Bodily Resurrection

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. I Corinthians 15:12-19

At issue: Greeks don’t want to believe in the resurrection of the dead. Paul’s response: if there is no resurrection of the dead, Jesus has not been raised and we’ve been wasting our breath preaching and you’ve wasted your faith in a resurrected Lord. Without the resurrection, you are not saved. If our only hope as believers is in the here and now, we are to be pitied.

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.  For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all. I Corinthians 15:20-28

BUT, Christ HAS been raised. He is the firstfruits of God’s people. Man caused death in the human race, and by a man death has been overcome. Adam’s deliberate disobedience caused spiritual and physical death for all humanity, and Jesus’ perfect obedience defeated spiritual and physical death for all of us.

There is an order of the resurrections, like a battalion passing in review: #1. Jesus first, leading the parade of resurrected humans to heaven. #2. The Church (those who belong to Jesus) when He returns at the rapture to claim His bride (I Thessalonians 4:13-18). #3. Then the general resurrection at the end of the millennial kingdom. That’s when Jesus will destroy Satan’s hierarchy, putting all His enemies under His feet. Then He will destroy death. Then the kingdom will have been fully restored to God, Who created it and believing humanity will be restored to original sinlessness, to reign with Him forever.

Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? Why are we in danger every hour?  I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.”Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame. I Corinthians 15:29-34

Verse 29 is somewhat confusing to us moderns, but it has to do with the irony of these Greeks who denied the resurrection practicing a ritual in which they were baptized “for the dead,” apparently identifying themselves by that obscure ritual with people who have previously died. Paul was dishing out a little sanctified sarcasm here. He was good at it, when trying to awaken the spiritually ignorant to the realities of the faith. “So, there is no resurrection? Then what is the point of that practice? Can you explain it to me? Huh?”

But more to the point: why do I (Paul) and other apostles and teachers risk our very lives every day to bring you the gospel, to the salvation of your souls and bodies, if there is no resurrection? Why don’t we just party like it’s 1999? If we’re a dying breed with no future, why do we hold hope for eternity?

Somebody’s deceiving you, Corinthians. You are sinning by allowing your faith to be corrupted this way. You should know better by now. Aren’t you ashamed?!