Come Back to Your Senses

I read these words from First Corinthians 15 and I like Paul’s statement “Come back to your senses!” It’s reminiscent of my mom saying “Smarten up, you know better!”. and that seems to be basically what Paul is saying. Let’s go on and see eh?

I Corinthians 15:29-34

29 Now 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? 30 And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? 31 I face death every day—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If 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.”

33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Come 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.

Come Back to your senses

So Paul has been putting together an argument about the validity of Christ’s resurrection. I’ll let you read the preceding passage for yourself.

In todays’ verses Paul asks why would someone risk their life for something that isn’t true? That doesn’t even make sense to do! And 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?

A person does not put themselves in hard places for something that you know not to be true! If all of Paul’s other arguments didn’t make sense that one should eh?

For tomorrow we die?

He continues with

If the dead are not raised,

“Let us eat and drink,
for tomorrow we die.”

If none of what Paul talks about, if Christ didn’t rise from the dead, then nothing matters. And if it doesn’t matters…. we might as well do whatever we want. Eat, drink, follow our own base instincts and do whatever cause death will come. And then it’s just the end (at least that’s the implication eh?)

Paul is clear here… don’t mess around. You want to be a person of good character… believe truth! You want to be a good character don’t hang around with people that lack in character. And well.. honestly.. just come to your senses and STOP SINNING. Stop being ignorant of who God is. Consider him! Stop placing yourself in a position of shame.

I read all this and it causes me to stop and think eh? Do I remember that yes, Christ died. But more importantly that he rose from the dead? Have I truly considered the implications of that? Sometimes I think I just take it for granted, but here’s Paul talking about why it’s the reason that he willing risks his life.

Am I willing to risk my life? It sounds horrible… but honestly I don’t want to die. And yet, I know I love God and because of him I’m getting bolder at showing my faith at work. Yet within Christian circles I have no issues living out my faith, but sometimes, in the greater world, I find myself faltering. I need to be much bolder! I need to keep Christ’s death and resurrection central to my thinking. That would help don’t you think?