1 Corinthians 15:20-23

"But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ."

One man made one choice, to disobey God. Pridefully, Adam chose to elevate Himself to the position of judge of good and evil even though the consequences for doing so had already been explained to him, Adam decided that it was alright for him to do what God told him never to do. Because of Adam’s sinful choice, all men are spiritually dead, and we will all die physically. Why should we suffer for Adam’s decision? Adam was our federal head. We were in Adam, and when he sinned, we sinned.

But there is another man—Jesus Christ. And through him came not death but resurrection from the dead. Adam’s choice to disobey God is daily killing us all. Jesus’ choice to be obedient unto death is daily giving life. He gives us spiritual life, and will upon His return grant an unending, non-decaying, incorruptible physical life.

This new life is previewed by the One who is already living it. Jesus is the first to be raised unto this kind of life. And at His second coming, all those who are His will be physically raised unto this new life that He lives already.

How then shall I live? I should recognize the devastating and far reaching consequences of my sins. Sin is a merciless killer! My sin effects more people than I can imagine and for a longer time than I can imagine. Knowing this, I must flee from sin. Instead, I must choose life. I choose to come to Him who is life, who will ever-live, and who will grant that His own live with Him.

1 Corinthians 15:16-19

"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 Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied."

Christianity is nothing if Christ did not raise from the dead.

Pascal’s Wager asserts that it’s reasonable to believe in the gospel because if it’s true and you don’t accept it, you will spend eternity in Hell. But if it’s false and you have accepted it, then you have lost nothing. Those who make that assertion are generally well meaning, but the Bible never presents the decision to follow Christ as a well thought out insurance policy.

Pascal's assertion is that "if Christ has not been raised" then a person will be fine be fine either way, whether he is believing or not believing. Paul's assertion is that if we have hope only in this life and that if our trust is in a dead Christ then "we are of all people most to be pitied."

If our hope in Christ is only good during this life, then it is no good. What a waste our life would be if we spent it looking forward to something that was never to come.

How then shall I live? I shall live with a confident hope, knowing that my hope is well founded. Even those who now deny it will eventually give glory to the risen Christ. Jesus triumphantly conquered death, and those who follow Him shall not be pitied. It is for me to doubtlessly follow the one who truly rose from the dead.

1 Corinthians 15:12-15

"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."

The bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead is not only an indisputable reality; it is an indispensable reality. Without the resurrection, Christianity is a cruel farce, and Christians are pathetically trusting in the worthless, empty hope of life beyond death. Without the resurrection, the apostles were a band of liars, and I am a liar too.

How then shall I live? I shall live confidently trusting that the resurrection did happen (as later verses reinforce). I shall not give an inch on this very important doctrine. I shall speak truth and rejoice in the reality that I am trusting in a risen savior.

1 Corinthians 15:10-11

"But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed."

All the credit goes to God. If there is anything good that is done by the Christian, it is because of God’s work in his life. Even if you have done a lot, God is the one empowering you to do it.

Paul saw and did much. And yet Paul pointed the attention away from himself and toward God. God was the one who put the desire to minister in his heart, and God was the one that empowered him to act.

How then shall I live? I shall live like it all depends on God, for it does. I must depend on Him, and after He acts, I must praise Him.