Monday, January 28, 2008

Where Do We Go From Here?

This coming Sunday, I will preach 1 Corinthians 15:1-58 (Lord willing). I am truly excited about this message, for it is a wonderful treatise concerning the resurrection of Christ and believers. Over the years, I've come to appreciate this text for its beautiful teaching and wonderful encouragement. First, I thought Paul was trying to prove the resurrection to the Corinthians and to us. However,over the years, I have come to realize that specific idea was only part of his objective. This passage actually was written to strengthen the Corinthians' belief in the resurrection of Christ and to clear up any misunderstanding or false teaching concerning their own resurrection. In fact, MacArthur and I agree on this point! "The doctrinal problem on which this chapter focuses was not the Corinthians' disbelief in Christ's resurrection but confusion about their own. Paul was not trying to convince them that Christ rose from the dead but that one day they, too, would be raised with Him to eternal life." (MacArthur)

What a wonderful God we serve! He not only saw fit to redeem us, furthermore, He gives (gave) us a new life with a glorified body (and I have no idea exactly what age we will be!). Praise God!

4 comments:

The Mr. said...

I think people in our day have the same problem - not understanding they will be bodily raised one day. Most Christians I know just stop at the intermediate state of "heaven when I die, by and by" instead of raise to a new heavens and new earth.

Bro. Matt said...

Yeah, and I'll have a perfect body then!!!

Philip said...

Well, we always said it would take a miracle...

Bro. Matt said...

May I ask who "we" is?