1 Corinthians 15:19 says, “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” This verse teaches us that if we only have hope in Christ for a few short years we fall short. There is no purpose for a Christianity where Christ was not raised from the dead. People that do not believe in the resurrection have a bleak picture of things. The Gospel is true and we should live the Gospel. Those who believe the Gospel are forgiven for their sins and invited into Heaven after this life. Some of the people at the time of this passage may have believed in the destruction of both the body and spirit after death as it was common in that culture to cling to. The benefits of Christ are not limited to this life but the promise of a life with Christ after death. Paul here rejects that an experience where Christ benefits us only in our life would be a waste of time.