Given to What?
1 Corinthians 15:1-8 Paul starts this chapter by talking about salvation.
• He talks about the resurrection of Christ from the dead, how Jesus fulfilled the OT scriptures.
• Paul also says that you must hold to these truths otherwise you have believed in vein.
Verses 12-19 Paul makes the case that the dead are on fact raised.
• His evidence, his method of proof, is the fact that Jesus has been raised from the dead.
• This of course is a refutation of the Sadducees who believed and taught that there was no resurrection.
Verses 20-32 Death came through the man Adam. So, resurrection comes through the man Christ.
• But in this section Paul also talks about the authority and dominion Christ has over the enemy.
Verses 24-27 The “He” that Paul keeps mentioning here is of course Jesus.
o Paul is making all of these comments in the context of building his case for the resurrection of the dead.
Verses 30-32 If this whole thing isn’t real, the why am I putting my life on the line every day?
Verse 33-34 Paul is using the whole section to refute false teachings in the Corinthian church.
Verses 35-53 Paul also begins talking about the perishable and the imperishable.
• The temporal nature of this world and this body verses the eternal nature of the world to come and our resurrection bodies. Flesh and blood, perishable, cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, which is eternal.
Verses 54-57 Paul continues stating that Jesus has overcome death and sin using the word victory repeatedly.
• First it was the victory death had over us; but it ends with the victory that Christ gave us.
The Command 1 Cor 15:58 The NIV begins with “therefore.” This is tied back to the promises we just looked at.
• The Living Bible translates it this way. “So, my dear brothers, since future victory is sure,”
o Since future victory is sure we can be strong and steady giving ourselves fully to the work of the Lord.
• Then he says, “be firm.” Could also be translated as, “be steadfast.” It’s also an imperative, a command.
• Then to add emphasis he rewords it. “Let nothing move you.” The word in Greek is, “immovable.”
• So why is he saying this about being firm and steadfast?
o Verses 33-34 There were people who were being swayed by the other teachings.
• Paul continues with, “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord.”
o The word means: be more than enough, ample, increase, abound, exceed.
o The word speaks both of abundance and increase.
• The word is in the active form in the Greek. When means we are the ones to do the action.
• The word is also a participle, which means it is ongoing. We are to continually be doing this.
o To add further emphasis he also adds the word “always.” A very strong statement.
• Continuing in the verse Paul ends with because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
• Listen to it in TLB for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever wasted as it would be if there were no resurrection.
