Monday, January 7, 2008

If Christ is Not Risen, We Have No Hope!


Since Jesus first delivered the Gospel to us and died for us on the cross, the devil has been doing everything he can to undermine the hope we can have in the resurrection of the righteous. Sometimes the devil is blatant in his undermining, and other times he is very subtle, not directly attacking the resurrection, but simply diverting our first hope to something else.


"Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not." (1 Corinthians 15:12-15)

There is a resurrection, and reward for the righteous in the resurrection. This is where our treasure must be, or else the devil will be able to deceive us by seeking a reward in this life. This is why Jesus warned us concerning our first hope:


"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matthew 6:19-21)

Many people would say "my hope is in the resurrection" but often don't even realize that most all their attention and efforts are being spent on the rewards they can obtain in this life. Consequently, in a very gradual and subtle way the devil redirects most of their attention to things and issues of this life. Eventually they are doing things they know that God and his Word does not approve. Often they end up finding their place in a so-called "Christian Church" where everyone else is essentially doing the same thing. Surely so many nice people could not be wrong also. Or could they?


"The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6:22-24)

Where is your spiritual eye? Is it "single" on the will of the Lord, and the hope of your reward in the resurrection? Jesus only spoke of two conditions that exist: your eye (or the desires of your heart) being single on Him, or your eye being "evil." There is no good hope in the resurrection of the evil!

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