"If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.
Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame."
1 Corinthians 15:32-34
This is part of an interesting chapter having to do with resurrection. In these specific verses, Paul is basically saying, if there were no afterlife, there would be no point to any of it. Might as well just indulge ourselves... but there assuredly IS an afterlife, and if we talk or act like there is not one, then those things that we communicate through word and behavior are going to affect not only how we live, but how the people around us live. We need to awake to righteousness, and avoid sin, because many people still don't have this essential information... that God is real, that there is a resurrection, and that there is more to live for than just satisfying our desires.
Perhaps if we have known God and his gospel for a while, we kind of take for granted the amazingness of some of it. We aren't stunned and overawed at the idea of rising after death with a perfect, immortal body and the thought of an unending life beyond the grave. We probably take truths for granted that would be seen as crazy cool to someone learning them for the first time. And because we have this perspective, we sometimes not only neglect the amazing truths that God has blessed us with, but we also get distracted by tertiary things that often don't even matter. I mean, sure, it is interesting to think about taking a walking on water class in the Millennium, but really, finding out whether or not we will be able to do that is not necessary to our salvation, and so many other things *are.*
Let's take Paul's advice today, and let's awake to righteousness and sin not. Let's live according to our beliefs, and not set a bad example for others by pretending that this life is all there is. Let's remember, always, that there is more, and communicate that knowledge and that future vision through our words and our actions. Let's be out there in front, proving that the gospel is the way to be, and that we don't have to tear each other down or indulge in sin in order to be happy and cool. :)
Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame."
1 Corinthians 15:32-34
This is part of an interesting chapter having to do with resurrection. In these specific verses, Paul is basically saying, if there were no afterlife, there would be no point to any of it. Might as well just indulge ourselves... but there assuredly IS an afterlife, and if we talk or act like there is not one, then those things that we communicate through word and behavior are going to affect not only how we live, but how the people around us live. We need to awake to righteousness, and avoid sin, because many people still don't have this essential information... that God is real, that there is a resurrection, and that there is more to live for than just satisfying our desires.
Perhaps if we have known God and his gospel for a while, we kind of take for granted the amazingness of some of it. We aren't stunned and overawed at the idea of rising after death with a perfect, immortal body and the thought of an unending life beyond the grave. We probably take truths for granted that would be seen as crazy cool to someone learning them for the first time. And because we have this perspective, we sometimes not only neglect the amazing truths that God has blessed us with, but we also get distracted by tertiary things that often don't even matter. I mean, sure, it is interesting to think about taking a walking on water class in the Millennium, but really, finding out whether or not we will be able to do that is not necessary to our salvation, and so many other things *are.*
Let's take Paul's advice today, and let's awake to righteousness and sin not. Let's live according to our beliefs, and not set a bad example for others by pretending that this life is all there is. Let's remember, always, that there is more, and communicate that knowledge and that future vision through our words and our actions. Let's be out there in front, proving that the gospel is the way to be, and that we don't have to tear each other down or indulge in sin in order to be happy and cool. :)
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