The Resurrection of Jesus...So What?

When I study the Bible my simplistic hermeneutic is to ask "what?" and then "so what?"  When you read 1 Cor 15 you're struck by how struck Paul is by the resurrection of Jesus (read it for yourself).  His "what?" is that because Jesus did in fact come back from the dead then we can also have confidence that we will be resurrected one day.

Well...so what?  For some people their "so what?" is to live a life full of selfish pursuits enabled by the knowledge that their eternal destiny is secure - they have their "eternal life insurance."  Not only does a selfish lifestyle beg the question of genuine faith, but at best it deletes the final verse of the chapter.  The final verse is Paul's "so what?" indicated by the word, "therefore."

The early church lived in a time when persecution against Christians was on the rise and it would be understandable if they concluded that life was simply to be endured and that all that mattered was their future in heaven.  However, Paul says in 1 Cor 15:58, that Christ rose from the dead and our expected response is "work," because so many people need to know him and need to feel his love and need to begin following Him.

            ^Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in ^the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.



New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 . The Lockman Foundation: LaHabra, CA

The starting point of compassion

The starting point of compassion and ministry is our faith.  Some people are compassionate without faith, but Christians are compassionate because of our faith.  We believe God exists and He’s watching us and that He delights in rewarding us like a loving father.  

If we claim to have faith in God, but are not compassionate then it’s merely an intellectual faith not a trusting faith, and so James says in his NT letter, big deal that you have intellectual faith…means nothing, even the demons have that (Jas 2:19.)  

It's much like an abused spouse might say, “don’t tell me you’re sorry – show me!”  Or, like a child might say to their father, "don’t say I’m a priority, show me."  Faith without works means nothing.  If you lack compassion, don't will yourself to change, examine the veracity of your faith in a God who sees everything we do.