Epistles of Paul 47

Good evening, brethren. The Corinthian Church had many problems and ideas. Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, addresses many of the ideas causing division in the Church. They ranged from not dealing with a fornicator in Church, to taking each other to law, to judging one another, different marriage issues, the way they treated those that were weak in the faith, addressing proper conduct in services, how to handle different gifts, because it was a church that had many gifts and how to use them. And now he gets to a point where some were even saying that there is no resurrection.

So that's where we are in chapter 15 of 1 Corinthians, which is an issue, or the subject day is about the resurrection of the dead. And this is an absolutely key and important component of our faith. It's of prime importance. And so in the first few verses of Corinthians 15, Paul says, I've preached to you the good news of the kingdom of God through Jesus Christ, by which we are saved. And then he says it was prophesied that you would die and you would be buried and that you would raise. And this was witnessed by many, many brethren. He mentions a number of brethren all the way up to, at the time, as we know, as many as 5,000 at one time.

So, I think about 500 at one time. So we know that this is a fact. It was well-evident with eyewitnesses. It's a solid fact. So now we're going to go on to verse 9 because that's where we stopped last time in verse 8. And then Paul says, for I am the least of the apostles, because he said, you know, this was witnessed by the 12 and by all the apostles. And he says, but lost of all was seen by me as one born out of time, for I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

And then he goes on, but by the grace of God, I am what I am. And his grace toward me was not in vain. So he was a man that would hard. He was a hard worker. And he says, for I labored more abundantly than they all. Yet, not I, but by the grace of God, which was given me.

So it's not me, but God has opened doors, has given me strength, has helped me to be able to do things and to the point that he even worked without taking time. And so that nobody would accuse him that he was living off other people, particularly there in Corinth. So then he continues, therefore, verse 11, whether it was I or they, so whether it was me that has preached the gospel or any other that has come and preached the gospel, because right at the beginning it says, one plants the other waters, but it's God that gives the growth.

So whichever one was, so we preach and so you believed. So whichever one of us, whether it was Paul or Apollos or whatever, we all have done our bit and you have believed. So regardless of whom we preach the gospel. And then he goes on in verse 12, and he says, now if Christ is preached that he has been risen, raised from the dead, how do some among you say there's no resurrection of the dead? You see, that's the reason of this section of this chapter. Again, it's a corrective section, correcting their ideas.

And their ideas were saying, well, there's no resurrection of the dead. And he just finished referring to a number of eyewitnesses, a large number of eyewitnesses. And therefore, it's not just a doctrine or a belief, it's a fact. It's a fact that Jesus Christ had resurrected from the dead, because there were many eyewitnesses there, and some of them were still alive amongst them.

So how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? Now, this is pertinent in a sense to today, because people come out with different ideas. Whatever ideas people may come up. And again, he is saying, listen, don't allow these ideas to filter in the church. And later on he's saying, be careful, don't be infected or affected by these people of these ideas, because it will affect you. That's what he says in verse 33, for instance, don't be deceived, evil company corrupts bad habits.

So be careful with these wrong ideas, and people of these ideas that are going to affect you. So he is saying, giving out to us also a principle that we have to be well grounded in the truth, but specifically, he's now talking about the resurrection, and he wants us all to understand clearly there is a resurrection. And so, and in a sense, it was ideas that most probably came from Gnosticism, saying that Jesus didn't come in the flesh. And therefore, a resurrection from the flesh was something that Gnostics, I'm not saying that was the case, but could have been a Gnostic idea there.

In fact, there were even other ideas that creeped into the church over time. If you look at 2 Timothy 2, 2 Timothy 2, verse 18, we see another idea that crept in the church about the resurrection, and it says, and some who have strayed from the truth, saying that the resurrection is already passed.

So some were saying, well, there's no resurrection in here. Paul is writing to Timothy, he says, well, some have been saying, well, the resurrection has already happened. And they overthrow the faith of some. You see, so various ideas do crop out. That's why even in this section here in 2 Timothy 2, just two verses before that, starting in verse 16, says, but shan, profane, and idle babblings, for they would increase to more ungodliness.

And so we do see, and we have to be aware and sensitive to ideas that are incorrect. And he says, and their message will spread like cancer. So this is a danger because these ideas, sometimes just a little bit, and a little bit more, a little bit more, and it spreads like cancer. And so we have to be very careful with that. Anyway, going back to 1 Corinthians 15, and let's go on with verse 13 now. But if there is no resurrection of the dead, now watch Paul's very clear, detailed logical steps that he goes through. It's very clear, very detailed logical steps. Look, if there's no resurrection from the dead, then Christ is not risen.

Then Christ is not risen because there's no resurrection from the dead. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty, and your faith is also empty. Then our preaching of the Gospel, the Kingdom of God through Jesus Christ, and what is open up the doors and this understanding, then our preaching is empty, is useless. And your faith, your faith in a resurrection is also useless, is also empty. So it's interesting to see his logic, but let's dig in a little deeper, yeah? That in a sense he's saying, it's not just Christ's death that saves us, it's his resurrection.

You see, because obviously they knew Christ had died, so the issue was the resurrection. And so if there's no resurrection, then our faith is empty. In other words, it's not just Christ's death that saves us. Of course, Christ's death and his blood pays for our sins. So he died so that our sins could be forgiven. But it is required for him to have resurrected to prove that the sins have been paid and are paid for us.

And not only that, it is Jesus Christ living in us through God's Holy Spirit, because God's Holy Spirit gives us God's way of thinking, God's mind puts us at one within, and therefore is changing the way we think. As Peter puts it, is the sanctification of the Spirit. 1 Peter 1 verse 2. Let's just turn there, because he says, elect, talking to us, 1 Peter 1 verse 2, saying, elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father in the sanctification of the Spirit.

For obedience. So God's Holy Spirit works with our minds, with our conscience, to lead us, to obey, to put true, godly love into practice, because keeping the commandments is the love of God. The love of God is the keeping of the commandments. So it's that sanctification, writing God's laws into our minds and into our brain and into our hearts, writing God's laws into us. That sanctification of the Spirit, that washing of the renewing of our minds as we read that in Titus chapter 3, around about verse 4 and 5.

Verse 7, I think it's verse 7, it says, the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is renewing, is helping us to change from the old man to the new man. And that is a washing process, a washing process through God's Holy Spirit. That's why God's Holy Spirit, in a sense, is symbolized as living water. So, the sanctification of the Spirit. So, it's not just Christ's death as we read here in 1 Corinthians 13 and 14 that saves us.

Of course, Christ's death is an important part of that process, but it is His resurrection that He's being resurrected. He gives us now the Holy Spirit, which is the helper that helps us to overcome. That is so important. And then it goes on in verse 15, yes. Because He's saying in verse 13, if there's no resurrection, then He says 15, yes, we are found to be false witnesses.

Because we are saying we saw Christ. A number of you are still living, and some of you are aware of that. Some of the people are still alive are aware of that. You can go and talk to them. So, we are found to be false witnesses 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. So, what Paul is saying is, if there is no resurrection, Christ will not risen. And our faith is in vain. But we are witnesses. And a number of people that are still living, not saying there were people in Corinth, but the number of people are still living, then you can go and check with them, and they will say, yes, we saw Christ.

So, resurrected. So, if you're saying there's no resurrection, in other words, that Christ has not risen, then we are false witnesses. So, he says, we are false witnesses because we've testified of God that He raised up Christ, and because you say He did not raise, then we're false witnesses. Verse 16. For, if the dead do not rise, Christ is not risen. Yeah. So, the logic is very clear, is very concise. Verse 17. If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile, you are still in your sins.

So, he says, if Christ is not risen, our hope, all our faith is in vain, and our sins have not been forgiven. Our sins have not been forgiven because it's not only required for Him to die, but for Him to be resurrected to pay for our sins. Then, verse 18.

If, in this life only, we have hope in Christ, we of all men, we are of all men the most pitiable. So, we have hope, a hope in the resurrection. If we only have hope in Christ, and He died, and He didn't resurrect, then hope is useless. We are most pitiable. We have hope, not only because Christ died for our sins, because He was sinless, He gave His life for us, but He's alive. So, He's paid for our sins. That is a proof that our sins have been paid.

So, that is very, very encouraging.

And that's what the Gospel is all about. Jesus Christ is risen from the dead. He died for our sins. He made it possible for our sins to be forgiven. He made it possible, and He's making it possible for us to be reconciled to God. He is our high priest. He's interceding for us. And He's made it possible for us to receive God's early Spirit. And God's early Spirit helps us to overcome so you and I can have eternal life. So, it is very important, it is crucial for us to really understand that there is a resurrection and that Christ resurrected. That is vital. Now, verse 20. But now, Christ is risen from the dead. Fact. Christ is risen from the dead. Fact. And as become, the first fruits of those were fallen asleep.

As a matter of interest, the word first fruits in Greek is actually in the singular. The word is actually in the singular. But the meaning is, He's the first fruit. He's the first of those first fruits. He's the first. What does that mean? He's the first fruit of those who have fallen asleep.

Now, it's important to understand because there are different types of first fruits. There's different types of first fruits. He's the first fruit of those who have fallen asleep.

In other words, He's the first one to be born into the family of God that was a human being. He's the first one that has taken that step. He's the pioneer. He's the first that was a human being and now was born into the God family. He's the first of those who have fallen asleep. Look at Acts 26 verse 23. Acts 26 verse 23. Acts 26 verse 23. Acts 23 verse 23.

That the Christ would suffer and that He would be the first to rise from the dead. You see, He's the first fruit. He's the first to rise from the dead. He's the first of those who have fallen asleep and would proclaim light to the Jewish people. And to the Gentiles. So He's the first to rise from the dead. So in the context of being the first to rise from the dead, He is the first. He's the first. All right, so it's important for us to understand. So what do we have? Verse 21, we continue. For since by man came death, by man also came the resurrection of the dead. You and I know Adam and Eve sinned. And therefore by man came death.

It says, Adam and Eve, every human being has died. There is not one that has not died sooner or later. They all end up dying. That's why then it says in Hebrews chapter 9 verse 27. Hebrews chapter 9 verse 27.

It says, and as it is appointed for man to die once. Why? Because of sin. Because of sin. So death entered into the world through one man, Adam and Eve. But after this, the judgment. After this, there will be resurrection and there will be judgment. So let's continue. We've just finished reading verse 21. Our first Corinthians 15. Let's go into verse 22. For as in Adam, all die. Exactly. All human beings sooner or later die. Even so in Christ, all shall be made alive. Every human being, every human being will live again. That's what it says. Every human being. What a hope of resurrection, isn't it? It's a hope. That's why it says, you know, it says we have a great hope. It's a hope because Christ died. He's opened up the way for all of us. He's redeemed us from death. Everyone. This is a great hope. This is the hope that we have of the resurrection.

But then he goes on in verse 23. That each one in his own order. Yes, everyone will resurrect, but there is an order. Everything is done decently in order. There is an order. Christ, the first fruits. Again, in Greek, it's singular. Right? Christ, the first fruits, the first of those who have fallen asleep. Afterwards, those who are Christ's at his coming. It's very specific when the resurrection of those that are Christ's will be, will be at his coming. Which you and I know is symbolized by the day of trumpets. It's so plain. It's so plain.

Afterwards, it says those who are Christ's at his coming. In other words, the dead in Christ will resurrect at the lost trump.

And Yah is a point about first fruits.

Let's talk about different types of first fruits, because it is important for us to understand. Because sometimes we look at the word first fruits and we say, well, they all mean the same thing. No, just because the word first fruits is used, it's not always referring to the same thing.

Let me look at it. You and I are amongst the first to receive God's Holy Spirit. Mankind, in general, after Christ's coming, the receiving of the Holy Spirit will be available to the whole of mankind. But today, only to those few that God calls and that are chosen, that respond to that calling. And that was made available starting from the Day of Pentecost. Now, we do know there were a few people in the Old Testament that did receive the God's Holy Spirit as one, like Paul says, as one born out of season.

But the giving of God's Holy Spirit was symbolized by the Day of Pentecost. And so, we are the first to receive God's Holy Spirit. And so today we are the first fruits of the Spirit, the first that have received God's Holy Spirit. If you read in Romans chapter 8 verse 23, Romans chapter 8 verse 23, he's talking about, you know, that starting in verse 14, that if you're led by God, you're children of God.

And then he says, then in verse 16 and 17, therefore we are God's children and we're heirs of God and joined heirs of Christ. And then further on, he says, what wonderful glory we will have, nothing to be compared. And the whole creation expects for the revealing of the sons of God, which is such an amazing hope. And then he goes on, for we know the whole creation grounds, verse 22, Romans 8, the whole creation grounds and labors with birth banks together until now.

Not only that, not only the creation, but we also, who have, we have now the first fruits of the Spirit. You see, we have received God's Holy Spirit now.

So we are the first few in the world that have received God's Holy Spirit. We know we're very few. Humanity in general, as you know, has not received God's Holy Spirit. They're not called, they're not chosen, they're not obeying God's commandments. God gives his Spirit to those who are obeying. So, read that in Acts 5.

So, we are now the first fruits of the Spirit. So, because of that, Jesus Christ lives in us, and we have to have God's Holy Spirit working in us, sanctifying us unto obedience. We have to remain faithful till the end, because by the time Christ comes, we have to be called, chosen, and faithful. That's what we read in Revelation 17 verse 14. By the time Christ comes, we have to be faithful till the end, and then we'll be with Him.

So, that's why in Revelation 17 and 18, which is an inset chapter, it talks about the destruction of the false Christianity and the beast, that whole Babylonian system. But when Christ comes to destroy, we will be resurrected, we'll be with Him, and we will then be with Christ when Christ destroys the beast and the false prophet and those armies that surround Jerusalem at that time. So, the point is that we have to be faithful till the end. We today are the first fruits of the Spirit. But if you and I are not faithful till the end, we will not be in a resurrection. So, even though we are the first fruits of the Spirit, if we lose it, if we turn back, like it talks about that in Hebrews chapter 6, for instance, if we turn back, if we walk back, then we might lose it.

We don't want to do that. We don't want to lose it. And so, we have to remain faithful till the end. Then, at the resurrection, we will be changed to spirit beings. And then, we will have been redeemed because we were sinners. We were redeemed, brought back from death by what Christ has done. We redeemed for God's service and resurrected in the first resurrection as spirit beings. So, we'll be the first sinners, the first sinners, redeemed to God and resurrected. And those are the ones that are referred in Revelation 14 verse 4.

Revelation 14 verse 4. Revelation 14 verse 4. Just get to it, read it. It says, these are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgin. They are the ones who followed the Lamb, whatever it goes. These were redeemed from among men. You know, we were sinners, but we redeemed. We brought back from death from among men. So, we were the first redeemed. Those will be with Christ. Those that are Christ's at His coming, as we read in 1 Corinthians a moment ago. And so, redeemed from among men, being first fruits to God and to the Lamb.

So, in Romans 8 23, today we are the first fruits of the Spirit. But we have to remain faithful till the end, and then at the resurrection, we will be the first fruits to God and to the Lamb that have been redeemed from among men. So, it is a different use of the word first fruits. It's still the first. So, we have Christ is the first human being that moved to the God family.

We are the first to receive God's Holy Spirit. So, the first fruits of the Spirit. And if you and I remain faithful till the end, at Christ's coming, at His coming, we will then be the first fruits of those redeemed to God and to the Lamb. You see, it's different uses of the same word with different meanings.

And this is why sometimes people get confused. And that's why I spent a little bit of time explaining that because it is important for us to see that difference. So, let's go on with 1 Corinthians. And now we read verse 23 again. But each one in his own order cries the first fruits of the worst those who are Christ's. There are those that have been faithful, that have received God's Holy Spirit and have been faithful till the end at His coming. Then there will be the first sinners redeemed to God from among men and resurrected at His coming. And verse 24, then comes the end.

The end. There'll be another resurrection later. Look at John chapter 5, verse 28 and 29. John chapter 5, verse 28 and 29. He says, do not marvel at this, for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice.

So again, every human being will resurrect all who are in the graves. Good and bad. They all. And then he says, and will come forth. Does who have done good? Well, no one has done good. We all have sinned. But we have repented.

We've been washed. We have been forgiven. And so we've been justified. And therefore we've been declared good. In other words, God imputes no further sin because we believed. And therefore we are deemed as good to the resurrection of life. That is, the first resurrection, which is direct resurrection, which is a better resurrection and direct resurrection to eternal life, to spirit beings. That's the first resurrection. Those that are Christ's at His coming. That's the same thing. Those that are Christ's at His coming.

Those will be the first fruits of man redeemed from the earth. They were brought back. So that's the resurrection of life at Christ's coming. Right. And those who have done evil, now as I said, everybody's done evil, but their sins, they have not repented. Their sins have not been washed away. So they still need this to be judged classification. You and I are judged now. We in the church, we've been judged now. But they will be judged later. So they will. Those who have done evil, in other words, they have not been washed clean yet.

They still are repented. They still need to go through the same process that we've gone. They will come to the resurrection of condemnation. Well, that's a bad translation because the word here is Greek 2920, chrisses, which is like a judgment or a tribunal, a resurrection in which there'll be a judgment. And this is what we call the Great White Throne Judgment, which is described in Revelation 20, verse 11 and 12. So if we turn to Revelation 20, verse 11 and 12, Revelation 20, verse 11 and 12, it says, then I saw a Great White Throne, and him who sat on it.

And we know Christ is going to judge. The judgment belongs to Christ, is being delegated to Christ. For whose face the earth and heaven fled away, there was no, and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God. The dead resurrected. That's a resurrection. And the books were open. You know what? The Bible was open. And then they'll be evaluated. They will have a time to repent. They'll have a time to learn the truth.

They'll have a time to be baptized. They'll have a time to have hands laid on them. They'll have a time to receive God's Holy Spirit. They'll have a time to use God's Holy Spirit and overcome and overcome over a period of time, improve and overcome until the end, whatever the end is, till God decides, but probably for a period of 100 years. And then, at that time, another book was open, which is the Book of Life. And if they repent and they change, they will then be even Eternal Life, or Book of Life.

And that's why it says the dead, those that now are resurrected, because it's talking about the dead, small and great, standing before God. So the dead, small and great, standing before God, you know, as these people resurrected, it says, were charged according to their works by the things which were written in the books, which is in the Bible.

The same standard. Nothing has changed. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. So they'll be charged by the things written in the books. So if we go back to John chapter 5 verse 29, it says, you know, all that are in the graves will hear His voice. Those that have done good to the resurrection of life, and those that have not been cleansed yet, they have not been judged yet, they have not repented yet. So they still, at that time, declared, have done evil to the resurrection of judgment, of the Great White Throne Judgment.

And so going back to 1 Corinthians chapter 15, we just finished reading verse 24. Or rather, let's read again verse 24, just making sure that we cover all the details here. Then comes the end, and when He, Christ, delivers the kingdom of God, the kingdom to God, I mean, I'm sorry, delivers the kingdom to God the Father. So Christ has been given by the Father a huge mission, a huge mission. The mission given to Christ by God the Father is to create human beings, create physical things, so human beings can be tested and proven.

And at the end of this, human beings will have an opportunity to be changed to spirit beings and indeed to be in the family of God. That is the project, the mission that was given to Christ to execute. And Christ is executing it, has executed, is executing it, and will execute it to the T, exactly according to the Father's instructions. And when He's finished, mission accomplished, it says, Yah, in verse 24, when it finally comes the end, there's these resurrections, all this right at the end of everything, He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all room and all authority and power.

So all this evil authority and power that exists in the world today and exists in the spirit world through Satan and his demons. So all this evil that exists, all this power will be all submissive to God. And verse 25, For he, Christ, must reign until he has put all enemies under his feet. Christ has to reign until he has put all enemies under his feet. And the lost enemy that will be destroyed is death. The lost enemy that will be destroyed is death, because death is an enemy, because it's basically end of life.

So that will be destroyed, so there will be life. For those that repent, God is doing everything possible, because he wants everyone to come to repent us. The forbearance and the patience of God is that everyone, everyone, will come to repent us. But some, regrettably, will reject it. But those that accept it, and you'll do everything to forgive them and help them with God's Holy Spirit.

At the end of this, death will be overcome, and that will be the lost enemy. Look at verse 27. For he has put all things under his feet. In other words, 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 accepted. So God the Father has put everything in responsibility, delegated everything to Christ.

And Christ has this mission to do all this, and therefore everything is under Christ. And that's why it says it is evident that he who put all things under him, it is evident that he the Father, that has put all things under Christ, the Father is accepted because the Father delegated to Christ. So all things will be under Christ, but of course the Father is not under Christ. Verse 28.

Now, when all things are made subject to him, when all things are made subject to him, then the Son himself will also be subject to him. So all and all things, because Christ has put everything to be subject to the Father, and the Christ is subject to the Father. So everything that will be subject to the Father, then the Son himself will also be subject to God the Father, who put all things under Christ's authority, that God may be all in all.

Jesus Christ will be ultimately subject to the Father. The Father has greater authority. The human race then will be elevated from human to the family of God. Every human being in the family of God will have God's nature, will have divine nature, will follow God's way of life, will have God's mind, Christ's mind, God's way of thinking. And therefore, God will be all in all, because all will be like God. And that is what Christ prayed in John 17. I pray that all may be one, just like we are one, all being perfect in unity. That is the ultimate goal. And so this is an amazing plan, an amazing objective that we all have, but it is vital for us to understand the importance of the resurrection. Because the resurrection is the key that this is possible, that every man will be resurrected. There is a resurrection. Resurrection is key. The hope of the resurrection is our hope, is the hope that we have. It is so important for us to understand the hope of the resurrection. Now, Paul now talks about, in verse 29, and starts talking about there, verse 29 is a subject that is clearly related to this hope of the resurrection, because all along here in the context, Paul is talking about the hope of the resurrection. So verse 29 is where we'll continue at the next study.