1 Corinthians 15:19 If in this life in Christ we are hoping only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
Faith in Christ in this life can make a difference in how we live. The life of a Christian should be qualitatively better than that of a non-believer. This does not mean in wealth or health but in peace and joy. But Paul wants to go deeper in this verse. Being a Christian also comes with many challenges. Believers must reject the world and say no to sin. This will require giving up many pleasures, at least from the world’s perspective. Many of these pleasures actually lead to pain later on. Also, being a believer may bring suffering and persecution. Why go through this suffering if this life is all we get? Should we not eat, drink, and be merry (Luke 12:19)? If we live only for this life, we would act a lot differently than we would if we believe there is life after death. Without resurrection, we have wasted our time in all we do as Christians. Paul is showing in a different way that belief in resurrection makes our faith in Christ in this life meaningful.
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