Steadfast Day 7 Dead Or Alive: Digging Deeper
April 4, 2023
Discover the original intent of Scripture. Make good application to our everyday lives.
Become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!
1 Corinthians 15:20-28
The Original Intent
1) What is meant by “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep”? (verse 27)
The concept of firstfruits is woven through the entire Bible from the first recorded offering in Genesis, to the God-given law in Exodus, to the Revelation given to John, and nearly every book between. (Genesis 4:4, Exodus 23:16-19, Revelation 14:4)
“Firstfruits” in verse 20 translates from the Greek word aparche. It was a word many first century readers would have understood. Aparche was part of the sacrificial offering in Israel’s history (Old Testament). The Festival of First Fruits followed just one day after Passover. It was a celebratory day to commemorate God’s provision and give back to God the first fruits of their harvests.
As an agricultural community, the people of Israel offered to God the very best (which was typically the first) of their crops as instructed by God. (Numbers 18:12-13) In fact, God claimed ownership of the first and best of everything (Exodus 13:1-2, Numbers 3:11-13). In recognition that all good things come from God (James 1:17-18), the first and the best was offered back to God.
At His birth, as the firstborn of Mary and Joseph, Jesus was offered back to God and dedicated to Him with a pair of pigeons in obedience to God in Jewish tradition. (Luke 2:22-24)
At His death, Jesus as God’s firstborn Son, was offered by the Father as the sacrifice Himself on our behalf. It seems silly to emphasize, but when Jesus died, He was no longer alive. He needed to be resurrected to live again!
When Paul mentioned those who had “fallen asleep”, he wasn’t referring to those existing in a state of unconsciousness. He was referring to those who had died! More so, if there is only THIS life (verse 19), believers are to be pitied. “BUT AS IT IS, Christ has been raised from the dead…” (verse 20);
His death and resurrection provided the way for and proved the reality of our life after death. (Romans 6:4-5)
The Everyday Application
1) What is meant by “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep”? (verse 27)
Because of Jesus, we are free to live! (John 8:36) Sweet Sister, join me in this prayer from Scotty Smith that declares who Jesus is.
“Jesus, You HAVE been raised from the dead!
Preaching the gospel is not useless, it’s essential.
Faith in You is not futile, but fertile.
We’re no longer encased in our sins; we’re fully wrapped in Your righteousness.
Those who have gone to sleep in You are not slumbering in the void, they are savoring Your resurrection glory. We are less to be pitied than anybody, and more to be grateful than everybody. Because You have been raised from the dead, everything changes, Jesus.
You are the firstfruits and guarantee of a whole new order—the ‘new creation’ dominion of redemption and restoration. The decay in our earthly bodies will give way to the delights of our resurrection bodies. The kingdom of this world has already become, and will be fully manifest, as the kingdom of our God and of You, His Christ.
You are already reigning, and You will reign forever and ever. All evil dominions, wicked authorities and malevolent powers have already been defeated by You and, one Day, will be completely eradicated by You. Jesus, Your death is the death of death, and Your resurrection is the resurrection of all things.
Oh, the wonder… the glory… the grace! In light of this non-hype hope… because this gospel is true, free me and my friends from the pettiness and emptiness of living for ourselves. Because of Your compelling love, show us how to live for You…
for You died for us and have been raised again.” (Scotty Smith Prayer TGC)
Amen. And Amen. SO BE IT! (1 Chronicles 16:36)
The Original Intent
2) What is the significance of the order mentioned in verses 23-26?
“Each in order: first … then … until …” The word translated “order” is a military one used for ranks of soldiers (tagma). Paul was teaching that Christ was the leader in rank and He experienced the first-of-its-kind resurrection. Imagine a military leader returning victorious from a battle as his troops march behind him. As the leader, He is at the front of the celebration. (blueletterbible.org)
Jesus Christ is our victorious forerunner, announcing the ultimate defeat of death! (Hebrews 2:14-15) In defeating death once for all, He secures the future victory for every believer who fully trusts Him. Though He was not the only one raised from the dead (1 Kings 7:17-22, John 11:38-44, Luke 8:49-56, Acts 20:7-12), Jesus is the firstfruits (Question 1) of resurrection.
“Each of these was resuscitated from death, but none of them were resurrected. Each of them was raised in the same body they died in and they eventually died again. Resurrection isn’t just living again; it is living again in a new body.” (enduringword.com)
First, Jesus made a way for every believer to defeat death.
Then, all Christians who die will be raised to live forever with new bodies. [Note: The Bible teaches that even now at our death, our souls continue to live as we enter into the presence of God. (Luke 23:42-43) But that is in spirit only. Our temporary bodies are unable to enjoy heaven until the final resurrection when we are transformed. (verses 50-55 )]
After the final resurrection, the believer’s spirit and the body will both be able and willing to fully enjoy God for all eternity! (Romans 6:8-9, Romans 8:11)
Until then, we trust in the promise of God about His Son: He will reign over all! (Ephesians 1:18-23, Philippians 2:9-11 Ephesians 1:18-23)
The Everyday Application
2) What is the significance of the order mentioned in verses 23-26?
What is resurrection not?!
It is not reincarnation.
No one returns to earthly life as someone or something else.
It is not related to karma. Karma places humanity at the center of life and produces an agonizing, circular restlessness in the human soul.
Resurrection IS the central message of the sweet gospel of grace, unmerited favor from God for those who have faith in Him. Resurrection is about the mercy of God who planned a way for us to gain what we do not deserve. This grace is the central core of the believer’s life; this grace produces peaceful rest and glorious hope.
Our resurrection is a fact that stems from the literal resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Lord.
He rose uniquely to never die again. His death and resurrection initiated a new order: life, death, then life forever. Previously, all those who died and were raised would eventually die again.
Christians believe in resurrection, not in reincarnation or karma, because our faith is founded upon the word of God that declares Christ’s resurrection abolished the last enemy: Death. (verse 26)
If death hadn’t died in Christ, there would be no Christianity. So sing with me, friend, “O praise the One who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead!!” (Jesus Paid It All by Kristian Stanfill)
The Original Intent
3) What aspect of Christ’s deity is Paul teaching the reader by quoting Psalm 8:6 in verse 27?
“For God has put EVERYTHING under His feet.” Whose feet? The One who had come and made radical claims about Himself!! (John 8:50-59) This same Jesus also spoke to doubters regarding the resurrection. As God, He said of Himself in Matthew 22:29-33 that if God could identify with the three “dead” patriarchs, then they must actually be alive when God spoke to Moses.
Though Jesus’ claims of deity eventually caused His death (John 10:31-33, Mark 14:62-64), His teaching on the resurrection was also unpopular with some religious leaders (Mark 12:18), but this didn’t stop Him from continuing to mention it often. Resurrection is an essential element of the good news Jesus brought to the world.
All four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) witness to the teaching of resurrection, but John’s gospel seemed to emphasize even more that resurrection was foundational to the truth of the gospel. John records several examples of Jesus teaching of the future hope of resurrection: John 2:18-22, John 6:35-40, John 6:53-59, John 5:24-29, John 11:21-27.
The resurrection of Jesus, including the resurrection of ALL believers, and the deity of Christ are tied together in the Scriptures. Paul made this truth abundantly clear in verses 1-16. Jesus has authority over life AND death. Christ’s death wasn’t just physical death on the cross, it was a moment-by-moment surrender of the Son to His Father.
The actuality of Jesus’ death and resurrection happened long before He died and rose again for it was predetermined before the foundation of the world. (1 Peter 1:20) While on earth, He humbly walked out the reality of His death. (Philippians 2:5-8) Yet Jesus, the GOD-man, is forever over all.
The apostle Paul repeated Psalm 8:6 to the Ephesians with a similar message in Ephesians 1:20-22. He also made a point to exalt the supremacy of the resurrected Christ to the Colossians in Colossians 1:13-20.
The Everyday Application
3) What aspect of Christ’s deity is Paul teaching the reader by quoting Psalm 8:6 in verse 27?
“And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then He who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through His Spirit who lives in you.” (Romans 8:11)
Jesus was raised and He is LORD of all! By placing everything under His feet (verse 27), Christ has been given His rightful authority over life and death. Through Him, a way was prepared for us all to have this life and become one with the Father when we repent from our sins and accept His gift of forgiveness.
I remember, my friend, when I did not belong to Jesus. The enemy of my soul controlled me. There was no resurrection power living in me to say “no” to myself. But the good news is that Christ changed all that! (Romans 6)
He has been given the victory over sin and death and it doesn’t stop there. It is through partaking of the life of Christ that we have victory over sin in our daily lives. We walk in the authority of God as we are one with Him through His Son Jesus Christ, surrendering to His will moment by moment. (1 Peter 4:1-2) Hallelujah!
The same power that rose Jesus from the grave;
the same power that commands the dead to wake lives in us.
The same power that moves mountains when He speaks;
the same power that can calm a raging sea lives in us.
We have hope that His promises are true.
In His strength, there is nothing we can’t do.
Yes, we know there are greater things in store.
We will not be overtaken, we will not be overcome!!
(Same Power by Jeremy Camp)
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