In Christ all will be made alive
1 Corinthians 15:20-22 - The certainty of death and resurrection should affect the way we live our lives.
“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.”
1 Corinthians 15:20-22 NIV
Chapter 15 of the First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians is one of the more important chapters in the New Testament, as it offers the proof of the resurrection of Jesus, explains the relevance of His resurrection, and points out how the certainty of death and resurrection should affect the way we live our lives.
At this point in Chapter 15, Paul has already offered the proof of Jesus’ resurrection, and now he explains how Jesus was the firstfruit of those who have fallen asleep. To a non-believer, this talk of falling asleep seems to be nonsense, but it is common in the Bible to use that euphemism for death. For those who have experienced the sudden, unexpected death of a friend or relative, it’s much more comforting to think of them as “just asleep” than dead.
What’s a firstfruit? That’s not a word in common usage these days, so it bears some explanation. This word appears early in the Old Testament, where it refers both to the offering of firstfruits and to an entrance fee. In the offering of firstfruits, one who was making the offering brought one sheaf of grain to the sacrificial altar to represent (and also anticipate) the rest of the harvest. This offering is explained by God in Leviticus 23:9-14.
Just as the offering of firstfruits represents the bounty of the harvest, the resurrection of Jesus is a representation of universal resurrection. Enduring Word has this further commentary on firstfruits:
The resurrection of Jesus represents our resurrection, because if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection (Romans 6:5). The resurrection of Jesus also anticipates our resurrection, because we will be raised with a body like His. “As in the firstfruits offered to God, the Jews were assured of God’s blessing on the whole harvest; so by the resurrection of Christ, our resurrection is insured.” (Trapp)
ii. The Feast of Firstfruits was observed on the day after the Sabbath following Passover (Leviticus 23:9-14). Significantly, Jesus rose from the dead on the exact day of the Feast of Firstfruits, the day after the Sabbath following the Passover.
iii. The resurrection of Jesus is also the firstfruits of our resurrection in the sense that He is our “entrance fee” to resurrection. Jesus paid our admission to the resurrection!
In the next verses (21-22), Paul makes a comparison between the author of death — Adam, forerunner of the human race — and the author of eternal life, Jesus. Adam (a man) brought death to all mankind by his original sin. The second Adam, Jesus Christ, was also a man, but brings eternal resurrection life to all those in mankind who believe in Him. Charles Spurgeon wrote this about Christ being the forerunner of a new kind of man:
“Men admire the man who is first to discover a new country… Oh, then, sing it in songs, sound it with voice of trumpet to the ends of the earth - Christ is the first who returned from the jaws of death to tell of immortality and light.”1
Paul then tidily wraps up these verses with a similar parallel: “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” In plain English, this means “thanks to Adam everyone dies, but thanks to Christ everyone is resurrected”. Hmmm… if everyone is resurrected, why should we be “good”? Enduring Word has this clarification, which should give pause to those who think they can still go on living an unrighteous life if they’re guaranteed resurrection:
In Christ, all shall be made alive: Does this mean everyone is resurrected? Yes and no. All will be resurrected in the sense that they will receive a resurrection body and live forever. Jesus plainly spoke of both the resurrection of life and the resurrection of condemnation (John 5:29). So, all are resurrected, but not all will receive the resurrection of life. Some will receive the resurrection of condemnation, and live forever in a resurrected body in hell. (My emphasis - Steve)
i. “But though this text doth not prove the general resurrection, (being only intended of believers, that are members of Christ,) yet it doth not oppose it. But that the all here mentioned is no more than all believers, appeareth not only from the term in Christ in this verse, but from the whole following discourse; which is only concerning the resurrection of believers to life, not that of the wicked to eternal condemnation.”2
Sanctification is the lifelong journey of the Holy Spirit working through you to your glorification in resurrection. Where are you on that journey? I know I still have a long way to go… but I know that I am redeemed.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Today’s prayer comes from Knowing Jesus:
Heavenly Father, thank You for Paul's amazingly comprehensive chapter on 'The First Resurrection to Life' and 'The Second Resurrection to Damnation'. Thank You that Jesus died on the Cross to pay the price for my sin and thank You that death had no hold on His sinless body and He rose from the dead as the glorious First-fruit of ALL who would place their faith in Him. Thank You that His Resurrection broke the power of sin and death in my life, and that through Him the sting of death has been neutralised for all who believe, and death is swallowed up in victory. Give me greater understanding of Your amazing plan of redemption. This I ask in Jesus' name, AMEN.
Spurgeon, Charles Haddon "The New Park Street Pulpit" Volumes 1-6 and "The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit" Volumes 7-63 (Pasadena, Texas: Pilgrim Publications, 1990)
Poole, Matthew "A Commentary on the Holy Bible" Volume 3 (Matthew-Revelation) (London: Banner of Truth Trust, 1969)