1 Corinthians 15:29-34 

²⁹Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? ³⁰And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? ³¹I face death every day—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. ³²If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” ³³Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” ³⁴Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.

Braveheart

         Have you watched the movie “Braveheart?” In one clip of the Braveheart movie, Scottish warrior William Wallace challenged the ability of his best friend Hamish who was huge warrior. Other Scottish soldiers applauded with glee when Hamish tossed a huge rock to show off his extra-ordinary strength.

         William Wallace told Hamish, “That’s a good throw. But I was wondering if you could do that when it matters in battle! Could you crush a man with that huge rock?” “Well, I could crush you like worm,” Hamish declared. Then Wallace took a few steps away and challenged Hamish to throw the huge rock on him.

         Hamish tossed the huge rock but it did not hit Wallace. Wallace fixed his eyes at Hamish; he threw also the little stone from his hand. The stone found its way on the forehead of Hamish, and Hamish fainted and fall down on the ground.

         Indeed, great physical strength has advantage but most often, knowledge and skill has greater advantage. Remember the story of the young David when he defeated the giant Goliath? It narrated in 1 Samuel 17:42-45, ⁴²Goliath looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. ⁴³He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. ⁴⁴“Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!”

⁴⁵David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 

         It is possible that we encounter spiritual battles anytime of the week. The enemy of righteousness won’t hesitate to attack us if given a chance. What place in this world is completely invincible from the attack of the elements of darkness? We’ve got to be alert. Elements of the darkness cause chaos, even in churches.

         Reflect on what happened when Jesus was in the wilderness. The devil approached Jesus and tested him. Let’s read what it narrated in Matthew 4:5-7.

⁵The devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ⁶“If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” ⁷Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

         The devil said, “He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.”  This statement that the devil used comes from Psalm 91:11-12. Elements of darkness can use the Scripture better than many church attendees. Be prayerful and seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit always. Anyone can be deceived.

There are stories of deceptive pastors and false teachers published online.

         It can be alarming reality, but pray for increase of faith in Christ. The Lord had already decreed what happens to false preachers if they won’t repent and change their ways. Seriously reflect on what it declares in 2 Peter 2:1, ¹There were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.

         It happened in the first century Christianity, it happens to churches around the world. Do not take your spiritual life for granted. Be prayerful and study the Scripture more seriously. Are you enthusiastic of learning about which behavior is acceptable for children of God? It practically proves you are heaven bound.

Personally, are you enthusiastic of learning more about the Word of God?

The Holy Spirit inspires enthusiasm to know what God requires for his children, but spiritually dead people won’t sense enthusiasm in God’s word. A spiritually dead person has no urgency in preparing for the return of Christ.

1.  Dead

²⁹Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 

         Water baptism cannot save anyone. Water baptism is public testimony of our faith in Christ. When immersed into the water during baptism, we publicly testify that our old self died and buried. When we get out of the water during baptism, we publicly testify that we resurrected to new life in Christ.

Scholars suggest that some Corinthians were baptized for the sake of their unbaptized relatives who died. When they’re baptized as proxy or substitute for the dead, they hoped that unbaptized dead relatives may resurrect to paradise. If they have 10 unbaptized dead relatives, they’re baptized 11 times: One baptism for their selves and the other 10 baptisms were proxy for 10 unbaptized dead.

They’re baptized as substitute or proxy of their unbaptized dead relatives. It sounds like magical sacrament. But this baptism for the dead is contradiction to what it declares about the Lord Jesus Christ in Hebrews 9:27-28, ²⁷Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, ²⁸so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.

         Make not mistake. Salvation is personal choice. Praying for dead people cannot change their eternal destiny. A person who died faces judgment, either to enter heaven or thrown into hell. The dead cannot do anything for their eternal destiny. It clearly said the Christ was sacrificed once and for all to take away the sins of many. Take note of that, “Sins of many.” Does the statement “Take away the sins of many” mean that Christ did not take away all sins of humanity?

Was Christ’s sacrificial death exclusive only for the many believers? Why did it say, “‘Sins of many?” It did not say, “Take away the sins of all mankind.”

         Let’s reflect on what it declares in 1 John 2:1-2 ¹We have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. ²He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

         Christ sacrificially died on the cross as punishment for all sins of humanity.

This mysterious truth of salvation from eternal torture can only be accepted by faith in Christ. Without faith, they cannot believe that all sins had been crucified with Christ, and that the shed blood of Jesus on the cross washed away all sins.

And if they do not believe that Christ died for their sins, they cannot believe also that their sins were crucified with Christ. No one believes in Christ by logical explanation or reason because God designed it that by faith we believe in Christ.

Christ sacrificially atoned for the sins of the world, and it says that Christ took away the sins of many, the term “many” pertains to believers of Christ.

Bird

         A fictional story was told about a wild bird caught by a hunter. The hunter strapped a string on one foot of the bird and nailed one end of the string on the ground. The bird walked around the nail while the hunter waited for buyers. Late afternoon, someone bought the bird and set it free. The bird flew but returned to the ground and continued walking around the nail. The bird did not realize that its freedom was purchased. The bird didn’t know that the string was removed.

         Jesus Christ died on the cross as payment for our freedom from the control of sin. The shed blood of Jesus on the cross washed away all our sins. By faith, we believe that now we are free to follow godly righteousness and sin cannot dictate our behavior anymore. It says in 2 Corinthians 5:17? ¹⁷If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 

         “The old has gone, the new is here” is transformation. Old self prioritizes the self. New self prioritizes the Lord. Do you feel bad when you’re oppressed? Naturally, we feel bad when we’re oppressed but we can be prayerful. To pray for oppressors instead of retaliation is transformed life in Christ. Transformed life in Christ will be tested. God may allow struggles or dangers for us to trust Christ.

2.  Danger

³⁰And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? ³¹I face death every day—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. ³²If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

Apostle Paul testified that he faced death, danger and fought wild beast.

Nevertheless, he kept on preaching the gospel of Christ, because he believed that even if he died before Christ returns, he hoped to resurrect like Christ.

Many people indulge in wild parties, eating and drinking, why? They have no hope of the resurrection of the dead. They don’t believe about heaven or hell.

         How is your lifestyle? How do we evaluate our priority in life? Our lifestyle and behavior could display our eternal destiny. Do you think attending church regularly is enough proof of transformation? Many church attendees are misled.

         Together, let us meditatively reflect on Luke 15:4-7, ⁴Suppose one of you has 100 sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the 99 in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? ⁵And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders ⁶and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, “Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.” ⁷I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous persons who do not need to repent.

         Certainly, God is glad that we regularly attend church. But there is more rejoicing in heaven when one sinner repents and turns to God. We trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and repented of our sins. Are you now free from sin? Can you easily ignore sin? How can we know if sin cannot dictate our priorities, and that we follow Christ? How can we practically follow Christ in daily activities?

         If you’re a manager, you appreciate employees who are punctual.  You are pleased to recommend salary increase or even promotion for punctual employee.

Likewise, does the Lord bless punctuality in attending church? Attending church punctually is great initiative to spiritual adventure with Christ as Lord of priorities.

St. Thomas Aquinas said,  “If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever.” Ships at the port are damaged by rust, but ships are built to explore the ocean. Prototype ships are made for display in the living room of buyers. But actual ships are built for adventure, not for display.

         Likewise, Christ purchased our freedom from sin not for display at church. The Holy Spirit transforms and inspires us to explore sharing the gospel of Christ. As proof of resurrection to new life in Christ, we prioritize our mission purposes. Priority in life practically shows if we are already saved from spiritual destruction.

3.  Destruction

³³Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 

³⁴Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.

When it says, “Bad company corrupts good character” what do you think?

People who reject Christ are in danger of possible eternal destruction. They have no concern about eternal destiny. They reject the idea of heaven or hell. They’re spiritually dead.  The Lord did not command us to avoid people who reject Christ.

But, we’re warned of corruption of character, if we’re not careful of bad company.

         Apostle Paul told the Corinthians to return to their senses and stop sinning. Why? There were false teachers who caused division in the church of Corinth. They indulged in eating, drinking, immorality. They did not believe that dead will resurrect like Christ. As heaven bound Christians, what should be our priority?

         We testify that Christ has transformed us. We disciple believers who want to grow spiritually mature. Together let’s reflect on what 2 Timothy 2:1-4 says,

¹Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. ²And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. ³Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. ⁴No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. 

Military

         Imagine you are a trainer in the military. But you never fired a rifle before. What will you do? Will you read some articles and instructions how to fire a rifle? Then you told your trainees, “According to the article, this is how to fire a rifle. Go! Try it then report to me.” How will trainees respond? Will they follow you? Certainly, they will ignore you because you never tried how to actually use rifles.

         Similarly, Christians read or heard how to make disciples but they have not grown mature as disciples of Christ, just yet? How can we know that we’ve grown mature as disciples of Christ and not remained as infant believers of Christ?

         The Corinthian church had factions. They followed leaders they preferred. They’re not loyal to the body of Christ, the church but to leaders they preferred. Are you loyal to the church, the body of Christ or to leaders you prefer? Some leaders may have personal agenda but pray that our leaders prioritize the Lord.

Together, let us seriously reflect on what it admonishes in 3 John 1:11,

¹¹Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God. 

         Do you strongly believe elected leaders were chosen by God? God chose leaders to exemplify responsible behavior. But, if leaders prioritize their personal agenda, maybe, they are confused about their spiritual priorities. Surely, we are inclined to complain. But we find no time to complain if we pray for our leaders. When we pray for spiritual priorities of our leaders, won’t God bless us more?

         The celebration of the Lord’s Supper reminds us that elected leaders and ordinary people need a Savior. Christ transformed us but sinful nature confuses us sometimes. Anyone make mistakes. By faith, we trust that the Lord crucified our sins with Christ, including shame and guilt from our sins when we’re younger.

         May God empowers us always to imitate what is pleasant in his eyes.

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