THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD

On By endtimemysteriesblogIn Resurrection of the Dead

Greetings! Welcome back to our study of the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the Dead. In this our third post, we’re going to see what the apostle Paul had to say about the resurrection of the dead. Paul heard that the believers in the city of Corinth did not believe in the doctrine of the Resurrection of the Dead. Paul had to explain to them that it is impossible to be a Christian and not believe in the Resurrection of the Dead. Let’s see what he had to say on the subject. 

THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD

Third in a Five-Part Series
By Karen Thompson

PAUL’S TEACHING ON THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD

The church in the city of Corinth (modern-day, south-central Greece) had numerous problems, both morally and doctrinally. Like the Christians in the book of Hebrews, the believers in the Corinth church as a whole were both immature and unspiritual. The apostle Paul heard from a few sources about numerous problems the church in Corinth had. One of their problems is that they did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. In his first letter to them, Paul made it clear that it was not possible to be a Christian and not believe in the resurrection of the dead. He then proceeded to teach them the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. Point by point, he laid it all out for them.

The Gospel of Salvation Through Jesus Christ

Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. (1 Cor. 15:1–8 NIV)

Paul began by reminding the Corinthian believers the Gospel message that he preached to them and that they received that Gospel message: “I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received…” They were living their lives based on that Gospel message: “which you have taken your stand.” He said, “By this gospel you are saved.” Then he added a precautionary statement: “If you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.” Their salvation was necessitated on their continued belief in the Gospel message, holding firmly to what he taught them.

In the next verses, Paul outlined the basic Gospel message he shared with them, the message they believed and received into their lives. Here is the simple Gospel message that Paul himself received and then preached to others.

  1. Christ died on the cross for our sins.
  2. After He died, He was buried.
  3. He was raised from the dead on the third day.
  4. Many witnesses saw Him alive after He died on the cross and was buried.
  1. He appeared first to Cephas (another name for Peter).
  2. He appeared to the 12 disciples.
  3. He appeared to more than 500 fellow believers, most of which were still alive.
  4. Then He appeared to James and all the apostles.
  5. Lastly, He appeared to the apostle Paul.

The Gospel message is simple: Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and God raised Him from the dead. When you receive Him as Lord and Savior, you are cleansed of your sins and you become a new creature as it says in 2nd Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (KJV).

Paul emphasized the fact that Christ died and was raised from the dead and that there were many witnesses to His death and resurrection.

You Can’t Be a Christian and Not Believe in the Resurrection of the Dead

12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Cor. 15:12–19 NIV)

Paul pointed out to them that they couldn’t be a Christian and not believe in the resurrection of the dead. Like a lawyer in a courtroom of law, Paul presented his case and showed them how incongruous it is to being a Christian yet not believing in the resurrection of the dead. He laid out for them the points in his case.

  1. Christ was raised from the dead, then how is it possible some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead?
  2. If there is no resurrection of the dead, that means Jesus Christ has not been raised from the dead. 
  3. If Christ has never been raised from the dead, then preaching the message of a resurrected Christ was pointless.
  4. If there was no resurrection of the dead, preaching a resurrected Christ would make Paul a false witness.

Paul explained the consequences if there is no resurrection of the dead.

  1. If there is no resurrection from the dead, then it’s not possible for Christ to be raised from the dead.
  2. If there is no resurrected Christ, then their faith was futile, which meant they were still in their sins.
  3. If there is no resurrection from the dead, then there is no hope for those believers who had died. They are lost.
  4. If our hope in Christ only pertained to this life and not after death, then “we are a people to be most pitied.”

Death Came Through Adam Whereas Life Came Through Christ

20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. (1 Cor. 15:20–23 NIV)

Paul went on to proclaim that Christ “has indeed been raised from the dead.” Since Christ was, indeed, raised from the dead, then that means the Gospel Paul preached was not in vain! Paul then called Christ the “firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” The word firstfruits means the first product or result of something. In the next phrase, Paul told us what it is that Christ was the firstfruits: “of those who have fallen asleep.” Meaning He is the firstfruits of those who have died; He is the first to be resurrected from the dead. Those who have died will follow Him in resurrection!

In Colossians 1:18, Paul said about Christ, “He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence” (NKJV). Preeminence means to be above or before others, superior, surpassing. If Christ is the firstborn from the dead, then that means others will follow. The church is the body of Christ. Jesus is the head of the body. The body will experience what the head experienced. Jesus, the head of the body, was resurrected from the dead; ergo the body of Christ will follow Him in resurrection.

In the next verses, Paul tells us about the origin of death: “For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” Death, Paul said, came through a man. In the next verse, Paul identified the man through whom death came—Adam, the first man!

Since death came to all of mankind through one man, then that means the resurrection of the dead must also come through man (v. 21). That man is Jesus Christ. In Adam all die, conversely, in Christ all live.

At this point, I want to interject something that I think is really interesting about Adam and Jesus. In verse 45, Paul called Adam the “first Adam” and he called Jesus the “last Adam.” There are many fascinating comparisons between the first Adam and the last Adam, comparisons that illustrate their distinct similarities and differences. For one, they both had miraculous beginnings. In addition, they were both rulers: Adam was given dominion over all the earth, and the last Adam, Jesus, is Lord of all (Acts 10:36). Both had their obedience tested. Adam’s obedience was tested in the Garden of Eden when God said he was not to partake of the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Jesus was tested when He was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil. Adam failed his test, whereas Christ passed His. Another comparison between the two Adams has to do with trees and gardens. Through the first Adam, death came to all because he disobeyed God and ate from a particular tree in the Garden of Eden. Through the last Adam, life came to all because while praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, He decided to obey God and went willingly to be nailed to a tree (i.e., the cross). There are many more such comparisons to be made about the first and last Adams. So fascinating.

Let’s return to our study and look at verse 23: “But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.” In the first phrase, “But each in turn,” Paul is pointing out that there is a specific order in which the resurrection of the dead takes place. That order is thus: first Christ is resurrected; that’s why He is called the firstfruits. Then when Christ returns at His Second Coming, all “those who belong to Him” will be resurrected.

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