Significantly, in the gospels, Jesus brothers are hostile to Him and His mission (John 7:3-5). iii. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. The Corinthian Christians did not deny Jesus resurrection; they denied. The Son glorifies the Father (John 17:4), the Father glorifies the Son (John 17:5), and the Holy Spirit glorifies the Son (John 16:14). We dont find freedom by focusing on ourselves, because, He who glories, let him glory in the LORD, : Paul uses this reference to Jeremiah 9:23-24 to show that God did it all this way so that God would get the glory. Changes will take effect once you reload the page. The Corinthians boasting about their party leaders was really boasting about themselves. Remove this, and all our hopes for eternity sink at once. This is the sting of death to you, unconverted ones, not that you are dying, but that after death is the judgment, and that you must stand before the Judge of the quick and dead to receive a sentence for the sins which you have committed in your body against him. (Spurgeon), The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law, : The principle of resurrection also proves that we are not under the law any longer. c. He who glories, let him glory in the LORD: Paul uses this reference to Jeremiah 9:23-24 to show that God did it all this way so that God would get the glory. While our present bodies are adapted for the environment of time and earth, our resurrection bodies will be adapted for the environment of eternity and heaven. I Corinthians 15:3-6 " For what I received I passed on to you as 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, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. a. The students discussed it for a while and decided they had 5% of all human knowledge amongst themselves. b. In putting the strong and wise and great to shame, God does not exalt the weak and uneducated and worthless, but brings all of them down to one common level. (Calvin). Crucified meant weakness, defeat, and humiliation. You dont understand the tension between, iii. b. Greeks seek after wisdom: The Greek culture valued the pursuit of wisdom, usually expressed in high, academic, philosophical terms. This thought will not only to keep you going, but 1 Corinthians 15:58 also says that it can motivate you to always abound in the work of the Lord.' I believe that God has used this exhortation to encourage the guardians to abound in the work of the Lord. The words sanctified and saints communicate the same idea, of being set apart from the world and unto God. (20-23) The resurrection of Jesus was the firstfruit of our resurrection. It predates the writing of the Gospels, Acts, and Revelation by decades. For some, this would just be spiritual sounding talk, which showed more pride than humility. Whether there are degrees of glory, as it seems probable, so we shall certainly know, when we come to heaven. (Trapp). i. Paul had an extensive history of contact with the city of Corinth, beginning with when he established the church in Corinth, coming there after Athens and staying a year and a half (Acts 18). Love suffers long: Love will endure a long time. I am an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, not the will of any man.. Third, hold this world with a loose hand. He was a changed man, forgiven, cleansed, and full of love when he used to be full of hate. Lady Huntington, the rich and influential friend of Whitfield and Wesley, said she was going to heaven by an m: it isnt any noble; instead it is not many noble. The ancient Egyptians, at the end of a big banquet, often escorted a wooden image of a man in a coffin around the tables, telling people to have a good time now, because youll be dead sooner than you think. Paul always remembered how he had sinned against Jesus church. Ancient writers considered Corinth rich, prosperous always great and wealthy (Mare). Sharing the Word of God with passion for Christ. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. Then life is lived only under the sun, as is considered in Ecclesiastes. 1. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site. No one saw the actual resurrection of Jesus. Grace, by definition, is given freely. ii. We get our English word. Was Paul crucified for you? 3. It is a new order of life that will never die again. 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 New International Version The Resurrection of Christ 15 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. Specifically, they wanted the sign of a miraculous Messianic deliverance. Grace is always first, peace always second. (Isaiah 55:8-9). d. You come short in no gift: Paul thanks God for the gifts among the Corinthians, even though they were causing some trouble. We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. If you must execute this man, do it honorably. Paul quotes from an ancient, secular comedy play, Thais, written by Menander. Nor does corruption inherit incorruption: The word corruption does not mean moral or ethical corruption, but physical, material corruption. Paul doesnt only consider believers in Corinth to be. In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul deals more fully with what makes a person an apostle. This is in contrast to the Galatian church, who was quickly being moved away to another gospel (Galatians 1:6). how God's power is perfected in our weakness. After what has been said about the value of love only one admonition is in place: "Pursue love!" For the grace which was given to you by Jesus Christ: This was the specific reason for Pauls gratitude. Do not be deceived: Evil company corrupts good habits. Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. i. . Certainly, this meeting of the resurrected Jesus with His brother. The Book of 1 Kings; The Book of 2 Kings; The Book of Job; The 119th Psalm; The Book of Ecclesiastes; The Song of Solomon; The Book of Isaiah; The Book of Jeremiah; The Book of Daniel; New Testament. c. There are contentions among you: Though division is ungodly, it is not wrong to make distinctions between churches and ministers. If there is no principle of resurrection, and if Jesus did not rise from the dead, then the apostles are. These bodies which are subject to disease, injury, and one day decay, are unsuited for heaven. (39-41) The analogy of living and heavenly bodies. 6. Session 1: The God of All Comfort. 1 Corinthians 15:51-58 EXEGESIS: THE CONTEXT: Corinth was an important and wealthy city on the isthmus (narrow strip of land) separating Northern and Southern Greece. Click to enable/disable Google Analytics tracking. Specifically, they wanted the sign of a miraculous Messianic deliverance. There will come a day when in Gods eternal plan, He gives those dead in the Lord their resurrection bodies, and then in an instant He gathers all His people to meet Jesus in the air. That is of little importance to me, because I am not an apostle because of a popular election. b. It is one thing to prefer one minister to another, but we cannot divide into cliques behind one minister or another. g. So this corruptible must put on incorruption: Resurrection is a must for the Christians destiny. is the other head of the human race, and Jesus brings resurrection to all that are under His headship. That Paul did not regard baptism as essential to salvation is also seen by the fact that he did not keep careful track of those he baptized: Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other, . b. , and the church also started preaching Jesus the Great Man and Jesus the Moral Example instead of Christ crucified. I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. Where is your scribe? (58) Final application: how our destiny of resurrection means we should stand fast for the Lord right now. Used by permission. 1 CORINTHIANS - PROBLEMS OF A LOCAL CHURCH Click chart to enlarge Charts from Jensen's Survey of the NT - used by permission. b. O Death, where is your sting? i. 5. ii. ii. We should work hard in everything now, working for the Lord, because right now counts forever! From the first Adam, we all are made of dust, but from the last Adam we can be made heavenly. We shall rise in a full and perfect age, (as is generally thought) and without those defects and deformities which may here make our bodies appear unlovely. (Poole), ii. Nederlandstalige Bijbelstudies door Stan Marinussen, : The apostle Paul follows the normal pattern for writing a letter in ancient times. (Messiah) meant power, splendor, and triumph. Subscribe * indicates required Email Address * First Name Last Name Phone Number Get Prayer Requests and Updates from David Guzik : This truth is essential to the gospel. We dont need to waver, we dont need to change direction, we dont need to fall, and we dont need to quit. David Guzik is the pastor of Calvary Chapel Santa Barbara, California. ii. : God takes pleasure in accomplishing our salvation in a way no one would have expected. Even more foolish than dividing Jesus is to center parties in the church around men. And so it is written, The first man Adam became a living being. The last Adam, , gave us one kind of body. : In a single moment, Jesus will gather His people (both dead and on the earth) to Himself, for resurrection. was the ultimate oxymoron, and this was what Paul preached! The growth of the ivy, covering the message, showed the spiritual decline. We have all borne the image of the first Adam, and those who put their trust in the last Adam will also bear His resurrection image. Those who feel called to rebuke sin and correct error in the church today should follow Pauls example. If death has power over Jesus, He is not God. 15:20-34 All that are by faith united to Christ, are by his resurrection assured of their own. As is evident from 1 and 2 Corinthians, Pauls standing and authority as an apostle were not appreciated among the Christians of Corinth. We are no longer subject to the penalty of the law (death), and we are set free from sin. Our resurrection body will be a heavenly (. ) Paul now will show why this is true of the cross and the message of the gospel. Today, some are told to embrace death as a friend, but that is not Biblical thinking. i. ; it is well to recall what the title means. II. But that the, : It would be strange and inappropriate for us to receive resurrection before Jesus. He, from this truth, sets himself to refute those who said, There is no resurrection of the dead, ver 12-19. However, we learn something just from the meaning of the ancient Greek word apostolos, which has the idea of a special ambassador. Paul was a special ambassador of Jesus Christ to the world and to the church. e. It pleased God: God takes pleasure in accomplishing our salvation in a way no one would have expected. all the credit for the change in His life. 4. Of course, Paul did baptize a few in Corinth. i. Finally, have all your affairs in order so that you are ready to die. Note Paul's words: "For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel." - 1 Co 1:17 b. It is the heart shown in God when it is said of the Lord, The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance ( 2 Peter 3:9 ). We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. i. By keeping evil company, the Corinthian Christians were being conformed to this world, and they needed to be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. Those who believe that Jesus gathers His people after He has poured out His wrath on a Jesus-rejecting world sometimes argue that it is the last trumpet of judgment, cited in Revelation 11:15-19. We work in a partnership with God, not because He needs us, but because He wants us to share in His work. But in the first century, saying, is foolishness to those who are perishing, To us who are being saved it is the power of God, : Though it is a strange message, and regarded as foolish by the perishing, to those who trust in it and are, in the preaching of the true gospel, when it is received with faith. Perhaps this same Sosthenes in Acts 18:17 is now with Paul, so Paul calls attention to the man with him whom the Corinthian Christians would know: Sosthenes our brother. Therefore, if Jesus is not risen, He is unable to save. The great gospel of Jesus Christ, the very power of God unto salvation made empty and of. It was bad enough that these associations had affected their thinking on an important matter like the resurrection, but this. I am, an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, ? Death has no power over the person found in Jesus Christ. ii. This is a question Paul doesnt really answer in the following verses, because the answer is obvious. b. To remain willfully ignorant of the truth is. i. When you bury the body of a believer, you are sowing a seed that will come out of the earth as a resurrection body. Paul will not allow this. . Now, after preparing their minds for rebuke, acting like a good, experienced surgeon, who touches the wound gently when a painful remedy must be used, Paul begins to handle them more severely. (Calvin). He is, b. Death is defeated by resurrection. enduring word 1 corinthians 15 Best Selling Author and International Speaker. The pursuit of human wisdom may bring an earthly contentment or happiness (though this is rare), but in itself, it can never bring the true knowledge of the true God. These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience. is simply a thing to be understood by spiritual, rather than by merely human perception. for the Christians destiny. Without grace there is and can be no peace, but when grace is ours, peace must of necessity follow. (Lenski). i. Paul faced all this for the sake of the resurrection of the dead, both Jesus resurrection and the believers. They are saints together, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Christ: This is the ancient Greek translation of the Hebrew word for Messiah, or Anointed One. This is the One prophesied by the Old Testament Scriptures, sent by the Father to save and deliver us. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changedin a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. e. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed: In a single moment, Jesus will gather His people (both dead and on the earth) to Himself, for resurrection. The Corinthians boasting about their party leaders was really boasting about themselves. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. What the Church supremely needs is to correct the spirit of the age.. 3. Paul uses this exact phrase five other times in the New Testament. His replacement was a man named Sosthenes, who was beaten by the Roman officials in a bit of anti-Semitic backlash against the Jews who tried to persecute Paul. ii. The words message of the cross sound kind of noble and religious to our twentieth-century ears. The really significant background, though, is its use in the Greek translation of the Old Testament to render the divine name, Yahweh Christians who used this as their Bible would be familiar with the term as equivalent to deity. (Morris, in Romans), ii. iv. And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grainperhaps wheat or some other grain. : At the outset of the letter indeed, the very first few words Paul fearlessly declares his apostolic credentials. d. 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: Some take this to mean there will be different degrees of glory for believers in heaven. ? We might also think saying called saints is mere flattery, Pauls way of preparing them for coming rebuke. Our resurrection body will be a heavenly (celestial) body, suited for life in heaven, not only life on this earth. As horrible as the physical suffering of Jesus was, this spiritual suffering the act of being judged for sin in our place was what Jesus really dreaded about the cross. The work of God in the Corinthian Christians could be seen by, iii. The point is plain: There is no wise man, no scribe, and no debater who can do what Jesus Christ has done. Were the ones really right with God! (Acts 18:24-25), : There was the Peter Party, who declared We are following in the footsteps of the man who is first among all the apostles. : Paul was honest enough to know and to say that he worked hard. : There are all different kinds of bodies in Gods creation, including, . : If these few Corinthians were right about the resurrection, then Jesus was still dead! Otherwise, you have believed in vain. He was also humble enough to know that even his hard work was the work of Gods grace in him. the gospel Paul preached to them. I speak, Do not be deceived: Evil company corrupts good habits., Where did the Corinthian Christians get their strange ideas about the resurrection, ideas Paul spent this chapter trying to correct? We should work hard in everything now, working for the Lord, because, Knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. But our expectations of what God should do keep us from receiving that power and wisdom. If there is no principle of resurrection, then the dead in Christ are gone forever. When writing Scripture, Paul was infallible, but not omniscient. does not mean moral or ethical corruption, but physical, material corruption. Were the ones really right with God!, : There was the Apollos Party, who declared We are following in the footsteps of a man who is great in power and spiritual gifts, and an impressive man. the gospel. Thou lookest like a dragon, but thy sting is gone.