(Please read the above passage before the homily.)
Last Sunday, I spoke about not having to be afraid of death or of damnation after our own deaths. Today I am speaking again about the forgiveness of sin through the death and resurrection of Christ.
If there is no resurrection from the dead, then there are five consequences: (1) Christ did not rise from the dead; (2) Paul’s preaching on the resurrection is in vain; (3) The faith of the Corinthians is meaningless and they are still in their sins; (4) Those who have died have perished; and (5) God is a liar.
We need to remember two things: that Christ died for our sins; and that he rose from the dead on the third day, according to the Scriptures, in order to take away our sins. We need to believe in the resurrection of Christ more than in the death of Christ.; we need to believe that Christ died in order to destroy our sins.
St Paul stresses and emphasizes the resurrection of Christ. If Christ is not raised, our sins are not forgiven, we are still in our sins, and we are the most miserable sinners of all. Christ, however, is risen from the dead and we are free from sin and protected from all distress. If Christ is risen from the dead, then God is truly truthful. If Christ is raised from the dead, our ancestors are alive with Christ in the glory of the resurrection.
If Christ is risen, then our sins are forgiven and we are not miserable sinners, but we are truly the people of God, created by God and redeemed by the resurrection of Christ, and made holy by the Holy Spirit.
Because God created us, we have the dignity of being human and by the resurrection of Christ, we have the greater dignity of being children of God. We do not have to look down on ourselves; we have God’s grace. We are children of the Father, princes and princesses in the kingdom of Christ, and saints of God. All this is through the resurrection of Jesus. Now, we need not fear death or damnation because we are beloved children of God. All this is through the resurrection of Christ.