Day 147, 1 Corinthians 15
Whenever there is conflict or disagreement over church polity, the best course of action is to return to the foundations of the gospel.
This is what Paul does today in this chapter. However, the modern western reader may miss a key truth in this chapter. We tend to think of the gospel as an individualistic matter, concerning forgiveness of sin and eternal destiny (smoking or non-smoking?). Paul’s approach is distinctly different. He is focused entirely on the eternal and far-reaching consequences of the resurrection: the victory of Jesus over death. This view has much broader consequences than where the individual expects to spend eternity. It means that God is victorious over evil and disobedience (the cause of death in Genesis 3). It also means there is a unifying thread that joins all who accept this victory: we are all beneficiaries of the reuniting of humanity and divinity in Christ. We are raised to incorruptible life as God’s children, members of one eternal family.
Paul draws out several implications from these foundational truths, in part answering questions we presume he was asked in their letter to him.
Resurrection is the power behind transformation. Only the life of Jesus Christ has the power to transform us from defeated individuals separated from God and one another by selfishness and sin into a united family demonstrating the risen life of Christ to a hungry world.
Jesus is reigning NOW, until He hands over the whole of redeemed creation to His Father. When Paul write that, it didn’t seem to be true on the surface, neither does it appear to be true today when you look at the media reports from around the world, But resurrection is a multi-stage process: first Jesus, then those who believe, and finally everything else.
This forthcoming victory over death is no reason to take matters into our own hands and live selfishly now, knowing that God will transform everything later. Our transformation through resurrection comes ahead of God’s completion of this work. Others are drawn to God’s love by the light shining through those already transformed.
Conclusion: we live and prosper and excel in every season by serving the Lord.
Have a great day!
Mark.