Eat, Drink and Die or Believe, Act and Live: Reflections on I Corinthians 15

What do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? 

If the dead are not raised why are people baptized on their behalf? 

Why are we in danger every hour?

What do I gain if I fought with beasts at Ephesus? 

If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die

The first section of I Corinthians 15 concludes with these statements.  Having carefully reasoned from Scripture and his apostolic authority (15:3-28), Paul shifts the focus of his discourse from rational argumentation to experiential persuasion (15:29-32).

From his own experience, Paul begs a question: What’s the point?  If there is no hope in experiencing a future resurrected state, then Why Bother?  Without the resurrection of the dead, our sole recourse would be the pursuit of temporal pleasure  - to eat and drink, for tomorrow we die (15:32).  Yet, as Paul will contend, it is precisely because there is a future resurrection that we should be motivated to act. 

To establish his point, Paul offers two case studies.  The first appears to be a small religious sect the second is Paul himself.   

The Sect (15:29):

The perplexing nature of verse 29 makes this passage one of controversy.  The simple reading of the text shows that certain people were practicing vicarious baptism for the dead [1].  While inquiring minds might want to know more, there simply aren’t any 1^st century biblical or extra biblical writings to give us a clue.  All that can be known is found in 15:29. 

Paul’s point is clear.  The sect’s belief in a future resurrection correctly motivated them to action.  Paul neither condones nor condemns the action they chose; he simply observes the consistent behavior that one’s belief must motivate to some manner of action.  Conviction without action is inexcusable complacency.  It was their belief in the future resurrection of the dead that led them to institute a nuanced baptismal rite.  Right or wrong, they acted.  This impassioned connection of conviction-motivation-action drew Paul’s attention [2]. 

The Apostle Paul (15:30-32):

Paul’s own conviction spurred him to action.  The grounded assurance that he would join Jesus in His victorious, resurrected state motivated Paul .

A casual reading of Acts and the Pauline epistles reveals that martyrdom was part of Paul’s routine.  Living on the edge of death he asked, “What do I gain…if the dead are not raised?”  What’s the point in risking my life? 

If there is no resurrection of the dead, then why order life accordingly?  If there is no future benefit to living a consistent life – why bother?  Why not eat, drink, and be merry if tomorrow we die?  Epitomize the essence of hedonistic living.  Dive headlong into the “best” this world has to offer.

What exactly is the point? 

Paul uses his life as a tutorial (15:30-32).  He encourages his fellow followers of Christ to “do as I do” (4:16-17; 11:1, 15:29-32) and “follow me as I follow Christ”. Paul champions consistent living, a life governed and ordered by true convictions.  If we are convinced of the resurrection of the dead, then we must act like it. 

Conviction without action is inexcusable.  Faith without works is dead. With two imperatives, Paul confidently calls the church to imitate him:

·      Do not be deceived.  Bad company corrupts good morals.  While this charge could be applied to many situations, textually it deals solely with the expectation of a future resurrection.  Do those we spend significant time with heighten or dampen our resolve to live in hope of the resurrection?  Do they inspire us to see the risen Lord? 

·      Wake up.  Get in the game!  Stop sinning and start sharing the good news of Christ.  The deceitful nature of sin will ensnare even the most passionate soul if it is not kept vigilant.  Stop sinning and live missionally.  Get your head up and get involved in the work of His kingdom.  

Next Sunday is Easter weekend.  With Paul, let’s reflect upon the passion and the mission of our lives, prayerfully considering his charge in I Corinthians 15:29-34.  Let’s walk, live, love, think, speak, feel, work, and act in a manner worthy of our calling.  Worthy of the resurrected glory that is imminent for us who are called heavenward in Christ Jesus. 

Grace and Peace

[1] A standard rule for interpreting scripture is that the simple reading of the text is usually the preferred reading of the text.  If one’s interpretation relies heavily upon lexical coaxing and speculation beyond the author’s written words, chances are the interpretation is stretching to fit a predetermined idea.

[2] If asked, Paul would most certainly condemn the notion that the living could mystically transfer future benefit to the dead via baptism.  If prevalent within the church he likely would have expounded on the topic.  Nevertheless, he seemingly chose to reflect on their consistent behavior: conviction of future resurrection led them to action.  For a different perspective on verse 29: http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2011/04/22/baptism-for-the-dead

The Rest of the Story...

‘There is no resurrection of the dead’, they said.  Paul would have none of that foolish talk.  To whatever extent this popular ideology captivated the Corinth church; it clearly drew Paul’s impassioned response [1].  Consider the following portions of I Corinthians 15:

If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain.

If Christ has not been raised, then your faith is in vain.

If Christ has not been raised, then your faith is futile.

If Christ has not been raised, then you are still in your sins.

With the obvious weight and attention Paul gives Resurrection Sunday in chapter 15 a thought crossed my mind.  I began to wonder what kind of movie review he would give The Passion of Christ? 

I remember coming to its final scene emotionally spent, yet yearning for more. 

Such has been my experience the few times I’ve watched The Passion.  Unlike any artistic medium before it, the film powerfully depicts Good Friday, but inevitably the movie leaves me unfulfilled.  Having plumbed the harsh realities of Jesus’s crucifixion for nearly two hours why not underscore the richness of His ultimate triumph?  Where’s the rest of the story? 

Sure, in the last sixty seconds Christ’s battered corpse materializes into a resurrected state, but immediately the music reaches a crescendo and the credits role.  Directors cut?  Nothing.  No extras, no deleted scenes – nothing.  

I’d like to imagine that Paul would’ve shared my sentiment.

Outside of the gospels I Corinthians 15 is the resurrection passage.  The full work of Christ, from the cross to the empty tomb, is what the prophets predicted, what the early saints evidenced, and what each of the apostles proclaimed (15:3-11).  Yet some had lost sight of God’s grand redemptive purpose.  Instead of holding to the apostolic teaching, some seemingly envisioned man existing eternally in an ethereal state.  Take note of Paul’s response: 

If there be no future bodily existence, then even Christ himself is still dead, and If Christ didn’t raise from the dead (12-13):

·      The message we preach and the message you believed is empty (14)

·      We are false witnesses and God is a liar (15-16)

·      We are still in our sin (17)

·      Those dead in Christ are eternally damned (18)

·      Those alive in Christ are foolish and to be pitied (19)

Christ’s physical death and resurrection enabled God’s plan for mankind to be realized.  To have one without the other would disrupt the divine intent.  Yet there’s more.  For Paul the sum benefit of Christ’s resurrection goes well beyond the singular focus of man’s eternal state.  The text enhances the scope of Christ’s resurrection to an all-together different, cosmic level.    

Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday comprise a singular hope: that God, through Christ, restored and secured creation’s ultimate intent.  Due to Christ’s resurrection, eschatological hope pulsates throughout I Corinthians 15.  The entire chapter peers toward this New Age; an age defined by perfect harmony of the spiritual and physical realm.  Both of these function in unbroken communion and glory to God the Father (15:24-28; 50-57).

We need a big lens by which to read I Corinthians 15.  Christ’s resurrection is the firstfruits of a future where Christ himself will deliver the kingdom to God the Father (15:24).  Cosmic harmony is not only the climax of the gospel but also the very pinnacle of NT theology.  As evidenced in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, God is indeed making all things new.    

As Easter nears, may we be reminded that the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ extends as far as the curse is found.  The scope of our King’s rule reaches every crevice of creation.  May the spirit of I Corinthians 15 remind us of the hope in which we stand and the truth by which we are being saved (15:1-2).

Grace and Peace

[1] One such idea was the Greek notion that the soul of man, his immaterial essence, was immortal and that the man’s physical body, his material being, was a temporary albeit unfortunate necessity.  From this reasoning two things stood in stark contrast with apostolic teaching.  First, proponents of this viewpoint did not hold to a physical resurrection of the dead (I Corinthians 15:12; Luke 20:27ff; Acts 17:30-32).  Secondly, proponents of this view advanced the idea that bodily sin was, at the very least, tolerable for the material body would pass away.  Conversely, throughout I Corinthians Paul weaves together three interrelated ideas: our body belongs to the Lord, there will be a bodily resurrection, and we will give a physical account for our actions (3:16-17; 5:1-2; 6:12-20; 15:32-34, 58).  

I Corinthians 15, Freddie Mercury, and The Empty Tomb

Something about major sporting events feels almost primal. 

Us versus them.  Good versus Evil. 

stomp, stomp, clap

stomp, stomp, clap

stomp, stomp, clap….

How is it that two foot stomps and a single handclap, carefully choreographed and repeated, can sound so unbelievably cool?

You got mud on yo’ face

You big disgrace

Kickin’ your can all over the place singin'

We will, we will, rock you!

We will, we will, rock you! 

At some point one will hear the unmistaken sound.  From multi-million dollar NBA arenas to backwoods junior high courts, energy surges wherever Mercury’s lyrics are bellowed.  Queen taunts the opposition.

But Mercury and the Apostle Paul? 

A stretch?  Maybe.  But as I read I Corinthians 15 I can’t help but hear feet stomping and hands clapping.  For as this text reaches its apex Paul openly taunts Death:

Death is swallowed up in victory.

O Death, where is your victory?

O Death, where is your sting?

Paul sticks his finger in Death’s chest and pushes the issue.[1]  Death, you lose.  Death, you’ve no authority.  Death, you got mud on yo’ face.   

It wasn’t even a contest.  Sure, things looked bleak on Good Friday.  Yes, the Lamb’s heal was bruised, but my the difference three days can make!  On Resurrection Sunday our Lord Jesus Christ made it a blow out, death was swallowed up in Christ’s victory.  The enemy’s head was crushed. 

As the face cloth was being folded there was no need to rush.  It was neatly folded and placed so as to convey the complete absence of struggle or conflict.  No need to hurry; the work was indeed complete.  Victory firmly secured.  No threats. 

As Easter draws near I aim to post a few reflections on I Corinthians 15.  Along the way, let us find great peace, joy and comfort in knowing that Christ has indeed won the victory.  That Death has no place and the curse has been defeated. 

During these days leading up to April 8^th I encourage you to spend some time reading I Corinthians 15.  As one of the longer chapters in the NT, it can be confusing at times but I encourage you to invest in rereading.

While reading you may even hear the stomping…  

Grace and Peace

---

[1] By reordering the textual rendering of both Isaiah 25:8 and Hosea 13:14 Paul personified death making I Corinthians 15:55 a direct statement against the shadowy figure that has plagued mankind since the Fall.  If interested in referencing this change is sentence structure, etc.  I’d recommend The First Epistle to the Corinthians, TNICNT, Fee, 804. 

The Tokyo Health Spa, A Place to Grow, and the God who Sees, Part 3

The story of The Tokyo Health Spa offers a fresh case study on balancing Scripture's call to be socially engaged within our world.  

As it is with the entire counsel of God's Word that the faithful wrestle, how are we to balance both the Great Commission and the Adamic Commission as concurrent biblical commands?  How do these teachings look in the flesh?  How do they actually govern real life passions and pursuits?   

As harmony is the aim, what might imbalance look like if you or I were to operate solely out of either commission?  How would our respective starting points shape how we actually engage the health spa? 
  
In accordance to the Great Commission individuals within the spa need Jesus.  If management were to receive Christ as Lord, accordingly the spa would undergo reform.  Under this charge personal evangelism becomes the adopted strategy.  And on occasion emboldened individuals visited the spa, management was invited to church, and attempts were made to share Jesus.  Other than these rare exchanges the church and the spa co-existed with little to no interaction.  The operative thought, "Don't bother me, I won't bother you."

In accordance to the Adamic Commission, The Tokyo Health Spa devalues the Divine imageness of man and it proliferates unrighteousness within the community.  Under this charge, the church should use every means afforded in seeking the spa’s demise.  We pray and fast against the practices and the property.  We guide the faithful to beseech the God who sees, seeking for both divine intervention and insight into where He may lead the church into physical activity.

Do we need balance?  Yes.  Do those who run the spa need Jesus?  Absolutely.  But somehow I can’t imagine Jesus sharing The Four Spiritual Laws as he whipped the moneychangers in the temple – let them hear of Divine Love while incarcerated.  

Admittedly these two scenarios represent extremes so as to establish a point; our strategies for cultural engagement will always be shaped by our theology.  How we interact with the various issues facing our world will always be informed and motivated by our ability to balance these commissions.

Regarding the two commissions, do you sense balance in your own life?

As pragmatism, denominational norms, and theological negligence often make answering this type of question tricky, I’d suggest you consider the following contrasts.  Each side represents necessary elements of biblical Christianity, yet if we significantly favor one side imbalance is likely.  

•        Gospel as proclamation...gospel as demonstration
•        Calling for salvation...calling for social action
•        Sending money to local agencies...spending time at the local agency
•        Feeling angry over societal sins...feeling broken over societal sins
•        Strong pulpit ministry...strong mercy ministry
•        Sensing hopeless digression of society...sensing hopeful manifestation of His kingdom 
•        Jesus as Redeemer...Jesus as Reformer
•        Exegeting the text...exegeting the community
•        Prayer as tool for consolation...prayer as weapon to wield

For the faithful the journey isn’t merely one of understanding but action.  As we seek to strike balance, explore how these truths look in the context of your church and community.  Don't shrink back in despair waiting for Christ's return.   Don't allow a spirit of either defeatism or escapism dampen our resolve to pursue the faithful life.  As Robert Lewis writes, 

..."What difference can I make?  I have very little that I can offer."  While not stated openly, these questions are deeply felt.  In my mind, much of our present evangelical apathy is tied to a philosophical surrender of the hope for doing any good.  Since the world is hopelessly lost and, for many, the Rapture is our escape, it becomes much easier to critique the world for its evil than to work in it for its good.  (The Church of Irresistible Influence, 106)  

Our gardens look different.  Our areas of calling and the contexts in which these play out are diverse.  As we learn from our past The Tokyo Health Spa is a teachable moment.  Yet wherever you plow and toil, there are parasites.  There are entities, philosophies, and patterns of behavior that not only conflict with the revealed Word but strip image-bearers of their dignity and stymie righteous ethics.

Let us be found engaging our culture in both word and deed.  And as we seek to come under the authority of the entire Book may the spirit of Matthew 13:52 undergird our labor, “Therefore every scribe that has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” 

Grace and Peace.  

The Tokyo Health Spa, A Place to Grow, and The God Who Sees - Part 2

The entire Tokyo Health Spa incident got me thinking.

In effect, the church is in a unique position of having to faithfully uphold Scripture’s two central commissions.

The Great Commission

Matthew 28:18-20 needs little commentary. It is an imperative to invest into others, to share the good news of Christ, and to train people to be passionately loyal to the Great King.

The Adamic Commission (or Cultural Mandate)

Genesis 1:26-31 spells out what I like to call the “Leave The Place Better Than When You Found It” Commission but I’m told that’s a bit wordy.

As God’s vice regent, or image-bearer, Adam was to live in obedient communion with God and to subdue the earth. The first man was to exercise authority over God’s creation and manage it in accordance to His character and will. In short; humankind, by shaping culture, was to make God’s rule visible. 

To be sure, the Fall made Adam’s commission more challenging but it did not cancel out God’s original intent. Noah received the same charge at the onset of the post-flood, “re-creation” (Genesis 9:1-17). Accordingly, Noah, and all who would come after him, was under the same cultural imperative.

In the words of popular OT scholar and author Bruce Waltke,

“The role of Adam and Eve is inescapable…the issue is not whether human beings will develop culture; the only issue is what kind? Will it be godly or ungodly? Will it be motivated by agape (God’s love) or eros (self love)?” (An Old Testament Theology, 220)

Balancing these commissions necessitates that neither be elevated over the other but that they be seen as concurrent, complementary aims of biblical Christianity. Each calling us into active engagement of our world; each calling us to get our hands dirty.

Under the Adamic Commission those seeking to live faithfully in this age will cultivate righteousness and human flourishing as far as God will allow their influence to span.

In line with Genesis 1, we keep a watchful eye over various aspects of our society. Eyeing policies and practices that demean mankind’s inherent dignity as image bearers of the divine (Genesis 1:27). Eyeing gaps that prey upon the weak. Eyeing entry points for influence. Where possible, we use every means afforded to us through both our faith and our land to uphold by word and deed God’s righteous intent for creation. We leave our corner of this garden better than when we found it, tending it, guarding it, and toiling for its wellbeing.

Under the Great Commission those seeking to live faithfully in this age will pray for, be open to, and invest themselves into the faithful proclamation of Christ Jesus as both Lord and Savior of this world. There is a clear and concise message to be communicated, and they will not hear unless the faithful invest themselves into sharing this Good News (Romans 10:14-15). Beyond communication, the faithful understand that disciple making means the consistent one-on-one process of walking with people into the life of holiness. Make no mistake, Matthew 28:18-20 is a messy endeavor.

Your hands will get dirty.

The Tokyo Health Spa, A Place to Grow, and The God Who Sees - Part 1

The irony was blatant.

A known hot spot for prostitution with rumored ties to human trafficking, the Tokyo Health Spa sat feet away from our church’s entrance. With these seedy sins on our doorstep, it felt as if the enemy was flaunting the Rebellion of Adam on a daily basis. And though our sign reads, “A Place to Grow”, our influence couldn’t grow a mere fifty feet beyond the property line.

The irony became infuriating.

As I daily drove past the spa, the angrier I became. The angrier I became, the more I’d plot…could we just purchase the building? After all, it was a dump and everything has a price. Was there someone in the city who could put pressure on the spa, perhaps making it uncomfortable for ownership?

The weeks turned into months, until finally He spoke.

The weeks turned into months, until finally I listened.

Pray unto me.

It seemed way too simple. Around the time this impression was received, I'd just finished reading The Good News About Injustice. A particular paragraph kept resurfacing:

In Rawanda, where I had to bear the burden of digging through the twisted, reeking remains of horrific mass graves, I tried to imagine, for just a minute, what it must have been like for God to be present at each of the massacre sites as thousands of Tutsi women and children were murdered. Frankly, the idea was impossible to bear. But the thought led me to imagine what it must be like for God to be present, this year, at the rape of all the world's child prostitutes, at the beating of all the worlds's prisoners of conscience, at the moment the last breath of hope expires from the breast of each of the millions of small children languishing in slavery. As I would approach my God in prayer, I could hear his gentle voice saying to me, "Son do you have any idea where your Father's been lately (95).

Pray unto me. Pray unto your holy, omniscient, omnipresent Father. I know all things and I've seen all things. I know the spa. Do you, you who daily struggle with temptation and sin; are you more incensed than I? Are you more invested than I? I see all that unfolds, I see the complexities, I care infinitely more about the families being wrecked, the bondage being proliferated, and the women being exploited.

While our righteous anger is grounded in our being made in God's image, it pales in comparison to His anger. While I, in my creatureliness, was fuming about injustice, unrighteousness, and ineptitude - He, as the Creator, was infinitely more invested and aware.

Pray unto me. Apart from me you can do nothing. Pray unto me. Allow me to lead whatever efforts might ensue. Pray unto me.

Feeling a little sheepish for running ahead, I began to pray. Several times a day for several weeks. As God would have it, within a few short months the spa was boarded up and the operators taken away. Still green in many ways, it was a humbling, joyous moment. And as tears swelled I found great comfort in knowing that God does see, that He can act, and that He is infinitely more invested, concerned, and attentive then any of His creations could ever be.

And while there are many more issues ahead, many more areas to underscore, many more parasites that may or may not be addressed in such spectacular fashion - I'm grateful for this one, humbling event.

I share the spa story for a couple reasons, one of which is that I plan to use it as a starting point for a series of posts. These posts will focus on the underlying theological issues concerning social engagement and Christian duty. For some, this may seem dry and dusty but I'd submit to you that it was an imbalanced perspective on the Book that allowed us to meet for worship and pass quietly by this predatory establishment.

We're learning together. And may we, together, continue to press in, open to change, open to His sustaining graces.

Grace and Peace.

breaking silence, life in the city, and blooming late

It’s been roughly two years since I’ve really tried to write. Oddly enough, in moving past the self-imposed silence I’m struggling with where to begin.

For starters, this month marks the one-year anniversary of our relocation into the city of Springfield.

Imagine New York City.

Take away 8 million people, the skyscrapers, the international appeal, and engaging nightlife and you’ve got Springfield. I’m fond of saying that we’ve got all the big city problems, with no big city fun. To be sure, ours is anything but a sexy city but it’s the city that God’s called us to.

Understand that prior to leaving seminary, some eight years ago, I began to sense God leading us toward urban ministry. Along the way there’ve been pit stops. Each of these seasons built upon the other, each instrumental in bringing both clarity and conviction, hurt and healing. Yet as God’s purposes continue to unfold, we are indeed discovering the nuances of our calling.

And in placing us, He’s also provided for us.

I remember driving the streets, praying for a home. And while housing in economically depressed areas is cheap, most need an inordinate amount of repair. This fact, coupled with the reality that home repairs tempt me to curse, meant we needed something relatively move-in-ready.

As God would see fit the one house we had our eye on was placed on the market shortly before our home in Alabama sold. Being close to church and nestled within the southern quadrant of the city, the location was perfect. Not only was the location fitting but the house, though built in 1926, was well cared for. We didn’t even paint a single wall. Our stuff was brought in, placed, and life continued rolling.

With one exception, the first night in our new home our TV was stolen.

When we realized the lift, we just looked at each other and by God’s grace began to laugh. It was an odd moment. Janna and I laughed for no other reason than we knew God was with us, that He’d been preparing us for the journey ahead, and that, no matter what, we are co-heirs in the grace of life, laboring side by side.

Moses was a late bloomer. For years he knew what God had called him to do yet he was 80 by the time he got about the business. The way I figure, we've got 43 years on Moses.

Grace and Peace.