15:12. The Stoic philosopher Seneca in the first century said that at death ‘I will leave my body, and myself I will give back to the gods.’ Francis Schaeffer was adept at ‘lifting the lid’ off arguments.
- It would mean that Christ is not raised.
- 15:13. A. C. Swinburne: ‘dead men rise up never’. Look at Paul’s reply – 15:16. Also Luke 24:39, 42-43. Christ rose as was prophesied, and over 500 saw Him at one time. The dead cannot save the living.
- It would mean that the apostles were wrong.
- 15:14-15. Their preaching would be empty (NKJV), useless (NIV) or in vain (ESV), because it would not coincide with reality. If Christ is not risen, Stephen was calling out to the empty sky in Acts 7:55-60.
- There is no middle ground in this – Prov.19:5.
- It would mean that there is no salvation.
- 15:14, 17, 18. Johann Sebastian Bach; Come, Sweet Death. 1 Thess.4:13-14.
- It would mean that Christians could only be pitied.
- 15:19. Why die to self? Why be faithful unto death? The Sermon on the Mount only makes sense if there is a resurrection from the dead – Matt.5:5, 10-12; 6:19-21. C. S. Lewis: ‘Aim at Heaven and you will get earth “thrown in”: aim at earth and you will get neither.’
- Professor G. W. Lampe: ‘Jesus’ bones … cannot be supposed to be elsewhere than in Palestine. That question is of little importance.’ Compare to Joni Eareckson Tada: ‘I’ve been thinking about my heavenly home for years. Naturally, you can understand why: My earthly body doesn’t work.’ Is that wishful thinking? No, it is high truth.