1Corinthians 14. The doctrine of resurrection. The argument from eyewitness testimony

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1 1Corinthians 14 1Cor. 15:1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 1Cor. 15:2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 1Cor. 15:3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 1Cor. 15:4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 1Cor. 15:5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 1Cor. 15:6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; 1Cor. 15:7 then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; 1Cor. 15:8 and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. 1Cor. 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 1Cor. 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. 1Cor. 15:11 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. This is the only doctrinal part of the letter, and is called the earliest Christian doctrinal essay o Paul is going to correct bad theology at the heart of many of the errors The doctrine of resurrection And he opens this part of the letter by explaining the importance of the doctrine of resurrection o First argument in support of the doctrine The argument from eyewitness testimony Resurrection is the Christian doctrine or teaching that states Christ was dead physically for three days and then His Spirit re-entered His body and He returned to life o Likewise, one day every human being will once again inhabit a physical body The believer is resurrected to eternal life

2 1Corinthains 14 2 The unbeliever is resurrected to eternal punishment You haven t received the Gospel if you don t believe that Jesus was resurrected from the dead Rom. 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; And if you accept that Jesus resurrected from the dead, then must believe that He promised the same for you and I Paul says they received the Gospel from him o The one and only message that brings salvation And Paul had authority to deliver it (to define what it is) o Here s the gospel I preached (it hasn t changed) Which you received (you accepted it when I delivered it) It is the same message that continues to hold you firm in salvation If you hold fast the word I preached If you aren t holding fast to the gospel Paul delivered, you believed in vain (eike) meaning without cause or reason You never were saved o Here are the essentials of the Christian faith Christ died for our sins according to Scripture He was buried (real physical death) He was raised into a living Body again He appeared to prove His claims Rom. 4:25 He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification. He was raised after our justification (death = justification) o His appearances were numerous and documented

3 1Corinthains 14 3 Some of the eye witnesses were still alive even as Paul wrote this letter, including Peter (Cephas) And He appeared last to Paul, making Paul the last apostle Paul was untimely born But the word was literally aborted Meaning his birth into faith was not a noble arrival like the original 12 o He was the least because he persecuted But he validates his credentials so they will listen to his counsel He labored more than any other apostle Like Paul was trying to make up for his slow start But he s careful to credit God for his successes 1Cor. 15:12 Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 1Cor. 15:13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; 1Cor. 15:14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. 1Cor. 15:15 Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. 1Cor. 15:16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; 1Cor. 15:17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 1Cor. 15:18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 1Cor. 15:19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. So Paul s second argument is rather straightforward o The Corinthians have assumed a self-contradictory stance They say they agree with the Gospel But if Christ is preached as having been raised from the dead

4 1Corinthains 14 4 o You can t have both How can they deny the resurrection of the dead? Either you believe Christ was returned to His physical body and walked again, and therefore you are a Christian And you accept that resurrection is true Or you deny resurrection and therefore, you deny Christ was raised, and you are not a Christian o And if it could be true that resurrection was false, then Paul s preaching is in vain Vain is kenos, empty Powerless, it isn t accomplishing anything o And their faith is an empty powerless thing o Furthermore, Paul would be a liar for having declared that Jesus was raised Which means they are still in their sins And if you die in your sins, then there is no hope after death and the dead have perished The church wanted to believe that their faith saved them from their sins And those who died went to heaven But there was no reality to a future physical existence The future held only a spiritual existence Paul says that the logical outworking of that thinking completely gutted the meaning and power of their faith o Because the resurrection is a fundamental element of the Gospel It proved Jesus claims about Himself and God s power Power over death is the ultimate, unfakable proof that someone has the solution to eternal life

5 1Corinthains 14 5 Without resurrection, the Gospel is just a joke o If Paul was preaching just a feel-good earthly message with no power for eternity, then he should be pitied for so foolish a pursuit 1Cor. 15:20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 1Cor. 15:21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 1Cor. 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 1Cor. 15:23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ s at His coming, 1Cor. 15:24 then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. 1Cor. 15:25 For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. 1Cor. 15:26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death. 1Cor. 15:27 For HE HAS PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET. But when He says, All things are put in subjection, it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. 1Cor. 15:28 When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all. Now Paul presents the correct view of resurrection, including God s plan for how He will resurrect the saints o First, Jesus was the first-fruits of those who were asleep The first dead man to be raised No one was raised into a new eternal body before Christ What about Lazarus? o Paul says Jesus resurrection was the necessary counterweight to Adam s death in the garden When Adam ate, spiritual death entered for the human race And we enter the world under a condemnation of death because of our sin nature If we can accept that the sinful actions of one man resulted in spiritual death for all his descendents

6 1Corinthains 14 6 Then why can t they accept that the righteous actions of one God-man could become the basis for resurrection into a new life for all those who are born again in Christ?

7 1Corinthains 14 7 But there is an appointed order to this resurrection o Christ first fruits Then those who are Christ s at His coming (parousia - appearing) The Rapture The Jews celebrated Passover on the fourteenth day of the first month on their sacred calendar. Jesus died on the day Jewish fathers slew the Passover lamb, which was a Friday that year. The Jews offered a sacrifice of firstfruits the day after the Sabbath (Saturday) following the Passover (Lev. 23:10-11), namely, Sunday. This was the day Jesus arose. Fifty days later on Pentecost they presented another offering of new grain that they also called an offering of firstfruits (Lev. 23:15-17). The firstfruits they offered following the Passover were only the first of the crops that they offered later. o Paul is talking expressing to the Church and about the Church He doesn t describe the resurrection of the OT saints in this letter, but that is described in the OT in Daniel At the end of the Tribulation o Then comes the end (of this world) The end of the Kingdom, the 1,000 year reign We know this because of how Paul describes the period o Look at the he s When the Son hands over the kingdom to the Father Jesus hands over power (from His reign) To the Father Who abolishes all rule and all authority (apart from the Father) For Jesus must reign until the Father has put all enemies under Christ s feet And the last enemy is death

8 1Corinthains 14 8 o Psalm 8 Psa. 8:4 What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? Psa. 8:5 Yet You have made him a little lower than God, And You crown him with glory and majesty! Psa. 8:6 You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, o The end of the Kingdom brings about this final subjection Rev. 20:7 When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, Rev. 20:8 and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. Rev. 20:9 And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. Rev. 20:10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Rev. 20:11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat upon it, from whose presence earth and heaven fled away, and no place was found for them. 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 from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. Rev. 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Rev. 20:14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. Rev. 20:15 And if anyone s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. The reign of Christ ends once the final enemy is vanquished o Jesus entire mission is to reverse all the damage done by Adam and defeat all God s enemies When the final enemy is gone, Jesus has fulfilled the mission

9 1Corinthains 14 9 Peace in God s realm is restored But look at how Paul describes the final moment o When God says all things are placed under subjection to Christ, scripture obviously includes an exception to the Father Himself The Father is never placed under subjection to Christ For once Jesus has met His purpose in creation, He will subject Himself to the Father This is done in mystery God becomes all in all The Trinity once again united with no mediator required Paul makes a third argument for resurrection 1Cor. 15:29 Otherwise, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why then are they baptized for them? Joseph Smith took this verse without understanding it and used it to create the false teaching of baptizing for the dead o It s not talking about baptizing the dead The phrase includes an implied meaning The meaning of baptism and resurrection are closely connected Baptism = picture of raising from the dead The phrase is actually baptism for the resurrection of the dead o If you don t believe in resurrection, why do you practice baptism Paul adds a fourth argument, of sorts 1Cor. 15:30 Why are we also in danger every hour? 1Cor. 15:31 I affirm, brethren, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 1Cor. 15:32 If from human motives I fought with wild beasts at Ephesus, what does it profit me? If the dead are not raised, LET US EAT AND DRINK, FOR TOMORROW WE DIE.

10 1Corinthains Paul is speaking again about lying about seeing Christ resurrected o If the whole story would have been fabricated, which would have to be the case if resurrection was false o Why then does he spend his days in harm s way ( From a human point of view, Paul fought with wild beasts in Ephesus (fought with wild men) o These dangers that came in verse 31 because of his work to spread the gospel Why live that kind of life for a lie? Why not eat, drink and be merry? (Isa 22:13) Like the evil Israelites who lives like there was no tomorrow o His tenacity in spreading the gospel despite death threats again proves that his testimony of Christ s resurrection was true 1Cor. 15:33 Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good morals. 1Cor. 15:34 Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame. 1Cor. 15:35 But someone will say, How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come? 1Cor. 15:36 You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies; 1Cor. 15:37 and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 1Cor. 15:38 But God gives it a body just as He wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own. 1Cor. 15:39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish. 1Cor. 15:40 There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. 1Cor. 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. Paul quotes a famous Greek play o Bad company corrupts good morals

11 1Corinthains Had become a Greek proverb They were associated with corrupt teachers, and it was going to get them in trouble o Get with the program, basically They have no knowledge of God and should be ashamed of their foolishness o His evidence of this foolishness was their question, how can the dead be raised? They questioned God s very power to raise a dead body And what would such a body look like? A decomposed corpse? As if it was too hard for God Paul takes on the question and gives his fifth argument for resurrection o Paul calls them fools for their questioning of God s power And he refers to examples in creation of God s power to do this very thing o Principle: until something is buried, it cannot come to life When you plant a field, you put seeds in the ground But seeds don t look like the plant itself They look very different But when it s planted (buried), it can grow into something completely different A body God appoints o And all flesh (physical appearance) are not the same God is capable of a variety of appearances Men have different bodies than beasts, birds and fish Heavenly bodies in outer space are very different from the physical things found on earth

12 1Corinthains Even the sun moon and stars all look very different and represent the breadth of God s power to create

13 1Corinthains So then Paul applies the analogy 1Cor. 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; 1Cor. 15:43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 1Cor. 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. 1Cor. 15:45 So also it is written, The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 1Cor. 15:46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. 1Cor. 15:47 The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. 1Cor. 15:48 As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. 1Cor. 15:49 Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly. There is more than one kind of body We have a fallen body and a resurrected body o The fallen body goes into the grave, it is perishable o The resurrected body is a new imperishable body It never dies again, it never decays or wears out In that sense, it is the perfect body Adam and woman had before the fall o The first body was a body of dishonor The new body will have glory o The first was weak in it s power to resist sin and to live perpetually The new one has a power to never sin again o The first was a natural body (of the earth) The second body is a spiritual body (of heaven) The fact that we had one body for this realm implies a new, different body for the next realm Our body is just a rent a car

14 1Corinthains The first is Adam established physical life among human beings o Christ, the new Adam, established spiritual life among human beings But the physical, natural body came first Because the first man was from the earth The second body will be the spiritual because the second Adam came from heaven o And we are to reflect the image of our origins o Today we reflect our earthly origins One day we will reflect our heavenly origins o Today we resemble Adam In the future, we will resemble Christ 1Cor. 15:50 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 1Cor. 15:51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 1Cor. 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 1Cor. 15:53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 1Cor. 15:54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. 1Cor. 15:55 O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING? 1Cor. 15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 1Cor. 15:57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1Cor. 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. Paul s sixth argument o A new body will be required to enter heaven Our present fallen body is incompatible with the heavenly realm

15 1Corinthains Paul argues his point by revealing a mystery to the Church in Corinth The mystery of the rapture o Not everyone in the church will have to experience sleep death But everyone will experience the change of receiving a new body How do we all get a new body but not everyone has to die first? This is the mystery of the rapture o In a moment, a twinkling of the eye Moment is atmos (atom) An instantaneous moment - an indivisible moment of time Twinkling of an eye = blinking eye Last trumpet is a metaphoric reference to the Feast of Trumpets o The Rapture of the Church is the fulfillment of that feast All who have died in Christ are raised followed by those who are still alive in Christ 1Th. 4:13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 1Th. 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 1Th. 4:15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 1Th. 4:16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 1Th. 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Paul then encourages the church to appreciate this is the end of death

16 1Corinthains o This is why we can say that death has no power over us It is merely a passage, an escape from the perishable to the imperishable Then a few words on a new final topic giving 1Cor. 16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. 1Cor. 16:2 On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. 1Cor. 16:3 When I arrive, whomever you may approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem; 1Cor. 16:4 and if it is fitting for me to go also, they will go with me. Now concerning announces a new question This is the Biblical command for New Testament giving o No such thing as tithing for Christians not in the literal sense Giving should be freely done without compulsion and generously Not storing up treasure on earth but in heaven o Like in Galatia, meaning a common approach for all churches Once a week set aside money Not necessarily weekly, but regularly Regular giving We save it Doesn t preclude handing it to the church But it allows for personal holding and distribution at the point of need As we prosper The more we are given by God the more we should expect to set aside

17 1Corinthains A percentage is implied No collections made when Paul comes Not something done when a need comes o Then when the need is made known, the money is distributed We shouldn t hesitate to support a need if the money is already set aside o In this case, Paul says the money will go with him or other messengers to Jerusalem Paul then reviews some travel plans 1Cor. 16:5 But I will come to you after I go through Macedonia, for I am going through Macedonia; 1Cor. 16:6 and perhaps I will stay with you, or even spend the winter, so that you may send me on my way wherever I may go. 1Cor. 16:7 For I do not wish to see you now just in passing; for I hope to remain with you for some time, if the Lord permits. 1Cor. 16:8 But I will remain in Ephesus until Pentecost; 1Cor. 16:9 for a wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. 1Cor. 16:10 Now if Timothy comes, see that he is with you without cause to be afraid, for he is doing the Lord s work, as I also am. 1Cor. 16:11 So let no one despise him. But send him on his way in peace, so that he may come to me; for I expect him with the brethren. Paul wrote from Ephesus o He planned to go north to Macedonia then south to Corinth We know from his second letter, he changed his plan and went directly to Corinth from Ephesus He did spend a winter with them as he promised, but it was a year later than he expected He wanted to spend time there to deal with there many apparent problems o His reference to Pentecost means he wrote this in Spring

18 1Corinthains And he was finding fruit in Ephesus though he had many adversaries Isn t that the typical pattern? In the midst of the church s greatest advances we find ourselves under the greatest attack So does heavy attack make you feel like you are on the right track or wrong track? The measure of success is fruit in ministry, not ease in ministry o Paul warns them to accept Timothy when he came despite his youth This warning was probably especially true for a church that admired physical strength and power Then the final question 1Cor. 16:12 But concerning Apollos our brother, I encouraged him greatly to come to you with the brethren; and it was not at all his desire to come now, but he will come when he has opportunity. The Now Concerning is here again o They probably asked when is Apollos going to return Probably the Apollos group was asking for their leader And then Paul s close 1Cor. 16:13 Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 1Cor. 16:14 Let all that you do be done in love. 1Cor. 16:15 Now I urge you, brethren (you know the household of Stephanas, that they were the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves for ministry to the saints), 1Cor. 16:16 that you also be in subjection to such men and to everyone who helps in the work and labors. 1Cor. 16:17 I rejoice over the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have supplied what was lacking on your part. 1Cor. 16:18 For they have refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men. 1Cor. 16:19 The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Prisca greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. 1Cor. 16:20 All the brethren greet you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. 1Cor. 16:21 The greeting is in my own hand Paul.

19 1Corinthains Cor. 16:22 If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be accursed. Maranatha. 1Cor. 16:23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 1Cor. 16:24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

20 1Corinthains Paul summaries the entire letter o Be on alert Similar to Peter 1Pet. 5:8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. o Stand firm in the faith Hold to the doctrinally pure gospel o Act like men, be strong The Christian walk is for men, adults, mature men and women of faith who take the walk of faith seriously o But do everything in love selfless attitude that desires the best for others o Paul reminds them of Stephanas, who was converted in Achaia (the Corinthians province) He had entered ministry and they were to obey him as well A special problem for a church that had authority problems o This man and two others had visited Paul in Ephesus and supplied him in some way Financially? With delivering their letter? Closed writing in his own hand to authenticate the letter o Love for the Lord is the one binding quality among the redeemed And remember the Lord s coming (Maranath) Aramaic saying Benediction in grace and love.