Thursday, January 6, 2011
Live What You Believe
(1 Corinthians 15:29-58)
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord." -1 Corinthians 15:58
Paul now builds on the logical evidence he gave in verses 12 through 28 for faith in Christ and His resurrection. Having made clear that he has no room in his life to preach and teach what he cannot logically defend, he now adds another personal example. Basically he says, Look, if I wouldn't teach what I couldn't verify, how much less would I suffer for something I'm not sure is true? (v. 13-19, 30-32).
Paul then points to the difference between stars and planets as well as the diversities of creatures on land and in the sea. Each one's existence is based on its ability to survive in its environment. Paul says it's only logical that God will do the same in giving us resurrection bodies designed for eternal life. Next, he uses the example of a seed. When planted, a seed looks very different from what that seed will become. This, he says, is a clear picture of what will happen at our physical death. We too are buried at death like a seed. But, also like a seed, we will rise above this earth in our resurrection bodies just as Jesus did.
It is because of this fact that we are exhorted to live what we believe with a passion that abounds in God's work. There is no logical justification for anything less (v. 58). Stop today and look at your life. How you live is the surest way to know what you genuinely believe. If the investment of your heart, mind, and resources is not being used by God to prepare yourself and others for eternity, then you obviously don't really "believe" what you believe. Do something about it now. Begin to build a firm foundation for your faith as Paul did. When you do you will find yourself propelled into being God's voice and hands of salvation to a world that stands at the edge of eternity.
NKJV Bible Text
1 Corinthians 15:29-58
Effects of Denying the Resurrection
29 Otherwise, what will they do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptized for the dead? 30 And why do we stand in jeopardy every hour? 31 I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32 If, in the manner of men, I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantage is it to me? If the dead do not rise, "Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!"
33 Do not be deceived: "Evil company corrupts good habits." 34 Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.
| Effects Of Denying The Resurrection (v. 29-34) v. 29 Baptized For the Dead – This has consistently been a difficult passage to interpret because it seems out of harmony with what is generally taught about baptism. It sounds as if a person could be baptized for a person's salvation who is already dead. That a person would feel it was necessary to do so seems rooted in the belief that baptism is the means of salvation. Therefore, is person had died who had not been baptized you could secure their salvation by doing so on their behalf. This concept of baptismal regeneration is not taught in scripture. At Corinth, there seems to have been the practice of being baptized for those who had died prior to baptism. This is only one of several guesses on this obscure passage. However, Paul does not sanction this practice, he simply refers to it to show how inconsistent their actions are if there was no belief in a resurrection for the believers who had died. v. 30 Stand In Jeopardy – Paul asks those who doubt the resurrection to give a logical reason why he should be willing to live in constant danger to proclaim it if he knew it wasn't really true. v. 31 I Affirm – In Greek this word was used when a person sought to swear something to be true or to make an important and strong statement in regards to an issue. The Boasting – Paul points out that the glory and boasting he has in Jesus Christ is rooted in his willingness to suffer a daily death to everything that would keep him from proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In fact, it was only because of this attitude and for this reason that the people he was writing to ever became believers. If they denied the resurrection, they were denying one of the truths that propelled Paul to come and preach to them and lead them to Jesus Christ. | v. 32 Manner of Men – Paul makes reference to fighting wild beasts, which most likely involved some punishment he was given for preaching the gospel at Ephesus. Some, however, see this as a figurative statement because as a Roman citizen he would have been legally protected from this type of judgment. However, he makes it clear that he did not place himself in such danger because of any natural motivation of man but because he was willing to proclaim the truth of the gospel at any cost. What Advantage – Paul tries to impress upon those who doubted the resurrection that to make one's self vulnerable to such dangers simply to proclaim lies was logically not worth the risks. v. 33 Do Not Be Deceived – Paul seeks to open the eyes of those he is trying to restore to spiritual soundness. Paul warns that the teaching they had come under that questioned the reliability of the resurrection would soon result in a corrupted and misguided life. Beliefs do ultimately manifest themselves in behavior. Evil Company – Paul uses a common proverb used among the Greeks that originated with Menander, a Greek poet. The warning is obvious. If these believers continue to allow bad doctrine to influence them, their walk with Christ would be undermined. v. 34 Awake to Righteousness – This word for awake was commonly used by Greeks to refer to someone who was waking up from a deep sleep or sobering up from being drunk. Not Sin – Paul again links bad doctrine with a bad life. Your Shame – It was a disgrace on the church that there was such a pervasive ignorance about God as revealed in their doubt about God being able to resurrect the dead. |
A Glorious Body
35 But someone will say, "How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?" 36 Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. 37 And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain—perhaps wheat or some other grain. 38 But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body.
39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds.
40 There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.
| A Glorious Body (v. 35-49) v. 35 How Are The Dead – Paul states the main arguments that were raised against the resurrection. First, it does not seem possible that the physical matter of a person could be collected after it has decomposed into the earth. Secondly, how could a body be reconstructed with nothing but decomposed dust? Foolish One – Paul sees this argument against the possibility of a resurrection as a denial of a commonly observed fact in nature, which is seen in the process of seeds. v. 36 Unless It Dies – Paul answers the first argument from the function of seeds. A seed placed in the ground must begin to decompose. It dies before it will begin to come alive and start to grow. v. 37 Body That Will Be – Paul reminds them that the seed that goes into the ground looks much different than what will eventually grow from the seed. In like fashion, the resurrection will produce a new body that will be much more glorious than what went into the grave. v. 38 God Gives – The genetic makeup of each seed that is given by God produces amazing results. | That Pleases Him – God has ordained the beautiful diversity of plant life, revealing the pleasure He derives from their awesome colors, shapes and functions. v. 39 All Flesh – This answers the second argument against a literal resurrection in regards to what a resurrection of the body would be like. Paul seeks to show that just as there are different physical bodies given in nature that are best suited for their function, so God should be seen as capable of giving a new resurrection body best suited for eternity. Furthermore, even in nature there are examples of something dramatically changing its bodily form (e.g. the caterpillar that becomes a butterfly). v. 40 Celestial Bodies – the various planets, stars, etc. of the universe Terrestrial Bodies – the various forms and bodies on earth The Glory – Paul points out the difference in form and function of the bodies of heavens and on earth. v. 41 One Star Differs – Paul points out the vast differences among the celestial bodies. |
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. 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. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45 And so it is written, "The first man Adam became a living being." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.
| v. 42 So Also – Now that he has given examples to answer the arguments against the feasibility of the resurrection, Paul applies this logic to the resurrection. Sown in Corruption – First, Paul shows how the human body, like a seed, is placed in the ground. It is done so in a state of decay as it returns to dust. Raised In Incorruption – The promise of the resurrection is a new body that knows no form of decay or imperfection. v. 43 Sown In Dishonor – The process of death is completely out of character with what God had originally desired for mankind. The weakness, the inability to do the simplest of tasks, brings a form of dishonor to even the greatest of men and women as stakes brings its claim on them. Raised In Glory – The resurrection body will have a glory that will even surpass that of Adam and Eve before the fall. We will be given bodies that share in the likeness of Jesus' resurrection body (v. 49). Sown In Weakness – the culmination of the gradual aging process as our bodies begin to wind down toward death In Power – The perfect bodies we will receive will have the ability to function at a level of power that is hard to imagine. However, we do know that our bodies will not restrict us in any way from experiencing all God has prepared for us in eternity. | v. 44 Sown a Natural Body – the physical body that is adapted to the environment of earth. Spiritual Body – the body we will be given that will be adapted to a life in the realm of the spirit for eternity v. 45 First Adam – Through Adam, the human race has been given a life that enables man to exist as a living entity. Second Adam – Jesus is the originator of a new race of humanity that is endowed with a life that is not bound to the earth, as was Adam. It is destined to live in the realm of the spirit for all eternity. v. 47 Of the Earth – Adam was literally made from the dust of the ground. Lord From Heaven – In contrast, Jesus is seen as not limited to the earthly realm, because for all eternity He has known a life in the heavens. The heavens here are a reference to the spiritual realm. v. 49 Image Of – Having laid out the contrast between the first and second Adam, Paul declares that the resurrection will give us a body that is in the image of Jesus. |
Our Final Victory
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."
55 "O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?"
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
| Our Final Victory (v. 50-58) v. 50 Flesh and Blood – The physical, easily damaged body we presently have is not capable of dwelling in eternity in God's presence. Inherit – denotes the privileges we have coming to us because of what the death of Christ provided Kingdom of God – the rule of Christ as King, the realm of that rule and the resulting benefits of that rule and realm v. 51 A Mystery – Paul reveals what will happen to believers who are still alive when Christ returns, something that up to this point had not been understood or revealed. Changed – The transformation that will occur for those who are living will be the same as experienced by the resurrected dead. This may be what happened to Enoch and Elijah when both were caught up to heaven without having died. v. 52 A Moment – The root word in Greek here is "atomos." It refers to the smallest conceivable amount of something. Twinkling of an Eye – This is another way to convey the idea of a sudden instantaneous change. Last Trumpet – A trumpet was often used during battle to call men in an army together. This word picture conveys the thought of calling God's people to Himself. It will be the last trumpet for the believer, for we will thereafter be with Christ. (I Tess. 4:16-17) However, there will still be subsequent trumpet calls during the tribulation as recorded in the book of Revelation. v. 53 Must Put On – The spiritual, non materialistic aspect of man will be clothed in an indestructible body that is able to function for all eternity. v. 54 That Is Written – Paul gives the basic sense of Isaiah 25:8 as he applies it to the resurrection. | Death Is Swallowed – Death, the one thing that no man in history has been able to overcome, will not be the portion for those who share in the benefits of Jesus Christ. v. 55 O Death – Paul quotes from Hosea 13:14 to identify the powerful force of death. The Sting Of – The source and power of death is identified as the result of sin (Gen. 3:3). v. 56 Strength of Sin – The relationship between the law of God and the force of sin is further developed in Romans 7:9-13. There Paul shows how the law of God actually stirs mankind to challenge the law by violating it. The law gives no intrinsic power to keep it. v. 57 Gives Us the Victory – Paul gives thanks to God who not only has conquered death through the resurrection but the power of sin as well through Jesus Christ. v. 58 Therefore – Paul concludes his teaching on the resurrection with an exhortation to live our lives in the present in light of our future glory. Steadfast – "Hedraios" (Gk.) — an attitude of holding a firm position Immovable – "Ametakenatos" (Gk.) In the firm position we are to have in the truths of the gospel, we are to maintain an attitude that nothing can or should move us from the truth. Abounding – "Perisseao" (Gk.) — an overflow, something that exceeds what is necessary. Work of the Lord – The focus of our solid position in Christ is to enable us to have an abundant capacity to do God's will in the midst of this fallen world as we await the resurrection. Not In Vain – The resurrection is sure, and therefore the rewards of a life lived in God's purpose will not be lost at death but rather gained. In the Lord – The believer's labors are done on His behalf in the nature and power of Jesus. |
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