“Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 15Yea, 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. 16For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.” (I Cor. 15:12-17)

     Consider how Paul’s reasoning here with the Corinthians is just as relevant in our day and time.  Like some of these among the Corinthians, many in our day likewise readily accept the fact that Christ truly arose from the grave while at the same time believing that many of those for whom Christ lived and died shall not be resurrected, but rather shall perish unless they presumably do something to seal the deal.  If even one for whom He died and rose again fails to be resurrected into heaven’s glory, then it would have to follow that Christ must not have truly risen from the grave for (or because of) their justification (Rom. 4:25).  I pray God will show men and women the illogical, God-dishonoring contradiction of believing that Christ arose while at the same time imagining that any could perish for whom He lived, died, and arose?   Sadly, any who cling to such notions might accurately have attributed unto them the same indisputable conclusions that Paul related to the Corinthians – that such a faith is indeed vain (empty, useless, worthless) since apart from the full and complete satisfaction He rendered to justice which merited and demanded His resurrection, all sinners would be left in their sins.