How Paul lived Luke 9:23

In my study of Luke 9 I cannot help but think of how seriously the apostles followed Jesus' words after he ascended into heaven. Clearly Jesus was not calling his disciples to merely follow him around Israel. During Paul's case for the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15 we find this example of Paul's commitment to following the, now ascended, Christ.

[If there is no resurrection] Why are we in danger every hour? I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! ... If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."

1 Corinthians 15:30-32

The full meaning of the phrase "let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die" can be saved perhaps for another post. The point Paul is making is that if Christians do not have the hope of eternal life (i.e. resurrection from the dead) we might as well live like atheists. This was made even more clear earlier in the chapter when he made the case that if there is no resurrection "we are of all people most to be pitied" (v 19).

What does this mean? I think the question we should ask ourselves is whether or not we our living the kind of life that Paul describes here. If it turned out that Christianity was wrong, that there is no God and you have lived this thing with the wrong ideas would you consider yourself of all men most to be pitied? Or do you already live like there is no resurrection?