Resurrection: Why Do Religion Without It?

“But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.” (1 Corinthians 15:12-13)

It’s easier for me to understand atheists than to get people who want to practice at religion without believing in anything supernatural. Atheists, naturalists, just refuse to buy anything that can’t be seen, touched, smelled, or satisfyingly deduced. At least, that’s their claim. And I can respect the intent if not the conclusion.

clouds350Followers of Jesus, on the other hand, believe in what can’t be seen. Based on the testimony of transformed lives, the reasonableness of biblical truth, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, we put all of our confidence in what is hoped for, what is promised in God’s Word. That’s faith, according to Hebrews 11:1.

But “religious unbelievers” want to go to church and try to be good and talk to a God that is not so embarrassing as to claim to have done anything that can’t be explained in human experience. Why not just sleep in on Sunday?

Apparently, some of these folks were trying to tell the believers in Corinth not to expect to be resurrected after they died. Paul worked the logic of their unbelief, concluding that if nobody is resurrected, then neither was Jesus. And then what is the point of this faith, again?

Think: Do you see any value to a religion that denies the existence of the supernatural, specifically the physical, bodily resurrection of Jesus? Do you think Christ-less religions are better than no religion at all? Why or why not?

Pray: Continue to thank and praise God that Jesus lives.

Do: Think about inviting an unbelieving friend to go with you to your church service on Sunday.