Based on 1 Corinthians 15:1-22 (New King James Version)
“Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.”
In this church of the Corinthians there were serious problems, problems with very basic things in the faith. And many of them, although they confessed to believing in the Lord, were not remaining in the faith that leads to eternal life, but were focused on other, much lesser things. They were questioning one of the most precise things about faith in Christ, the resurrection. And as a result of that doubt, they only focused on everyday life. They lived for the here and now, nothing more, and they sought God only to resolve the things of the present. There was neither a true faith, nor even a spiritual progress, but quite the opposite, a stagnation that does not lead to anything good.
Unfortunately, things repeat themselves, and today this problem exists more than ever within the universal church of God. Nowadays more than ever, the vast majority of supposed believers suffer from these same problems, questioning the resurrection, and totally focused only on God solving their present problems or needs, or even looking for Him to fulfill their superficial desires, and nothing else. There are serious problems of faith. How can I say this? Because it's just a matter of observing the things that God's supposed people do. If you want to know the faith a person has, just observe their actions. Today, the vast majority of God's so-called servants are more concerned with speaking and teaching of things that please the masses than what the Word actually teaches. And for what? Because they want to live well, they want to build temples made by the hands of men, they want the admiration of the people, and they want to exercise control over the simple and unlearned. And also, the vast majority of supposed believers look to God to only solve their problems, to solve the here and now, and nothing more, and of course, that God also serve them to achieve their goals and fulfill their desires. In short, there is no such view on the resurrection, in the coming judgment where we will all give account. There is no true faith, and even less so, spiritual progress. So therefore, there is no life, but only a focus on the earthly and temporal world. And as the Apostle Paul said: “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.” Why? Because everything in this world will disappear, it will be consumed, nothing will be left, and that is what will also happen with every person who does not think about the kingdom of God and is only focused on this world. Every person will be judged according to the faith they have.
What does God call us to? For our own good, to believe that there is such a resurrection of the dead, and that there is an eternal life for which we must fight for, because if we do not fight for it, if we do not retain and live such faith in Christ, then eternal life will not be obtained. Ladies and gentlemen, one must fight to retain a living and true faith, and if necessary, even die for that faith, just as those great men of faith did who saw the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ. This is what the Word says: “As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:3-11. But, if there is no faith because one does not really believe in the resurrection, and one does not live for that eternal life, but only for the things of the world, can one add the rest that is necessary so that they can have ample and generous entry into God's kingdom? It is not impossible. Nothing can be built that will resist trial, temptation, and tribulation if the good foundation of faith in Christ is not there. Therefore, the same thing that he said to these Corinthians applies for today: “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.” 2 Corinthians 13:5.
Why is it so important to live a real faith in Christ? Because it is the only thing that will drive us to do the will of the Father in our lives. Because if you don't genuinely believe something, then how will you fight for it? The only ones who will be able to enter the kingdom of heaven are those who dedicate themselves to doing the will of the Father, as it is written: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matthew 7:21. So then, where is your faith? And, if it is on Christ, are you progressing in Him so you can do what is necessary to enter the kingdom of God? Lord bless! John