Jethro Bodine
Member
I did study it, and I shared my study material. Here it is again:Because, I as said in my first post on this passage and repeated multiple times, Paul used the present tense in the indicative mode for the verb translated "hold fast" or "hold firm".
It does NOT indicate a future or even a continuous tense as your interpretation assumes that it does. He very specifically meant the verb as a simple event in time. Not a continuous action. Go study it.
Open this link, https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/1co/15/1/t_conc_1077002 .
Click on the 'Parse' button next to the Greek word 'katechō'.
You'll see this verb, rendered 'hold fast' in English, is in the Greek Present Indicative.
Now click on this link, http://ezraproject.com/id27.html , to see what the Greek Present Indicative verb means. Pay special attention to this paragraph:
"We face a slightly different situation when we deal with verbs in the indicative mood, the verb form used for statements of fact. Indicative verbs bear a double burden: they must reveal the time of an action, not just the type of action. A present indicative verb describes an action taking place at the present time. Normally, this action is a continued action taking place right now."
So we see, the Present Indicative tense does in fact represent an action continuing to date. Paul is indeed saying that to be saved you have to hold fast (to date) the word of the gospel. It also indicates the Corinthians are doing that (as of his last knowledge of that)--which rules out your interpretation of "unless you believed in vain" which says 'they really didn't believe to begin with'. But it fully supports my interpretation that says "unless you believed in vain" is referring to them no longer holding fast to the word originally preached (which they were in fact doing last Paul knew) and adopting a gospel that doesn't have a resurrected Christ in it. That is what would make the faith that Paul says he last knew them to have vain. And he explains this fully in the verses following as I have shown.