1 Corinthians chapter 15 is devoted to dealing with one main issue amongst the believers in Corinth – namely the erroneous belief that when we die, our whole being ceases to exist. That view is called Annihilationism.
And it had crept in amongst the believers in that church 2000 years ago. 2000 years later we live in a hotbed of annihilational thinking.
According to a faith survey in 2017, 46% of British people believe there is nothing after death. Whilst another 46% do believe in some form of life after death, for a so called ‘Christian’ nation the fact that nearly half of its population has an annihilationist philosophy is a significant indicator of the impact of atheism in our country today.
Well, Paul feels it’s impact too and is willing to devote a lengthy part of his letter to correcting the error of annihilationism that had crept into the church in Corinth – an error he refers to in verse 34 as both ‘sin’ and ‘senseless’.
Now, I’m not suggesting this morning that we have fallen foul of this same error. But I do wonder whether we give the kind of healthy attention to a future resurrection that would keep us from falling foul of the annihilationist philosophy that is so prevalent in our culture today. Maybe this message will serve to make us think more about a future resurrection.
Gospel Resurrection
The chapter begins with the gospel. ‘I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand’ (v.1). And here it is, summarised in verse 3:
‘For what I received I passed on to you of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures’.
What does Christ died for our sins mean? According to 1 John 2:2 & 4:10, it means he died as a sacrifice of atonement for our sins. And atonement means he met the cost of our sin. That he paid the price.
Sin carries a penalty. And it’s a penalty that accords with the worth of God’s holiness. It is naturally therefore, an infinite penalty. In Jesus’ death, the payment due for our sin – that infinite penalty - was met fully, meaning there is nothing left owing. The account balance is zero.
In his death, we are fully absolved of all our indebtedness to God on account of our sins against him.
But that is only one part. According to Paul, the Corinthian believers had taken their stand not only on the basis of Jesus’ death, but also and crucially on the basis of Jesus’ burial and resurrection. Romans 4:25 says, ‘Christ was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification’.
If Christ died, but was never resurrected, then what does that mean? It means that verse 54, ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory’ is in-fact not the case, and that death in-fact reigned in power even over Jesus, such that Jesus remains in the ground even now. And, if he remains subject to death, then so do we.
Therefore, Jesus’ resurrection is the guarantee that, not only has our sin been completely paid for, but the curse of sin - which is death (Gen 2:17) - has been finally defeated also. That means that the gospel is the good news of not only forgiveness for sins committed, but also of life from the dead!
That is the gospel the Corinthians had come to believe – that we believe – and which they had taken their ‘stand’ upon; and by which they had been ‘saved’.
Ours is a Real Resurrection
The issue in Corinth though was not that they doubted Jesus’ resurrection, but they doubted their own resurrection. And Paul is at pains to tell them that if they are not to be raised from the dead, then neither was Christ raised from the dead.
But in fact – as they believe – Christ was raised from the dead, and therefore they will certainly also be raised from the dead.
All who are resting in Jesus’ finished work will be raised from the dead. Just as death came through a man – Adam, so resurrection life will come through a man – Christ Jesus (v.21).
Christ was raised from the dead as the firstfruits of resurrection and ‘then when he [returns], he will raise those who belong to him’ (v.23) from the grave also.
And there is going to be a ‘splendour’ about our resurrection bodies. The fullness of the wheat in the field results from a seed that fell into the ground (v.36-38), so it is with our bodies - they must fall into the ground in order that they might be raised up in full fruit.
The body that was sown into the ground - subject to death and decay - will be raised imperishable (v.42). The body that was sown in dishonour – weak; naked; lifeless – will be raised in glory and power (v.43). The body that was buried natural will be raised spiritual (v.44).
In fact, as Jesus was when he was raised from the dead, so will we be (v.48); we shall bear the image of Christ himself! (v.49).
And this is essential because flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; our lowly bodies must be transformed (v.52) into heavenly bodies to be able to handle the glory of the Lord when we see him face to face (Exodus 33:20).
So, if we are indeed to be raised from the dead, then the saying that has been written is true, ‘death has been swallowed up in victory’. And the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ is also true – Jesus was raised for our justification. Praise God and Hallelujah! He is risen! And because he is, so shall we be.
Resurrection Realities
Now, I see Paul outlining seven gospel-pointed, piercing implications of the erroneous view called Annihilationism.
But since we are not those who believe our destiny is annihilation, we can turn them into seven wonderful-glorious benefits of the resurrection; benefits that would not accrue to us were it not for the resurrection of Christ.
So here we are on resurrection morning and we’re about to see seven glorious realities which simply wouldn’t exist unless Jesus had risen from the grave 2000 years ago.
The aim at the end is to be mightily strengthened in a deeper appreciation of the implications of the resurrection of Jesus in our behalf.
The most basic effect of the resurrection Paul draws our attention to is in verse 17 and it’s this: Because Christ has been raised we are counted forgiven and not counted to be in our sin any more.
When we are in our sins and not in Jesus, Colossians tells us we are dead in that state. That means that there is no spiritual life in our souls. The law of sin and death reigns.
But when God comes into our lives and applies the work of Jesus to our souls, we cross over from death to life, and Colossians 2:13 calls that God making us alive with Christ.
For forgiveness to be our spiritual reality we must cross from death to life and so, Jesus had to cross from death to life, in order that death might no longer reign in our mortal bodies (Rom 8:11), and so that we would be made alive with Christ.
Jesus was raised for our justification and forgiveness. There is nothing that is more foundational in any human being’s life than the forgiveness of their sins. Nothing. Every single person’s very life depends on receiving forgiveness for their sins from Jesus.
So, that’s the first resurrection reality. Jesus’s resurrection guarantees our forgiveness.
The second is in verse 17 also (and verse 14): Because Christ is raised, our faith is totally effective and valuable and worthwhile, and is in no way futile.
Romans 4 told us that Jesus was raised for our justification and Romans 3:28 tells us a person is justified by faith. So, the justifying work of Jesus is counted to us on the basis of faith.
When we receive Jesus as our Saviour (Rom 10:10) and Lord (Rom 10:9) and Prize (Matt 13:44) then we are exercising faith.
And Paul is saying that that faith is effective and valuable and worthwhile because Jesus rose from the grave.
If he hadn’t risen, then our faith would be completely futile. In that case, we would have trusted in a dead saviour, and a dead lord, and a dead prize. A dead saviour is a powerless saviour, a dead lord is not worthy to be followed, and a dead prize has no value.
But Christ is raised and therefore he is powerful; he is worthy of allegiance; and he is supremely valuable. And therefore, our faith is not futile, but in-fact is unbelievably fruitful.
The third resurrection reality is in verse 15: Because Christ was raised, the report that has come down to us from the disciples and apostles is trustworthy and true.
If you think about the shear nature of the things that were written about Jesus in the accounts of his life, they are the likes of which no one else has ever written about any other human being, ever.
Perhaps, we’ve been reading the bible so long that we have grown accustomed to its language and now read the account of Jesus’ words and works as merely run of the mill.
But there is hardly anything in the gospel accounts that is run of the mill. Almost every part of the record is extraordinary. But the fact is, every detail is untrustworthy and unworthy, if Jesus did not rise from the dead.
His resurrection confirms that the account of his words and works is accurate and true even though it is so fantastical.
The resurrection is the vindication and the affirmation of the account of Jesus, and it is the thing that should give us every confidence to believe what we are reading when we pick up our bibles.
The fourth resurrection reality is found in verse 14: Because Jesus is raised from the dead the sharing of the gospel is powerful and purposeful and hopeful. It is not useless.
Paul has the preaching of the gospel in view as he writes verse 14. If Jesus was raised for people’s justification as we’ve already heard, then the resurrection is an integral part of the gospel.
And so, the gospel is powerful to save and worthy of being shared if Jesus’ resurrection is real. And since it is real, we can have every hope that as we share the gospel with our friends, family, colleagues, communities, neighbours and nations that it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes (Rom 1:16).
Jesus was raised to verify the power of the gospel to save (v.2).
The fifth resurrection reality is found in verse 19: Because Jesus is raised from the dead the hope that we have eternal life is enviable. It is not pitiable.
Any hope that terminates in this life is pitiable. But a hope that terminates in eternal life is enviable.
If we live lives of eating, drinking and being merry (v.32) and then grow old and die; or get cancer and die; or career off the road into a ditch and die, then we live pitiable lives.
That kind of life is futile because the grave has the victory. But we believe that we will be raised at the last day unto eternal life, overcoming the grave, because Jesus is the firstfruits from the dead - and since we are in him, we will be raised like he was raised.
Therefore, our hope is not only for this life but is anchored in the life to come. That is an enviable and desirable hope to have. But it only exists because Jesus is risen.
The sixth resurrection reality is found in verse 18: Because Jesus rose from the grave we can be completely confident that those that have already died in the Lord (like my mother-in-law) are secure and with Jesus in heaven right now. And not lost.
Jesus’ resurrection means that people who die are not annihilated, their bodies have gone down into the ground, but life is more than the body, and their souls live on.
And specifically, those who have died in Christ are with him, experiencing him, enjoying being with him, eagerly awaiting the consummation of everything when their souls will be reunited with rejuvenated resurrection bodies ready to enter the eternal new heavens and new earth (Rev 6:9-11).
Those souls are not lost to a nebulous existence or an extermination, but are experiencing right now, more solid joys than anything they ever experienced on earth.
The seventh and final resurrection reality is found in verses 30 & 58: Jesus was raised from the dead so that our labours in and for the Lord – for Paul that looked like facing death every day – would be profitable, fruitful, and worthwhile. And not in vain.
If all our efforts for the Kingdom of God and for the glory of his name are based only on human hopes - hopes like: People will think well of me for this; or this will stand me in good stead for that; or this will serve to give me that position; or this will promote me to a better pay grade - then Paul’s conclusion is: ‘what have I gained’.
If death is the end, then death always makes that kind of striving – even when it’s for the kingdom of God – utterly pointless.
But we are those who believe that Jesus is indeed raised from the dead, and so our labours for the kingdom are not pointless they are achieving for us an eternal glory that outweighs all the pain, suffering, hardship, toil and labour (2 Cor 4:17) in this life.
He was raised, so we will be also. And he will say to us ‘well done good and faithful servant, come and share in your master’s happiness’ (Matt 25:23).
So, how important is the resurrection of Jesus? The answer is essential. It is the foundation of nothing less than our forgiveness; the foundation of our faith; the foundation of our confidence in the account of Jesus’ words and works; the foundation of our confidence in the power of the gospel message to save; the foundation of our hope; the foundation of our confidence that those who have died in Christ are with Christ now; and the foundation of our confidence that our labours and hardships for the kingdom are working for us an eternal weight of glory.
When Jesus Returns
The Apostle Paul’s overarching message is that if Christ is raised, then there is no doubt, we will be raised also. Verses 22 to 26 explain some detail about that event.
They explain that there is a day coming in the future when Jesus – who is now in heaven with his resurrected body – will return to earth with his resurrected body and with the souls of all those who have died in Christ.
At that time, the dead in Christ will be raised as Christ was raised, with new glorified bodies.
And to me verse 26 reads as an expanded version of verse 24. See if you agree. In verse 24, Jesus will hand over the Kingdom to the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. And verse 26 says the last enemy to be destroyed (same word) is death (Rev 20:14). And verse 25 says that Jesus must reign until those enemies have been put under his feet (destroyed).
That reign of Jesus may have begun at the cross and be in the hearts of all believers right now, but the flow here seems to suggest that Jesus will return to reign with his resurrected saints until all Christ’s enemies have been toppled including death, and then he will hand the Kingdom over to the Father. If you have time later check out Revelation 5:10 and 2 Timothy 2:11-12 which seem to point in the same direction.
Whether it’s the former or the latter is not of the essence right now, the point is that at some time, yet future, we are going to be raised from the dead bodily and (verse 50) inherit the Kingdom of God.
Only the Victorious
So, the question is, what is the link between the seven resurrection realities in this chapter and the final resurrection of the dead when Christ returns?
And the answer is: it is those who are victorious (Rev 2:26) - who endure to the end - who are those who will enter into the final resurrection.
The seven resurrection realities give us the foundational confidence to run the race to the very end, that we may enter into the resurrection of the dead.
Therefore, Jesus’ resurrection has joyous implications for our lives from the moment of our justification to the moment of our glorification, and in, and over everything in-between!
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