How does 1 Corinthians 15:18 connect with John 11:25 about eternal life? Reading the Key Texts 1 Corinthians 15:18: “Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.” John 11:25: “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me will live, even though he dies.’” Paul’s Stark Warning in 1 Corinthians 15:18 • The verse sits in Paul’s argument for the literal, bodily resurrection of Jesus. • He reasons: if Christ were not raised, believers who have died would be lost forever—“perished.” • By stating the grim alternative, Paul magnifies the certainty of resurrection: Christ is risen (v. 20), therefore those “fallen asleep in Christ” have not perished. • The verse underscores how essential resurrection is to eternal life; remove it, and hope collapses. Jesus’ Life-Giving Declaration in John 11:25 • Standing at Lazarus’s tomb, Jesus affirms Himself as “the resurrection and the life.” • Eternal life is not merely a future event but a present possession for every believer (“will live, even though he dies”). • Christ’s own person guarantees resurrection; union with Him secures everlasting life. • His words anticipate His own victory over death and validate Paul’s teaching. Connecting the Two Passages • Same core truth: resurrection is indispensable to eternal life. – 1 Corinthians 15:18 shows what happens if resurrection is removed—total loss. – John 11:25 declares that resurrection is anchored in Jesus Himself—total assurance. • Sequence of hope: 1. Jesus rises (historical fact, 1 Corinthians 15:4). 2. Because He lives, believers live now and forever (John 11:25). 3. Therefore, those who have “fallen asleep in Christ” are secure, not perished (1 Corinthians 15:18, 20–22). • Paul’s hypothetical gloom (v. 18) is canceled by the Lord’s triumphant promise (John 11:25). Supporting Scriptures • 1 Corinthians 15:20–22—Christ the “firstfruits”; all in Christ “will be made alive.” • 1 Thessalonians 4:14—“God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.” • John 5:24—whoever hears and believes “has eternal life” and “has crossed over from death to life.” • Romans 6:23—the gift of God is “eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” • 2 Corinthians 5:8—absent from the body, present with the Lord, confirming believers do not perish at death. Living in Resurrection Confidence • Assurance: every believer possesses unbreakable life because Christ lives. • Comfort: departed saints are alive with Him, awaiting bodily resurrection. • Motivation: steadfast, immovable service (1 Corinthians 15:58) springs from certainty that labor “in the Lord” is never in vain. |
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