Is Our Faith In Vain?

Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.  1 Corinthians 15:12-14 (NASB)

The question I want to ask you to consider today, “Is our faith in vain?” Since you cannot answer for anyone else, let me rephrase it to ask “Is your faith in vain?” George W. J. Shearer has a great response. Please give it some thought.

“The Date for Easter moves around each year. In the year 2018 (and in 2029) it will land right on April 1st –April Fool’s Day. A lot of us have played April Fool’s jokes on others, or have had these jokes played on us. But what if history’s worst joke turned out to be that we were counting on a salvation that didn’t exist?

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul raises the “Bad News”:

If the dead aren’t raised, then neither is Christ. (v. 16)

If Christ isn’t raised, then we are still in sin. (v. 17)

If we die in sin, then we are lost. (v. 18)

If we are lost, then we are to be pitied. (v. 19)

(In other words, we’d be the victims of history’s cruelest April Fool’s joke!) But, fortunately, he also goes on with the “Good News”:

Christ is raised from the dead. (v. 20)

Our resurrection comes through Him. (v. 21)

We are made alive in Him. (v. 22)

The world is full of religions whose spiritual leaders have all died and are now buried. Only Christianity follows a Messiah who left behind an empty tomb. Our Savior Lives! So, rather than being victims of a terrible joke, we are blessed with a living Lord, who now offers that same resurrection and eternal life to each one of us.

Now, all we have to do is go out and tell the rest of the world…”

Today’s Prayer

Dear Lord,

Thank You for posing the tough questions because sometimes they are too hard to ask. Moreover, thank You for answering them. I suspect every one of us has at one time or another in our life doubted some aspect of the Christian faith. There is certainly no doubt more crucial than the resurrection of Christ from the dead and it must be answered. Thank You for the answer: He’s alive! In Jesus Name, Amen.