The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-04-10
TEACHERS HELP.

Paul, in his apostolic letter to the
Corinthian Christians comes. near the
close. to speak of the resurrection. Moth
ing in the previous part of his epistle
logically suggests this subject; but he
takes it up in manifest answer to the
needs of the believers in Corinth.
The atmosphere of the luxurious city
of Corinth was, from obvious causes, in
tensely materialistic. The people idol
lied their senses; they became dupes of
their senses. Among the Jews living in
the city there was class OF Sadducees
who held that there is for no one resur-
rection to Immortality. A class of Gre
elan Epicureans taught that all the pres
emit sensual and sensuous enjoyment
possible should be secured, because, as
they affirmed, there is no conscious life
beyond death. A class of Stoics taught
that men should be Indifferent to both
pain and pleasure, because. according to
their view, death would soon overtake
all and be final cessation of both pain
pleasure. The disciples of Plato be-
lieved in the spiritual life; but they had
no clearly defined conception of what
the spiritual life could be; some appear
to have believed that it existed only in
a disembodied tenuous state; others
appear to have believed that each soul
would hereafter find succession of
earthly embodiments in animal or hu
man form. There was. in short, in all
the city. excepting among the few Chris
tians. no confident, consoling, triumph
ant immortal hope. And materialism,
with it's blight of spiritual hope. was
now invading the Christian Church.
1. IfChrist be not Risen,-vs.
12-19.
Our lesson passage is continuance of
the argument for the resurrection. with
which Paul sought to counteract the
prevailing tendency to materialism.
He began by affirming that he had
from the first preached the Gospel.
which was based on the fact that Christ
was raised, and appeared to all the dis
ciples and to above five hundred breth-
rem at once. and last of all to him. Paul.
This the Corinthians had believed; by
the moral power Of this Gospel they had
been lifted out of their sinful state.
Noao, he says, If Christ is preached that
he rose from the dead, hoa0 sag some
among you that there is no resurrec.
ton of the dedds Why do they. while
protesting to believe in Risen Saw
Jour, illogically declare disbelief in any
resurrection whatever?
This is Paul's declarations: If there is
nd resurrection of the deaa, neither
hath Christ been raised. Yet. as he pro.
ceede to show. the negative consequences
are not all comprehended in this state.
ment.
If Christ hath not been raised, he says.
then is our preaching Uain,-that is,
void of truth. In that case. he further
says, he and the other apostles are false
witnesses concerning divine things. They
had testified, professedly from personal
knowledge, that God raised up Christ.
They were, therefore, il Christ was not
raised, such falee witnesses as, under the
old law, deserved stoning to death. They
had, in that case, borne false witness
not only against their neighbor or fellow
man, Jesus. but against God; because
Paul says, zoe witnessed of God that he
raised up Christ. t0hOm he raised not
up, If so be that the dead are not raised.
Not only, if Christ is not raised, are
the apostles wilful deceivers; all those
who have believed the Gospel have been
pitiably deceived. If Christ hath not
been raised your faith is cain, ye are
net in your sins. 1t had been the con-
viction Of the Christians in Corinth that,
by the moral power Of their Christian
faith, they had been saved from their. sins;
that they had by the Gospel been lifted
out of the distinctive sinful state. But
in this. Paul says, if Christ is not raised.
they are self-deceived. They are yet in
essential error; their endeaver to gain
the approval of the Risen Jesus is