Tonight we continue on the subject of our future resurrection. When we left off, Paul was describing the triumphal return of Jesus, His victory over death, and the subjugation of all things under Christ’s rule except for God the Father.

Following Christ in 21st Century Corinth – Week 23

presented 20 March 2019

1 Corinthians 15: 29-58

AUDIO

Lecture Handout

Handout Week 23

Lesson Notes

Continued Thoughts on the Importance of the Resurrection (1 Corinthians 15: 29-34)

  • Verse 29 – Another argument for the resurrection: baptism on behalf of the dead
    • Mormonism makes a big deal about doing this
      • You can be baptized for your unbelieving ancestors to get them out of punishment and enhance your status in the afterlife
      • It’s why they’re so focused on genealogy
      • This is typical of cults that pick one weird verse out of context and build a huge theology around it to make themselves distinctive
      • There’s no teaching here or anywhere else in the  Bible describing salvation on behalf of others
      • There’s no option for posthumous salvation – our fates are sealed at death
      • We each must choose for ourselves, while we’re alive: Ezekiel 18: 1-4, John 3: 16-18
      • Whatever the Corinthians are doing, it’s either not what the Mormons say it is, or it is but it isn’t effectual for salvation
    • Whatever it may be, first note that Paul doesn’t endorse it – he simply says that if they’re doing it, it’s pointless if they deny the resurrection
      • If could be some sort of proxy baptism for ancestors, or it could be a baptism on behalf of believers who died before getting baptized
      • It doesn’t matter what it is – because it doesn’t matter theologically
      • Paul is just using their unique ritual to  highlight their flawed logic
      • Personally, I view it as the truth that we were all dead in our sins until we believed, and baptism is the symbol of that belief and our rising alive from spiritual death
      • Romans 6: 3-4, we’re baptized out of the death of unbelief into life
  • Verses 30-31
    • Why are they suffering so much and risking so much if there’s no resurrection?
    • Paul could go and find a safer job and lifestyle!
  • Verse 32 – Why fight with beasts in Ephesus?
    • Probably not literally fighting animals in the arena – Paul was a  Roman citizen and couldn’t be thrown into the arena
    • Probably figurative – it was a known figure of speech for dealing with aggressive people
    • Could be the riot of Ephesus from acts 19, but the timing is unclear
    • Probably the same as 2 Corinthians 1: 8-11
    • If there’s no resurrection, just make the best of this life as the Epicurean philosophers advocate
    • Eat and drink in anticipation of eventual or immanent death
  • Verses 33-34 – Don’t fall for this line of reasoning!
    • Paul quotes a famous Greek proverb here
    • Hanging around with the wrong people – those resurrection skeptics – is very harmful to your life in God’s will
    • Hang around with the right people, who will help you stay on track by affirming the resurrection!
    • Wake up and stop sinning!
    • Stop living an “Eat and drink for tomorrow we die” life
    • Some live that way because of ignorance, but they have no excuse

Our Resurrection Bodies (1 Corinthians 15: 35-49)

  • Verse 35 – People want to know what our resurrection bodies will be like
    • Will they look the same? Better? Younger? Thinner? More hair? What about babies?
    • We won’t get specific answers in Scripture – it seems like they’ll be too wonderful to really imagine or explain
    • They won’t be the same – perhaps considerably different – though there will be continuity with our current bodies
    • There is mystery about it – to be revealed when Christ returns
  • Verses 36-38 – the analogy of seed and grain
    • Sees of a plant don’t look much like the plant itself
    • Likewise, these bodies are a seed that is “planted” when we die
    • When resurrected, there will be continuity, yet difference, like plants
    • For a seed to transform, it must die as a seed – it gets planted and germinates into something else, a plant
    • Likewise we will die, unless Christ returns first, be planted, and germinate upon His return
    • God chooses the form and nature of our resurrection bodies, just as corn kernels produce a typical stalk of corn
  • Verse 39 -Our resurrection bodies are unique as humans, unlike any other things
  • Verse 40 – Our heavenly bodies will be distinctly different from our earthly bodies, even though there is continuity
    • Perhaps why Jesus was so unrecognizable to His own disciples, yet physically continuous in terms of the scars
    • He was able to simply appear in places – will we?
    • Different kinds of glory
    • Verse 41 – just as glory varies between sun, moon, and stars, it will vary between our earthly and resurrection bodies
  • Verses 42-44 – Contrasting our earthly and resurrected bodies
    • Perishable vs. imperishable – they will be forever bodies that don’t age, break down, or rot
    • Sown in dishonor (sin, weakness, and death), raised in glory – our resurrection bodies will be spectacular
    • Sown in weakness, raised in power
    • Sown natural (temporary), raised spiritual (eternal) – a body (not a ghost) animated by the Holy Spirit
  • Verses 45-47 – First Adam became a living being
    • Last Adam – Jesus – became life-giving Spirit
    • A pattern – first natural, then spiritual – in Adam vs. Jesus, in life vs. resurrection
    • Verse 47 – Adam formed from dust, Jesus is from heaven
  • Verse 48 – Like Adam, we’re of dust, but like Jesus, we’ll be of spirit
  • Verse 49 – Right now we look like Adam, made of dust
    • But one day we’ll look like Jesus!
    • 1 John 3: 2- we just don’t know what it will look like

Victory Over Death (1 Corinthians 15: 50-58)

  • Verse 50 – Our inheritance
    • We can’t come into the ultimate and eternal Kingdom of God as we are, because our bodies aren’t currently physically eternal or spirit
    • We need a resurrection
    • A mystery – something that was a secret, but now revealed
  • Verse 51 – But we’ll be changed instantaneously – whether alive or dead
  • Verse 52 – The trumpet will sound – Christ’s return!
    • The dead will rise imperishable
  • Verse 53 – Our mortal bodies will put on immortality!
  • Verses 54-55 – This is the ultimate defeat of death!
    • Death holds no sting, no fear to the Christian
    • We need to be much less afraid of dying and honestly a lot better about not praying so hard to keep Christians out of heaven, while praying much harder to keep sinners out of hell!
    • This truth Paul celebrates should be hugely comforting to us
  • Verses 56-57 – The power and sting of sin are broken through Christ
    • We’re victorious over sin and death!!
  • Verses 58- The So What!
    • Be steadfast, immovable, eagerly working for God and bearing His fruit in our lives
    • Our efforts aren’t wasted
    • Our lives and work have purpose and meaning
    • All will be resolved and rewarded in Christ
    • Death isn’t enemy or threat

Next week: 1 Corinthians 16