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1 Corinthians 15:29-34

29Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? 30Why are we in danger every hour? 31I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! 32What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” 33Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” 34Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

I. OPENING THOUGHT: What we do with our lives in the present demonstrates what we believe is real about the future.

II. THE INCONSISTENCY OF PRACTICE AND BELIEF (29)
A. Proxy baptism as a practice by the Corinthians is neither condemned or commended.
B. The synergy that exists between baptism and future resurrection means to practice baptism of the body and deny the bodily resurrection was absurd. (Romans 6:3-11)

III. THE INCONSISTENCY OF BELIEF AND PRACTICE (33-34)
A. To claim to believe in the resurrection and then live flippantly immoral was illogical.

IV. THE CONGRUENCY OF RISK AND RESURRECTION (30-32)
A. If both the past and future resurrection is real, risking it all and not flinching in the face of opposition is the only thing that makes sense.
B. Belief in the resurrection leads us to embrace “To Live is Christ; To Die is Gain” as a lifestyle. (Philippians 1:21)

NEXT STEPS
V. INCONGRUENCY IN OUR CONFESSION & COMMITMENT
1. We are not immune to having an inconsistency between what we believe and what we do.
2. Saving belief is an inner conviction about Jesus that leads to an outward commitment to a way of life that changes what we do, what we talk about, what we treasure, and what we long for.

NEXT WEEK:
Heaven is a Place on Earth — 1 Corinthians 15:35-49