The Strong's concordance is a very useful tool for studying the scriptures. It takes every single word of the King James Version and lists where each word can be found in the scriptures. It is useful for locating scripture verses that you know the words to, but don't know the book, chapter and verse. Then we can do a word study by reading the meaning of the original word.
One thing to keep in mind is that while the Strong's Concordance is fairly reliable in its lexicon definitions, it is relying on 19th century scholarship. One of the best ways to determine the true meaning of a word is look up that word in a Hebrew or Greek Lexicon to see how it was translated in various places.
Let's take a look at how this can help by looking at a verse that is often misinterpreted.
1 Corinthians 15:29 "Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?"
There are religions where people literally go through a baptism ceremony for people who have died without having been saved and they believe this ceremonially baptism actually saves them. The Bible is clear that we cannot be saved by Baptism even while alive. Baptism is a symbol of dying to your sins, being buried with Christ, being washed clean by the blood of Christ, and raised by the power of the Holy Spirit. Baptism is a sign to the world that you are now following Christ. Salvation comes only by grace through faith in Jesus not by works, so no one can boast.(Ephesians 2:9)
So if you cannot be saved by baptism while alive, how could one possibly save another by being baptized in their place?
So what is this verse saying?
Here's where the concordance comes in...In the original language the word "Baptized" was often interchanged for the word Christian. If you were Baptized you were a follower of Jesus Christ. The word "for" in this verse is better translated "because of" and "the dead" in context of this verse are those who have gone before us, those who have lived a life as a Christ follower, as salt and light, as a reflection of Jesus. The words "for them" in this verse is implying "because of them", because of the life these people who are now dead have led, you and others have been led to faith in Christ Jesus. So the text could read like this...
Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are Christians because of those who have gone before us? If they are not raised at all, why are people becoming Christians because of them?"
Of course the emphasis is on Christ. If Christ was not resurrected to the right hand of God, if Jesus was not resurrected, then we have no hope of resurrection, and everything is for nothing. But we do have hope...1 Peter 1:3 and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 tells us,
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead... For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
Now you know why we need to study the Word of God and not simply skim over it with no understanding.
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