What is the linchpin of Christianity?
According to the Apostle Paul, it's the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Paul wrote, "And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith is in vain" (1 Cor. 15:14).
If Christ did not rise from the dead, our faith is useless. We are dead in our sins and trespasses.
Not just that, but if Christ did not rise from the dead, then we should be pitied. Paul continues, "If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied" (1 Cor. 15:19).
In other words, if we are dedicating our lives to serving a dead person, we should be pitied. We are fools.
However, we know from 1 Corinthians 15 that Christ did rise from the dead. We do have hope and hope secure. We can be confident that our faith and lives are not in vain!
Did Jesus really rise from the dead? Without a doubt. And that changes everything!
Reflect: Read 1 Corinthians 15. Why does Paul list all the people Jesus appeared to? What is the connection between Christ's resurrection and our own resurrection?
Respond: How does our future resurrection change how you live today? How can you share this message of hope with those who are far from God?
Please share your comments below. I'd also love to know what your questions are so I can answer them in the weeks ahead.
If you want to share this Bible reading plan with friends and family, here is the link: https://bttb.org/hard-questions