1 Corinthians 15:1-8

We have come to the last major issue of the Corinthian Church in this letter.  The issue is revealed in v12: some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead.  This may seem strange that there would be professing believers who denied a future resurrection for God’s people.  But remember that in Judaism there was a powerful branch, the Sadducees, who denied the resurrection (Matt. 22:23).  In Corinth it is more likely those who espoused this view took it from a secular, philosophical source though we cannot be sure (we will consider this more on Day 47).  This was a critical issue for believers because:

·        The resurrection of Christ is fundamental to the gospel itself, v1-11.

·        If there is no resurrection, then Christ was not resurrected, v12-19.

The rest of this lengthy chapter deals with issues that were apparently part of this damning position (i.e. this is an issue of heresy; it is a heaven or hell issue) that denied the resurrection.  Let us consider the effect (v1-2), content (v3-4) and evidence (v5-11) of the gospel.

The EFFECT of the gospel, v1-2.

Paul begins by making four observations about the gospel: it was the message he had preached, they had received, in which they had standing, and would save them.  The preaching and receiving were historical events recorded in Acts 18.  Paul had come to Corinth, testifying that Jesus is the Christ (18:5).  Both Jews and Greeks were persuaded of this (18:4) so that many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized (18:8).  

But notice that 1 Cor. 15:2 introduces a great if: by which you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you.  What is Paul saying?  Is he saying that they might lose their salvation?  Or is he saying that their faith might have been suspect or insincere?  We believe it is clearly the latter.  The problem is not with the gospel’s ability to give them standing (this is God’s work, Jude 24-25); it is a problem with their faith.

Frequently in the Scriptures we see this insincerity of faith (Matt. 7:21-23; Acts 8:9-24; Jas. 2:19; 1 Jn. 2:29; Ezek. 33:12-20).  In the parable of the soils Jesus noted people who believe but then are not fruitful (Matt. 13:18-23, esp. v20-22).  James emphasized the An illustration of sincere faith is seen in Paul himself later in 15:10: the evidence that God’s grace to Paul was not in vain was that, by God’s grace, Paul labored more abundantly than they all.  

Saving faith is always about receiving of God’s grace.  This cautionary if is not to make us worry about or redouble our own efforts.  Faith is the absence of our own effort, simply trusting God’s work in Christ.  We will note in v9-11 that fruitful works are the evidence of God’s grace at work.  Let us heed the prior admonition:

Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall (1 Cor. 10:12)!