1. “THE LOGICAL IF”
1 Corinthians 15:12-19

2. BACKGROUND & INTRODUCTION
1 Corinthians deals a local church ladened with spiritual problems
Religious division (CH1 – CH4)
Immorality in the church (CH5)
Brothers going to law against one another (CH6)
Issues regarding marriage (CH7)
He wore no clothes, did not live in a house, but in the tombs (graveyard)

3. BACKGROUND & INTRODUCTION
1 Corinthians deals a local church ladened with spiritual problems
Eating of foods offered to idols (CH8 – CH10)
Abuses related to the Lord’s Supper (CH11)
Problems related to the distribution and use spiritual gifts (CH12 – CH14)
He wore no clothes, did not live in a house, but in the tombs (graveyard)

4. BACKGROUND & INTRODUCTION
In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul is compelled to deal with yet another problem
False teaching about the resurrection
Some among the Corinthians were teaching there is no resurrection of the dead
He wore no clothes, did not live in a house, but in the tombs (graveyard)

5. BACKGROUND & INTRODUCTION
In our lesson today, we are going to consider the approach Paul used to refute this false doctrine in the context of 1 Corinthians 15:12-19
I describe Paul’s approach to refuting this false doctrine “The Logical If”
Q: What exactly is meant by the phrase “The Logical If”
He wore no clothes, did not live in a house, but in the tombs (graveyard)

6. Q: WHAT IS “THE LOGICAL IF”?
In the context of 1 Corinthians 15:12-19, Paul uses a number of “If” and “Then” statements
“If” you take the position there is no resurrection of the dead,…
“Then” here are some logical and inescapable conclusions you must also come to based on your position

7. Q: WHAT IS “THE LOGICAL IF”?
In the context of 1 Corinthians 15:12-19, Paul uses a number of “If” and “Then” statements
Paul’s approach challenges these brethren to use a little common sense (logic)
He challenges them to consider the consequences for both themselves and others if there is no resurrection of the dead
None of those consequences are good

8. BRIEF SUMMARY OF CH15:1-11
V1: Paul begins this chapter by declaring the gospel to the Corinthians
The very same gospel he preached to them years earlier when he stayed in Corinth for 18 months (Acts 18:11)
The very same gospel they had previously believed (obeyed) and were now standing in

9. V2: The Corinthians were saved by the gospel, if they held fast to it
BRIEF SUMMARY OF CH15:1-11
V2: The Corinthians were saved by the gospel, if they held fast to it
A failure to hold fast would render their initial belief vain
V3 & V4: Paul provides a brief synopsis (summary) of the gospel he previously delivered to the Corinthians
Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose again the third day

10. BRIEF SUMMARY OF CH15:1-11
V5-V8: A chronological listing of witnesses who saw Jesus after He arose from the dead
Cephas
The Twelve (apostles)
Over 500 brethren at once
James
All the apostles

11. Last of all, by Paul (as by one born out of due time)
BRIEF SUMMARY OF CH15:1-11
V5-V8: A chronological listing of witnesses who saw Jesus after He arose from the dead
Last of all, by Paul (as by one born out of due time)
V9 & V10: Paul feels unworthy to be called an apostle because of his past
Yet he labors diligently to fulfill the stewardship given to him by grace

12. BRIEF SUMMARY OF CH15:1-11
V11: Finally, Paul declares the gospel He and others had preached was believed and obeyed by the Corinthians
A foundational principle of that gospel was that Jesus arose from the dead
In 1 Corinthians 15:12-19, Paul will now build upon the foundation he established in V1-V11 to refute the false doctrine that there is no resurrection of the dead

13. A QUESTION IS ASKED (V12)
Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

14. Recall what Paul said about these Corinthian brethren in V1-V11
A QUESTION IS ASKED (V12)
Note: Paul’s question indicates these false teachers were not actually denying the resurrection of Christ
What they were denying was the future resurrection for everyone else (John 5:28,29)
Recall what Paul said about these Corinthian brethren in V1-V11
They had accepted the gospel which declared that Christ rose from the dead on the third day

15. Wondering why they would even for a moment entertain such an idea
A QUESTION IS ASKED (V12)
It was not logical that some among the Corinthians were now saying there is no resurrection of the dead
Paul must have been both amazed and perplexed by the conduct of these brethren (Galatians 1:6,7 – “I marvel…”)
Wondering why they would even for a moment entertain such an idea
They needed help apart from the revealed word of God to arrive at such an illogical conclusion

16. LOGICAL IF STATEMENT #1 (V13)
If there is no resurrection of the dead…
Then Christ is not risen
Apparently, those who denied the resurrection of the dead had not logically considered what their reasoning meant in regards to the resurrection of Christ
Which recall, they had previously accepted

17. LOGICAL IF STATEMENT #1 (V13)
If there is no resurrection of the dead…
Then Christ is not risen
Paul on the other hand follows their reasoning to its only logical conclusion:
If in truth there is no resurrection of the dead, Christ did not rise again the third day as was preached in the gospel
Christ was still in the tomb (the grave)

18. LOGICAL IF STATEMENT #1 (V13)
If there is no resurrection of the dead…
Then Christ is not risen
The resurrection of Christ and the future resurrection of all mankind are not mutually exclusive events
The resurrection of all mankind is connected to and dependent upon the resurrection of Christ
If you reject one, you of necessity have to reject the other also

19. LOGICAL IF STATEMENT #2 (V14)
If Christ is not risen…
Then our preaching is empty
Empty preaching is preaching that has no real substance, purpose or value, the message is worthless (no foundation)
It wastes the time of the preacher
It wastes the time of the listeners
It accomplishes nothing
Without the resurrection of Christ, preaching has no foundation upon which to stand

20. LOGICAL IF STATEMENT #2 (V14)
If Christ is not risen…
Then our preaching is empty
The promises of God as proclaimed in the preaching of the gospel are empty (have no meaning)
Forgiveness of sins, eternal life
Entering the presence of God
Justice & punishment of the wicked, etc.

21. LOGICAL IF STATEMENT #2 (V14)
If Christ is not risen…
Then your faith is also empty
Preaching of the gospel is designed to instill faith and hope in the hearer
Faith based upon empty (vain) preaching is also empty (vain)
If Christ is still in the grave, our faith in Him has no value
There is no true basis for hope
If the preaching has no firm foundation upon which to stand, any faith produced by that preaching is without foundation as well

22. LOGICAL IF STATEMENT #3 (V15)
If Christ is not risen…
Then we are found false witnesses of (about) God
False witnesses because they were guilty of misrepresenting God
Affirming in their teaching God did something that in reality He did not do
Raise Christ from the dead

23. LOGICAL IF STATEMENT #3 (V15)
If Christ is not risen…
Then we are found false witnesses of (about) God
God does not look favorably upon false witnesses (Proverbs 6:16-19, 19:5,9)
A false witness is a liar destined for the lake which burns with fire and brimstone (Revelation 21:8)
This is what awaited Paul, if he was truly a false witness of (about) God

24. LOGICAL IF STATEMENT #4 (V16)
If the dead do not rise…
Then Christ is not risen
Here, Paul repeats a statement he made earlier in V13
However, he adds additional noteworthy thoughts as recorded in V17

25. LOGICAL IF STATEMENT #5 (V17)
If Christ is not risen…
Then your faith is futile
Futile faith has no positive outcome
Recall 1 Peter 1:9, “Receiving the end of your faith – the salvation of your souls”
Futile faith is worthless and therefore will not result in salvation
Faith in a dead Savior is a waste of time

26. LOGICAL IF STATEMENT #5 (V17)
If Christ is not risen…
Then you are still in your sins
It required both the death of Christ and His resurrection to cleanse us from sins
If we are still in our sins, we are still separated from God (Isaiah 59:1,2)
We are not children of God, but children of wrath (Ephesians 2:3)
We are not heirs of God and have no home in heaven (Romans 8:17)
Still in our sins = Spiritually Dead

27. LOGICAL IF STATEMENT #6 (V18)
If Christ is not risen…
Then all those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished
Those who have fallen asleep is a reference to those who had died
Perished: They are forever lost
Just like Christ, they will never arise from the grave which results in sorrow without hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13,14)

28. LOGICAL IF STATEMENT #7 (V19)
If in this life only we have hope in Christ…
Then we are of all men the most pitiable (miserable, KJV)
Pitiable: Deserving pity (sadness) or sympathy
Not only are we to be pitied, but pitied more than all other men (that would include those of the world). Q: Why?

29. LOGICAL IF STATEMENT #7 (V19)
If in this life only we have hope in Christ…
Then we are of all men the most pitiable (miserable, KJV)
Consider the negative consequences already discussed (V14,V15,V17,V18)
Our service and sacrifice to God are meaningless
We labor for an eternal reward in heaven when in reality there is none

30. LOGICAL IF STATEMENT #7 (V19)
If in this life only we have hope in Christ…
Then we are of all men the most pitiable (miserable, KJV)
We proclaim a message of hope to the world when there is no hope
Trials, persecutions and injustices endured for the cause of Christ will not be punished and the sufferer will not be rewarded (2 Thessalonians 1:3-10)

31. LOGICAL IF STATEMENT #7 (V19)
If in this life only we have hope in Christ…
Then we are of all men the most pitiable (miserable, KJV)
Basically, living as a Christian would amount to a pretty miserable existence
Notice what Paul said about his own situation in this regard in V30-V32
Eat and drink, for tomorrow we die

32. THE RESURRECTION IS REAL (V20)
But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep
Because Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, He is our surety (guarantee) that we too will some future day experience the resurrection
Our task is to prepare for that day so we are numbered with the righteous (John 5:28-29)

33. OTHER LOGICAL IF ARGUMENTS
If denominationalism is acceptable…
Then religious unity is not really important to God and Jesus (John 17:20,21; 1 Corinthians 1:10)
Then there are numerous ways to come to the Father
Men can dictate their own terms of salvation
Recall John 14:6

34. OTHER LOGICAL IF ARGUMENTS
If one is saved by faith alone…
Then he can remain saved by faith alone
He would never have to obey any other command of God (Hebrews 5:8,9; 2 Thessalonians 1:8)

35. OTHER LOGICAL IF ARGUMENTS
If once saved, always saved is true…
Then man need not concern himself with purging sin from his life and keeping himself unspotted from the world
Live as you please for there are no eternal consequences for your sinful conduct
Recall 1 Peter 1:15,16; 1 John 3:2,3; James 1:27; Romans 6:23

36. OTHER LOGICAL IF ARGUMENTS
If God predestined some to be saved and others to be lost…
Then God shows partiality (Acts 10:34)
Jesus did not die for all (2 Cor 5:14,15)
Men cannot choose to obey the gospel and serve God (Matthew 7:13,14)
Those who teach this doctrine and think they are saved, may in reality be predestined to be lost

37. OTHER LOGICAL IF ARGUMENTS
If all men inherit the sins of Adam and are born in sin…
Then Jesus would have been born a sinner (1 Peter 2:22)
If Jesus was a sinner…
Then the blood of Jesus could not take away our sins
Then we would still be lost in sin and without hope

38. There is no resurrection of the dead
IN CONCLUSION
Today we studied Paul’s approach in refuting false doctrine at Corinth, that…
There is no resurrection of the dead
Paul refuted this error with multiple “If”/“Then” arguments, appealing to logic
Clearly demonstrating if this doctrine was true, it would lead to conclusions contrary to the revealed word of God

39. On the contrary, it is the doctrines of men that cannot be trusted
IN CONCLUSION
We briefly applied Paul’s “If”/“Then” logic to some popular doctrines espoused by men in the religious world today
We saw how these doctrines, if true, would then lead to the conclusion God is a liar and His word cannot be trusted
On the contrary, it is the doctrines of men that cannot be trusted
Romans 3:4, “Let God be true but every man a liar”

40. LET US GUARD AGAINST THE EVER PRESENT THREAT OF FALSE DOCTRINE