Presentation 30. In Ch15 we've already seen the way in which Paul has shown the resurrection to be fundamental and not incidental to the whole structure

Presentation 30

In Ch15 we've already seen the way in which Paul has shown the resurrection to be fundamental and not incidental to the whole structure of the gospel. Undermine this doctrine and Christianity falls. No forgiveness! No future for the believer. There would be no point in preaching the gospel.

It is therefore not surprising that Paul devotes so much time and energy to correcting the mistaken idea of some that the resurrection is unimportant.

It is a foundational doctrine.

Introduction

A minister was visiting a man who was very ill. At the foot of the stairs the sick man's wife whispered apprehensively, "Say something hopeful to him, won't you? – but not about heaven and all that". The poor woman failed to realise that the hope of heaven was the most important hope her husband could possibly possess. This is a truth not to be supressed but proclaimed and it is precisely this Paul continues to do in v20f

Introduction

The resurrection of Christ was staggeringly unique. Nothing like it had ever happened before human history. Now the dead had been raised before, eg. The widow of Nain's son and Lazarus. How was Jesus’ resurrection different? Those others subsequently died. Their life had been extended perhaps 10, 20, 30, 40, years but then they returned to the grave.

Jesus’ resurrection is substantially different. He was raised to immortality. His resurrection left a gaping tomb which could never reclaim him. He was raised to an endless life. His was the first resurrection of its kind experienced in human history.

Future Consequence of Resurrection

In v20 Paul describes this unique resurrection as being, "the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep". The metaphor is agricultural. The firstfruit of the harvest provides a foretaste of more of the same to follow. The first mouth-watering strawberry of the season promises that there are more like it coming soon. And so Jesus’ resurrection is the first of a great many resurrections. His glorious resurrection is the prototype of his people’s resurrection. He was raised to an endless life!

Jesus’ resurrection left a gaping tomb in earth's graveyard. People often say, ‘if only someone could come back from the dead!’ Someone has! Christ's resurrection is not only irrefutable proof of immortality, but we have no certain evidence of immortality without it.


Paul points out two great certainties in v22 "For as in Adam all die so in Christ will all be made alive”. Is Paul teaching a universalism? Will all experience the resurrection life as Jesus? No! Visualise the picture Paul is painting. In one circle stands Adam the head of the old humanity and the whole human race related to him by birth. Because all are related to Adam by nature these bodies will one day die. In the smaller circle side stands Christ, head of a new humanity and a smaller number united to him by faith. As a result all who participate in that faith union will experience resurrection life.


A smaller group are related to Christ by faith

Paul's thought then moves on to the return of Christ. Tomorrows history has already been written. Jesus will one day hand over a restored kingdom to the Father - the most remarkable handover in human history. What is the significance of this act? Adam by his disobedience had introduced disharmony into creation. Sin an evil intruder began to mar and vandalise all that was good and perfect. The goal of Jesus’ redemptive work on the cross is to restore a marred creation to its original splendour. In practice how is this accomplished?


First, the risen ascended Jesus has bestowed the gift of new life to his people. The Holy Spirit works within their hearts in order to increasingly evict sin and restore the marred image of God in his people’s lives. They are ‘being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.’ 2Cor. 3.18


Secondly, Jesus is in the process of putting his enemies under his feet. The kingdom of Christ is moving against the kingdom of darkness and increasingly overcoming it. This he does as he gains more and more control of men's hearts in each successive generation.

When the last of Christ’s people are gathered in, then Satan's enslaving power on those chosen in Christ from before the foundation of the world will have been finally broken, after which he will be consigned to God's lake of fire. Rev 20.10


As a result the last vestige of enmity against Christ and his people will be swept out of heaven and earth. Great practical encouragement can be drawn from this glorious truth.Calvin writes:

“Certainly if we believe what our eyes see, then the kingdom of Christ seems to be on the verge of ruin. But the promise that Christ will never be dragged from his throne but rather that he will lay low all his enemies banishes all fear from us”.


Some were asking, "If Jesus by his death defeated death, how is it that it is still seen to operate in the world?" Paul answers in v26, "Death is seen as the last enemy to be destroyed." Only after Jesus has brought every other enemy to submission will death be done away with. cf Rev.20.14. We will see that the last enemy has been destroyed, when Jesus raises from the dead men and women of faith and gathers them to be with him forever in his kingdom.

Having completed his work of restoration and redemption he will hand it over to the Father. Then his work will be complete! What a prospect!


Paul continues to deal with the consequences of the Corinthian denial of the resurrection by asking, "Now if there is no resurrection what will those do who are baptised for the dead"v29 . Paul’s exact meaning is obscure. Over 40 different interpretations exist. One view is that members of the church were receiving baptism on behalf of believing friends/relatives who had died before they could be baptised. Others see this as a reference to martyrdom cf Mk 10.38ff. Clearly Paul is not giving approval to a deviant church practice. He is instead using it as an illustration.

He is saying something like, “why practise the custom if your friends/relatives have no hope in the world to come", or, "why risk the possibility of Martyrdom, if martyrs die in vain"?

Present Consequence of Resurrection

Secondly, Paul argues that if there is no resurrection then it calls into question so much of the Christian life. Paul cites his own suffering as an example v30-32. If there is no resurrection then Paul has been foolish to expose himself to mortal danger on the gospel’s behalf. And he cites just one example, the trouble he faced in Ephesus. cf 2Cor 1.8-11Paul’s sufferings weren't occasional but constant. He says, "I die every day". Why would he endure so much, face so much, bear so much?

Because he was assured of the reality of the resurrection.


There are eternal compensations! Why have persecuted Christians in Muslim lands endured so much; imprisonment and torture, separation from loved ones, employment and educational difficulties etc.? What a huge waste if there were no resurrection but the fact of the resurrection is their unshakable hope. Do we allow the reality of the resurrection to shape our approach to daily living? Do we live sufficiently for the world to come or is all our investment short term? Jim Elliot missionary martyr to the Auca Indians wrote, "he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." That sums up what Paul is pressing for in these verses.


Finally, Paul deals with the moral consequences of denying the resurrection. The opening words of v33 are literally, "Don't be like wandering stars". The spiritual orbit of the Christian is maintained only as he lives in the light of the resurrection, only by constantly reminding himself that he will one day appear before the judgment seat of God. Deny the resurrection and you drift out of orbit and become like the ancient Epicureans of Paul’s day. They lived only for the pleasures of this life and their motto was, “Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die”.


Were some Corinthians denying the resurrection because they kept company with men who lived only for this life? Were they easily led by strong personalities? All too soon their Christian convictions are eroded and pursuit of selfish pleasures displace their pursuit of God. In their hearts they know they are becoming wandering stars. Their life loses direction. Their moral standards slip. God becomes more and more of a stranger to them. And all because they have lost sight of the world to come. Paul challenges such people by quoting one of the Greek poets in v33. Even they had the sense to see that "Bad company corrupts good character". Paul calls these wandering Christians back to their senses.


The resurrection is the cornerstone of the Christian's hope of future glory. It provides a window for us in God's plan of redemptive history which will find its final consummation, when the risen ascended triumphant Lord Jesus returns a fully restored creation back to God. The resurrection not only gives us an assurance for the future but provides incentive to live godly lives in the present and to endure suffering, knowing that, “our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all”. 2 Cor. 4.17

Conclusion

Documents

Presentation 30. In Ch15 we've already seen the way in which Paul has shown the resurrection to be fundamental and not incidental to the whole structure