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Followers of Christ have always

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faced pressure from those who disapprove

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of aspects of the gospel message.

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This is today in the word, the daily devotional from

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Moody Bible Institute. And I'm John Gager.

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In Corinth, this disapproval

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was aimed at the gospel's emphasis on

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bodily resurrection, which seemed

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incompatible with a dualistic philosophy

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that saw the material world as being

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incompatible with the spiritual. Such

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scorn caused some Corinthians to

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suppress the unpopular aspects

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of the gospel that they had received from

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Paul. One result was their

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assertion that there was no bodily

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resurrection. Wow. Paul's

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method of dealing with this error was to start

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with their premise, and explain what it

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would mean if that were actually true.

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He does this with a series of if then

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assertions, which show that once the

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foundation of the bodily resurrection of

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Christ is removed, the hope of

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the gospel collapses entirely.

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Without the resurrection, faith

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in Christ is useless. Apostolic

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authority for the gospel is eliminated. If

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Christ did not rise, Paul says,

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you are still in your sins,

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and those who have died or fallen

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asleep in Christ are lost.

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Today in the word, Paul summarizes the

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net effect of canceling the resurrection

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with this blunt conclusion in First Corinthians

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15 verse 19, which says, if

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only for this life we have hope in Christ

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we are of all people most

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to be pitied. Well, the good

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news is that Jesus has indeed

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been raised from the dead, and you and

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I are now waiting for the full effect of

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that victory that Christ has already

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achieved to become a reality.

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I'd like to read today's devotional again.

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You'll find us online at today

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in The Word again.

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That's today in the word all.

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Have a great day.