Made Alive Through Christ

Made Alive Through Christ

For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.

1 Corinthians 15:22

Paul is speaking here only about Christians. He wants to teach and comfort them about being made alive in Christ. Although non-Christians also will rise from the dead, their resurrection will not be a comfort or a joy to them, because they will be raised to judgment, not to life. This is not a comforting or happy message to the world. Godless people don’t want to hear about this. This is the way I felt when I wanted to be a holy monk and tried to be pious. I would rather have heard about all the devils in hell than about judgment day. The hair on my head stood on end when I thought about it. The whole world hates to think about leaving this life. They don’t want to die, and they are terrified when we speak of death and the afterlife. Aside from that, all of us are stuck in the muck of our own holiness and think that by our lives and works we can pacify God’s judgment and earn a place in heaven. All we accomplish by this is that we become even worse and grow more hostile toward judgment day.

I won’t say anything about the large group of people who look for all their pleasure and comfort here in this life, despise God’s Word, and won’t give a penny for God and his kingdom. It’s no surprise if such people are aggravated by hearing about the resurrection. But to us, this message is pure comfort and joy, because we hear that our greatest treasure is already in heaven. Only a small part remains on earth, which Christ will resurrect and draw to himself as easily as a person awakening from sleep.