August 4, 2025 - 1 Corinthians 15:17 - "If Christ Be Not Raised"

1 Corinthians 15:17

"And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins."

How vital is the resurrection of the LORD Jesus in the salvation of sinners? The inspired Word declares that had our LORD not risen from the dead, there would have been two devastating and eternal consequences:

1. ‘Your faith is vain’ - The LORD Jesus, and all of Scripture had declared that the LORD Jesus would not only lay down His life, but that God would not suffer His Soul to see corruption, and would rise again the third day (Matthew 12:40, 16:21, Luke 24:46-47, I Corinthians 15:3,4). Faith, to be true, must have a trustworthy Object and must be proven to be founded on the Truth. Had not Christ risen, He would have been proven a liar, and His work then a sham, and those who believed on Him, followed Him, and pointed others to Him as the only Savior would have been proven to be liars and untrustworthy as well.

2. ‘Ye are yet in your sins’ - As vital as faith in Christ’s work, so the effect of what Christ said He would accomplish. His purpose in coming, living, and dying, was to be the just Satisfaction for guilty sinners whom God purposed to save from eternity. Romans 4:25 declares that His DEATH was essential for the putting away of sin, but His resurrection as proof that sin had been put away, and that those for whom He died were subsequently justified, "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification." How important then is the cross work of Christ, not only in His death, but His resurrection, to ACCOMPLISH the salvation of God’s elect. Hallelujah! What a Savior!

"If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins." But thanks be to God, He is risen indeed! The resurrection of Christ is the seal of God the Father upon Christ's finished work at the cross. It is the Father’s public declaration that the debt has been paid, the law has been fulfilled, and every elect soul has been justified in Christ. Without the resurrection, there would be no gospel, no hope, and no salvation. But because He lives, our faith is not vain—we are no longer in our sins but are made righteous in Him already. May we rest, therefore, in the risen Christ, rejoice in His triumph, and proclaim the victory of His sovereign grace with boldness and joy.