Pitiable

“If we have placed our hope in Christ for this life only, we should be pitied more than anyone.” (1 Corinthians 15:19 CSB)

Why? Why is it pitiable if our hope in Christ is focused only on this earthly life? Why is it pitiable for Christians to not believe in the resurrection of the dead?

Simply put, it is because, like all other religions, we would be engaging in a religious or spiritual “spinning our wheels,” or “going in circles,” so to speak. Everything would be pointless, and Christianity would then be no different from other religions. Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, animism, shamanism, and Christianity would all be served up on the religious buffet, and you could just take your pick. One would be good as another. We would be no different than a market barker hawking his wares in the midst of a cacophony of other market barkers. The bottom line is that there would be no such thing as hope. A stated message of hope would, in fact, in that case be devoid of any real hope. Worse, it would be a flat out lie.

Jesus, His resurrection, and the resurrection of the dead is the foundation of the hope we proclaim. Without it, we have nothing to say.

We thank You, Father, for the power of the resurrection and the hope it gives us. Amen.