Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised.And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. 

Corinthians 15: 12-19

Over the years, I’ve encountered a number of people who could not believe in the literal, physical resurrection and instead chose to believe in a symbolic resurrection or no resurrection at all!

How would you answer this man over a cup of coffee? With substance or your own type of symbolism?

The church at Corinth had wandered off course and needed to be corrected in its belief about the resurrection. Evidently, they held to a belief that there was “no resurrection of the dead.” In response, Paul reminds them of this reality – “If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.”

Why pity us? Without the Resurrection the Gospel is false and you are wasting your time reading the words of another person to be pitied.

The resurrection is key, isn’t it?  Knowing that you believe in the resurrection of Christ may be a tipping point in your life, but knowing why you believe takes you to a deeper level and more effective light in our culture today.