(Scripture Reading: Mt 22:23-33; Ps 16:1-11; Dan 12:1-3)
Thesis: To emphasize to the hearer the truth of the resurrection in order to motivate them to the obedience of faith, and unto fervent service in the Lord, which is always profitable (1 Cor 15:58).
Text: 1 Cor 15: (1-4; 23)
1Co 15:1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,
1Co 15:2 and by which you are being saved (Lk 13:23; Acts 2:46; 1 Cor 1:18; 15:2; 2 Cor 2:15), if you hold fast to the word I preached to you (Mt 13:21; Mk 4:17; Lk 8:13)—unless you believed in vain.
1Co 15:3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received (Gal 1:12): that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, (Isa 53:3-8)
1Co 15:4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, (Ps 16:8-10) . . .
1Co 15:23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
Introduction,
In this epistle (1 Corinthians) the apostle Paul deals with a multitude of problems, let us remember that there are no perfect congregations, but the church at Corinth is probably a worse case scenario, thus it is a wonderful thing that God has left this letter for us in order that we can see that error “is” to be dealt with, not ignored, for this is love (2 John 6).
2Jn 1:6 And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.
By the content of the Epistle, we can conclude that Paul was addressing a multitude of questions they had asked him by letter (1 Cor 7:1), we see the word “concerning” or “now concerning” 7 times in the letter in response to questions they had, and also Paul had heard reports of what was transpiring at this particular congregation from members of the household of Chloe (1 Cor 1:11) and possibly others.
Things were way out of hand, even to point that Paul had threatened them to come to them with the rod of apostolic power (1 Cor 4:21), think about Paul coming to this congregation, or a congregation uptown with the apostilic rod, he might strike some of us blind for a season or perhaps even strike us dead in the sin of our error, this ought to bring the fear of God on all those that believe (Acts 5:5, 11), being a child of God is serious business to say the least (Rom 11:22).
At Corinth there were divisions, contentions, and sexual immorality taking place, yet church discipline was not being practiced in these matters; members were taking each other to civil courts, there were quarrels over marriage, quarrels over fellowship with pagans, quarrels over foods offered to idols, quarrels over the Lord’s supper, quarrels over the role of the women in the assembly, quarrels over the assembly in general, there were troubles and divisions concerning spiritual gifts, and lastly, when you think that you heard it all, some of them were actually denying the reality of the bodily resurrection on the Last Day, (probably due to Grecian belief combined with Sadducean influence, neither of which believed in a bodily resurrection).
Impossible though it may seem, there are even some today who profess to follow Christ, that also deny a general bodily resurrection, of both the lost and the saved simultaneously (John 5:28-29; Acts 24:15), who will then appear before the judgment seat of Christ, and be judged primarily by their response to God’s word (John 12:48; Rom 2:16; Rev 20:12), and those that did demonstrate the obedience of faith (Rom 1:5; 16:26), by their works of service unto God they did while in their physical bodies (Mt 25, the parable of the talents, the Judgment scene).
Thus in this lesson we will take a closer look at the resurrection, in order to build our faith, hope, our love of God and others, that these traits may mature inwardly and be demonstrated outwardly unto the life eternal. Therefore we will look at . . .
1) The assertion concerning no bodily resurrection and it ramifications (v 12-19, 29-34).
2) The facts concerning the resurrection (v 20-34)
3) Details about the resurrected body (v 35-56).
4) What should be our response in view of the truth of the resurrection? (v 55-58).
I. THE ASSERTION CONCERNING NO BODILY RESURRECTION AND ITS RAMIFICATIONS (v 12-19; 29-34)
A. In v 5-10 Paul goes through a lengthy list of people who had seen the resurrected Christ, which included the apostles and over 500 people at one time, (surely 500 people could not have been tricked or have had a simultaneous hallucination), he then states in v 11 that this was what was preached to them, and they believed it! In fact their baptism (Acts 18:8), and ours, shadows, reenacts His death, burial and resurrection as per Rom 6:3-5 . . .
Rom 6:3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
B. So how could they now possibly believe that there is no resurrection (v 12)? Their salvation was based upon these very facts, then Paul uses common logic concerning this matter (look at v 13-18) . . .
1Co 15:13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.
1Co 15:14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.
1Co 15:15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.
1Co 15:16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised.
1Co 15:17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is (in vain) futile and you are still in your sins.
1Co 15:18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
1. The bottom line is if Christ is not raised, then the Faith, the Way, Christianity is a lie, for if there is no reason to believe in the resurrection of the dead, there is no reason to believe in the immortality of the soul, or of a future state, but rather the soul perishes with the body, we will die in our sins, and simply cease to exist! (v 19) . . .
1Co 15:19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
2. Therefore to live a life on this earth, choosing to be persecuted for the cause of Christ (2 Tim 3:12), without the hope of a blessing for such (Mt 5:10-12); laying up earthly treasures for heavenly rewards (Mt 6:19-21) when there is none; focusing upon the things above (2 Cor 4:16-5:1; Col 3:1-4), while in fact there is no hope of such a place, we Christians are most pathetic.
C. Then Paul gives them some more reasons for the reality of the resurrection in verses 29-34 . . .
1. (v 29)
1Co 15:29 Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf?
a. It seems to me that this verse implies that some of the believers at Corinth were not yet baptized, and then died, thus the Christians there knowing the importance of baptism, that it washes away your sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16), that it also one of the things that puts you in Christ (Rom 6:3; Gal 3:27; Jn 3:16 LITV; Eph 4:15), if they performed “proxy baptism” on others behalf, Paul doesn’t speak against it, or for it, he merely brings it up because if there is no literal resurrection, what’s the point? If the resurrection is only a spiritual one in this life alone depicted in the act of baptism, then why were they engaged in such an act? It makes no sense if the dead are not literaly raised.
b. Also, it should be noted that in this verse the word “baptized” (baptizo) here can be translated in the middle voice, which would read like this . . .
“What shall they do that are baptized for their own benefit (separation from the [spiritually] dead [in eternity]?) If the dead are not raised at all, why are they baptized for themselves?”
c. Here is the one translation that I found that follows this assertion (1 Cor 15:29 GW) . . .
1Co 15:29 However, people are baptized because the dead will come back to life. What will they do? If the dead can't come back to life, why do people get baptized as if they can come back to life?
d. In other words “why be baptized? If the resurrection is a lie, what’s the point?”
2. (v 30)
1Co 15:30 Why are we in danger every hour?
a. Being a Christian was a very dangerous undertaking in Paul’s time, it is dangerous in many places today, like some of the Muslim based countries (Iran, Iraq, etc.) or say in China; or North Korea; or India. Yet being a Christian faithful to God’s word today in this country is getting more and more difficult as the denominational world follows and accepts the sins of the world (adultery, sodomy; abortion),
b. I read an article recently that conservative Christian groups (evangelical Christians, Roman Catholics) were on a list of hate groups in a training session within the US military, which includes the KKK and Muslim extremists (the tides are shifting in this country, so be aware), if there is no resurrection, only a fool would submit himself to such things for no good reason.
3. (v 31)
1Co 15:31 I protest, brothers, by my pride (glorifying) in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day!
a. This verse seems a bit obscure in is placement, and most commentators mention that, but if we stay contextual (persecutions for the gospel’s sake) it makes sense; Paul boasted of their coming to Christ, yet he was in travail unto death daily because of his bringing forth of the gospel to individuals such as them (Rom 8:36), why was he subjecting himself to such things if there was nothing for them or him to miss out on (2 Cor 11:24-28)?
2Co 11:24 Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one.
2Co 11:25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea;
2Co 11:26 on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers;
2Co 11:27 in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.
2Co 11:28 And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.
b. Yet it could be that between these 2 verses of outward persecutions Paul makes reference to inward toils, the daily crucifying of himself as commanded by the Lord in Lk 9:23 . . .
Luk 9:23 And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
c. Also consider Gal 2:20 . . .
Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.
d. And also look at Rom 8:12-14 . . .
Rom 8:12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.
Rom 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Rom 8:14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
e. And also 2 Cor 4:16 . . .
2Co 4:16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.
f. Why would Paul and other Christians suffer with these inward battles when the end result is a ceasing to exist with no heavenly hope?
4. (v 32).
1Co 15:32 What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die."
a. He struggled against the enemies of the gospel at Ephesus (Acts 19), and for what reason? If we just die and cease to exist, let us just party hardy, for there is no reason to exercise self-control!
5. (v 33).
1Co 15:33 Do not be deceived: "Bad company (companionships) ruins (corrupts) good morals."
a. Don’t be deceived, do not live like the ungodly (eating and drinking in excess), nor associate with them in their worldly acts, it will make you just like them, without God and without hope! (Eph 2:12)
6. (v 34).
1Co 15:34 Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame (to move you to shame).
a. AWAKE! Out of these sinful activities, and do not take heed to those that teach such things as “there is no resurrection” you ought to be ashamed (Rom 6:20-21).
Rom 6:20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
Rom 6:21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
b. Those today who live like there will be no resurrection, or who teach or believe not the truth concerning the resurrection, these also ought to be ashamed, let us speak the truth to them in love (Eph 4:15), in order that they may inherit the resurrection unto life, not judgment (John 5:29), this is “the assertion and some of the ramifications of there being no resurrection.”
II. THE FACTS CONCERNING THE RESURRECTION (v 20-28)
A. (v 20)
1Co 15:20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
1. Yes, the truth is Christ has been raised from the dead, and in verses 5-8 is a list of individuals that could testify to this fact, and even 500 at once had seen Him, most think this refers to Mt Tabor in Galilee where Jesus appointed His disciples to meet Him (Mt 26:32; 28:7, 10, 16), these philanthropists today that assert they have found the so called Jesus tomb (with Him in it) ought to repent and believe in the gospel, He is not still dead, He has risen, and He was the first of the many to be raised from the dead (Dan 12:2), never to die again (Rev 1:17-18),
Rev 1:17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last,
Rev 1:18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
a. And those who follow Him, that believe these facts and imitate His life of selflessness can expect to imitate Him in His resurrection (John 14:6; 2 Tim 2:11).
Joh 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
2Ti 2:11 Faithful is the saying: For if we died with him, we shall also live with him:
b. And enter into heaven as He did, He is our forerunner (look at Heb 6:19-20).
Heb 6:19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, (“within the veil”; a figure from the temple where a veil separated the holy from the most holy place, “within the veil” denotes God’s special abode);
Heb 6:20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
c. Christ spoken of as being a “Forerunner” into God’s dwelling place (heaven) implies there will be others that follow. This is “the way,” “the truth” about eternal “life” in “the place” that He prepared for those that believe and express the obedience of faith (Rom 1:5; 16:26), who love Him and keep His commandments, He stated (John 14:2-3) . . .
Joh 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions (abiding-places); if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.
Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I come again, and will receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
2. But what happened to Jesus while He was in the tomb for 3 days? Did He merely cease to exist as some today assert? (J.W.s; Seventh day Adventists; etc.), or was He soul sleeping as others teach?
a. At His death His spirit, like ours, went back to God who gave it (Eccl 12:7; Luke 23:46).
Ecc 12:7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns unto God who gave it.
Luk 23:46 And Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: . . .
b. But what did God do with His spirit? Luke 23:43 gives us the answer (turn to Luke 23:43).
Luk 23:43 And he (Jesus) said to him (the thief on the cross), "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
c. We should conclude that Paradise in this context is located in Hades based on this verse and Acts 2:27, 31 together, turn to Acts 2:27 . . .
Act 2:27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption.
d. “Hades” is the realm of disembodied spirits, some translations render the Greek word “hades” “nether world” (NASB margin), Thayer defines it as “realm of the dead” Strong’s defines it as “place (state) of departed souls”
e. “Paradise” is a Persian word that is a general term which denotes “a park or pleasure ground,” and can appropriately be any place especially prepared for enjoyment, for this reason “Eden” (lit. means “pleasure” BDB) is referred to as a “Paradise.” Also the marginal reading for “paradise” in Rev 2:7 is “garden” as seen in Gen 2:8, 8, 9, 15, 16; 3:1, 2, 3, 8, 10, 23, 24;
f. Thus the place of the righteous dead in Hades (Lk 16:25) is referred to as “Paradise” (Luke 23:43), and also eternity with God in the new heavens and new earth is referred to as “Paradise” (2 Cor 12:4; Rev 2:7; 22:2). Also let us remember that there are many mansions (abiding places; John 14:2) in the heavenly places and they are all good, enjoyable, and pleasurable to those that love God and strive to be likened unto Him.
3. In Luke 16:19-31 we learn that Hades consist of two compartments, one for the faithful, and one for the unfaithful and unbelieving, and no one can cross over from one side to the other (at least not at the time that Jesus revealed some facts about this place).
a. Jesus said He and the thief on the cross were going to “Paradise” on that very day (“to-day” Lk 23:43),
b. Peter in his sermon at Pentecost affirms this assertion, he told us that “Hades” is where Jesus went.
Act 2:27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption.
c. This is a quote from Ps 16:10 from the LXX, seeing that the sum of God’s word is truth (Ps 119:160), we must conclude that Paradise is in Hades, or we could state that Hades for the faithful will be a Paradise (Look at Acts 2:31).
Act 2:31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.
d. “Nor did His (His Holy One’s) flesh see corruption” means that while Jesus’ (spirit/soul) went to Hades, His body did not stay in the tomb and decay as bodies normally would, instead He was resurrected.
e. Therefore we see that death is merely a separation of body and spirit, and that, only until Christ’s 2nd coming, as James wrote (Ja 2:26) . . .
Jam 2:26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.
4. Also concerning our Lord in Hades, what took place there? Was He soul-sleeping as some might assert, or as others maintain did He merely cease to exist till God put His life force back into His body? Neither, look at 1 Pet 3:18-20 . . .
1Pe 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,
1Pe 3:19 in which he went and proclaimed (preached) to the spirits in prison,
1Pe 3:20 because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were (saved) brought safely through water.
a. Notice that when Christ was made alive in the spirit (when His flesh, His body was dead), He preached to the spirits in prison, this likely refers to those in the bad side of Hades (Lk 16:23), we learn in Luke’s account of Hades (Lk 16:19-31) that communication can take place from one side to the other, thus Christ was in Paradise in Hades preaching to those in Torments (prison) just like we see Abraham doing to the rich man in Lk 16. So what was the purpose of Jesus preaching to the disobedient of Noah’s day? Look at 1 Pet 4:6 which gives us the answer . . .
1Pe 4:6 For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live (according to God) in the spirit the way God does.
b. “Live according to God in the spirit” seems to imply that these were given a choice to live according to God’s will while in this realm, so did these cross over? It seems so to me to be the case, even though most protestant commentators would deny it, they were judged in the flesh, God killed them in their sins with the flood, but it seems that these were given a second chance to cross over, but what about Lk 16:26 (look there). . .
Luk 16:26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm (gulf) has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.'
c. Let us keep in mind that what the Lord reveals about this place was before His death, burial, resurrection and ascension, it could be that things changed in these realms based upon His work, and that could give some added meaning to His statement in Mt 16:18 (turn there). . .
Mat 16:18 And I also say unto you, that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
d. I always considered this statement to be looking at the end of time when Hades is emptied and burnt up (Rev 20:13-14), but perhaps it means more than that, that now there is an opportunity for crossing over, or perhaps it was just given to that group because they never had an opportunity to hear, believe, and obey the gospel, which to me seems more likely.
e. Again, my point goes back to the soul-sleeping and annihilation doctrines, those really don’t hold up well in view of these scriptures concerning Christ and the spirits He preached to, for neither He or they were annihilated or sleeping.
f. One more point that I would like to make is that Christ could be now moving around in these places, between paradise and torments, heaven proper, and possibly more than that, therefore Christ now being at the right hand of God in heaven (the place of authority) does not demand that one has to be in heaven proper in order to be with Christ (as per Phili 1:23; 2 Cor 5:6-10), the psalmist puts it this way (Ps 139:7-8) . . .
Psa 139:7 Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence?
Psa 139:8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
B. (v 21-22)
1Co 15:21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.
1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
Because of the first sin, mankind was ousted from God's presence and from the tree of life, which, when eaten, enabled a human to live forever (Gen 3:22). [Note here that we see Paul alluding to the Genesis account, which some who allow women to exercise authority over men in their common assemblies assert Paul doesn’t believe in, that doesn’t seem to be the case here, as seen in many other passages (Acts 24:14)]
Act 24:14 But this I confess to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets,
1. Thus because of the sin in the Garden, all mankind was made subject to physical death (Gen 3:19; Heb 9:27); and because of our imitating Adam and committing own sins (Rom 5:12), every accountable person has also experienced spiritual death, being separated spiritually from God (“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;” Rom 3:23).
a. Yet because of the great love, power and foreknowledge of God, He set up a plan, His eternal purpose (Eph 3:11), the church that belongs to Christ, before the foundation of the world it was conceived, so that mankind could be forgiven, changed, and ultimately return into the very presence of God.
b. This plan is the revealed in the NT, it is the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Faith, the Way, in the church, the kingdom, the body of Christ, that location that is known as “in Christ,” is the only place where every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places are available (Eph 1:3), and that would include the resurrection unto eternal life in Heaven.
C. (v 23)
1Co 15:23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
Christ is presently pictured in heaven, seated on the throne of David (Acts 2:30-31), ruling (Col 3:17) over all things to His church (Eph 1:22-23) through the instrumentality of the NT (John 12:49; 17:4, 8, 20-21).
a. When He comes again, those that lived faithful lives “in Christ,” along with all the faithful throughout the ages will be raised as Christ was raised, to the resurrection of life (eternal life).
b. Yet “all” will be raised according to the sum of God’s word (Ps 119:160), the obedient “and” the disobedient (John 5:28-29),
Joh 5:28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice
Joh 5:29 and come (forth) out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
c. Paul also affirmed in Acts 24:15, that there would be but “one” bodily resurrection (Acts 24:15).
Act 24:15 . . . there shall be a resurrection both of the just and unjust.
d. All will be rejoined with their changed imperishable bodies, resurrected, come before the judgment seat of Christ, the faithful will be ushered into the new heavens and the new earth, those that did not believe nor obey, or did not know (2 Thess 1:8-9), or followed blind religious leaders (Mt 15:14) instead of God’s will/word, will be thrown into the lake of fire, with Satan and his cohorts as seen in (Rev 20:12, 15).
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne; and books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works . . .
Rev 20:15 And if any was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire.
e. Our verse (1 Cor 15:23) is just dealing with the resurrection of the faithful, not that the unfaithful and unbelieving aren’t also raised.
D. (v 24)
1Co 15:24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.
1. Christ at His 2nd coming will come with the souls of the righteous (1 Thess 4:14), and angels of His power in flaming fire (2 Thess 1:7-8), and in that event will receive God’s people to Himself, burn up this physical realm (2 Pet 3:10-12), with the unbelieving in it (1 Thess 5:3), He will then judge mankind and assign their eternal abodes (Rev 20:11-15), and will after that deliver the redeemed to the Father, then relinquish His authority over the kingdom; He will hand the reigns of the kingdom back to the Father.
a. Yet there are numerous groups of sincere religious people who teach, multiple general resurrections, Christ ruling on earth when He comes, annihilation of the lost, that the spirit does not live after death, and so on, yet the Bible seems to be plain and clear on these matters, and the Bible does mean what it says.
E. (25-26)
1Co 15:25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
1. Christ came and took away the fear of death for those that imitate Him and believe (Heb 2:14-15),
Heb 2:14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil,
Heb 2:15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.
a. Yet physical death will still continue until Christ comes again, then it will no longer exist (1 Cor 15:54-55; Rev 20:14; 21:4).
1Co 15:54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."
1Co 15:55 "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?"
Rev 20:14 And death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death, even the lake of fire.
Rev 21:4 and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away.
F. (v 27-28)
1Co 15:27 For "God has put all things in subjection under his feet (Eph 1:22)." But when it says, "all things are put in subjection," it is plain that he (the Father) is excepted who put all things in subjection under him (Christ).
1Co 15:28 When all things (contextually death) are subjected to him (Christ), then the Son himself will also be subjected to him (the Father) who put all things in subjection under him (Christ), that God may be all in all.
1. God did not put himself under Christ in the plan of redemption, the ultimate purpose of the coming of Christ was to bring all things back to God the Father, as it was in the beginning of creation; it has been often said “what is lost at the beginning of the Bible (Gen 3) is regained at the end (Rev 21)” this will take place on the Last Day (look at Rev 21:1-4) . . .
Rev 21:1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth are passed away; and the sea is no more.
Rev 21:2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them, and they shall be his peoples, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God:
Rev 21:4 and he shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more: the first things are passed away.
“The first heaven and the first earth are passed away; and the sea is no more” (v 1), this is when 2 Pet 3:10-13 is fulfilled (turn there).
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens (the sky and outer space) shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
2Pe 3:11 Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in all holy living and godliness,
2Pe 3:12 looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens (the sky and outer space) being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
2Pe 3:13 But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens (the sky and outer space) and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness.
The encouragement unto faithfulness is in the next verse (2 Pet 3:14) . . .
2Pe 3:14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that you look for these things, give diligence that you may be found in peace, without spot and blameless in his sight.
We need to give diligence to make our calling and election sure (2 Pet 1:10), to strive to keep within the confines of that narrow gate (Lk 13:24), to continue to work out our salvation with trembling and fear (Phili 2:12), for it is God working in us through the gospel (Phili 2:13), and it is His will that we all be saved (1 Tim 2:4), and He has the power to make us stand (Rom 14:4), therefore let us keep all these things in our hearts and minds unto God’s glory (1 Cor 10:31).
III. DETAILS ABOUT THE TRUTH OF THE RESURRECTED BODY (v 35-56)
G. (v 35-38) In verses 35-49 the inspired Paul, describes some of the details of the resurrected body. . .
1Co 15:35 But someone will ask, "How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?"
1Co 15:36 You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.
1Co 15:37 And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain.
1Co 15:38 But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body.
1. Here Paul first uses the figure of planting grain, if a seed is planted, if it is not dead/dried up, it will rot in the ground, but if it dies/ is dried up, and is planted, a totally different thing immerges out of the ground.
a. Yet neither the seed, nor the sower is responsible for the plant that results, but rather God, Whose established natural laws, being upheld by the word of His power, did this (Heb 1:3).
b. In like manner, the dead, decaying human body is planted in the ground; yet an imperishable body will immerge on the Last Day, according to God’s word, it will come to pass, and each body will still keep its individuality.
H. (v 39)
1Co 15:39 For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish.
1. God has created all kinds of differing flesh (bodies), that of man, beast, bird, and fish, surely He can bring forth an incorruptible body, as He already has, as seen with the angels.
a. Also note that Paul couples animals, birds and fish with the idea of a raised individual body, possibly implying their resurrection also, as he also implied in Rom 8:21 where he speaks of the entire creation being delivered from the bondage of corruption at the revealing of the children of God, i.e the resurrection at the Lord’s 2nd coming.
I. (v 40-41)
1Co 15:40 There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another.
1Co 15:41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.
Just like there are differing kinds of earthly bodies, there are also different kinds of heavenly bodies; asteroids, planets, moons, the sun and stars, and they all have differing glories, some are bright, some are not, some give their own light, others reflect light, if God gave and controls all these, surely it is a simple thing for God to raise, change, and glorify the human body.
J. (v 42-43)
1Co 15:42 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable.
1Co 15:43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.
1. Thus the natural body, growing older and weaker to the point of death, is sown in weakness and corruption, where it will decay; but it will be raised, and changed, by God’s power, to a glorious, spiritual, incorruptible body like Jesus’ (Phili 3:21; 1 John 3:2; 1 Pet 1:3-4; 1 Cor 15:23).
Php 3:21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
1Jn 3:2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1Pe 1:4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,
1Co 15:23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
K. (v 44)
1Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
Note also the phrase also “spiritual body”, this is different at least in some sense from a spirit, a person’s spirit, apart from the body, when we are disembodied spirits, at death (Eccl 12:7; Ja 2:26)
Ecc 12:7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
Jas 2:26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
This is speaking of when we are to be similar to the angels, as the Lord Jesus revealed (Mt 22:39),
Mat 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
L. (v 45-47)
1Co 15:45 Thus it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
1Co 15:46 But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual.
1Co 15:47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven.
1. Again we see Paul making illusion to the Genesis account, specifically Gen 2:7, which those that despise God’s word and claim is not God’s word (specifically 1 Tim 2:12-15), and assert that does not Paul believe it to be such (specifically Genesis), these need to repent and obey from the heart while they still can (Heb 9:27).
All humanity originated from Adam, who was formed of the dust of the earth, while the resurrection will originate from Christ and His work, Who came from Heaven, begotten by the power of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35), in the womb of a virgin (Mt 1:22-23), according to the prophet Isaiah (Isa 7:14), in this manner the Word Who was God became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14), God with us, Emmanuel (Mt 1:23).
Our spirits were created first as revealed Jubilees ch 2 on the first day of creation (which is also implied in Eccl 12:7), are kept in heaven until conception, then God gives each conceived body a spirit, which goes back to God at physical death to the hadean realm.
What is being discussed here is not the spirit, but rather the body, we have a fleshly “body” first, then a spiritual “body” at the resurrection, the body is the focus in this section.
L. (v 48-49)
1Co 15:48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven.
1Co 15:49 Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.
1. We have borne the image of earthly Adam, we are all human, thus we will likewise all bear the image of the glorified, resurrected Christ, that which He became after His ascension (look at Phili 3:20-21; 1 John 3:2).
Php 3:20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Php 3:21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.
1Jn 3:2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
a. The glorified body of Christ is probably that which Paul saw on the road to Damascus, his human eyes could not look upon Him without severe injury (Acts 26:13-15; 9:8-9)
Act 26:13 At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me.
Act 26:14 And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, 'Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.'
Act 26:15 And I said, 'Who are you, Lord?' And the Lord said, 'I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
Act 9:8 And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw nothing; and they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.
Act 9:9 And he was three days without sight, and did neither eat nor drink.
b. The glorified Christ is also pictured in Rev 1:12-18 (turn there) . . .
Rev 1:12 Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands,
Rev 1:13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest.
Rev 1:14 The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire,
Rev 1:15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters.
Rev 1:16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.
Rev 1:17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, "Fear not, I am the first and the last,
Rev 1:18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
c. Keep in mind Jesus is our Forerunner, the firstfruits of this metamorphosis, when we look at this, we are looking at ourselves in our future state.
M. (v 50)
1Co 15:50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
1. Our bodies as they are on earth, cannot enter into Heaven, God is a spirit being (John 4:24), if we expect to enter into His abode, we must be changed into something fitted for that realm.
N. (v 51-52)
1Co 15:51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump(et). For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
1. Yet not every Christian is going to have to experience physical death, when Christ comes again, those that have died will be raised and reunited with their spirits (1 Thess 4:14), Hades will be destroyed (Rev 20:13), and God’s people who have not experienced physical death, that are physically alive at Jesus’ 2nd coming will be changed, the physical into the spiritual, into that which is incorruptible (some not having to experience death is also reaffirmed in 1 Thess 4:15-17; turn there) . . .
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we that are alive, that are left unto the coming of the Lord, shall in no wise precede them that are fallen asleep (died).
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump(et) of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first;
1Th 4:17 then we that are alive, that are left, shall together with them be, caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
a. The difference between the 1 Cor text and the 1 Thess text is one has us changing, the other has us being lifted up, caught up in the sky to meet the Lord, the sum of God’s word is the truth on this matter (Ps 119:160), we will be both changed and caught up.
(v 53-54)
1Co 15:53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."
This is a reference to Isa 25:8-9 . . .
Isa 25:8 He will swallow up death forever (in victory; KJV); and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.
Isa 25:9 It will be said on that day, "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the LORD; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation."
1. This is speaking of the point in which death will be put under Christ’s feet, there will be no more reproduction, living on earth, nor dying (Rev 21:4), this is when verses 26-28 (1 Cor 15:26-28) will be fulfilled.
a. It should also be noted that at this time the physical universe will be burnt up (2 Pet 3:1-14; Rev 20:9-11; 21:1), the Hadean realm will be destroyed (Rev 20:13-14), Christ will judge mankind (Acts 17:31; Rev 20:11-15), the saved will be eternally separated from the lost (Mt 25:46; Rev 21:7-8), and He will deliver the kingdom back to the Father (v 24).
P. (v 55)
1Co 15:55 "O death, where is your victory? O death (Hades; NKJV; Hosea 13:14), where is your sting?"
This is a quote from Hosea 13:14 . . .
Hos 13:14 Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol? Shall I redeem them from Death? O Death, where are your plagues? O Sheol, where is your sting? Compassion is hidden from my eyes.
No longer will death prevail, the sting that death produces will be taken away, the fear of death has been taken away by the hope of eternal life in Christ (Heb 2:14-15) through His forerunning (Heb 6:20), this hope will at this time become realized (Rom 8:24-25; 1 Pet 1:3-4), when death will be defeated, it will be no more (Rev 21:4) . . .
Rev 21:4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."
K. (v 56)
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.
Both physical and spiritual death are results of sin (Rom 3:23), and sin results from breaking God’s laws (1 John 3:4); “For the wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23), both physical death (separation from the tree of life; Gen 3:22-24) and spiritual death (separation from fellowship with God; Isa 59:2) are the end results of sin.
The Law of Moses had to be perfectly kept in order to save those under it (Gal 3:10), and it truly couldn’t take away sins (Heb 10:1-4), only temporarily cover them until the blood of God could be shed (Acts 20:28), the Greater blessing the lesser, and the Law be taken away (Rom 6:14; Heb 8:13), and replaced with the New Covenant, that new and living way, the Faith, the Way.
Here in this section of scripture are some of “the details concerning the truth of the bodily resurrection,” let us think, dwell upon these things so that our faith and hope would grow until That Day in which they will be realized (2 Cor 5:6-8; 1 Jn 3:2-3).
2Co 5:6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord,
2Co 5:7 for we walk by faith, not by sight.
2Co 5:8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
1Jn 3:2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.
1Jn 3:3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
IV. WHAT SHOULD BE OUR RESPONSE IN VIEW OF THE TRUTH OF THE RESURRECTION?
A. (v 57)
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1. First of all, we ought to be thankful, the giving thanks unto God is one of the main things we are to be about as Christians, for it is written (Eph 5:20) . . .
Eph 5:20 giving thanks always and for everything TO God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
a. There is a certain way that we are to “give thanks”, that would be TO “God the Father” THROUGH “Jesus Christ, not TO Jesus, but THROUGH Jesus, that one Mediator between God and humanity (1 Pet 2:5; 1 Tim 2:5) . . .
1Pe 2:5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,
b. Jesus taught us to pray to the Father, Paul taught us to pray to the Father, Peter taught us to pray to the Father, James taught us to pray to the Father, John taught us to prayer to the Father, thus we pray to the Father, not “to” Jesus, but “through” Jesus, through His mediation, through His high-priesthood, in other words “in His name”, and we don’t pray to the Holy Spirit, but rather according to what the Holy Spirit has revealed in the scriptures, that sword of the Spirit, which is praying to the Father through Jesus (Eph 5:20; 1 Pet 2:5).
2. Also, the lack of being thankful unto God is one of the main characteristics of those who God gave up on, and handed them over to their own demise (Rom 1:24, 26, 28)
Rom 1:21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Rom 1:22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Rom 1:24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,
Rom 1:25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
Rom 1:26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature;
Rom 1:27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
Rom 1:28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.
Rom 1:29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips,
Rom 1:30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
Rom 1:32 Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.
a. We certainly do not want this for ourselves, so let us continue to “give thanks always, and for everything” exercising our spiritual, royal priesthood (1 Pet 2:5, 9).
3. And also, we can and should be victorious “in Christ,” God set up a plan, He made it come to pass, unfolding it throughout the ages, His eternal purpose, the kingdom, the church, in this plan when we hear about it and believe it, thereby we attain faith (Rom 10:17)
Rom 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Christ).
a. This (faith) is that which is to undergird all we think and do, God said it, we believe it, it enables us (1 Jn 5:4)
1Jn 5:4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
b. He paid our sin debt in full with His only begotten Son’s blood, and He gave us that which only could motivate us unto obedience, love (John 3:16; 14:15; 15:13-14; 1 John 4:19).
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that everyone believing into (eis) Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (LITV)
Joh 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
Joh 15:14 You are my friends if you do what I command you.
1Jo 4:19 We love, because he first loved us.
c. He Himself said (Jn 14:15) . . .
Joh 14:15 If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
And He gave us hope, of eternal life in an imperishable body like Jesus, in order that we can obey, serve, worship, endure, persevere, and prevail in the face of temptations, sufferings and persecutions (1 Pet 1:3-4; 1 Cor 15:23).
1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1Pe 1:4 unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you,
1Co 15:23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; then they that are Christ's, at his coming.
Unlike the law of Moses that perfect law of liberty under Christ was specifically designed for imperfect mankind (we are not under law but grace; Jn 1:17; Rom 6:14), we receive the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Cor 5:21), while at the same time allowing room for error and growth in order to make us perfect (complete) as God is perfect (complete; Mt 5:48), it works in the hearts of individuals transforming us day by day through the renewal into the likeness of God, thereby fitting us for heaven inwardly, looking forward to the resurrection when we shall be also fitted outwardly (Rom 12:2; 2 Cor 4:16; Eph 4:22-24; Col 3:10).
Rom 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
2Co 4:16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.
Eph 4:22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,
Eph 4:23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
Eph 4:24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Col 3:10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
B. (v 58)
1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your (work) labor is not in vain.
1. With all this in view, is there any reason that one should not remain steadfast and immovable, living a faithful life “in Christ” according to the gospel, serving God with all He has given us. Nothing one does according to God’s will is fruitless, the lost may not respond to our teaching, preaching, or imitating Jesus, but they cannot believe and obey, if they never hear (Rom 10:13-17).
2. The saints, the poor, the widowed, and the orphaned may not know who helped them, but God sees all, and rewards all, who do His holy will (Mt 6:3-4).
3. It is also His will that all be saved (1 Tim 2:4), yet our Lord says few are they that find the way that leads to eternal life (Mt 7:14).
4. Why? Because Satan is working overtime, through the doctrines of men, through wolves in sheep’s clothing, through the slothfulness, pride, and ignorance of those who God wants saved.
5. God laid out a plan for the salvation of mankind in the NT in the 1st century, we sinned as they sinned, we are saved as they were saved. There is no new plan as seen in the reformation movement (asking Jesus into your heart) nor an ever changing plan as seen in the Catholic church (immersing-> pouring-> sprinkling-> unbelieving infants unto salvation).
6. There is but one gospel (Gal 1:6-9), one faith (Eph 4:5), it has been once and for all time delivered since the 1st century (Jude 3), it’s that complete, perfect law of liberty (Ja 1:25), therefore revelation concerning the Faith has ceased (John 9:1-4; 1 Cor 13:8-10; Eph 4:8-14)
7. No man, nor group of men, can change God's plan, those that do such are accursed of God (Gal 1:6-9), both blind religious leaders and those that follow them are eternally doomed (Mt 15:14).
8. We’ve been given the Bible, you can read it, understand it (Eph 3:4) the sum of it is the truth (Ps 119:160).
9. It says exactly what it means, and no one can be saved outside of belief (faith) and obedience to it (Rom 1:5; 6:17-18; 16:26).
One is to . . .
1) Hear the word of God (Acts 2:37; Rom 10:17);
Rom 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
We must hear or read of the gospel, this is how God plants His seed (Lk 8:11) in our hearts
One is to . . .
2) Believe that Jesus is the Divine, resurrected Christ (Acts 8:37; John 8:24; Rom 10:9), and that He died for our sins, was raised from the dead, and ascended into heaven, and that we have a living hope of following Him, this is when the process of “being saved" (Lk 13:23; Acts 2:27; 1 Cor 1:18; 15:2; 2 Cor 2:15) begins, Jesus said in Jn 5:24 . . .
Joh 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
But not faith only (Ja 2:24), which is demon like faith (Ja 2:19), but the obedience of faith (Rom 1:5; 16:26), obeying Jesus, because we love Him (Jn 14:15), because He loved us first (1 Jn 4:19; Jn 3:16).
One is to also . . .
3) Repent of sins, (Acts 17:30; Luke 13:3, 5), Jesus stated . . .
Luk 13:3 . . . except you repent, you shall all in like manner perish.
Repentance is a change in mind that results in a changed life, it may be a little at a time and in differing degrees,
yet all change, everyone in Christ is a new creature (5 Cor 5:17).
One is to . . .
4) Confess Christ before others (Acts 8:37; Rom 10:9), as it is written . . .
Rom 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
One is to . . .
5) Be baptized (immersed) into Christ (Gal 3:27), into the death of Christ (Rom 6:3), where His precious blood was shed (John 19:34); unto (for the purpose of) the remission of sins. (Acts 2:38; 22:16); this is the point where one is to die to self and live unto God (Rom 6:3-14) . . .
Rom 6:3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
Rom 6:6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.
Rom 6:7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.
Rom 6:8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.
Rom 6:9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.
Rom 6:10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.
Rom 6:11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.
Rom 6:13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.
Rom 6:14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.
One is to . . .
6) Live a holy and faithful life (1 Pet 1:15; Rev 2:10; Heb 12:14), not just one day a week, but every day,
1Pe 1:15 . . . because the God who called you is holy you must be holy in every aspect of your life.
1Pe 1:16 Scripture says, "Be holy, because I am holy." (GW)
Heb 12:14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord
Being determined to follow God’s divine instructions (Jn 14:15), thereby demonstrating our love, and hope in the truth of the resurrection, setting our sights on heavenly things, while serving our God with His earthly blessings.