THE HOPE OF GLORY
Read:
1 Corinthians 15:1-19
Development:
In these verses the Apostle Paul indicates the consequences of false doctrines, of those that deny the general Resurrection of the dead, if only in this life, we have hope in Christ, because there is no hope of anything beyond death .
We are truly pitiful because if we think like this, we are denying Christ, more pitiful than anyone, because as Christians in this life we deny many of what the world offers us and we have to suffer a lot to follow Christ, ( 1 Corinthians 4:9-13; Matthew 16:24; Matthew 16:24; Mark 10:28-30; Luke 14:26-27; 2 Timothy 2:22; 1 Peter 2:10-13)
If you analyze this phrase a little more exhaustively we can find other connotations, and we see that when Paul does not indicate, It is only in this life, and not only in Christ; having Paul speaking to the Corinthians about how the Christian will be when he is dead, but now we can observe how he speaks to them about how the Christian is in this life, if the false teachers in Corinthians are right in their doctrine, how great is the disappointment for the Christian if you have suffered for Christ in this life only to find out later that it was all for nothing.
From verse 12 the Apostle Paul brought us into consideration the logical consequences of the doctrine that denies the general resurrection of the dead, by saying this we are saying that Christ was never raised, in turn we are also saying that the apostolic preaching is hollow As our faith would be hollow, as Christians, we also affirm that the apostles would be false, therefore the testimony of God would be false. Since the faith of Christians has not produced anything useful and they are still in their sins.
The dead Christians perished and in this life the Christian is only an object of pity, surely based on these issues the Corinthians saw the falsehood of those doctrines that there is no resurrection of the dead, if in this life, (Psalms 17:14 ; Ecclesiastes 6:11; Ecclesiastes 9:9; Luke 8:14; 1 Corinthians 6:3; 1 Corinthians 6:4: ; 2 Timothy 2:4) We hope in Christ (Ephesians 1: 12; Ephesians 1:13; 1 Thessalonians 1:3;
2 Timothy 1:12; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Peter 1:21) of all men (1 Corinthians 4:9; Matthew 10:21-25; Matthew 24:9; John 16:2; John 16:33; Acts 14: 22; 1 Timothy 3:12; Revelation 14:13).
We are the most pitiable of all men.
If Christians have no hope for the future and pagans could justifiably consider Christians fools why suffer for nothing.
More to be pitied
This is because the sacrifice made in this life and in view of the hope of the life to come, if there is no life to come, it is better for us to Eat, Drink, Fornicate, Rejoice, etc... Everything before dying, because as Pablo says, if the life to come does not exist, what are we doing wasting our time?
If a resurrection truly did not exist, then we would not have a future nor would we have any hope for the future, but luckily Jehovah did not reveal this mystery that is our hope of glory (Colossians 1:27).
The inheritance of our everlasting blessing (Daniel 12:13), reigning with Christ in the millennium (Revelation 20:4-6), and the resurrection of the just (Luke 14:14) are all tied to our resurrection.
I reflect and respond
1. Why does our hope in Christ go beyond this earthly life?
2. Why should we as Christians be pitied if there is no eternal life?
Read
1 Corinthians 15:42-58
Development
Once again we find the Apostle Paul who is teaching us that life on the other side will be as equal as this one we live now in our present, contrary to what the world believes, we will not dissolve like fog, we will not be ghosts, we will not resurrect as of animals, but each of us will receive a new body, this body will be a spiritual body, a body capable of coming and going from one place to another, a body that adapts perfectly to God's desires. Without concupiscence a perfect body.
While we wait for that moment, we must be content with the earthly body that was given to us, keeping it pure and sweet as a temple of the holy spirit, until the Lord comes looking for us, transforming this corruptible body into an incorruptible body.
We can also appreciate the glorious end, the last 4 verses, His greatness, God's promise to us his children the hope of immortality, days of happiness, when we will be rewarded and glorified with Christ Jesus, until then our task is to be abundant in all the works of the lord
I reflect and respond
1. What is the mystery that Paul tells us (Verse. 51)?
2. Why do we normally fear death – and why should we no longer fear death?
3. How should we work for the Lord? What will happen when we give completely of ourselves?
Read
Colossians 3:1-4
Once again we have the Apostle Paul, exhorting us that as Christians who are resurrected through water baptisms and through faith in Jesus Christ, we are tirelessly seeking the things of the Lord, that our search be tireless.
Now comes a little question. Why does the Apostle Paul tell us this? Well, Paul's reason is that as we were dead in crimes of sin and resurrected through the waters and faith in Jesus Christ and the holy spirit of God. Our mission, our obligation is to always seek and look at what is above, no longer what is earthly because we were dead and now hidden with Christ Jesus, who is our life.
Paul makes it clear to us that one day, we will be manifested in glory with Jesus Christ, although this passage has other even deeper nuances, which I do not think it is pertinent to detail at this moment, the two main axes are.
First axis: Paul tells us that our identity, my identity is with Christ.
Second axis: Breaking with sin, for example (Galatians 2:20) is a good reminder that we are dead and that we are justly crucified with Christ, and that what I now live, I live through faith in Jesus Christ.
The Apostle Paul urges us to recognize the truth of the present, even though we all have physical pain and problems, we must live putting our eyes on Christ and our hope and not on problems.
I reflect and respond:
1. When were you raised with Christ?
2. What should be your way of thinking from now on?
3. What things should you stop thinking so much about?
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