I Am Not Miserable

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. (1 Corinthians 15:19 KJV)

We die. Jesus did, too, in a most horrible way. That should have been the end of the story. Even if He had a great philosophy, His death should have brought nothing more than philosophical studies. Many men have left great ideas behind them when they died, discussed centuries later, but His changed the course of the world based on one difference between His death and any other.

It was the one thing that convinced Saul on the road to Damascus:

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8 KJV)

Others have claimed that they would rise again, but only one has achieved that, or not as some claim:

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. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:13-17 KJV)

Christianity hinges on this one event – not Jesus’ death, but His resurrection. If that remains unbelievable, so does all the rest.

You know, the part about:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 KJV)

If you can’t believe that, why believe anything Jesus is supposed to have said? Why believe we should judge only with the same judgment used on us? Matthew 7:1-2 – yes, I know most people ignore that second verse, depending on the first to keep themselves safe. That’s the problem with Christianity – it comes with strings. There are those pesky following verses that people overlook when one verse appears to clear them from culpability. Paul knew that:

For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. (Acts 20:27 KJV)

We take it in bits and pieces, though it takes a long time to hear all the counsel of God, beginning with:

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 KJV)

It is more than the history of Adam’s descendants or Abraham’s or Jacob’s or even Mary and Joseph’s. Within the Bible are answers:

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2 Timothy 3:16 KJV)

Available to all who wish to spend profitable time. Correct me when you find me in biblical error, please.