February 27, radical effects of the resurrection. If in Christ we have hope in this life only,

we are of all people most to be pitied for Corinthians 1519. Paul concludes from his hourly danger

and his daily dying, and his fighting with wild beasts, that the life he has chosen in

following Jesus is foolish and pitiable, if he will not be raised from the dead.

If death were the end of the matter he says, let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die

for Corinthians 1532. This doesn't mean let's all become gluttons and droggards if there's no

resurrection, droggards are pitiable too, with or without the resurrection. He means, if there is

no resurrection, what makes sense is middle-class moderation to maximize earthly pleasures,

but that is not what Paul chooses. He chooses suffering because he chooses obedience,

and Anaya came to Paul after his encounter with Christ on the Damascus Road with the words from

the Lord Jesus, I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name, Acts 916,

all accepted this suffering as part of his calling. How could Paul do it? What was the source

of this radical and painful obedience? The answer is given in 1 Corinthians 1520,

but in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep,

in other words, Christ was raised, and I will be raised with him, therefore nothing suffered for

Jesus is in vain for Corinthians 1558. The hope of the resurrection radically changed the way Paul

lived. It freed him from materialism and consumerism. It gave him the power to go without comforts

and pleasures that many people feel they must have in this life. For example, though he had the right

to marry for Corinthians 9.5, he renounced that pleasure because he was called to bear so much

suffering. This is the way Jesus said the hope of the resurrection is supposed to change our

behavior. For example, he told us to invite to our homes people who cannot pay us back in this life.

How are we to be motivated to do this? You will be repaid at the resurrection of the

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