The Foundation of our hope

In my meditation on Paul's presentation of the gospel in 1 Cor. 15, the Lord was delighted to show me why the resurrection of Christ is so central to the gospel message. In 1 Cor. 15 Paul presents 4 main parts to his gospel message: 1. "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures" 2. "He was buried" 3. "He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" 4. "He appeared to.......[six different individuals or groups of people]".

Upon first examination Christ's death seems to be of utmost importance in the gospel because as Paul says in Romans, "having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him." Blood takes away wrath and purchases redemption (Eph.1:7). Yet Paul seems to indicate to the Corinthains a different emphasis or point on which the gospel hangs. "...if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, and your faith also is vain." (1 Cor.15:14) "...if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins." (1 Cor. 15:17) Note that: not if Christ didn't die for our sins, but if He hasn't been resurrected. The resurrection is the foundation of our hope and our faith! But why?

To explain, please allow me to offer an analogy. Let's say that you wanted to go to a world famous water park because you loved water. But the problem is that your are in debt $1 million to the water park for vandalizing (dishonoring) their property. Now let's say that one day the owner of the park decided to freely pay off your debt to the water park for you and also to pay the price of admission for you. Would you be grateful? Absolutely! However, if you were to then go to the park only to find that it had been closed down due to the death of the owner, then all the work done to secure your admittance would seem to have been in vain, right?

So it must also be with the spiritual water park of Jesus' presence. If your sin debt, which prevents you from coming to Him, has been paid off by Him, and your righteousness debt paid by Him as well, and yet you come to Heaven only to find that Heaven (Jesus) is not there, then all His work would have been in vain. Without Christ's resurrection the gospel is incomplete and vain, for the hope of eternal life is dead if the Source of that eternal life is dead. "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent." (John 17:3) Knowing Jesus is eternal life! Therefore He must be alive to know if eternal life can truly be considered good! Jesus Christ is our Living Hope! "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." (1 Peter 1:3) We have hope because He has been risen!