1 Corinthians 15:12-19

How, in face of this preaching, can any Christian say there is no resurrection? If a resurrection of the dead is out of the question this involves a denial that Christ has been raised. This fact, however, stands fast for both parties. They have been convinced by the historical evidence, and on that conviction their Christianity rests. This exception disproves their universal negative. If Christ has not risen, the apostolic preaching, the readers-' faith, are alike a delusion. Worse still, they are found out as having told falsehoods about God (Paul's only alternatives are truthfulness and conscious deception, he knows nothing of hallucinations) in saying that He had raised Christ, which He could not have done if there is no resurrection. What terrible consequences follow! their faith empty, their sins unforgiven, those who have died as Christians perished! If in this life they had only hope (mg.) in Christ and nothing more, they were more pitiable than any. He does not mean that they would be objects of pity as having surrendered the solid substance of worldly advantage to grasp the shadow of future blessedness. It was pitiable that their life should be based on a fundamental delusion. Moreover, the guarantee for justification and power for a holy life disappeared with the resurrection of Christ.