1 Corinthians 15:29-34

1 Corinthians 15:29-34

With respect to this, why will the ones who are being baptized do this on behalf of death?  If the dead are not being raised up at all, why also are they being baptized for the sake of it?  Why are we in danger every hour?  I die accordingly every day by virtue of your boasting, my brothers and sisters, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord.  If according to mankind’s perspective I underwent serious struggle in Ephesus, what is my benefit?  If the dead are not raised up, we should eat and we should drink for tomorrow we die.  Do not wander off the path.  Bad company perverts benevolent habits.  Come correctly to your right senses and do not engage in sinfulness.  For some have a lack of knowledge of God.  I say this to your shame.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought

This passage opens with a really interesting quote.  There are some who think Paul is talking about “baptizing dead people who died before they could be baptized.”  Other people think Paul is talking about something often connected with Mormonism, that is, baptizing relatives by proxy through a believer.  I think what Paul is actually asking is far simpler than any of this.  Paul wants to know why anyone would be baptized “into Christ’s death” if there is no resurrection.  In other words, if all that there is to existence is the 70 or so years we have on this planet, why bother with faith?  Why bother believing in anything other than the satisfaction of our physical needs if there is no resurrection into new life?  That is what Paul is asking in this opening verse.  The fact that we believe in God and desire to follow Him is evidence to how we ought to live with a perspective of the eternal.  We should strive for obedience knowing that obedience is the path to resurrection and eternal life.  Of course, I don’t mean that we earn resurrection through our obedience.  Rather, we are obedient as a response to the fact that God has graced us with His promise of eternal life.

How does life without the anticipation of eternal life to come seem so hopeless compared to what we have in Christ?  Why do people choose to live for this life rather than living for the eternal?

Second Thought:

In the middle part of this passage Paul brings out a second point of truth.  What is the point of undergoing serious persecution everywhere he went if it was all for a human agenda?  If all there is to this life is the few scant years that we are alive, what is the point of struggling at all?  Why undergo persecution if there is no resurrection?  Why walk with people through hard times if there is no point to it?  Why suffer with people if all there is to this life is our time that we are alive?  No, Paul has it right.  The only reason that any kind of selfless life makes any kind of sense is if we have the perspective of the eternal.  The only reason we put up with persecution in this life is because of our hope that in the end we will hear God say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.  Your sin is pardoned; enter into the blessing of being one with your God.”

Have you ever endured persecution?  What makes the persecution make sense in your mind?  What are you willing to tolerate because of your hope in Christ?

Third Thought:

Paul then speaks to the discredit of the Corinthian people.  There are people in Corinth who are choosing sinfulness instead of godliness.  There are people who are choosing the comfortable life instead of persecution.  People who do not have a good understanding of the faith are being allowed to sway the opinions of those who are supposed to be more spiritual.  It’s true what they say.  Our actions will come forth out of our attitude and perspective.  If our attitude and perspective is on the eternal, then our actions will portray that reality.

Where is your perspective?  Who are you giving permission to influence you?  Is good company promoting benevolent habits or is bad company corrupting benevolent habits?

Passage for Tomorrow: 1 Corinthians 15:35-41