Could the Dead Rise Again - Study 11/3/11
Could the Dead Rise Again?
On October 3, 2011, my father in-law, Chief Ukachi Ikemba passed on to Glory at a good age of 93 years. We thank God for papa for the life he lived and the years he loved and served us and many others. We greatly miss him. Lately we have been having discussions about heaven. I informed Jonathan that grandpa is now in heaven. He has been asking us all kinds of questions about heaven. He asked if I want to go to heaven. I said yes, but not right now. He wants to know who else is in heaven and where do all the bad people go? I have given him some kid’s theology 101 answers. The good people are those who believe and love Jesus and they go to heaven. The bad people are those who have refused to believe in Jesus as their savior and they go to hell. My father in-law was a good and reasonable man but his goodness was not good enough to get him into heaven. By special grace of God, Chief Ikemba believed and trusted Jesus Christ as the savior from his sin and that Jesus’ death has justified him before a Holy God.
Are we going to see papa again? Well, if you were at Corinth at Paul’s writing, the answer could be may be or not really. “12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (1 Corinthians 15:12-14). This is the crux of the matter of chapter 15 of 1 Corinthians.
There has always been a group of people who do not believe in the resurrection. It is inconceivable for them. This thinking somehow crept into the Corinthian Church so Apostle boldly and decisively dismisses this false doctrine. In fact, at the conclusion of this chapter, he said, “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you” vs.58. Basically he is saying, “This is a non-negotiable doctrine or issue so hold unto this at all cost”. You see, we can have “house-hold debates” about speaking in tongues or not speaking in tongues or any other of such nature, but RESURRECTION is not one of them. If Christ did not rise from the dead, therefore the dead in Christ will not rise again; then let’s close the shop, pack up and just indulge in life of sin and worldly pleasure. If Christ is not risen from the dead and then and thus, “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men”.
Yes, we will see papa again with the rest of the saints of God who have died in Christ. I don’t even think twice about it. How about you? Are you going to rise when you die? Do you believe in Jesus as dying for your sin and rising from death to secure your salvation from sin? There is a 100 percent chance that we will all die if Christ does not return soon. This is statistics worth reflecting on considering that we may not live as long as my father-in-law to be 93. Are you saved from your sins? Now is the acceptable time. Tomorrow may be too late.
1 Corinthians 15
1 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter,[b] and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. 9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.”[c] Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.
29 Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 30 And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? 31 I die every day—I mean that, brothers—just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”[d]
33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.
35 But someone may ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” 36 How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. 39 All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. 41 The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.
42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”[e]; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. 46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. 48 As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we[f] bear the likeness of the man from heaven.
50 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”[g] 55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”[h] 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. We have the entire gospel summarized for us here and Paul wants to remind the Corinthians and us. 3 “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” vs. 3-4, It is as simple as this – Christ’s death for our sins, burial and resurrection. We do not need to go to seminary to tell anyone what the gospel is all about. Paul said I received the gospel from the other apostles and I have passed it to you Corinthians. Likewise, we received the gospel from those before us and we must pass it on to others. If the summary of your conversation with anyone does not reflect the above summary of the gospel, you have really said nothing to them. May God help us to work this TRUTH into all our conversations and relationships. There is no other hope besides the Gospel (the good news). “By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you”
2. The resurrection of Christ was not up for debates. There were eye witnesses who were still alive when Paul was writing. “He (Jesus) appeared to Peter,[b] and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born”. There is overwhelming evidence to support Christ’s resurrection. We may tolerate all other kinds of arguments about the historical Jesus but not the one that denies his death, burial and resurrection. Let no one move you and me on this that we stand firmly. Unfortunately there are some so-called churches/Christians that are willing to suggest that may be Christ did not rise from the dead. From such, we must consider anti-Christ and run from such. Paul warns the Corinthians and us. “Bad company corrupts good character.”
3. Paul goes on to explain how resurrection takes place. It is like a seed planted which when germinating does not appear the same as what was planted. Like the corn, it first dies and then a green comes up from the ground – a different body. Paul did an excellent job explaining the resurrection vs. 35-57. Honestly, I do not care how it happens. I believe it is going to happen and that is good enough for me because the Scriptures said so (see Psalm 30:1-3 and Isaiah 53). I am rising on that day if Christ does not come before I die. If he comes while am alive am going up any way vs.51-53. How about you?
Resurrection is so crucial to our faith that if Christ has not risen from the dead, then we are still living in and subject to all the penalties of sin which is death. “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”[g] 55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”[h] 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ”. We have so much going for us. Hallelujah. Praise God and rejoice. This is all we are living for. Does any other thing excite you more than the resurrection? If so, please think twice and reconsider.
We must therefore, stand firm and immovable. “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” vs.58.
We must do whatever work God has put in our hands at home, outside workplace, church, school and etc. All work done for God is God’s work.
Lord, we thank you for dying for our sins and being buried and rising from the dead. Help us to continue to believe and trust you and to do your work. We look forward to seeing you with the rest of the saints who have died. Come Lord Jesus, come. Amen.
On October 3, 2011, my father in-law, Chief Ukachi Ikemba passed on to Glory at a good age of 93 years. We thank God for papa for the life he lived and the years he loved and served us and many others. We greatly miss him. Lately we have been having discussions about heaven. I informed Jonathan that grandpa is now in heaven. He has been asking us all kinds of questions about heaven. He asked if I want to go to heaven. I said yes, but not right now. He wants to know who else is in heaven and where do all the bad people go? I have given him some kid’s theology 101 answers. The good people are those who believe and love Jesus and they go to heaven. The bad people are those who have refused to believe in Jesus as their savior and they go to hell. My father in-law was a good and reasonable man but his goodness was not good enough to get him into heaven. By special grace of God, Chief Ikemba believed and trusted Jesus Christ as the savior from his sin and that Jesus’ death has justified him before a Holy God.
Are we going to see papa again? Well, if you were at Corinth at Paul’s writing, the answer could be may be or not really. “12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith” (1 Corinthians 15:12-14). This is the crux of the matter of chapter 15 of 1 Corinthians.
There has always been a group of people who do not believe in the resurrection. It is inconceivable for them. This thinking somehow crept into the Corinthian Church so Apostle boldly and decisively dismisses this false doctrine. In fact, at the conclusion of this chapter, he said, “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you” vs.58. Basically he is saying, “This is a non-negotiable doctrine or issue so hold unto this at all cost”. You see, we can have “house-hold debates” about speaking in tongues or not speaking in tongues or any other of such nature, but RESURRECTION is not one of them. If Christ did not rise from the dead, therefore the dead in Christ will not rise again; then let’s close the shop, pack up and just indulge in life of sin and worldly pleasure. If Christ is not risen from the dead and then and thus, “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men”.
Yes, we will see papa again with the rest of the saints of God who have died in Christ. I don’t even think twice about it. How about you? Are you going to rise when you die? Do you believe in Jesus as dying for your sin and rising from death to secure your salvation from sin? There is a 100 percent chance that we will all die if Christ does not return soon. This is statistics worth reflecting on considering that we may not live as long as my father-in-law to be 93. Are you saved from your sins? Now is the acceptable time. Tomorrow may be too late.
1 Corinthians 15
1 Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter,[b] and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. 9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.”[c] Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.
29 Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 30 And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? 31 I die every day—I mean that, brothers—just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus for merely human reasons, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”[d]
33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.
35 But someone may ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” 36 How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body. 39 All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. 41 The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.
42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”[e]; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. 46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. 48 As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we[f] bear the likeness of the man from heaven.
50 I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”[g] 55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”[h] 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. We have the entire gospel summarized for us here and Paul wants to remind the Corinthians and us. 3 “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” vs. 3-4, It is as simple as this – Christ’s death for our sins, burial and resurrection. We do not need to go to seminary to tell anyone what the gospel is all about. Paul said I received the gospel from the other apostles and I have passed it to you Corinthians. Likewise, we received the gospel from those before us and we must pass it on to others. If the summary of your conversation with anyone does not reflect the above summary of the gospel, you have really said nothing to them. May God help us to work this TRUTH into all our conversations and relationships. There is no other hope besides the Gospel (the good news). “By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you”
2. The resurrection of Christ was not up for debates. There were eye witnesses who were still alive when Paul was writing. “He (Jesus) appeared to Peter,[b] and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born”. There is overwhelming evidence to support Christ’s resurrection. We may tolerate all other kinds of arguments about the historical Jesus but not the one that denies his death, burial and resurrection. Let no one move you and me on this that we stand firmly. Unfortunately there are some so-called churches/Christians that are willing to suggest that may be Christ did not rise from the dead. From such, we must consider anti-Christ and run from such. Paul warns the Corinthians and us. “Bad company corrupts good character.”
3. Paul goes on to explain how resurrection takes place. It is like a seed planted which when germinating does not appear the same as what was planted. Like the corn, it first dies and then a green comes up from the ground – a different body. Paul did an excellent job explaining the resurrection vs. 35-57. Honestly, I do not care how it happens. I believe it is going to happen and that is good enough for me because the Scriptures said so (see Psalm 30:1-3 and Isaiah 53). I am rising on that day if Christ does not come before I die. If he comes while am alive am going up any way vs.51-53. How about you?
Resurrection is so crucial to our faith that if Christ has not risen from the dead, then we are still living in and subject to all the penalties of sin which is death. “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”[g] 55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”[h] 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ”. We have so much going for us. Hallelujah. Praise God and rejoice. This is all we are living for. Does any other thing excite you more than the resurrection? If so, please think twice and reconsider.
We must therefore, stand firm and immovable. “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” vs.58.
We must do whatever work God has put in our hands at home, outside workplace, church, school and etc. All work done for God is God’s work.
Lord, we thank you for dying for our sins and being buried and rising from the dead. Help us to continue to believe and trust you and to do your work. We look forward to seeing you with the rest of the saints who have died. Come Lord Jesus, come. Amen.
Comments