trumpet told them to line up, and the last trumpet was the order to move out. Many Bible scholars think this is the practice Paul is referring to when he mentions the last trumpet. A day is coming when Christ will call those who are His to move out of this world. When this happens, those who have already died in faith will rise from the grave in immortal bodies, and those who are still living will experience an immediate change from a mortal body to an immortal body. Just like a soldier who dresses in his military gear and moves out when he gets his marching orders, we too must put on the proper "clothing" when we move out.

"When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory.' 'Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?'" (1 Corinthians 15:54-55) He quotes Isaiah 25:8 and Hosea 13:14. Both these prophets were speaking of the eventual destruction of death itself. We are going to receive bodies that can never die. Death is already a defeated foe, so the prophets were able to say to this enemy, "You are powerless! You aren't even real! The only thing you are able to kill is these mortal bodies, but you aren't able to stamp out our existence. Even while absent from the body, our souls are alive, and our souls will someday be reunited with our bodies which will be like our Lord's body. So why do you brag about what a mighty foe you are? You've already lost the fight."

"The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:56-57) Sin came into the world and this necessitated the giving of the law to deal with sin. But we don't have to live under the power and penalty of sin. Through Christ we have redemption for our sins. Because we are in Christ, the sting of sin is taken away, for when we die we are not going to our judgment but are going to be with the One who redeemed us. When we die we are with Christ while we are absent from the body. (2 Corinthians 5:8) And on resurrection day our bodies will rise incorruptible to be reunited with our souls. So where is the sting of death for the believer? It does not exist. Death is merely the vehicle that delivers us to our God and King.

Paul's First Letter To The Church At Corinth. Day 42, The Resurrection Body, Part One

Now that Paul has confirmed the truth of bodily resurrection to the believers of Corinth who doubted it, he knows their next question will be about the nature of the resurrected body. In today's passage he explains that the resurrection body can never die, just as Christ's resurrected body can never die.

First he gives a warning against listening to those who aren't spiritual and who don't know what they're talking about. "Do no be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character.' Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God---I say this to your shame." (1 Corinthians 15:33-34) Paul has said a lot of things to their shame in this first letter. There is no excuse if they are falling for the lies and ignorance of unworthy teachers, for they have been taught by the apostles themselves and they have the Scriptures of the Old Testament available to them in the Greek language which they are able to read and understand. There would be no shame if they were incapable of knowing better, but this is not the case.

When Paul says, "Bad company corrupts good character," he's quoting a line from a play that the people of Corinth would have been familiar with. The play was called "Thais" and it was written by a Greek playwright named Menander who wrote 108 comedies. Although this quote is not from the Holy Bible, it's still the truth, and Paul's readers were able to recognize it. If we hang with the wrong crowd long enough, their behavior will start to rub off on us.

"But someone will ask, 'How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come? How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as He has determined, and to each kind of seed He gives its own body." (1 Corinthians 15:35-38) My family planted gardens every spring when I was growing up. We grew almost all our own vegetables and we grew enough to freeze and can vegetables to get us through the winter. I've planted all sorts of seeds in the ground. Just by looking at a seed it was often difficult to determine what type of plant (or body) would grow from it, but the plant that grew from each seed was so much more beautiful and useful than the seed itself. From one kernel of corn grew a tall stalk with many ears of corn. From one tiny cucumber seed grew a spreading vine that produced cucumbers through a good part of the summer. In the same way our resurrection bodies are going to be much more beautiful and useful than the seeds (our dead bodies) that were planted in the ground.

"Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor." (1 Corinthians 15:39-41) God created a great deal of diversity in the universe, and everything He created is good, just as He said in the book of Genesis. Everything He created for this universe and for our planet is exactly what it needed to be to sustain the human race. The current universe and the current earth are glorious, but when the Lord recreates them into something new (Revelation 21) they will be something even better. They will be exactly what is needed for the eternally living saints of God. In this same way, our mortal bodies are "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14) but our resurrection bodies will be even better, for they will be like Christ's.

Even John, "the beloved apostle", could not fully take in the concept of someday having a body like the Redeemer's, but he believed and taught that it would be so. "Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." (1 John 3:2) John saw and interacted with and ate with the risen Christ, but he did not witness the full glory that is Christ's in heaven. He saw Christ again in a revelation while in exile on the Isle of Patmos, and even then I don't think he saw the full glory of Christ, for just the part he did witness caused him to fall at the feet of Jesus "as though dead". (Revelation 1:17) After all, no mortal man can see the face of God and live (Exodus 33:20). But someday when we are in our resurrection bodies, we will be able to look our Redeemer in the face and behold His indescribable glory and holiness because our new bodies will be able to withstand such a thing.

The thing that amazes me the most is that Christ wants us to have the same type of resurrected body that He has. We don't deserve redemption, much less eternal life, and even less a body like the Son of God's. But the One who gave His life for us wants us to share in all that belongs to Him, and that includes having a glorious, immortal, and holy body like His. Weak and sinful though we may be in this world, because we have trusted in His name He is not ashamed to call us His brothers and sisters. (Hebrews 2:11) As His brothers and sisters, we share in the inheritance He receives from the Father, who is now our Father too. (Romans 8:17) We haven't earned this great gift by our good works. We don't deserve this gift because we have lived holy lives. We are granted this gift through the love and grace of the One who is good and holy. Blessed be His name!

Paul's First Letter To The Church At Corinth. Day 41, All Things Under The Feet Of Christ/More Proof Of Resurrection

Yesterday Paul presented us with the ancient image of a victorious soldier standing over his vanquished foe with his boot planted on his foe's neck. The apostle wants us to understand that the victorious solider is Christ, who will someday stand over every enemy---including death. Today Paul speaks more on the victory of Christ and he repeats his assurances that the resurrection of Christ is a fact and the resurrection of our own bodies is a fact. Anything the Lord has promised us is as good as done, even though we are having to wait for it now.

He begins by quoting the words of David in Psalm 8:6 in reference to Christ, "For He 'has put everything under His feet.'" (1 Corinthians 15:27a) Paul says, "God the Father has put everything under the feet of God the Son." God the Son lived a perfect life, thereby conquering the world and all the sin in it. God the Son rose from the dead, thereby conquering death and the grave. It's natural that all things involving this world would be placed under the feet of the One who won the victory over everything that mankind struggles with. 

But this does not mean that God the Father is under the feet of the Son. In saying that all things are under the feet of Christ, the Scriptures are not saying that God Himself submits to Christ. God retains His throne and His authority. "Now when it says that 'everything' has been put under Him, it is clear that this does not include God Himself, who put everything under Christ. When He has done this, then the Son Himself will be made subject to Him who put everything under Him, so that God may be all in all." (1 Corinthians 15:27b-28) 

Paul is not saying that God the Son is less than God the Father, but that the proper order of things will be observed. When a father sent his grown son out on business in the ancient world, the son was considered equal to the father. The son was granted the same authority as the father and the son was treated with the same respect as the father. So in no way is Paul saying that Christ is not equal to God the Father, but in Paul's day the father was the leader and patriarch of the family even after his children were grown. As long as the father lived, his children submitted to his authority as the leader of the family, even if these children were parents or grandparents themselves. Since God the Father always lives, He will always be the leader of the family. Christ is not unequal to the Father any more than a grown son is unequal to his father. But the Father/Son relationship between God and Christ will remain forever, and because of this Christ will recognize the Father as the head of the family. 

Paul now circles back around to the subject of resurrection. "Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?" (1 Corinthians 15:29) There are no known written historical references to Christians being baptized for the sake of those who have already died. It could be that some of the people of Corinth were engaging in a strange ritual like this, but I can't imagine that Paul would have approved of it or that he would have felt it provided any benefit to anyone. For example: My parents are both dead, but it would be pointless for me to be baptized in their names. Such a baptism would not have the power to save my soul or to change the destiny of their souls. 

Theologians and scholars have long debated the meaning of verse 29 and have come to no clear conclusion as to what exactly was going on at Corinth regarding such a baptism. The only type of baptism we can be certain was taking place in Corinth was the baptism that was done in the name of Christ, and that lets us break it down into what I believe is a very logical point. If there is no resurrection, why are we baptized in the name of Christ? If Christ has not been raised, how can we be sure He is the Son of God? And if He is not the Son of God, how can He save us from our sins? If Christ did not rise from the dead as He said He would, then we might as well be baptized in the name of our next door neighbor. In fact, if Christ did not rise from the dead, why be baptized at all? If He didn't do what He said He would do, then He isn't who He says He is, and He does not have the power to cleanse us from our sins.

The apostle makes another very logical point. "And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? I face death every day---yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. If I fought wild beasts at Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, 'Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.'" (1 Corinthians 15:30-32) Paul asks, "If there is no resurrection, then why do I and the other apostles risk our lives preaching the resurrection of Christ? We'd have to be insane to preach such a message if it wasn't true!"

Paul quotes Isaiah 22:13 in verse 32 above. The prophet Isaiah was speaking by the authority of the Lord to an unrepentant nation. The Lord was calling the nation to turn back to Him, but instead many of the citizens were living like there was no tomorrow. They were living as if this life is all there is, saying, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!" And if Christ did not rise from the dead, we might as well live like there is no tomorrow, because there isn't. What hope do we really have if this life is all there is? Does our behavior actually matter? What would be the point of denying ourselves anything? Just think how hateful and selfish it would make us if we thought we had to grasp everything we could in this life, even if it belonged to someone else, just so we could enjoy the few miserable years we get to spend on this planet. But Christ did rise from the dead, and what we do on this earth does matter, and there is an eternal significance to everything. Hundreds of witnesses saw and interacted with the risen Christ. The disciples, who were hiding behind locked doors following the crucifixion, boldly risked their lives to proclaim the truth of the resurrection. Paul asks, "What more proof do you need? Why would we stand in jeopardy every day of our lives for a lie? Some of the apostles have already been martyred for the faith, yet this didn't drive any of us underground. Instead we proclaim even more boldly that Christ is risen, and that this life is not all there is, and that the way we conduct our lives really matters, and that repentance for sins and faith in Christ is necessary for the salvation of souls. Jesus of Nazareth is alive and well!"

Paul's First Letter To The Church At Corinth. Day 40, Death Destroyed

Today Paul explains the resurrection of believers to the church at Corinth. Our passage yesterday concluded with him saying, "In Christ all will be made alive," and today he picks up there by saying, "But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when He comes, those who belong to Him." (1 Corinthians 15:23) Christ has already risen in an immortal body and this is the proof that we who belong to Him will also rise in an immortal body.

"Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet." (1 Corinthians 15:24-25) Most scholars believe Paul is referring to the same period of time the Apostle John referred to in Revelation 20. Revelation 20 deals with the thousand year reign of Christ and His saints, during which time Satan is bound and unable to tempt or anyone. At the end of the thousand years, Satan will be loosed and will manage to deceive a great number of those who do not belong to Christ. A rebellion will ensue, ending with the eternal judgment of Satan and of all the enemies of Christ.

I don't know the reason for the thousand year binding of Satan or the reason for his temporary release, but I like the theory proposed by the theologians who think this situation is intended to prove to mankind that even in a perfect world, with no devil to tempt anyone, and with Christ reigning as the righteous king, there will still be human beings who rebel against Him. This prevents anyone from standing up in the judgment and saying, "I never had a chance! This world is too wicked for anyone to remain pure in it. Satan is too strong for anyone to resist him. The only way I could have lived a godly life and loved the Lord the way I should is if I had lived in a perfect world."

It was a custom in the ancient world for the victor to plant his foot on the neck of the defeated foe. This is the picture Paul is painting of Christ. Christ will stand victoriously with His foot planted on the neck of Satan and on the necks of all who have rejected and rebelled against Him. Finally, once all judgment has been passed, the enemy that has plagued mankind since the human race fell from grace will be destroyed. "The last enemy to be destroyed is death." (1 Corinthians 15:25)

We don't often think of death as being one of the enemies of Christ, but while He lived in the flesh death was as much His enemy as it is ours. Jesus faced a constant threat of death from the time of His birth (when Herod ordered the baby boys of Bethlehem killed) to the time of His ministry (when the religious elite wanted Him wiped from the earth) to even the Passover Supper (when His disciple Judas was readying himself to go out and betray Him). Death, because Jesus submitted Himself to it at the right time and in the right way to accomplish our redemption, at last took Him in its clutches and carried Him to the grave. But the resurrection is the proof that Christ has the power to defeat death! "For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him." (Romans 6:9) Christ rose from the dead in an immortal body, and He has promised to raise us in an immortal body. When that happens it can also be said of us that we cannot die again and that death no longer has mastery over us.

I know several people in my community who passed away this week. I know quite a few others who are receiving treatment to fight against potentially deadly illnesses. I know many more others who are suffering from things like chronic ailments, viruses, and post-surgical discomfort. I can't wait for the day when we don't have to worry about these things anymore! Christ will defeat death forever. We will never again wait anxiously for test results. We won't have to take medicines or go for treatments. We won't need any doctors or surgeons or funeral directors. We will never visit a hospital, nursing home, funeral home, or cemetery ever again. Praise the name of the Lord Jesus Christ! I can't wait for the day when He plants His boot on the neck of death!