Is There Life After Death?

INTRODUCTION: Job 14:14 asks: "If a man die, shall he live again?" This question
has challenge d people throughout history. All kinds of answers have been propo
sed. Some simply deny life after death. First-century Sadducees claimed man is w
holly material, having no spirit, so at death he simply ceases to exist. Modern
materialists and Humanists likewise say we evolved by natural forces from animal
s, so like the animals, we simply cease to exist at death. Others believe in rei
ncarnation. Hinduism, other Oriental religions, and the New Age Movement, teach
that, after death, we simply are reborn in a different form (higher or lower, de
pending on h ow we lived). Still others say only the righteous will exist after
death. They claim the wicked simply perish, but the righteous will be raised to
an eter nal reward. The purpose of this study is to consider what the Bible says
about life after de ath. We will study mainly 1 Corinthians 15, tying in other
passages. This passage add resses people who, like the Sadducees, denied that pe
ople will be raised from th e dead. Paul refutes that belief by discussing its c
onsequences. Notice:
I. Jesus' Resurrection Assures Us There is Life after Death. A. Jesus' Resurrect
ion Proves Life after Death Is Possible. 1 Corinthians 15:12,13 - If there is no
such thing as life after death, then Jes us could not have been raised. If Huma
nists and materialists (like the Sadducees) are correct, then man has no spirit
to exist after death. This would mean resurrection is impossible. It follows tha
t Jesus could not have been raised. But if Jesus has been raised - if life after
death occurred in His case - then those who deny the possibility of life after
death must be wrong.

Jesus' resurrection and our resurrection go hand-in-hand. This is why ancient Sa

dducees and modern materialists get so upset when Jesus' resurrection is preach
e d. But was Jesus raised? This is a simple matter of history. It is not a matte
r of personal opinion or ph ilosophy. Either it is a historical fact that Hewas
raised or He was not. There can be no middle ground. Which view is correct? How
is the validity of a historical fact confirmed? By the testimony of witnesse s (
John 8:17; Matt. 18:16). Paul had just provided a whole list of eyewitnesses who
had seen Jesus alive aft er He died (v1-8). Most witnesses were still alive and
could be questioned. Hence, Jesus' resurrection is a confirmed fact of history.
To deny the possibili ty of life after death is now foolish. Not only CAN it oc
cur, it HAS occurred! T o deny it is to simply deny historical fact. B. Jesus' R
esurrection Proves All People Will Be Raised 1 Corinthians 15:20-23. 1. Jesus is
the "first-fruits" from the dead. The first fruit to ripen in an orchard, garde
n, etc. gives assurance that more w ill come. So Jesus' resurrection is not a on
e-time unrepeatable event. He assure s us we will all be raised at His second co
ming. 1 Corinthians 6:14 - God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up
by Hi s power. 2 Corinthians 4:14 - He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also r
aise us up with Jesus. The fact Jesus was raised proves He is an authorized spok
esman for God. Jesus' resurrection not only proves resurrection is POSSIBLE. It
also proves God spoke through Him. Romans 1:4 - He was declared to be the Son of
God with power, by the resurrectio n from the dead. The purpose of miracles was
to confirm the message of God's spo kesmen. [Mark 16:20; John 5:36; 20:30,31; A
cts 2:22; 14:3; 2 Corinthians 12:11,1 2; Hebrews 2:3,4] Jesus claimed He spoke f
rom God and prophesied He would be raised from the dead. When this came true, it
proved He did speak from God, as He had claimed. Now wh en He says WE TOO will
be raised, we must believe this is God's word. Jesus' resurrection is one of the
best-attested events of ancient history. It is one of the surest proofs that th
e gospel message is true. One thing it proves i

s that WE too will be raised from the dead.

II. The Truthfulness of the Bible Assures Us There Is Life after Death.
1 Corinthians 15:13-15 - If there is no resurrection, the Bible writers are not
trustworthy. A. The Bible Testifies that Jesus Was Raised and We Will Be Raised.
The Bible contains many testimonies that Jesus was raised, including here in 1
C orinthians 15. Consider some that testify that WE will be raised. John 6:40,44
,45 - Jesus will raise up at the last day those who hear His gospel and believe
in Him. Acts 24:15 - Paul preached that there will be a resurrection of the dead
, both o f the just and the unjust. Luke 20:27-39 - Sadducees denied resurrectio
n because, like modern materialists, they denied the existence of spirits (Acts
23:8). Jesus responded by quoted God 's statement, "I AM the God of Abraham, Isa
ac, and Jacob." God said this after t hese men had died. This proves that "all l
ive to God" - even dead people. Though men may die physically, to God they still
live. As with the rich man and Lazaru s (Luke 16:19-31), their spirits continue
in a conscious state. This disproves the basis on which Sadducees and materiali
sts deny resurrection that man has no spirit that exists after death.This dispro
ves the grounds for o bjecting to resurrection and shows that resurrection is re
asonable. Since Jesus is a prophet (see above), and since He affirmed resurrecti
on, it mus t be true. B. Consider the Consequences of Denying The Bible Teaching
of the Resurrection. In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul affirmed the following consequenc
es of denyingJesus'res urrection, but the same applies if we denyman'sresurrecti
on: "Our preaching is vain we are found false witnesses" (v14,15). The Bible wri
ters taught that Jesus was raised and so will we be. If we deny thi s, how can w
e believe anything the Bible says? We could never use it to prove an ything, bec
ause we could never know when it was right or wrong. Some want to claim to belie
ve the Bible while denying resurrection. How then do you know what parts are rig
ht and what are wrong? Why bother to believe any of i t?

"Your faith is vain" (v14,17). Faith comes by hearing God's word (Rom. 10:17). W
e believe Jesus is God's Son be cause of the eyewitness testimony in the Scriptu
res, including the testimony abo ut His resurrection (John 20:30,31). But if we
admit there is error in the evidence on which our faith is based, how can we kno
w our faith is valid? Denying the resurrection removes all assurance f or our fa
ith. "You are still in your sins" (v17). The gospel is the power of God to save
sinners (Rom. 1:16; Mark 16:15,16). Only Christ can save man from sin (Acts 4:12
; John 14:6). But to deny the resurrection is to deny the basis for our faith in
the gospel (s ee above). This removes all assurance of our salvation. If we are
saved only by the gospel of Christ, but if we deny the basis for believing in t
he gospel, how can we know we are saved? Furthermore, Jesus' resurrection is ess
ential to our salvation (Rom. 4:25; 5:10; 6:3-5ff; 1 Peter 3:21). If He was not
raised, then we could not possibly be sav ed. There are many reasons to believe
the Bible is from God, including fulfilled pro phecy and the miracles done by Go
d through Biblewriters. If we accept this evide nce, then we must accept what th
e Bible says about the resurrection. But if we d eny the resurrection, then we a
re denying the accuracy of the Bible, which leave s us with no hope of salvation
.
III. God's Grace and Justice Require Life After Death. A. God's Grace and Justic
e Demand that He Reward or Punish Men for Their Lives. Hebrews 9:27 - It is appo
inted for men to die once, but after this the judgment. The primary rewards or p
unishments for our lives do not come during this life b ut afterward. 2 Corinthi
ans 5:10 - We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one
may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done , whether
good or bad. Matthew 25:31-46 - Everyone will be gathered before Jesus and rece
ive eternal li fe or eternal punishment. Because God is a gracious, He offers et
ernal life to those who obediently receiv e Jesus' salvation. But because He is
just, He must punish those who do not repe nt and live for Him. B. But Resurrect
ion Is Necessary for Men

to Be Rewarded after Death. If the righteous dead are not raised, they will not
be rewarded. 1 Corinthians 15 V18,19 - Without resurrection, the dead in Christ
have perished. If we hope for reward only in this life, we are of all men mostpi
tiable. v32 - Why suffer and sacrifice for Jesus if there is no reward after dea
th? Why face persecution? We may as well eat, drink, andenjoy life because only
death ul timately faces us. This is exactly what Humanists believe. The Christia
n life is the best life, but it requires much sacrifice and oppositi on. If ther
e is no reward after death, what is there to motivate people to make the sacrifi
ces God requires? V58 - The fact we will be raised is what assures us our labor
for the Lord is no t vain. If there is no resurrection, why steadfastly abound i
n the Lord's work? If there is a resurrection, then even death cannot prevent ou
r reward. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 - Some were concerned that the dead in Christ
might lose their reward. But as surely as Jesus arose, he will come again and br
ing the de ad with Him (v14). He will raise the dead so they, along with those s
till living , can forever bewith the Lord (v16,17). [Cf. Luke 14:14] If there is
no reward after death, then there is no real grace. Many good people suffer in
this life just as much or more than evil people. Grace demands a resu rrection s
o the righteous may be rewarded. Likewise, there must be a resurrection so the w
icked can be punished. Many wicked people prosper in this life far above righteo
us people. Many crimina ls and sinners are neither caught nor punished. If there
is no resurrection and punishment after death, there is no real justice. John 5
:28-29 - But the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will he ar Hi
s voice and come forth; those who have donegood, to the resurrection of lif e, a
nd those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. Acts 24:15 - P
aul preached that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both o f the just an
d the unjust. [Cf. 17:30,31] If there is no resurrection, then God is neither gr
acious nor just. His word sta tes that the inequities of this life will be corre
cted AFTER this life. If you b elieve God is just and righteous, you must believ
e in life after death. To deny this is to deny the very character of God.
IV. God's Victory over Satan Requires Life After Death.

A. Death is a Consequence of Satan's Victory. Genesis 3:16,19 - Satan tempted Ad

am and Eve to sin. Death was a punishment for sin, and that death passes to all
people. All are subject to death. Death exists because Satan was successful in g
etting men to sin. So long as death has no rem edy, man continues to be burdened
by Satan's victory. Hebrews 2:14,15 - Jesus came to bring to nothing the one wh
o has power over deat h (the devil), so He could deliver man from bondage and th
e fear of death. B. Resurrection Defeats Satan and Gives Jesus the Victory. Jesu
s' miracles often showed His superior power over Satan. Casting out demons showe
d Jesus' power over demons (Luke 11;14-22). Disease, like death, is a result of
sin being in the world; hence it is a conseq uence of Satan's victory. When Jesu
s freed people from disease, He was also show ing His superior power over Satan
(Luke 13:10-16). Specifically, when Jesus raised people from the dead, He showed
His superior pow er over Satan (John 11:23-44; 12:1,9-22; Matt. 9:18-26; 10:8;
11:5; 27:52; Luke 7:11-17; John 5:21). But Satan used wicked men to kill Jesus.
Had Jesus remained dead, the ultimate victory would have belonged to Satan. When
Jesus arose, He proved that His power is greater (cf. Rom. 8:34). The final vic
tory over Satan will come when all men are raised. 1 Corinthians 15:24-26 - Jesu
s will reign till He defeats the last enemy, which is death. Death entered becau
se Satan seduced Adam to sin (v21,22). Christ's ult imate victory will occur whe
n He defeats this last remaining enemy. V53,54 - At the resurrection, the spirit
reunites with the body, then we are cha nged so we can inherit the kingdom of h
eaven. Sodeath is swallowed up in victory . If there is no resurrection, Satan i
s the ultimate victor and God has been defea ted. The ultimate victory of God re
quires a resurrection. Conclusion How much do we think about the fact that somed
ay wereally will die,someday werea lly will be raisedand stand before Jesus inju
dgmentand enter oureternal rewards. How seriously do we take this? If ly a be Je
sus really arose from the dead, if the Bible is really true, if God is real just
and merciful, and if God will ultimatelydefeat Satan, then there will be resurr
ection. If we really believe this, would we live as we do, or would we more dili
gent servants of God?

Are you ready for death, resurrection, and the judgment? (c)Copyright 1998, Davi
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