What is the point of the Christian faith if there is no resurrection of the dead for mankind? That after we die, we are just worm food? Furthermore, what is the point of preaching the gospel and suffering for it?
“But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Co4 15:12-19).
Somehow, somewhere along the line, the Corinthians had let false teachers come in and tell them that there was no resurrection from the dead. And Paul says clearly, if there is no resurrection from the dead, our faith is futile, we’ve testified falsely about God, and there is absolutely no hope.
The point of the Christian life is that we have been reconciled to God through Christ. Because of this, we can live eternally with him after we die.
If we just return to the dust after we die, then Christ is nothing, the gospel is nothing, and worse, people who have preached the gospel have suffered for nothing. In fact, those who have suffered are the most to be pitied because their suffering was absolutely worthless.
Paul will go on to say that Christ indeed has been raised from the dead. He himself had encountered Christ on the road to Damascus.
So why would people want to proclaim that there is no resurrection from the dead? Because if there is no resurrection, and there is no life after death, then one can sin freely. There is a personal license given to sensual indulgence when you believe that this life is all that exists.
As Paul will later say, “If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (1 Cor 15:32).
No fear of God = License to Sin.
No hope of eternal life = License to Sin.
No resurrection from the dead = License to Sin.
This is the appeal of denying that a person lives eternally. It means no responsibility and license to sin.
Ironically, in this we see the crux of the Christian faith. It is the resurrection of Jesus Chrsit from the dead. If there is no resurrection of Christ from the dead, our faith is futile. The resurrection is the lynch pin of the Christian message.
If Jesus did indeed raise from the dead, his message of sin, salvation, repentance, and eternal life has huge implications. It is one of both great blessings, and of great responsibility.