Is this life all there is?

Christians sometimes say that even if their beliefs turn out to be wrong, they have lived a good life and that is worth something. Most of them do not realize that this notion is not at all biblical!

The early church had a few people who began doubting that a resurrection would happen. Paul wrote this bit of logic and a much longer explanation of what the resurrection will be like . . .

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:12–19)

Living my life believing a lie is not worth anything! If there is no resurrection, then this life is all I have. Why not make a name for myself, become rich, or famous, or spectacularly skilled than give up everything to follow a dead man? Resurrection is a key component of the Gospel. Without the promise of eternal life, there is no gain in being a Christian, even if He does change my heart so I want to live for Him.

Believing the resurrection still raises questions. How can a person whose body has been burned be raised? Or those who have been dead for centuries and are only bones? And if a baby dies at birth, will it be that helpless in heaven? And what about those who have been blown to bits in war? Paul anticipated these questions. He wrote:

But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is 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. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. (1 Corinthians 15:35–49)

This raises more questions. Paul goes on to say that perishable flesh and blood will not inherit the kingdom of God, but we will be changed, raised imperishable, mortals putting on immortality. We will defeat death. It will be “swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:50–58)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, faith in you comes with assurance that the power of God is enough. Sin and death may sting me but “thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Because You rose from the dead, I know that this is possible for me also — because I trust You to do what You promise to do. You created and sustain all things and You restore the dead to life. I can steadfastly serve You knowing that in the Lord my labor and my life is not in vain.