Articles
Most Uncompromisable Doctrine
Can we really label a teaching of the Christian faith as “most uncompromisable”? Some might argue that all teachings are equally important or that all ideas have equal weight and emphasis. However, while no truth is ever actually compromisable, there are some doctrines that are more important than others, and there are some teachings that are far more toxic to believers if they are rejected. Paul himself claims that the gospel claims of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus are “of first importance” (1 Cor 15:3-5). While it is important to have the right ideas about sin, repentance, baptism, the Lord’s congregation, and other important teachings, it is the central act of Jesus in his death and resurrection that gets the distinction of being the most important doctrine, and thus the most highly prized of them all.
Of course, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus is not a standalone fact. The fact that Jesus is raised has necessary demands for us as well. Forgiveness of sins was one of the key goals of Jesus’ death on the cross (“he died for our sins.”) Conformity to his death and resurrection happens through immersion into Christ (Rom 6:1-7). But also just as crucial is a belief in the resurrection of believers as well. While some have tried to argue that the body is merely a container to be discarded forever after death, Paul asserts himself forcefully against this idea in 1 Corinthians 15. In fact, rebutting this idea appears to be the entire reason for the chapter! Consider these words:
“Now if Christ is preached, that he has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses against God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise, if in fact 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 worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.”
The reason Paul reminded the Corinthians of Jesus’ resurrection and its eyewitnesses (1 Cor 15:1-11) was not because they were doubting that Jesus himself had raised from the dead. Jesus’ resurrection was an assumption the Corinthians would have agreed with (hence statements like “so we preach and so you believed” (1 Cor 15:11) and “If Christ is preached that he has been raised from the dead” (1 Cor 15:12)). The false teaching that Paul is confronting in 1 Corinthians 15 is the claim that Jesus’ resurrection was merely a special one-time deal, which had no implications for the resurrection of future believers.
Paul views his answer on this issue as entirely uncompromisable. If someone goes around claiming that there is no future resurrection of believers, it directly contradicts the belief that Jesus is raised from the dead. Effectively, claiming that our bodies are not raised at the end is tantamount to claiming that our faith is a worthless waste of time. The bodily resurrection of believers is directly tied to the bodily resurrection of Jesus, and therefore is itself a most uncompromisable doctrine. No resurrection means no faith. No resurrection means no hope. No resurrection reduces Christianity to absurdity.
Paul’s emphasis on this idea cannot be stressed enough. Not only does he claim that the resurrection of believers is directly tied to and patterned after the resurrection of Jesus, he also goes on to insult anyone who gets too skeptically inquisitive about the nature of these resurrected bodies by calling them “Fool!” (1 Cor 15:35-36). Some today even ask questions like “What if the body was decapitated? Maimed? Shredded? Burned?” The answer is that it doesn’t matter! The real obstacle to belief in the resurrection of the dead is not the logistics of a damaged post-mortem resurrected body. The real obstacle is the same one the Sadducees had, who Jesus said “do not understand the Scriptures or the power of God” (Mark 12:24). Is anyone so foolish to think that God would be limited by the decay and corruption of the human body? Is anything too difficult for the Lord? God is capable of gathering every last scattered ashen dust particle of our cremated flesh from the farthest reaches of the universe! He has promised us a resurrection, and he will keep that promise.
