What does "let us eat and drink" reveal about worldly perspectives? Setting the Verse in Context 1 Corinthians 15 is Paul’s extended defense of the bodily resurrection. Verse 32 cites a common slogan: “If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.’” Paul quotes it to show the emptiness of life without resurrection hope. The Phrase “Let Us Eat and Drink” — Snapshot of Worldly Thinking • Pursuit of pleasure as life’s highest goal. • Neglect of eternity—death ends everything, so indulge now. • Dismissal of accountability to God. Isaiah 22:13—Israel used the same line during crisis: “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”. The Lord called it sin, not wisdom. Key Marks of the Worldly Perspective in 1 Corinthians 15:32 1. Short-Term Vision – Tomorrow we die, so today’s appetite rules. – Luke 12:19: the rich fool says, “Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry.” God calls him a fool that very night. 2. Flesh-Centered Values – Philippians 3:19: “Their god is their belly.” 3. Denial of Resurrection Reality – 2 Peter 3:3-4: scoffers say, “Where is the promise of His coming?” – Without resurrection, suffering for Christ (fighting “wild beasts”) makes no sense. Contrasts in Scripture • Hebrews 11:24-26—Moses rejected Egypt’s pleasures, “for he was looking ahead to his reward.” • Romans 14:17—Kingdom of God is “not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” • Romans 8:13—“If you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” Consequences of Adopting the World’s Outlook • Moral collapse—“Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33). • Empty achievements—Ecclesiastes 8:15 finds pleasure fleeting without eternal perspective. • Eternal loss—“It is appointed for men to die once, and after that comes judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27) Living the Resurrection Reality • Anchor hope in Christ’s risen body (1 Corinthians 15:20). • Invest in eternal rewards—“Your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58) • Cultivate self-control—Titus 2:11-13: grace trains us to deny ungodliness “while we wait for the blessed hope.” • Redirect appetites—1 Peter 2:2: “Like newborn infants, crave pure spiritual milk.” • Witness boldly—Acts 17:31: God “has given assurance to all by raising Him from the dead.” The world says, “Eat and drink.” Scripture says, “Christ is risen—there is far more to live for.” |
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