Lesson 7

When facing the chief priest and all the council Paul used the long standing dispute over resurrections to his advantage. Being a Pharisee, Paul knew he would be resurrected from the dead, so he loudly proclaimed his faith in a future resurrection.  

Acts 23:6-7 New American Standard Bible
6 But Paul, perceiving that one group were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, began crying out in the Council, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees; I am on trial for the hope and resurrection of the dead!” 7 When he said this, a dissension occurred between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.

The followers of Jesus have a long history of not believing in a resurrection. Here Paul addressed their disbelief head on.

1 Corinthians 15:12-16…17-19 International Standard Version
12 Now if we preach that the Messiah has been raised from the dead, how can some of you keep claiming there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then the Messiah has not been raised, 14 and if the Messiah has not been raised, then our message means nothing and your faith means nothing. 15 In addition, we are found to be false witnesses about God because we testified on God’s behalf that he raised the Messiah—whom he did not raise if in fact it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then the Messiah has not been raised,

The fact Jesus was resurrected from the dead proves God can raise the dead to life. Paul goes on to explain that if Jesus hadn’t been resurrected, the proof of his messiahship would be void, leaving us and all who believed in him still in their sins. Paul has faith in a future resurrection. We not only have confidence in Jesus for this life, but for our new life to come as well.

17 and if the Messiah has not been raised, your faith is worthless and you are still imprisoned by your sins. 18 Yes, even those who have died believing in the Messiah are lost. 19 If we have set our hopes on the Messiah in this life only, we deserve more pity than any other people.

What insights, or questions do you have about the resurrection of the saints? Does this resurrection give you hope for the future?