Corinthians And Thessalonian Analysis

At the time when Paul wrote to the Corinthians and Thessalonians, he witnessed a widespread misunderstanding of Christianity’s belief in the afterlife. Contemporary Christians believe that all of God’s faithful will share in the world to come, and that one’s time on Earth is a mere fraction of their eternal life in Heaven. In the Jewish religion of Paul’s time, the end of time fostered fear and grief in the Thessalonians and Corinthians. Many believed that only those who were alive at the second coming of Jesus would be carried up into heaven, while those who died before the end would return to Earth and miss the jubilation in Heaven. This misconception caused a panic on two fronts. The Thessalonians and Corinthians were worried that they …show more content…
He asks a series of questions that undermine their faith in God. In fact, Paul’s argument relies on the premise that those who deny God will not be included in the resurrection. He ends his line of questioning and asserts, “Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man,” (1 Corinthians 15:20-21). Just as Paul had asked the Corinthians to remember how his teachings of the gospel had come to fruition, he is again telling them what the truth is and expecting them to listen intently to his teachings. The truth is, he asserts, “that the body that is sown (earthly) is perishable, is raised imperishable,” (1 Corinthians 15:42). In other words, “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God,” (1 Corinthians 15:50) but rather those who have passed away, those who are “imperishable” are raised up to Heaven alongside Jesus. In a particularly poignant final thought, Paul declares, “when the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory’,” (1 Corinthians 15:54). As long as the Corinthians practice good faith and heed the word of the gospels, they will find a spot in the resurrection. Indeed, Paul writes, “my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain,” (1 Corinthians 15:58). In death they will find everlasting life, and in life they will find temptation to keep them from their place in