Raised with Him

March 30, 2025|Centered on the Gospel|1 Corinthians 15:12-34

John-Daniel Cutler

Click here for the sermon audio

This week we are continuing our look at the 15th chapter of Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth. We saw last week that Paul makes a turn in the fifteenth chapter to the subject of the resurrection. As we approach Easter Sunday, I cannot imagine a better place to be in our study of God’s word.

In chapter 15, he begins by highlighting the resurrection of Christ, particularly how it forms the core of the gospel message, or the good news that he, as well as others, have and are proclaiming. A gospel that he says the Corinthian believers have received, having taken their stand on, and by which they are being saved, if they hold fast to that gospel message. If, in fact, their belief was not in vain.

As I said last week, but it bears repeating, I do not think that Paul is addressing a loss of faith or a loss of salvation here, rather I believe he is saying, unless their faith was not placed in the genuine gospel, or the totality of the gospel truth. Which Paul summarizes as: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.

Now, we noted last week that the gospel includes Jesus’ birth, his sinless life of obedience, his ascension into heaven and his triumphant return. Not to mention creation, the fall of man, and the inherited sin nature of man. But as we saw last week, Paul’s point is not to articulate every aspect of the gospel, his point is to get to the very core of the gospel message.

We looked at this last week under the division the centrality of the resurrection.

The resurrection is the miraculous claim at the center of the gospel. This morning we are going to see Paul press in on the subject of the resurrection as well as why he feels it necessary to do so.

Open your bibles to 1 Corinthians 15, we will pick up in verse 12 and read through verse 34 this morning. With such a large section of scripture, I think it would be beneficial for us to read it in its totality and then come back and address three particular arguments that Paul makes concerning the resurrection.

Let’s read it together now.

1 Corinthians 15:12–34 (ESV)

12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 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.

16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. 28 When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all. 29 Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? 30 Why are we in danger every hour? 31 I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! 32 What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” 33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

Paul essentially makes three arguments in our text concerning the resurrection, the first of which is the…

I. CONSEQUENCES OF NO RESURRECTION

In verses 13 through 19 Paul is going to lay out the consequences if there is no resurrection.

But why would Paul even spend time doing this? The answer is in verse 12. There seems to be a group or groups within the church saying that there is no resurrection of the dead. From Paul’s argument, it seems like they were trying to make a distinction between Christ’s resurrection and a resurrection of those who follow him. It seems like they were willing to accept Christ being raised but rejected any future resurrection of believers. Where would this come from?

As we noted last week, neither Greek or Jewish thought had room for a bodily resurrection in the middle of human history. The Greeks generally held that death was final and although there may be some shadowy existence after death, it wouldn’t be an existence of the body. Additionally, while Jewish thought seemed to included a final resurrection at the end of humanity, we are told the Sadducees, for instance, do not believe in a resurrection in the gospel accounts. All this to say, remembering that most of the Corinthian church was most likely made up of Gentiles, that once again, as we have seen throughout the letter, their pagan background was creeping into the church. While they may be able to accept this God-man Jesus was raised, it was too much for them to accept a future bodily resurrection of men and women.

With that background we can pick up with Paul’s argument beginning in verse 13. He begins, but if…

I love what Paul does here because essentially, their problem is one that is often repeated in church today. They have not carried the implications of their thinking to their logical conclusion. Much of the errors plaguing the evangelical church today come from a lack of thoughtfulness. We do not carry out the implications of our thinking to their logical conclusions. I say this as someone who has been repeatedly challenged myself in this area. I am thankful for men like Spurgeon, Lewis, Sproul, MacArthur, Bauchum, and Washer, that have, in their own ways and areas, challenged me to think more deeply, scripturally, and critically about my beliefs and convictions.

For the Corinthians who were saying there was no resurrection of the dead, Paul wants them to consider what that would actually mean for the church, for themselves, for the gospel message itself.

So he begins, but if…Let’s say what you say is true, have you thought about what that would mean?

The first thing he wants them to see is that if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.

Scriptures teach that Christ was fully human.

That the word of God became flesh and dwelt among men. John 1:14 

That the fulness of deity dwelt bodily. Colossians 2:9 

That Jesus was found in human form. Philippians 2:8 

That he had to be made like his brothers in every respect Hebrews 2:17 

That he was born of a woman, born under the law Galatians 4:4 

A core tenant of the faith is that Christ was fully human, that he subjected himself fully to his created order. He hungered and thirst, he grew tired, he grew in maturity, he wept, he rejoiced, he was tempted, he died. To separate the resurrection of Christ and the resurrection of believers is to reject that Christ had a human nature, and to reject the humanity of Christ is to reject the faith.

By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. 1 John 4:2-3

So if the dead are not raised, then Christ is not raised. If you reject that humans can be resurrected, you reject that Christ was resurrected, because if humans cannot be resurrected, then Christ could not have been resurrected.

Are you following Paul’s logic?

If Christ has not been raised, then Paul says, our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. Another translation of the word translated vain here is empty. We might even say that it is powerless. Preaching a resurrected Christ when there is no resurrection is an empty pursuit and a faith in a resurrected savior apart from a resurrection is an empty faith. But even more than that, if there is no resurrection of the dead and Christ is not raised, then those who preach are actually sinning against God by bearing false witness because He did not raise Christ. If bearing false witness against a neighbor is bad, how much worse is it to bear false witness against God?

The third commandment says… Exodus 20:7 (ESV) 7 “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.” We often associated this with using the Lord’s name as a curse word, but it is more than that. It includes doing or saying something in the Lord’s name that is not true, that is empty of truth. To bear false witness for God is exactly what Paul says they are doing if in fact the dead are not raised.

But Paul is not done listing the consequences of a faith devoid of a resurrected savior.

Verse 16. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. Paul takes them back to the original thought, not only is their preaching empty, not only is their faith empty, not only are the messengers misrepresenting God, but Paul says your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Your faith is useless and you are still in your sins.

There is no forgiveness apart from a crucified AND resurrected savior.

What a hopeless situation Paul is painting for the Corinthian church. You are still guilty before God. And as far as those who have already died as believers, they have perished if there is no resurrection. They are destroyed, so the word reads.

With no resurrection from the dead, Christ is not raised, without Christ being raised, there is no forgiveness of sins, and without forgiveness of sins, there is no hope of eternal life and this life is it and those that have died are destroyed. If this is true, Paul says, if our only hope in Christ is this life only, from the moment we trust in Christ until we physically died, we are of all people to be most pitied. Paul says what a miserable reality we have if we have placed our hope in Christ and Christ is not risen.

With that Paul concludes his first argument, there are consequences far beyond what the Corinthians are considering if they are going to deny the resurrection of the dead. Without the resurrection, there is no point, something Paul is going to pick up towards the end of this section, but for now, let’s move on to Paul’s second argument. Not only is there consequences for no resurrection, there is a…  

II. CONNECTION BETWEEN CHRIST’S RESURRECTION AND OURS

In verse 20 Paul shifts from his hypothetical argument on behalf of the Corinthians to the truth of the matter. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead. We looked at the overwhelming evidence last week that Paul gives for the resurrection of Christ, so now Paul, standing on all that evidence, says, let us consider the truth that Christ is raised. What then?

Paul calls Christ the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep, a term he uses in the New Testament to describe believers who have died. Paul connects Christ’s death and the death of those who belong to him by calling Christ the firstfruits.

The idea of firstfruits comes from the Old Testament. Agriculturally, it is simply the first of a crop to mature or ripened and that has been harvested. The Israelites were to bring this firstfruit to God as an offering. This extended even to the first portion of dough prepared for the sacred loaves.

It is the first of something. The firstfruits are the evidence of a successful crop, they are the evidence of what will come later. If the firstfruits are good, then what will come will be good.

Brittany and I use this principle in our bakery every week. After we have mixed the large batch of dough, we take a small portion out, place it in a small straight-walled container, and mark where the dough is. Coming back 8 hours later, we can tell by what has happened in this small container what will have happened in the larger containers of dough. If this little sample or firstfruit is risen, we know that the rest of the dough has risen proportionately.

Paul is pointing to the fact that Christ was raised from the dead as evidence that those who are in him will be raised from the dead. It is our faith in a resurrected savior that gives us hope that we will be raised with him.

But how are is our resurrection connected with Christ’s?

In verse 21 Paul uses Christ as the second Adam to explain the connection. What Paul states succinctly here, he spells out in more detail in the fifth chapter of his letter to the church in Rome where he says, Romans 5:12 “12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—”

Paul takes us back to the fall in the garden of Eden and its universal consequences, where he says, by a man came death. In verse 22 he clearly identifies the man, for in Adam all die.  When Adam, as the head of all humanity sinned against God, the resulting curse of separation and death became a reality for all who descended from Adam, or who are in Adam. When Christ, the second Adam, perfectly obeyed God in righteousness and yet suffered the consequences of sin in death, he became the man in which men and women could experience new life.

This is what Paul means when he says, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. So also in Christ shall all be made alive.

There is a temptation for some to see a universalist salvation here, if Paul is strictly using parallelism to compare Adam and Christ, and all died in Adam and all live in Christ, then everyone will be saved. Not only does this do violence to the rest of scripture, but it ignores verse 23, where Paul says, those who belong to Christ. All of humanity belongs to Adam, but not all of humanity belongs to Christ.

15:22 AUGUSTINE: This does not mean that all who die in Adam will be members of Christ, since the majority will be punished in eternity by a second death. The apostle uses the word all in both clauses because as no one dies in a natural body except in Adam, so no one is made to live again in a spiritual body, except in Christ. CITY OF GOD 13.23.

But for those who do, scripture repeatedly tells us that we have been united with him in death and life. Let’s look at a few examples.

Romans 6:3–4 “3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”

Colossians 2:13-15 (ESV) 13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

Our life is bound up in Christ, it is why Paul can say in Galatians, It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.

If Christ lives though he died, then those in Christ will live, though they might die.

But, and this is the struggle the Corinthian believers seem to be happening, then why are those who have died in Christ, not raised?

Because he says, the resurrection will happen in its own order. Christ is the firstfruits and then at his return, those who belong to him who have died will be raised.

This is the crescendo he builds to in chapter 15 that we will look at in a few weeks, when he says, We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

This he repeats to his letter to the church at Thessalonica.  1 Thessalonians 4:14-18 (ESV) 4 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

There is coming a day, when the Lord returns when all those that are his will be transformed either from this life to eternal life, or from death to eternal life, but Paul says when that happens, the final enemy, death, will be destroyed. What entered by the sin of one man in the garden will be fully and finally conquered.

This is our hope, this is our peace, this is the future of those who are in Christ.

Paul wants us to see that our resurrection is intimately tied to Christ’s resurrection. If Christ is raised, we can be sure of our future resurrection. He is giving us a framework to understand the resurrection. Christ is the second Adam that offers a reversal of the consequences of the first Adam. There is a timeline for the resurrection, Christ is the firstfruits and then those who belong to him will be raised.

As the Israelites brought the first portion of their harvests to the priest as an offering to the Lord in anticipation of the full harvest that was to come, showing their trust in God to provide, so God has shown us in the raising of Christ what is to come for us. All of this is in line with God’s plan to reconcile men and women back to himself in Christ so that God may be all in all.

With that Paul concludes his second argument, our own resurrection is connected to the resurrection of Christ. If we rightly hold to a resurrected savior, then we will rightly hold onto the hope that we have in him and our future resurrection, which brings us to his last argument, that resurrection hope ought to produce in those who have it a difference of conduct. Let us turn our attention to his final argument this morning, the…

III. CONDUCT OF PEOPLE DESTINED FOR RESURRECTION

Paul begins with a rhetorical question in verse 29.

Otherwise, that is if you have no hope of resurrection, why do your practices not align with your confession? If you say there is no resurrection from the dead, why are people baptized on behalf of the dead, if the dead or not raised, what is the point of your practice?

I have to admit upfront this is a strange statement to deal with. It is not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible, and if we take it at face value, it is even contrary to what we know to be true concerning an individual’s responsibility to respond to the gospel message. We cannot do anything for anyone else that will have any impact on their eternal state. We cannot believe for them, we cannot be baptized for them. This much we know, so what is going on here?

Unfortunately, Paul does not expand on what is going on in the 1st century Corinthian church. It seems to refer to the practice, apparently unique to the Corinthian church, of someone undergoing baptism on behalf of a believer who had died without undergoing baptism.

Here is the good news, we do not have to understand the practice to understand Paul’s point. Paul does not command or condone this practice, he merely comments on the apparent disconnect between a practice like this with people who denied the resurrection of the dead. It makes no sense to do something on behalf of someone who has died, if you believe there is no resurrection from the dead. You are actively doing things that betray your own teachings.

But while Paul might not condone their practice of baptism for the dead, he does encourage the fact that believing in a future resurrection ought to affect the way we live our lives.

We have seen in our Wednesday night study of the book of Acts, just how much Paul and company had to endure as they carried the gospel to unreached places, places like Corinth. They were beaten, run out of town, imprisoned, and on and on the list goes. Paul says, why would we willingly subject ourselves to that? Why are we in danger every hour? Paul says, I die every day! This statement seems to bring into light the call that Jesus makes on his disciples to take up their cross and follow Him. Paul seems to say that he faces every day with an understanding that in his mission to advance the gospel, as he did among the Corinthians, that he may face death. Why would anyone do that? Because Paul saw the work Christ was doing in him and through him to save men and women, men and women he is now writing to. For the pride I have in you that is in Christ Jesus our Lord, and for people like you, I lay my life on the life every day!

Why would I do that, what could I possibly gain, humanly speaking, for instance fighting the beast at Ephesus?

What advantage in the flesh could I possibly have to engage in this kind of battle?

Listen to the way Paul describe what they faced in places like Ephesus. 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 (ESV) 8 For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. We know that Paul is writing from Ephesus and we know from Acts 19 that shortly after this letter, a riot would erupt and the disciples would have to leave. We know that he had problems with the Jewish community as well as the gentiles who made idols in Ephesus. Why go through all this?

Humanly speaking, if the dead are not raised, what then? Paul quotes the prophet Isaiah when he says ‘let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.’

In Isaiah, the prophet is describing the reckless self-indulgence of those that despised God’s call to mourn. With Jerusalem under threat of destruction, rather than mourning, repenting, and turning to God, these men decided to live up what time they had. 

Let us enjoy the good things of life now, for it soon will end. Friends, this is the way many people live today, isn’t it? Get as much as you can, enjoy as much worldly pleasure as you can, do not tell yourself no to any passion you have because this life is all there is. This hedonistic lifestyle is pervasive in much of the world today. We live in an age of excess, instant gratification, and self-worship. And listen, Paul says, if this life is it, then that is a solid plan. If the dead are not raised, if there is no afterlife, go ahead, live it up.

But Paul says, do not be deceived. You know better he says. If I had to summarize what Paul says here it would be ‘if there is no resurrection, there is no point in living like their is, but if there is, there is no point in living like there is not.’

Paul then quotes the poet Menander when he says, Bad company ruins good morals.

What is the bad company Paul is referring to? Those who deny that there is a coming resurrection.

Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. The church was being influenced by these people who were denying the resurrection and living like there was no consequences for what they did in the body. Paul says they are dragging you down with them. Wake up.

This is perhaps the greatest reason for us as a church to be on guard against false teachings. False teachings are not just wrongly held beliefs, they lead to wrong actions. There is danger. Some of those who are in the church who are denying the resurrection are not even believers, they have no knowledge of God, and the believers ought to be ashamed that they have tolerated this kind of things within the church at Corinth.

Here is Paul’s point through this section, quit living like this life is it and start living like you are anticipating to be raised with Christ and that is your true life.

So what if you don’t chase fame and money in this life but rather follow Christ?

You won’t miss out on anything of real worth.

So what if you don’t enjoy the finest food and drink this side of heaven, but rather choose a simple life in Christ?

You won’t miss out on anything of real worth.

So what if you spend your life for Christ and you are called to give your life for Him?

You won’t miss out on anything of real worth.

Do you see what Paul is saying?

I love the way he says it in Romans. Romans 8:18 “18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

Whatever you suffer for the gospel, whatever it cost you to truly follow Christ, Paul says it isn’t even worthy to be compared to the glory that is to be revealed to us when we stand face to face with Christ and are transformed through God’s resurrection power into his likeness. Friends, if that is your hope and that is your future, it ought to affect your conduct here on earth. You can stop trying to squeeze every drop of enjoyment out of this life and rather focus on living surrendered to Christ knowing that because He is risen, you will be raised and your future is better than any earthly comfort or commerce.

Three arguments from the Apostle Paul concerning the resurrection.

One, a rejection of the resurrection has consequences. Without a risen savior there is no forgiveness of sins and without a resurrection there is no risen Savior.

Two, there is a connection between Christ’s resurrection and our own. If we have died with him, we will live with him. Three, the assurance of an eternal life in Christ ought to change our conduct as we wait to see him face to face, we will live for the things that truly matter.

Now, here is where I want to wrap up this morning. I don’t know if there is anyone here today that would deny the resurrection. You would confess, along with our statement of faith, ‘According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised;’

But, are you living like it?

Does the reality of a future resurrection and your life in Christ motivate you from day to day to live in light of its truth. Or have you been corrupted by bad company?

Have you let the world’s emphasis on self-satisfaction, instant gratification, and living this life to the fullest draw you away from walking in obedience to Christ?

I know that there have been seasons in my life, where ashamedly, this has been true.

If that is you this morning, let me encourage you that Paul would not have written this letter and I would not have preached from its contents if there was not hope for you to repent and turn back.

The very warning of our passage is a message of hope, that it is not too late.

If your life is in Christ, and you have not been living like it, today is the day you can confess, repent, and ask God to empower you to live for Him.

Perhaps there is someone here today that has never heard that Christ died for their sins and was raised from the dead and through the preaching of God’s word this morning, you have become acutely aware that you are not in Christ and that you have no hope after this life. It is not too late for you either.

The Bible says that today is the day of salvation. That you can cry out to him and he will save you.

Let us pray.