Christian Resurrection
Biblical Resurrection
Christianity Oasis provided this Christian Resurrection in the Bible & Biblical Resurrection of the Dead study bringing forth truth, understanding and peace.
Christianity Oasis Ministry
presents
Daily Bread Devotional Bible Study
The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians
Chapter 15
Christian Resurrection in the Bible
Biblical Resurrection of the Dead
Welcome to our Christianity Oasis Daily Bread study program. This is our Christian Resurrection in the Bible study on the Biblical Resurrection of the Dead. The message will truly bring a smile to the lips and heart and shine the LIGHT of Truth upon your be-YOU-tiful Christian walk path.
Christian Resurrection in the Bible Lesson
Biblical Resurrection of the Dead Explained
Pleased to have you back for more Daily Bread. In our study today, Paul explains the importance of our belief in the resurrection because there will be a resurrection of those Christians who died for the cause. In the Gospel according to Matthew you can read where Jesus said that what you believe, you receive (Matthew 21:22). That alone should be enough reason to believe in the resurrection of Christians, yet some folks questioned it back in Paul's day ... And some still do today. Now do not get resurrection and rapture confused. The "Rapture" is where Christians rise too but had never died. The resurrection is the rising to Heaven of those who died for Christ and in Truth ... Christian believers that have died.
Let's pick up where we left off in our letter from Paul as he shows us the Truth about the resurrection of Jesus and the promised resurrection of Christians who died as Christians.
Christian Resurrection in the Bible Quest
Biblical Resurrection of the Dead Blessing
Paul reminds the Corinthians that they are saved by believing the Gospel, How Christ died for our sins, was buried and that He rose again ... resurrected the third day, according to the scriptures. He reminds them that he was seen of Peter, the twelve Apostles, and then by more than 500 believers at once, some of which were still alive to witness.
8 And last of all He was seen of me also, as of one born
out of due time.
9 For I am the least of the Apostles, that am not meet to
be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10 But by the Grace of God I am what I am: and His Grace
which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more
abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the Grace of
God which was with me.
Time out!
Who appreciates Grace more? Those who had few sins? Or those with many? Jesus tells a great parable about this in Luke 7:41-47. You can sense the appreciation that Paul has for the Grace that he received from God, and though you never want to purposely do anything just to gain more Grace, it's good to be aware and to be generous with the amount of love and appreciation we give to God, no matter what our past sins are.
Christian Resurrection in the Bible Study
Biblical Resurrection of the Dead Journey
So, back to the subject at hand. There are folks among the Corinthians that say there is no resurrection of the dead. The implications of that are astonishing to Paul and rightfully so. No matter how you learned of the Gospel and came to believe, the resurrection of the dead is a vital part of Christianity.
And those astonishing implications are:
- Christ is not risen
- Our preaching is in vain (wasted)
- Your faith is in vain (worthless)
- It makes us liars because we testified of the resurrection
- You are still in your sins
- Those who have already died in Christ are perished
- We are miserable having hope in Christ in this life only
Christian Resurrection in the Bible Facts
Biblical Resurrection of the Dead Adventure
But Christ is indeed risen from the dead, and that's a whole different story and what our faith and hope are based on, namely:
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the
firstfruits of them that slept.
21 For since by man [Adam] came death, by man [Jesus
Christ] came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be
made alive.
23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits;
afterward they that are Christ's at His coming.
Remember firstfruits are what God asked for as sacrifices at feast celebrations of Israel. The firstfruit is always the best of the harvest, and it stands to reason that Jesus would be the first to be resurrected before man could, then those who belong to Christ at His return.
Then comes the end, when Jesus will present the Kingdom to God, after He has destroyed all wickedness because He must reign, until He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
Christian Resurrection in the Bible Research
Biblical Resurrection of the Dead Promise
Let's look at this for a sec ... Adam and Eve had it going on in the Garden of Eden but they chose to disobey God and chose to hear the evil one's lies. Remember the serpent (satan within the snake) told Eve that they would never die if they ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Well ... They did die. So he did lie. Now ... Jesus has come and created a path where by choosing to believe in Him we can have the chains of Adam and Eve's choices removed and truly have the Eternal life that Adam and Eve surrendered by choosing to believe the lie of satan.
28 And when all things shall be subdued unto [conquered
by] Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put
all things under Him, that God may be all in all.
29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the
dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the
dead?
30 And why stand we in jeopardy [live with the threat of
death] every hour?
This is Paul's way of explaining that if you think the dead don't rise, it's senseless to be baptized for Jesus who you think is dead. What is salvation, if it isn't everlasting life? And how can there be everlasting life without resurrection? If you don't believe in the resurrection, then you live in peril of death every hour. Paul adds, Just as sure as I brag about your faith in Jesus Christ, I die daily [face death every day].
Christian Resurrection in the Bible Vow
Biblical Resurrection of the Dead Hope
Paul reminds the Corinthians just as he did the Romans, that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. Even those who would like to say that the resurrection isn't real. When he says "I die daily" he is quoting scripture:
Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
Paul continues, Why should I die daily, risk my life like I did with the violent men at Ephesus, if there is no resurrection? It would be smarter to kick back and party ... For tomorrow we die anyway.
In other words Paul is warning them, the people who believe there is no resurrection live not only like there's no tomorrow, but like there will be no consequences for living that way either.
Have you ever experienced a situation where you learned about something from the Bible before it happened to you? Wasn't it a fantastic feeling to be prepared for it? That's exactly what Paul does for us in all of his letters.
True Christian Resurrection in the Bible
Biblical Resurrection of the Dead Path
And resurrection is no exception. Paul knows that Christians, especially new ones, need preparation. He tells them, awake to righteousness, and don't sin, because some of you still aren't knowledgeable about God. I speak this to your shame. Someday somebody will ask, How are the dead raised up? What body do they come back in?
Paul doesn't like it when anyone is skeptical about anything to do with our Lord. His answer to those questions follows:
36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened
[made alive], except [unless] it die:
37 And that which thou sowest [plant], thou sowest not
that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of [perhaps it
may be] wheat, or of some other grain:
38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased Him, and to
every seed his own body.
39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind
of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and
another of birds.
40 There are also celestial [heavenly] bodies, and bodies
terrestrial [earthly]: but the glory [beauty] of the celestial is
one, and the glory [beauty] of the terrestrial is another.
41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the
moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from
another star in glory.
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in
corruption [it is buried in death]; it is raised in incorruption [it
is raised to life]:
43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is
sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual
body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a
living soul [Genesis
2:7]; the last Adam [Jesus] was made a quickening [life giving] spirit [John 16:7].
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that
which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man
is the Lord from Heaven.
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy:
and as is the Heavenly, such are they also that are Heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy [man of
dust, Genesis
5:3], we shall also bear the image of the Heavenly.
Paul's True Christian Resurrection in the Bible
Biblical Resurrection of the Dead Meaning
Just a little Daily Bread Crumb to make this easier to understand. The word corrupt, means something that decays, rots or spoils. These are things that happen when something dies. So, to be incorruptible would be something that cannot die. That should make these next verses easier to understand.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot
inherit the Kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit
incorruption.
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep
[die], but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last
trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised
incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Christian Resurrection in the Bible Summary
Biblical Resurrection of the Dead Conclusion
This mystery is spoken of in the book of Revelation as well. Check it out:
But in the days of the voice of the seventh Angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as He hath declared to His servants the prophets.
In the next verses, you can replace the words corrupt and mortal with death and the word incorrupt and immortal with life:
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this
mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on
incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then
shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is
swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy
victory?
Isaiah 25:8
He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.
1 Corinthians 15:56-58
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is
the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast,
unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye
know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Luke 14:14
And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.
Did you catch how I snuck those other two scriptures in there that confirm Paul's words? Those who don't believe in the resurrection need only remember that what you believe, you receive. It is our hope, and an important part of the foundation of our Christian faith. Jesus' death and resurrection, brings us eternal life!
It's been wonderful having you here to study with. Hope you'll hurry back for the next one, which is the conclusion of Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, right here at Daily Bread.
Click the link below to learn more about resurrection:
There is a force out there that is attempting to overtake us all; it is Satan. There is another force that is protecting us from him; it is the Holy Spirit. It is a battle for souls. This battle is called Spiritual Warfare, and like it or not, you are right in the middle of it.
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