1st Corinthians 15
Commentary by Ron Beckham
Verse 1. "Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I
preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand,"
This is our
REASONABLE service – To present the gospel (good news) about our Lord.
It is VERY good news, and since we have so freely received, we should
emulate the example of Paul, and GIVE to those around us. Now, there is
going to be trouble for those who share. Jesus assured us that "in the
world (we) WILL have trouble" (John 16:33). Paul’s sufferings (2
Corinthians 11:16-33 & context) are like huge signposts with large
letters: "There’s suffering for those who present the gospel." And
yet, the Christ in us ENABLES us, and eventually makes us able to endure
anything in order to share with those in need. If we are like beggars
(and we really are) and share our little bread with our brother who has
none, we may seem to have less but we always have enough and we
certainly will have joy with our brother. Just like the Corinthians, we
have received (as needy beggars) this good news through Paul, and it is
this Gospel in which we stand.
Verse 2. "by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which
I preached to you – unless you believed in vain."
What "word" did
Paul preach to them? What are his words saying to YOU, right now? The
"word" or "gospel" definition starts in verse 3, but let’s get an
opening night "sneak preview" right now. Romans 3:23 says we have "all
sinned." And that is the truth. I have been around people who think
they are without sin, because they keep some self-imposed or cultural
standard of conduct. There was a time when I thought I was without
sin. Those of us who have been in error this way, are simply wrong.
Romans 6:23 says if we do sin, even in the smallest way, the penalty for
our sin is death. James says the same thing. The rest of Romans 6:23
says: Yes, we are dead because of our sin, but God has given us this
ENORMOUS gift; this Word, which is LIFE in His Son. Life in Jesus
Christ, our Lord. It is through receiving this (receiving Him) that we
are saved. Simple, so that all may participate. Easy for the simple
and interestingly, often more difficult for the complex.
How does one, by
the way, believe in vain? By thinking that our actions (or even our
good thoughts) can somehow duplicate the simple GIFT of Christ Jesus
that we are so freely given. It is often like we push God out of the
way, saying "No thank You, I’d rather do it myself." A fatal mistake,
for it is GOD who decides what is acceptable and what is not, for us
all. Faith IN Him, is acceptable TO Him.
Verse 3. "For I delivered to you first of all that which I also
received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,"
The gospel as
presented by the Holy Spirit through Paul, was also RECEIVED by him,
just like we must receive. I remember understanding NONE of this,
though I knew some of the facts. Reading the words was interesting but
I was not changed. Then came the intervention of the Holy Spirit, after
which we can 1) understand what we read, and 2)
are permanently changed by what is encountered, which is "Christ Jesus
died for our sins…" Note the important addition, "according to the (Old
Testament) Scriptures," such as Isaiah chapter 53 (written hundreds of
years before His birth):
"He was despised
and rejected of men; a man of sorrows & acquainted with grief." "He has
borne our grief and carried our sorrows." "We esteemed Him stricken,
smitten of God and afflicted." "He was wounded for our transgressions,
bruised for our iniquities." "By His stripes we are healed." "All we
like sheep have gone astray." "We have turned every man to his own way
& the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." "He bore the sin of
many & made intercession for transgressors" (you and me).
He died for our
sins, according to the Scriptures.
Verse 4. "and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day
according to the Scriptures,"
"That He was
buried" is important, for some teach He was never even dead. Isaiah
53:9 is clear that this "Man of sorrows" who would "heal" us, would be
in a grave (as though He was wicked) but also be with the rich at His
death. Joseph of Arimathea was the rich man who took Jesus, anointed
His Body with costly spices, & buried Him in his own tomb. Jesus was
dead and He died for your sins.
Now, the same
verse where Isaiah says the Savior would be "bruised" and an "offering
for sin," also says this bruised and offered Person would "see His
seed," have days that are "prolonged," etc. Those things (in Isaiah) do
not go together, unless we accept that the Savior/Messiah/Christ would
thoroughly and literally die on behalf of us and after the burial, rise
again.
Some say "I do
not understand this; I do not accept it!" The context of Isaiah 53,
goes right on, and in Isaiah 55:8, God gently urges us, "My thoughts are
not your thoughts, nor are My ways your ways, says the Lord." God is
Holy and His thoughts are high; we are sinners and we do not
understand. We saw HIS kind of thinking in 1st Corinthians 13. A love
so pure it is alien to us. Actually, WE are the aliens and we must be
CHANGED in order to fellowship with Him.
Verse 5. "and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve."
He was seen.
Those who assert the Gospels are only some kind of "catechism" for the
early Church, simply do not understand. The "Gospels" ("good news"
accounts) and excerpts from the various letters that follow, are simply
eye-witness testimonies, written in the following manner: Matthew, who
(Mark 2:14 & fwd.), was also known as Levi (they had multiple names,
just like we do), was just an ordinary guy, who had a simple job (an
unpopular one – he was a tax collector). He saw Jesus, touched Him many
times, walked around with Him for 3-years. Matthew wrote "amen" (it is
so) at the end of his Gospel, for every word of it is true.
The early Church
was clear that Peter told his eye-witness recollections to John Mark
(the author of "Mark" - we just quoted him about Levi Matthew). As 1
Cor. 15:5 reveals, Cephas ("stone" - another name of Peter - see John
1:42), encountered the risen Lord all by himself, as alluded to in Luke
24:34.
"And then by the
12" (actually there were now 11, but the name "12" had stuck). I am
slow in faith as was Thomas. Many of us are impulsive and quick to run
away, as was Peter. Collectively, this group would not believe, unless
they had SEEN. Notice Matthew 28:17, "They SAW Him, they worshiped Him,
but some doubted " (even after they saw – isn’t that incredible? – They
SAW and still doubted).
John said "1st
John 1:1), we have SEEN Him…we looked upon Him…our hands have handled"
Him. Any rejection of Christ must deal with the eye-witnesses who saw
Him die and then saw Him rise again.
Verse 6. "After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once,
of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen
asleep."
This is a little
astonishing for someone who sees this for the first time: Jesus was
seen by over 500-people at just one appearing. I used to think this was
a handful of guys and a few women – but a minimum of 500 continued to
trust in Him (though they were stunned by His death) and SAW the Risen
Christ. At the time Paul wrote these things, time had passed and some
of those 500 were now dead ("asleep"). Most of them were still alive at
this writing and if what Paul wrote was not true, there were plenty that
could have objected. They did not.
Hundreds of
people saw the Risen Christ. He repeatedly invited them to "handle" Him
(as in Luke 24:39-43), to squeeze His arms, which somehow remained flesh
and bone. He showed them His still-marked hands and feet, and lest they
still did not believe, in His body He took a piece of fish and ate it
before their eyes.
Verse 7. "After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles."
Those
appearances, like the ones to James and all the apostles in this verse,
were not of the "look-quick or you’ll miss Him" variety. These were
slow, patient visits, filled with lots of conversation. He answered all
their questions and concerns. Thomas wasn’t the only one who doubted –
Jesus took His time and responded to their every need. As has been
mentioned before, He presented them with "infallible proofs" of His
resurrection, taught them deeply on the things of the Kingdom of God,
and did all this over a period of forty (40) days (Acts 1:3). He
didn’t just disappear either, for He went by dramatic means, after
promising them the Holy Spirit – the same Holy Spirit that is offered to
you.
Verse 8. "Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out
of due time."
A detailed
account of this is seen in Acts 9:1-9, and Paul alludes to it in many
other contexts. He (Paul) was literally knocked down to the ground by
Jesus Christ, heard His voice, and was struck blind. The others with
him heard the Voice but saw no one and were not blinded. The blind Paul
was "led by the hand" to their destination in Damascus, and was so
affected by all this that for 3-days he "neither ate nor drank."
Verse 9. "For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be
called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God."
It’s often the
greatest gift, lavishly given, and completely unexpected, that reaches
deepest into the heart. All gifts are ultimately from God and Paul
received his on the road to Damascus, where he wanted to persecute more
Christians. Many of us have walked down that "road," breathing threats
about a person or a situation. And if God must knock us down, blind us,
and speak to us audibly, to protect other persons (and to help us), He
will.
A good example of
such a person is the woman in the context of Luke 7:36-50. She literally
"washed His (Jesus’) feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of
her head" (Luke 7:44). Some of the Pharisees who saw this were
contemptuous, thinking He did not know what kind of person this was, for
she was a sinner (Luke 7:39). Jesus pointed out that her AWARENESS of
her sin (we all sin) and her COMPREHENSION of God’s forgiveness had
ignited a great love in her heart. She went away forgiven, but not the
Pharisee that spoke to Jesus.
So it was with
Paul. He knew what he was and also knew what God in Christ had done for
him.
Verse 10. "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward
me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not
I, but the grace of God which was with me."
This was Paul’s
watchword for the whole of his life – The Grace of God.
Paul was a
willing worker. If you hired tent makers (he was a tent maker), you’d
want one just like him. If your Church needed a pastor, he’s your man.
But if you wanted to CONTROL someone, to have them do your bidding, you
would NOT want Paul, for he listened to the Holy Spirit of God.
His response to
God was based in an astonished love – He knew he deserved nothing
(except maybe death for his previous behavior) and yet God gave him
everything.
This IS grace:
We deserve nothing, yet God gives us all in Christ Jesus. We owe God
everything, and yet it is GOD who gives all to us.
Paul operated
from LOVE and so should we; for when we truly see God and what He has
done, we can only fall down and worship Him; then follow Him wherever He
wants us to go.
Verse 11. "Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you
believed."
Paul says it
really doesn’t matter who preached to you. It doesn’t matter if it is
him (Paul) or someone else. What is important is that you respond to
the Spirit of God and turn to the One the Father has sent.
If you focus on
the speaker or the writer, you’ll be disappointed and not find what you
need. I'm just a person and so are the rest of us. You need Christ and
Him crucified, risen again. You need to trust in Him; only that will
satisfy. Only He is what matters in your life.
Verse 12. "Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the
dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the
dead?"
There are always
some around who say there is no resurrection of the dead. It was true
of Paul’s day and it is true for us. Remember, Paul SAW the risen
Christ. So did John and Peter and many more. They told others and it
was written down, just as it was seen. These were eye witness accounts,
written roughly and with enthusiasm, not at all like polished accounts.
If you do not
believe, after listening to Paul, WHY do you not believe? We were not
there, but these people were. They SAW Him.
Verse 13. "But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is
not risen."
It was revealed
to Daniel that those who "sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt"
(Daniel 12:2). The time of this will be the "time of the end, when many
shall run to-and-fro (unprecedented transportation capabilities) and
knowledge will increase" (Daniel 12:4). The transportation and
knowledge explosion we are experiencing is unprecedented in history - He
will soon return and the resurrection of all will
be revealed to all.
Of course, Paul
is saying, if there is no resurrection (as Daniel was taught by God),
then Christ Himself would not be Risen. There either IS a resurrection
for all or there is not.
Verse 14. "And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is vain and
your faith is also vain."
Carrying the
logic further from the last verse, if Christ is not risen, then Paul’s
preaching (all preaching) is useless, and our faith is in vain.
There is an
emptiness in the world. We often have a sense there should be more –
some fulfillment we lack that hopefully is right around the corner of
our lives. Of course, there is eternal peace in Christ – we are
fulfilled in Him, right now. There is no other hope.
But what if the
Hope is not real? What if He is not Risen? I am always impressed with
Paul for openly discussing issues that some will not even consider.
Verse 15. "Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have
testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up – If
in fact the dead do not rise."
Years ago, when I
worked in the Court system, I watched a lot of witnesses testify. Some
were discernibly false; others rang true, and about others, we just
weren’t sure.
Paul SAW the
Risen Christ and was taught by Him. So also Peter and Andrew, Thomas,
John, and hundreds of others. But if you go to a Unitarian Church, you
will likely be told Christ did not rise bodily from the dead.
Somebody is a
false witness here. If it was not the Unitarians (who were not
there), then it would be Paul the Witness (who was there).
Verse 16. "For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen."
Carrying this
analogy further; see how important the bodily resurrection is: If we,
the dead (if we are not dead, we likely will be – all croak, sooner or
later), are never to be raised, then Christ is not raised either. But
ALL will be raised from the dead.
You may be angry
about the death of someone you love. Look at the reverse of this
verse: If Christ IS raised, then your loved one will be, too. There is
NO LOSS with God and that which seems like loss is only for a time. The
morning will soon come, and He loves you.
Verse 17. "And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are
still in your sins!"
Without the
resurrection of Christ, our faith in Him is, of course, futile. If He
is not raised, we should wrap this up and go on to other things – now!
But He IS raised from the dead.
In reality,
Christ died for us, for the sins of the world (Found in Romans 5, &
anywhere else in the Word of God). That means those burdens you’re
unsuccessfully trying to carry, are lifted in Him, by Him. The burdens
in Christ are "light" (Matthew 11:30),
because HE carries our load.
But what if He
had not come? What if He did not die for you and for me?
Verse 18. "Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have
perished."
If He did not,
then all those graveyards are just filled with bones and bits of cloth,
soon to be dust, and that would be all they could ever be. Thousands,
millions, billions are dead, with no hope, other than Him.
There’s no hope
in reincarnation. Can you imagine doing this again, and again, and
again? And even if it were true, how are we forgiven for our sins?
Where is the justice? Only in Christ is there hope for you and for me.
Verse 19. "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all
men the most pitiable."
If we have placed
our hope in Christ, and Christ is not raised, then we are pathetic,
worthy of all contempt. Every year, I put my hope in the Phoenix Suns,
and every year they aren’t quite big enough, or fast enough, and don’t
quite shoot as good as it takes to win it all. But that’s OK, for it is
only basketball.
But in Christ,
it’s our lives and our deaths we are talking about, and our hope for
more than this life. He’s the only hope we have. We are dust, except
in Him.
Verse 20. "But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the
first fruits of those who have fallen asleep."
"Hallelujiah" –
just as Handel wrote; "Now is Christ Risen!" He’s alive. Paul met Him
on the Damascus road and is with Him right now. Paul’s words tell us
just this: He’s Risen! You can trust Paul’s words and the witness of
the Holy Spirit in your heart, and trust that YOU will be raised as
well. He is the first, and we who love Him will be with Him.
Jesus Christ is
the first fruits. The first orange on the tree, the 1st
grape in the cluster – when we see the first, we know the rest will soon
follow – there will be many more.
Put your trust in
Him, for He is Risen!
Verse 21. "For since by man came death, by Man also came the
resurrection of the dead."
By man came
death. Where did all this death and sorrow come from? Why, we brought
it on ourselves! It was our representatives who failed the test and
brought it on us all. You don’t like the representative? Think you
could do a better job? Let me tell you this: I’ve met God (anybody can
meet Him – just say "yes" to Christ) and He is fair. If you were more
capable than Adam, had better resistance than Eve, then you would have
been there and not them. He (Adam) was our champion, the best of the
litter – and he failed the test.
Verse 22. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made
alive."
Since we as a
race (there is only one race, the human race) utterly failed God and
ourselves, we deserve death and are already dead (the real "death" is
when we don’t trust in Christ). As Paul stated previously, there is no
hope, there is no way out of the mess we have made.
But thank be to
God, we are made ALIVE in Christ Jesus. That which is impossible for
you and for me, becomes REALITY when we turn to Him.
Now we SHALL be
raised from the dead. But REAL life is to KNOW Him, even right now,
even in these funny little bodies we cherish so much.
In Christ all
will be made alive.
Verse 23. "But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits,
afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming."
There’s a certain
order to things. You plant the seed, then comes the root structure and
the visible plant. Buds form into blossoms, then the fruit.
Christ is the
start of LIFE in us. He is planted deep within us, and because He is
there, we shall LIVE. And because we live in Him, we shall be raised
with Him and in Him.
He will return
and has a purpose in His coming again – It is because He loves you and
wants you to be with Him, wherever He is, and for all eternity.
Verse 24. "Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the
Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power."
The scientists
who say there will be an end to things, a termination of physical
processes as we know them – are right! One day, things will be pretty
much like other days, and then no more! But it won’t be a sad winding
down of billions of years into oblivion, it will be the sudden return of
Christ.
The skeptic will
see with open mouth the return of Christ and His kingdom (we are His
kingdom), when He puts an end to all rule & authority & power.
Verse 25. "For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His
feet."
In Revelation
1:12-17, we see an amazing picture of Christ. His eyes like a flame of
fire, His voice like the waves of the ocean, His face like the sun, the
stars were in His hand, and His mouth was like a sword in judgment. John
the apostle "fell at His feet as dead." I can see that – I would, too.
Note the POWER of our Lord Christ, in this verse and in Revelation we
see that He REIGNS, and His enemies will be under His control.
Note in
Revelation that He then "laid His right hand" on John, as His hand is on
you right now, and He said, "Do not be afraid," as He is saying at this
very moment.
He does reign,
but His real desire is to love.
Verse 26. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death."
I’m glad that
death will be destroyed. I’m tired of death, as are we all. I got
tired of that which took my father before I really got to know him.
We’re tired of that which takes our dignity, along with our lives. We
are tired of the abortionist who so easily takes our little ones. Why
is it so easy for the Dr. Kevorkians, who easily take lives, just
because someone doesn’t like the quality of life? Who isn’t fed up with
the drunk driver who murders our loved ones? Death is our enemy, and
Christ is coming soon to take away all death, all sorrow, all pain –
forevermore.
Verse 27. "For He has put all things under His feet." But when He says
‘all things are put under Him,’ it is evident that He who put all things
under Him is excepted."
Now, the Father
and the Son are not subject to one another as WE understand subjection.
Actually, they are truly "One" (John
17:21), as we in this life cannot fully comprehend. This is a "One"
based in love without limit, without reservation; nothing held back. We
often hold back somewhere, in something – But not God. The "excepted"
statement to the rule of subjection, is that the Father is God the
Father, and Christ is God the Son. Different Offices. "Subjection" in
our sense of one being less, just does not apply. I think the concept
of being "less" does not exist with Them at all. They are simply – God!
Verse 28. "Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son
Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that
God may be all in all."
J. Vernon McGee
says this means that when Christ has completed His millennial reign here
on earth and has established His eternal reign, then He will return back
to His place in the Godhead, where He was in the beginning, so "God may
be all in all."
I like that, but
there is also more. There’s an eagerness here, to return and be with
the Father. This is hard for us to understand, because people generally
don’t like to be abandoned in subjection to anyone. But real love
delights in serving His Beloved. You have to understand that God is so
utterly love, that it is His sheer delight to become One with those He
loves. Jesus, of course, knows that, and longed to return to the place
of the Father.
I believe
subjection, in its true sense is an expression of love. The "wife in
subjection to her husband", just means she loves him. The true nature of
the Trinity is love. They are "One" in many ways, but it all stems from
the reality that they are utterly in love with one another. We just have
the first hint of the love we will walk in for all eternity.
Verse 29. "Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead,
if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the
dead?"
I’ve heard
everything about this verse, from a discussion that Paul was addressing
some practice he read about in a Corinthian letter, to suggesting that
he actually advocated baptism for the dead. All of that really misses
the point – Paul is presenting, not baptism here, but RESURRECTION.
Your body, though it may turn to dust, WILL rise again. Whatever this
"baptized for the dead" is, the dead WILL rise.
I read a
fascinating account in National Geographic, many years ago, told by one
of the archeologists who opened a Chinese tomb. When they opened the
lid of the tightly sealed coffin, it was a princess, perfectly
preserved, dressed in the splendor of her day. And then, right before
their startled eyes, she, silken clothing and all, turned to dust.
Dust she is
today, but she will rise again. She will, and so will you. The
question is: Rise to what? We have a choice.
Verse 30. "And why do we stand in jeopardy every hour?"
If Paul had
stayed in Jerusalem, those many years ago, he might have lived a nice
quiet life as a legalistic Pharisee. Instead He found Christ, trusted
in His resurrection, and followed the Lord to the ends of the known
earth. He went from safety to jeopardy, from security to suffering,
which the Lord indicated is very possibly OUR future as well. Yet faith
in Him is worth any price we might have to pay; any risk, for He is
wonderful!
Verse 31. "I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ
Jesus our Lord, I die daily."
Paul DELIGHTED in
the people which God shared with him. We should do the same. Just as
a parent thrills to their children, so Paul loved those God placed into
his care. He affirmed, by this kind of love, that every day was a kind
of death for him, for he gave of himself utterly, that they might find
the Lord. Troubles came to Paul like buzzards to a cowboy, but you have
to ask, "was that so BAD, really?" and the true answer is "No, it
wasn’t." He LOVED his chosen life and he LOVED those people and he
LOVED following his Lord. He was a happy man – are we as happy as he
was? Probably not. And should we be more like him? Yes we should.
Verse 32. "If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at
Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, ‘Let us
eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.’"
Animals are often
used in Scripture as examples (analogies) of human behavior. Those who
love the Lord are referred to as sheep (dopey animals, but gentle and
often responsive to the Shepherd). I have often thought about Isaiah
11:6 and 65:25, that the "wolves" and "lambs" who become pretty much
buddies, are really parables of PEOPLE who are very different in
personalities but become one in Christ.
Paul successfully
fought with all sorts of people and situations – and he won!
Repeatedly! And the fact that he was finally beheaded in Rome doesn’t
change his astonishing victories in Christ. It was simply time for him
to go home. But, Paul goes on, what DIFFERENCE does any of this make,
if there is no resurrection of the dead? He quotes the philosophers:
"We might as well
be gluttons," he says, 'and drink ourselves to death, if the dead do not
rise." But they (we) DO rise. In Christ, we will never be down for
long, and soon, we will walk with Paul (and find that his head is very
much on his shoulders again).
Verse 33. "Do not be deceived: ‘Evil company corrupts good habits.’"
We are given lots
of good habits in Christ. Liars start to tell the truth (I did).
Thieves don’t steal anymore. Murderers learn to love other people.
And so on.
But watch where
you go; who you are with. You may wish to positively affect others and
change their lives for the better. But what are you doing in that bar
with them? What is that you are drinking? What conversation are you
having? Who is influencing who? These are questions we must
prayerfully ask of ourselves, for "evil company (does) corrupt good
habits."
Verse 34. "Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have
the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.
In another
Scripture, Paul quoted Isaiah, that we are to "awake" and to "rise from
the dead." Here, he relates part of what means: We are to cease from
all sin. If we continue as sinners, it bring into question whether we
really know God at all. And to pretend we know God when we do not, is
the greatest shame of all. Many live constantly in such shame. To
"awake to righteousness" is simply to give ourselves to Christ. "Do not
sin" is only possible in Him.
Verse 35. "But someone will say, ‘How are the dead raised up? And with
what body do they come?’"
What a wonderful
discussion. We always are intensely curious, even when we pretend we
are not (we want to appear "cool" to others). So the question is asked,
"How does God DO this "dead raised up" thing" and we are on the edge of
our chairs, looking for the answer(s). And, "what kind of body?" he
goes on. "Is it a new one, or will it be the old, remade?" Here’s
another one, sometimes asked: "What if a cannibal eats us, digests us
(etc.) and we share the same cells? Who gets them in the resurrection?
These are good concerns, and when Paul asks questions, he also answers
them.
Verse 36. "Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies."
He calls us (who
raise these questions) "Foolish ones." How can we fully know what is to
be, until we have been there? Through the eyes of the apostles, we have
seen the Risen Christ. He would apparently walk through walls and do
things like suddenly appear inside locked rooms. He actually rose into
the air. He somehow was perfectly healthy and yet still had holes in
His side, hands, and feet. Yet He ate with them, remarked that He had
bones and flesh, talked normally, looked like a man, etc.
His resurrected
body, while appearing pretty much like us, was obeying physical laws
much higher than our own. We will not truly know what we shall be (or
how we get that way), until we have already been made new.
Verse 37. "And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be,
but mere grain – perhaps wheat or some other grain."
Let’s assume we
will each be planted in the ground at some point. This says that what
we are now, will NOT be what we shall be in the future. What we are now
is very much like the relationship of the acorn to the oak tree. If we
did not KNOW the two were related, we would not believe it – "This came
out of THAT?" we would ask. Or, as Paul says, the whole grain of wheat
looks very little like the ripened stalk of wheat. Yet, Jesus looked
very much LIKE us. Appearances can throw us off – He was DIFFERENT
after the resurrection.
Verse 38. "But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its
own body."
God will do with
you as He pleases, whether you like it or not. (The trick to life is to
like Him so much, love Him so utterly, that we TRUST in what He is
doing, for He is worthy of our trust). Our concern is often that we
don’t have a clue about what we will be! And we are curious; we need to
know. The good news is that He LOVES you and intends the very best
possible for you. Certainly you can refuse His generosity, but why
would you? (you will be CONTENT with your eternal body).
There was a TV
show years ago – Was it called "The Millionaire?" People would knock
on someone’s door and tell the person inside they had just been given a
million dollars! People generally don't say "No" to such offers, and
Jesus offers you so much more than money. Breathe "yes" to Him in every
way, for He intends great good for you.
Verse 39. "All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of
flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fish, and another of
birds."
God planned
creation very well. Even the variety of organisms is like a parable
which speaks to us of Him. Paul refers to the various orders of
creation and notices the basic differences between certain kinds. Among
"beasts" you would have to include the great whales, which are certainly
intelligent but not the same as people. (He will now continue his
analogy).
By the way, Paul
sees different "kinds" since the beginning of creation. No evolution
for him, which flew in the face of much accepted theory of the day.
MANY of the ancient Greeks believed in forms of evolution of species.
As Solomon said, "there is nothing new under the sun" even though we
often think we come up with "new" ideas.
Verse 40. "There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but
the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is
another."
There are things
of earth, he relates, and things outside the atmosphere. You can
compare the planet Jupiter to the planet Earth, because both are
planetary bodies, but there the resemblance ends. Jupiter has an
atmosphere but it cannot be breathed by people. The planet is not a
solid, in the sense earth is a solid. It has many moons, earth has
one. And that’s just the BEGINNING of the differences between the two
bodies, though both have "glory." Everything God designed and spoke
into existence has "glory" of a kind, from the snail to the butterfly,
but not all share the same glory. The analogy continues.
Verse 41. "There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon,
and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star
in glory."
We are just now
beginning to discern the immense VARIETY of structures in the
interstellar vastness wrought by God. The one star is a red giant and
another is a white dwarf, while some like ours are of medium to smaller
size, like our Sol, the sun. This doesn’t even TOUCH so-called "black
holes" and quasars. I think we have just BEGUN to learn of the various
kinds in the universe. If we really knew what was out there, it would
blow us away.
God loves
diversity, and delights, I think, in our enjoyment, our wonder of it
all, for it is designed to bring us to Him. Like Einstein, we must, if
we are truly rational people, decide all this was created by God. When
I think of the strange creatures in Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Revelation, I
conclude there are creatures in eternity beyond our wildest
speculation. I can’t wait to get there!
Verse 42. "So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown
in corruption, it is raised in incorruption."
At last, he gets
to it: The resurrection of the dead! "The body is sown in corruption"
he says, and we can certainly agree with that. Most of us don’t think
about this when we are younger, but the body is a mess! As we get
older, it develops a variety of problems, and, unlike a car, some of
them can’t be fixed! And the stupid things HURT! If it isn’t one hurt,
it’s another – usually more than one!
But thanks be to
God there is wonderful news: It (our bodies) WILL be raised up in
Incorruption! No more illness, or aches, or pain; it (the body) won’t
need to be fixed anymore, for Christ will make it everlasting, perfect
in every way.
Verse 43. "It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown
in corruption, it is raised in incorruption."
There is so much
dishonor in the physical life. The young, beautiful movie star gets
old. Cancer and simply age ruin the impressive athlete! Often, the
"brain" among us eventually forgets even who he is. What a mess!
But wait, there’s
hope: That which is dishonorable, WILL be raised in GLORY! Our
weakness will be no more and we will be raised in His power. There has
to be some sort of self-destructiveness in the atheist or agnostic
(similar to the alcoholic) because Christ offers us so MUCH. We NEED to
be LOVED and He loves us so MUCH!
Verse 44. "It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body."
Our burdened,
collapsing bodies are going to be raised as perfect, pain-free, glorious
bodies. They will be so satisfactory in every way, that we will not
really be AWARE of them any more. We will just be content. (Our focus
will really be on others, anyway, from a perspective of the selfless
love we are set free to experience).
"There is a
natural body," Paul says, "and there is a spiritual body." Note Paul
said the two are different! "Natural" and "Spiritual" have this in
common – they are BODIES. The new will be outside of time and space
limitations, as we know them, but a BODY, none the less. And we know
from verse 37, that the new, somehow comes out of the old.
Verse 45. "And so it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living
being.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit."
The word "Adam"
is from the Hebrew (or from an earlier, original language), and simply
means "red earth." God literally took of the iron-rich dirt and
fashioned a man, unlike other races of beings (we call them "animals" –
it makes them easier to eat) which were literally created out of nothing
(not from pre-existing matter) by His Word.
There are two
"Adams." The first was just a man, who happened to be the progenitor,
the first created man of all, who became a living being. The second
"Adam" is Christ, who takes us out of that which is merely physical and
sensual, and bountifully gives us new life in the Spirit of God.
It's one thing to
be animate and another to be ALIVE. "Frankenstein's monster" was
animate but not alive. To drudge in a sweat shop is to perform activity
but to leap into a mountain stream, by contrast, is to be ALIVE. To be
in Christ is to LIVE, whereas before, we were vaguely discontented with
mere existence.
The first Adam
led us into sin. The second gave us LIFE and leads us to God the Father.
Verse 46. "However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and
afterward the spiritual."
The natural came
first on this planet, just like the natural is first in each of our
lives. First we live (and then die spiritually) in our bodies of flesh,
and then we have opportunity: just like the spiritual was poured out
later in human history, so the spiritual, in Christ, may come to us
later in our lives. I have met so MANY people who thought they were
Christians because they were raised in a Church environment, and then
they were SURPRISED by the reality of Christ. His will is that ALL
should be saved, which includes you and even me. Our job is simple, for
we are simple beings: We are to TRUST in HIM who has provided the way.
Verse 47. "The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man
is the Lord from heaven."
There’s no doubt
the first man, the first people, were made right here on earth. No
matter how much some would argue something else, we are made from the
same elements that found in the dust of the earth. Now the "Second Man"
(the Man Christ Jesus) is not like the rest of us. Yes, He obediently
and deliberately took human ancestry through His mother Mary, but on the
Paternal Side, He was born of God. Christ is God’s ambassador to us.
Christ is also our Representative to God. He is truly the Mediator
between God and man.
Verse 48. "As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of
dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly."
The "man of dust"
is Adam. He died spiritually, as we are all dead when we are without
Christ. At some point Adam also died physically, and his body returned
to the dust it had once been. The "heavenly man" is Christ (and He is
indeed heavenly), and in Him, we also are of the heavenlies.
What a choice we
are given: We can choose to be dead to God and then become dust, or we
can choose to LIVE in Him, and eventually to live WITH Him, as well.
With true love there is always a choice, never force. He loves you so
much, He allows you to reject Him, if you want. To your sorrow, and to
His.
Verse 49. "And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall
also bear the image of the heavenly Man."
We hear so much
about the "image" of God. In Genesis it is seen that humanity (male and
female) was created IN that image. 2 Corinthians 4:4 tells the Image of
God is Christ. The only way that image can be borne by us, is when we
receive God in Christ. Without Him, we have a RESEMBLANCE to that which
God has in store, but we are only COMPLETE when we are in Him and He in
us.
The Church
rituals about Him are nice but we need the real thing – We need HIM.
For so much of our lives, we have wanted (one way or another) to bear
the image of the "man of dust" – to succeed, to go to parties, to have
lots of money, to be popular, or whatever. All of that can be nice but
none of that is lasting (either in time or in satisfaction), and
ultimately we learn our hearts can never rest, never find peace, until
His Image rests within us, until we rest in Him.
Verse 50. "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit
the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption."
There is no
energy in us of any kind that can transport us into the Kingdom of God.
People might say of a "Hindu" mystic, in hushed tones, he is an
"avatar" and he has achieved "samadhi" or some such experience. It is
of no use to him at all. We decide someone is a "good" person and say
"surely THEY will go to heaven." Yet Paul has told us over-and- over
again, there is nothing in us that can satisfy God, for we are corrupt
by nature. One corrupt person may be less so than another, but "ALL
have sinned" (1 Corinthians 3:23) and come short of the glory of God.
There is one
exception. Christ utterly satisfied the demands of the Law and He is
your Representative, your Agent. He is your attorney who never lost a
case; He is your doctor & His patients all live; He is your Father, who
perfectly protects His son. Just receive Him. You'll be satisfied with
Him and so will God the Father accept you – He will receive you because
He will look at you and see the perfection of His Son.
Verse 51. "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but
we shall all be changed;"
We studied this
word "mystery" before. This is not something that cannot be
understood. This is something real, something hidden that just waits to
be revealed. "Sleep" here means "die" (a person who is dead often looks
like they are asleep). The mystery revealed is that we shall not all
die. Some will be changed to His likeness without the necessity of
death.
The "rapture" we
hear about is described right here. There will be a day, an otherwise
ordinary day, when what we are and what we think we are, will be no
more. We shall not die – We will be changed. We who love Him, will be
with Him.
Verse 52. "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last
trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised
incorruptible, and we shall be changed."
Don’t wait to
give your whole life to the Lord! How fast does an eye twinkle? By the
time you perceive what is happening (the Lord’s return), it will be too
late! At some point, eternity will be less than a heartbeat away; too
late for those who wait. NOW is the day of salvation.
Notice the
important "will" and "shall" statements – The last trump WILL sound.
The dead WILL be raised incorruptible. We SHALL be changed. That
which may seem unlikely now, is actually inevitable, for God has decreed
it will happen. "Preposterous" is not an option, for the unlikely only
becomes preposterous when it is not true. The resurrection STARTED with
the Lord Jesus, so long ago – Let it culminate in our hearts today - the
last trumpet WILL sound and we SHALL be changed.
I like the word
"incorruptible" – so different from everything around us now. What we
do presently is like the sand castles we built when we were children.
We might do a great job of building them, but the ocean keeps coming in
and taking them away! But not after the last trump, for we will be WITH
Him, and nothing will be taken away ever again.
Verse 53. "For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this
mortal must put on immortality."
Death and
corruption in all its’ forms are only temporary. It’s sort of like an
actor who dies on screen, but then the camera is turned-off and he walks
around again. Remember though, some are raised to "life" (in Christ, in
Him), and others are raised to sort of an endless death (kind of like
now, only worse, for that separation from God will be permanent). This
verse talks of those who are raised – to LIFE!
Again, I want to
be ALIVE! Don’t you? When He (God) talks of "life", of "immortality"
it is infinitely more than "existance" – it is ALIVE like we have never
even thought about before. It is to be ALIVE in HIM.
Verse 54. "So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this
mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying
that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’"
"Death is
swallowed up in victory" is a transliteration of Isaiah 25:8 – "He will
swallow-up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all
faces; the rebuke of His people He will take away from all the earth,
for the Lord has spoken."
When we "put on
Christ" it is sort of like the police officer, who is just a man, but
when he puts-on a badge, he becomes more than an ordinary man. And when
he dons armor, he is even more, safe in his armor. Just so, and much,
much more, we really are safe in Christ, safe for evermore, from
everything.
Even death, our
old enemy, is swallowed-up in the Victory of Christ. As Corrie Ten Boom
always said, "Jesus is Victor" even over death. And we share that
victory, in Him.
Verse 55. "’O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your
victory?’"
This is a quote
from Hosea 13:14, and I like the text in its’ original: "I will ransom
them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O
death, I will be your plague! O grave, I will be your destruction!
Pity is hidden from My eyes" (in relation to our ancient enemy; death).
This is great,
for we have been at the mercy of death and the grave for millennia.
Now, He has RANSOMED us (bought us back) from the power of the grave.
We are REDEEMED from death. He goes further – He will actually become
like a plague to death, which has been a plague to us. And He will be
the DESTRUCTION of the grave, which heretofore has destroyed so many.
He will have no pity at all, when death and the grave are destroyed.
(Good).
Verse 56. "The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the
law."
There is an extra
sting to death, and that is, underneath it all, we know we deserve to
die. Oh, we FIGHT for life and we CLING to every breath we have; but
down deep, we can see that we are sinners before a Holy God and worth of
death (Romans 6:23). And Paul says over-and-over that it is God’s
holiness and His pure law that bring us the knowledge we are sinners.
He uses the example in Romans 7:7 of covetousness as the sin which
brought him (Paul) down. Have you EVER wanted someone or something that
is not yours? If so, then you are covetous, a law breaker, a sinner by
definition and nature, deserving of death. There is a "sting" in our
hearts that the law reveals to us.
Verse 57. "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our
Lord Jesus Christ."
Romans 6:23 not
only tells us that we are deserving of death, but also informs us of
God’s gift, which if accepted, gives us eternal LIFE in Him. We are
GIVEN victory in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I think you will
agree that victory is better than defeat.
In the world, we
cannot all win the race. We were in a "walk-run" recently in Newport
Beach – We did not win the race. In contemplating a race, some CAN’T
run, others in life choose to be spectators (are not in the race at
all), and of those IN the race, all lose but one.
That’s true of
the LIFE offered by God as well. Many don’t even try in relation to Him
and ALL lost the race, except the One who ran and won, Jesus Christ.
He shares fully
His victory, with all who simply put their trust in Him. He takes His
laurel of victory and places it on the heads (in the hearts) of people
like you and me – Will you take His victory and receive His love today?
Verse 58. "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not
in vain in the Lord."
Our labor is no
longer in vain because (in Him) we have won the race! We can safely
abandon our lives to Him. When the whole world falls from unbelief
around us, we can stand in faith, in Him. We can ABOUND in good works!
We don’t have to clutch at our money or constantly worry – We can TRUST
in Him.
Whether we
succeed outwardly or not. Whether we live long or die young in a
terrible death – in this context it does not matter. NOTHING is in vain
when we trust in Him.
Ron Beckham,
Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.fridaystudy.org
Ron@fridaystudy.org
