So as a bible study this past week we decided to read through 1 Corinthians. The book is full of awesome application and encouragements Paul uses to instruct and reform the church in Corinth. Towards the end of the letter, however, you find some very awesome passages about the Resurrection. When looking at the context, it appeared some of the Corinthians didn't believe in bodily resurrection, thus denying Christ's actual resurrection (which could possibly relate to our skeptical Christian society).
1 Corinthians 15:3-8 | 12-19
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born....
...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 to be pitied more than all men.
As I've grown in my faith over the years there has been one undeniable, apologetic-al point which I have held on to and go back to frequently: The Apostles and eyewitnesses to Jesus were ABSOLUTELY CONVINCED of who Jesus was. Paul knew one thing to be true; Jesus died, bore our sin, and was resurrected. That was it. This of course is when a modern skeptic would say "oh well they were just stupid" or the "oh they were just deceived". How does one see deception or stupidity within Paul's argument? Why would he die for a lie? He even points out those who have seen Jesus resurrected, almost challenging skeptics of the day to go visit those men and women. And Not only was he very educated, he later says in verses 30-32
And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? I die every day—I mean that, brothers—just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord. If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”
He knew full well what he was doing. He knew what it was going to cost him. Peter in his second letter says "We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty." Then details the event of the Transfiguration. These men weren't stupid, they weren't insane (why would thousands die for the crazy ramblings of crazy men?) They were convinced of what they saw, and of the 11 disciples (minus Judas) and the many who were so key to the early churches spread almost all were Martyred because they couldn't, and wouldn't deny their Jesus. Paul follows verse 19 with "But Christ indeed has been raised from the dead..." This for me has been a solid point in what I believe. It secures in my mind that Jesus was who he said he was, and did what he said he would do.
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