Read 1 Corinthians 15:12-34
The resurrection of Christ is the center of the Gospel message. Because Christ rose from the dead as He promised, we know that what He said is true: He is God. Because He rose, we have certainty that our sins are forgiven. Because He rose, He lives and represents us to God. Because He rose and defeated death, we know we will also be raised.
Why does Paul say believers would be miserable if there were only earthly value to Christianity? In Paul’s day, Christianity often brought a person persecution, ostracism from family, and, in many cases, poverty. There were few tangible benefits from being a Christian in that society. It was certainly not a step up the social or career ladder. More important is the fact that if Christ had not been resurrected from the dead, Christians would not be forgiven of their sins or have any hope of eternal life. But because Christ is risen, He is our forerunner, the guarantee of our eventual resurrection to eternal life.
Death came into the world as a result of Adam and Eve’s sin. In Romans 5, Paul explained why Adam’s sin brought sin to all people, how death and sin spread to all humans because of this first sin, and the parallel between Adam’s death and Christ’s death.
Although God the Father and God the Son are equal, each has a special work to do and an area of sovereign control. Christ is not inferior to the Father, but His work is to defeat all evil on earth. First, He defeated sin and death on the cross, and in the end he will defeat Satan and all evil. World events may seem out of control, and justice may seem to have vanished. But God is in control, allowing evil to remain for a time until He sends Jesus to earth again. Then He will present to God a perfect new world. Christ will conquer all evil, including death (Revelation 20).
Some Corinthian believers were baptized on behalf of others who had died unbaptized. Nothing more is known about this practice in verse 29, but it obviously affirms a belief in the resurrection. Paul is not promoting baptism for the dead; he is illustrating his argument that the resurrection is a reality.
Keeping company with those who deny the resurrection can corrupt good Christian character. Don’t let your relationships with unbelievers lead you away from Christ or cause your faith to waver. If death ended it all, enjoying the moment would be all that mattered. But Christians know that there is life beyond the grave and that our life on earth is only a preparation for our life that will never end. What you do today matters for eternity. In light of eternity, sin is a foolish gamble.