Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 15:22-28
22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the first fruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.
This is our third study on the "Resurrection of the Dead", in which we deal with the "ultimate resurrection of 'all that are in the graves'!"
John 6:39-40,44,54 - "And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day . . . No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day. . . . Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day."
John 11:23,24 - "Jesus said to her, “Your brother (Lazarus) will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."
1 Cor. 15:23 — "But each in turn: Christ, the first fruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him."
1 Cor. 15:51,52 - "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed."
1 Thess. 4:16 - "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first."
John 5:28-29 - "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned."
Also - Acts 24:15
a. GOD, THE FATHER
1 Cor. 6:14 - "By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also."
2 Cor. 1:9 - "Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead."
2 Cor. 4:14 - "because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself."
b. THE SON
John 6:39-40,44,54 - "And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day . . . , and I will raise them up at the last day. . . . , and I will raise them up at the last day.."
Acts 4:2 - "They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead."
Acts 17:18,32 - " ._. . because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection . . . When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject._"
Acts 23:6 - "Then Paul, knowing that some of them were Sadducees and the others Pharisees, called out in the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead."
a. A BODY ACCORDING TO THE WILL OF GOD
1 Cor. 15:384 (Amp.) - "God gives to it (the seed you sow) the BODY THAT HE PLANS AND SEES FIT, and to each kind of seed A BODY OF ITS OWN."
b. A GLORIOUS BODY
1 Cor, 15:43a (Amp.) - "It is sown in dishonour and humiliation; IT IS RAISED IN HONOR AND GLORY."
c. A SPIRITUAL BODY
1 Cor. 15:44 (Amp.) - "It is sown a natural (physical) body; it is RAISED A SUPERNATURAL (A SPIRITUAL) BODY. As surely as there is a physical body, THERE IS ALSO A SPIRITUAL BODY.
d. A POWERFUL BODY
1 Cor. 15:43b(Amp.) - "It is sown in infirmity and weakness; it is RESURRECTED IN STRENGTH AND ENDUED WITH POWER."
e. AN INCORRUPTIBLE AND IMMORTAL BODY
1 Cor. 15:42,50-53 (Amp.) - "The body that is sown is perishable and decays, but THE BODY THAT IS RESURRECTED IS IMPERISHABLE - immune to decay, IMMORTAL . . . But I tell you this, brethren, flesh and blood cannot inherit or share in the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable - that which is decaying - inherit or share in the imperishable. Take notice!. I tell you a mystery - a secret truth, an event decreed by the hidden purpose or counsel of God. We shall not all fall asleep in death, but we shall all be changed (transformed) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the sound of the last trumpet call. For a trumpet WILL sound, and THE DEAD IN CHRIST WILL BE RAISED IMPERISHABLE - free and immune from decay, and we shall be changed (transformed). For this perishable part of us MUST PUT ON THE IMPERISHABLE (nature), and this mortal part of us - this nature that is capable of dying - MUST PUT ON IMMORTALITY (freedom from death).
f. A BODY LIKE THAT OF OUR RISEN LORD
1 Cor. 15:20 - "But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep."
Moffet - "Christ did rise from the dead, HE WAS THE FIRST TO BE REAPED of those who sleep in death."
Weymouth - "Messiah has been raised from the dead! He is THE FIRST SHEAF OF A GREAT HARVEST!"
1 Cor. 15:49 - "And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man."
JBP - "Just as we have been made like the material pattern, so we shall be MADE LIKE THE HEAVENLY PATTERN."
Moffet — "As we have borne the likeness of material men, so we are to BEAR THE LIKENESS OF THE HEAVENLY MAN."
Phil. 3:21 (Amp.) - "Who will transform and fashion anew the body of our humiliation to CONFORM TO AND BE LIKE THE BODY OF HIS GLORY AND MAJESTY, by exerting that power which enables HIM even to subject everything to Himself."
1 John 3:2 (Amp.) - "Beloved, we are (even here and) now God's children, it is not yet disclosed (made clear) what we shall be (hereafter), but we know that when He comes and is manifested we shall (as God's children) RESEMBLE AND BE LIKE HIM, for we shall see Him just as He (really) is."
a. IT SHOULD KEEP US FROM SINFUL INDULGENCE - NEGATIVE
1 Cor. 15:32-34 (Amp.) - "What do I gain if, merely from the human point of view, I fought with (wild) beasts at Ephesus? IF THE DEAD ARE NOT RAISED, LET US EAT AND DRINK FOR TOMORROW WE WILL BE DEAD. Do not be so deceived and misled! Evil companionships, (communion, associations), corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character. Awake (from your drunken stupor and return) to sober sense and your right minds, and sin no more. For some of you have not the knowledge of God - you are utterly and wilfully and disgracefully ignorant, and continue to be so, lacking the sense of God's presence and all true knowledge of Him. I say this to your shame."
b. IT SHOULD CAUSE US TO BE COMMITTED TO INTELLIGENT SERVICE - POSITIVE
1 Cor. 15:58 (Amp.) - "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be firm (steadfast), immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord - that is, always being superior (excelling, and doing more than enough) in the service of the Lord, KNOWING AND BEING CONTINUALLY AWARE THAT YOUR LABOUR IN THE LORD IS NOT FUTILE — NEVER WASTED OR TO NO PURPOSE."
JBP - "And so, brothers of mine, stand firm! Let nothing move you as you busy yourselves in the Lord's work. BE SURE THAT NOTHING YOU DO FOR HIM IS EVER LOST OR WASTED."
Study Questions for Lesson No. 15
Back to Lesson 14 - "Resurrection (2)"
Read Lesson 16 - "Eternal Judgement (1)"