at the end of the day ... or is it age?

Jesus’ resurrection as the foundation of faith

introduction 

This past week I had opportunity to meet with a young woman, a Christian, who just happens to have a couple of friends who have chosen to live homosexual lifestyles. Because these are close friends, and because they claim to believe in and follow Jesus, this young woman wanted to discuss a biblical response to the challenge of homosexuality.

I identify homosexuality as a challenge because its advocates are desperately trying to prove that homosexuality has a genetic source and, therefore, homosexuals cannot be justifiably criticised for their lifestyle.

I addressed this issue from three perspectives: 1) the biblical critique of homosexuality; 2) the political and social agenda of the pro-homosexuality lobby (i.e. “If God does not exist, then we are free to behave as we choose” or “Truth and morality are relative, not absolute”); and, 3) our Jesus-inspired love for all persons, despite the various expressions of sinfulness since all sins are equally abhorrent in the sight of God. Notably, at one point in our discussion, I used a tactic employed by the apostle Paul in our scripture focus for today: I reasoned backwards so as to reveal the implications on the moral truth revealed in the Bible if homosexuality is proved to have a genetic source —the Bible cannot thus be true.

The fact is that, likely, many of us have occasion to come into contact with and form some level of relationship with homosexual persons. Any discussion on this issue will necessarily call into question the absolute moral validity of the teachings found in the Bible. Thus, I was very excited by the timely coincidence of the final assigned reading for today: 1 Corinthians 15:12-20.

1 corinthians 15:12-20

¹²Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; ¹⁴and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. ¹⁵We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ —whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. ¹⁶For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised. ¹⁷If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. ¹⁸Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. ¹⁹If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

²⁰ But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.

This passage is, obviously, preceded by verses 1-11, in which the apostle recites a confession of faith of the early church; a confession of faith to which he adheres and promotes. Thus, our focus for today is written by Paul in the context of a traditional confession of faith. He is highlighting that belief in the resurrection of the dead is a necessary tenet of faith in Jesus, a tenet whose promulgation comes through the apostles and witnesses, then through evangelists and teachers. Therefore, our scripture focus follows from and is based on the confession of faith found in the first part of chapter 15, being commentary on that confession.

It is also worth noting that the scope of this teaching is limited to the Christian dead, not to the dead generally. The apostle has in mind the outcome of faith in Jesus; he is not here making any comments towards universalism (that all who die will enjoy the eternal paradise with God). Nevertheless, since he is most definitely teaching Jesus’ resurrection as fact, there are broad implications giving reason for hope.

Without a doubt, the pivotal point of Paul’s reasoning, and indeed of his own faith, is that Jesus’ life, death and resurrection are an historical fact. The connecting link “but in fact” of verse 20 cannot be interpreted any other way!

The alternative, that is sometimes suggested, is to believe that Jesus’ resurrection is not pivotal and not necessarily historical, that we can derive value for faith and life from the example and teaching of Jesus without the necessity of belief in an historical resurrection. This is to treat the stories of the Bible as simply myth, “a usually traditional story of ostensibly historical events [that is, apparently true, but not necessarily so] that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon”. The stories of the Bible, then, explain for us, and/or justify for us, our beliefs about the world around us.

The problem with this alternative is that myths do not necessarily correspond to reality, they cannot tell us anything about reality other than what has been traditionally promoted. For example, just because Americans believe that they won the war of 1812 with the British-Canadians does not mean that they were in fact successful with their attempted invasion. Myths provide no basis for understanding reality except insofar as they correspond to the beliefs to which we already adhere.

This does not at all describe the belief to which the apostle Paul adheres and promotes. “if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ” (1 Cor 15:14-15). His language and reasoning are quite explicit: Jesus has risen from the dead and those who believe in him will likewise be risen from the dead; for a Christian to believe otherwise is false! Elsewhere Paul is equally explicit: “If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rom 10:9). There can be no confusion over, or alternative interpretation of, Paul’s intended meaning.

The next pivotal point of this passage is that Jesus’ resurrection necessarily results in the resurrection of his followers. The resurrected Jesus is “the first fruits of those who have died” (1 Cor 15:20b). A better translation is “of those who have fallen asleep”. Of course, this is figurative language for “death”, but the image relates the point: For those who believe in and follow Jesus, death is not a final resting-place. Jesus’ resurrection makes him the “first fruits”, the first in a series of those who will enjoy resurrection and an eternal paradise with God.

This point makes all the difference to the perspective of our life! If Jesus’ resurrection is not an historical fact, then our belief in him yields only a hope both in and for this life, which is really not effective for much —he remains but an example that we may or may not follow as it makes no real difference. On the contrary, Jesus’ resurrection gives us hope for our eternal life after death, which actually results in incredible hope for this life, as well as transformation now! According to Daniel J. Price,

Two things could be pointed out. First, the otherworldliness of the gospel is paradoxically the very thing that empowers its adherents to find staying power for this world. Heaven seeks to include earth within its moral borders (cf. Matt. 6:10); the resurrection demonstrates this great truth —serving as an echo of the incarnation. Second (this flows from the first point), the resurrection of Christ, and eventually all who belong to him, carries with it a paradoxical amount of social capital. People who believe this life is all there is seldom serve in soup kitchens and rescue missions. On the other hand, persons who have faith in the resurrection have no need to cling to this life. They are people who, the longer they follow Christ, the more they become adept at spending their life in service. The preaching of the resurrection victory of Christ over death has spawned hospitals and clinics, schools and better sewage systems, homes for the aged and ministries to those infirm and dying. The final verse of this great chapter may warrant mention each time a sermon is preached from any portion of it; it might be paraphrased like this: “Keep working for the kingdom because nothing done for such a cause will ever be in vain” (v. 58).

This quote serves as an excellent segue into my final point. The historical fact of Jesus’ resurrection validates and justifies a world view and lifestyle based on our belief in his resurrection and our desire to perfectly model our life after his example. Indeed, Jesus’ resurrection provides the foundation for accepting the instruction and guidance provided in the Bible for dealing with questions raised by the challenge of homosexuality, marital infidelity, moral laxity, etc. But his resurrection is not the only basis for justifying our belief. The resultant effect on our life provides the next best foundation.

Jesus himself declared, “I came that [you] may have life, and have it abundantly” (Jn 10:10). Both Jeremiah and the psalmist describe this using the image of a tree planted beside a stream. Here in Australia, we poignantly know what happens to tree, grass, and flowers that are not provided with enough rain. But even this drought would have no effect on a tree that was actually planted close enough to a stream from which the trees roots could draw nourishment. Despite the dry and deathly brownness all around, such a tree would be beautiful and lush.

It is much the same for the person who both believes in and follows Jesus. There is no reason for us to ever not experience a full and abundant life, except that —like the apostle Peter when he doubted that he could walk on top of the raging sea to meet Jesus (Matt 14:28ff)— we hesitate to follow him completely. The experience of the full and abundant life is the second great foundation of our faith. Whether it is our own full and abundant life or that of a hero of the faith whom we know, love and trust, we can be confident in our belief in Jesus, and the teachings of the Bible, because they have undeniable effects.

Of course, someone will say, “But what do say about those who are not followers of Jesus, yet apparently enjoy full and abundant lives, even homosexuals?” That is a good question. The first issue to be aware of, for which to answer this question, is that we are not capable of nor instructed to judge the state of salvation of another person —that is the sole responsibility of God. Nevertheless, we can discern something of the state of a person’s heart and salvation by studying the “fruit” that is produced by one’s life.

The gospel writer Luke describes the effects of a person’s world view as “blessings” or “woes” (Lk 6:20-26). Those who, at present, are poor, hungry, in grief or despised will be satisfied, will be “blessed by God”; those who, at present, are rich, full, laughing and thought well of will experience disappointment when their expectations are not met.

When will these consequences be realised? The implication of Luke 6:23 —“for surely your reward is great in heaven”— is that these blessings or woes will be experienced in the eternal life. As we have seen in our focus on 1 Cor 15:12-20, our hope in Jesus is both for here and now, as well as not yet. Salvation is for this life and it is for eternal life. While we do not know when and in what form the blessings and woes will come —due to the choices that we make and the relationship with God that we do or do not enjoy— we do know, with the certainty of Jesus’ historical resurrection, that they will come and that is all the reason that we need to consider now whether or not we are ready to believe that God has raised Jesus from the dead, as well as admit that makes him our Lord.

response

If those blessings and woes are as sure as the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection, then it is appropriate for us to adapt our world view to that present in the teachings of the Bible. I will not pretend that decision is not a tough one; it is certainly not to be made lightly. But we have time for you to consider the outcomes of your life right now, to consider your belief in Jesus, and to consider whether maybe now is exactly the right time to accept that Jesus is and always has been real, and that his being real can and will make a difference to your life, both now and into eternity.

Let us take time for prayerful reflection. If you would like an elder to pray with you, for any of the questions or concerns that you have regarding what I have spoken of this morning, then please come to this front pew so that one of the elders can privately pray with you. Otherwise, let us all prayerfully reflect as we sing our worship together ...

sermon delivered by Ian Forest-Jones
at Hurstville Church of Christ
on Sunday, 11 February 2007 at 10am
[email]

< back