Christ Conquered Sin and Death

MEMORY VERSE: “I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth on Me even though he die shall live again! And no one who liveth again and believeth on Me shall in any wise die unto times age-abiding.” —John 11:25,26, Rotherham

I CORINTHIANS 15:20-28, 51-57

ON SUNDAY, April 22, millions throughout the professed Christian world will commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. This is good, and although the festivities of this day will soon be forgotten, the world will have been reminded once more of this greatest-of-all miracles, although not much will have been learned concerning its place in the divine plan of salvation and of what it will yet mean in terms of life-giving blessings for the whole world of mankind.

The apostles were firm believers in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Luke explains why: “He showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them [the disciples] forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:3) Later Jesus revealed himself to Paul on the Damascus road, so he, also, was firmly convinced that Jesus had been raised from the dead.

In the church at Corinth there were some who did not believe that Jesus rose from the dead. Paul addressed these, saying, “Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.”—I Cor. 15:12-14

It was in part to help these brethren that Paul presented the great truths pertaining to the resurrection which are set forth in this lesson, and in fact, in the entire 15th chapter of I Corinthians. Paul affirms, “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.” (vs. 20) The resurrection was not completed when Jesus was raised from the dead. He was but the first of the “firstfruits.”

Paul explains further, “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (vss. 21,22) Paul continues, “But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming [or during his presence].” While Paul does not actually say so in this chapter, his faithful followers are included in the “firstfruits.” James wrote, “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” (James 1:18) These are also referred to in the Bible as “being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.”—Rev. 14:4

Those who—in addition to Jesus—will compose the firstfruits class will come forth in what the Bible describes as “the first resurrection,” and those who participate in this first resurrection will live and reign with Christ a thousand years. It will be during this thousand years that the “afterwards” class will be brought forth from death in the general resurrection. These will be restored to life as humans here on the earth. The firstfruits class will be exalted to spiritual life with Jesus.

The kingdom referred to in verse 24 is the kingdom in which Jesus and his faithful followers will be kings, and the purpose of that kingdom will be to destroy sin and death—indeed, all the enemies of God and of righteousness. When that work is completed the kingdom will be turned over to the Heavenly Father, that he may be all in all. When this is done the Christian’s prayer, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven” will be fully answered.

All the true followers of Jesus from Pentecost on are, in the first resurrection, exalted to immortality. But there is an added blessing to those living at the end of the age, in that they do not have to sleep in death as did the others, but are changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. This is the mystery which Paul refers to in verse 51.

In verse 53 Paul asserts that immortality is a quality we must “put on.” It is not ours by nature. Life after death is a reality through the resurrection of the dead—not because man is inherently immortal.

QUESTIONS

Will all have the same nature in the resurrection?

What is the scriptural basis for our hope of life after death?

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