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- Preaching the Living WORD through
the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 - |
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DOCTRINAL ISSUES IN THE CHURCH (CH. 15) COUNSEL CONCERNING THE RESURRECTION 1Co 15:1-11 (2/29/12) Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I. THE CERTAINTY OF BODILY RESURRECTION
(15:1-34) A. Scriptural Argument (15:1-4) 1. Explanation of the Gospel and the
Resurrection(1Co 15:1-4) a) There was confusion in Corinth regarding
the gospel, especially concerning the resurrection of Christ. Some false
teachers and philosophies had denied the truth of the doctrine of the
resurrection. b) Paul is now reaffirming the doctrine of
the gospel and especially resurrection. The “gospel” (euagge,lion, eu-“good”, aggelion-“news or message”) is the good news of salvation by faith
alone in Christ’s death and resurrection (1). (1) It is the gospel which Paul “preached” (euaggeli,zō - preach the gospel). (2) It is the gospel the Corinthians “received”
(paralambanō - take to oneself). (3) It is the gospel that the Corinthians
“stand in” (perf. act. ind. - hi,stêmi - stand firm). (4) It is the gospel by which the Corinthians
are “saved” (sōzō - deliver, to save) (2a). c) A conditional clause (1st
class, ei & indicative) was used for those among them who had a
superficial faith in Paul’s gospel (Gal 1:8-9). They did not “holdfast” (kate,chō
- hold down, keep in possession) doctrinal teaching and thereby denied
the resurrection (2). In such a case their particular kind of faith was
“vain” (ei,kê - without effect). d) The gospel “was delivered” (paradidōmi
- authoritative delivering over) by Paul, as he had received it, and it
was his “first” (prōtos - first place) priority among the
Corinthians (3). (1) The gospel is simply that, “Christ died for
our sins.” Christ paid the penalty of death (i.e. the wages of sin, Rom
6:23a) “on behalf” (hupe,r - “for the sake of”, “in one’s stead”) of
sinners. This is appropriately called “substitutionary atonement.” (2) It was based on the solid promise of God’s
Word (“according to the Scriptures”). (3) Christ’s death was prophesied in the OT
(Gen 3:15; Dan 9:24-26; Zech 13:7; Psa 22; Isa 53:5-6). e) Christ was “buried” (thaptō - to
put the dead into a grave) proving that He indeed died (Isa 53:9) and not
some trance (4a). f) Christ was also raised from the dead on
the third day (4b) (1) Christ’s resurrection was also based on the
solid promise of God’s Word (“according to the Scriptures”). (2) The resurrection was proof that Christ was
the Son of God and that He made a perfect atonement for sinners. (3) Christ’s resurrection on the third day was
prophesied in the OT (Psa 16:10-11; Isa 53:10-12). (4) Christ’s literal and visible resurrection
is a major component of the gospel that the apostles preached. B. Historical Argument (15:5-11) 1. Evidence by Witnesses of the Resurrection
(1Co 15:5-11) a) The Scriptures are a more sure testimony
(1Co 15:3-4; 2Pe 1:18-21) of the resurrection of Christ. However, there is
also the very important secondary testimony of eyewitnesses; particularly
those of the apostles, who are the authoritative witnesses (Act 1:8). (1) Peter and the Twelve (5) (a) Peter was not the first to see the
resurrected Christ but Mary Magdalene and the other women (Joh 20:11-18; Mat
28:9-10). Nor did he see the Lord at the tomb (Joh 20:3-9). However, Peter
did see the Lord on that first day apparently sometime between the appearance
to disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luk 24:15-32) and the appearance to the
other disciples (Luk 24:33-35). (b) Jesus also appeared to the other disciples
on the first day (Luk 24:36-39). (2) Five Hundred Brethren (6) (a) Christ also appeared to more than five
hundred brethren gathered at one time who were still alive to corroborate the
testimony of His resurrection. (3) James, the Lord’s Brother (7) (a) Jesus appeared to James, the Lord’s
brother, who evidently did not believe until that point. (b) Peter, James and John were leading apostles
and pillars of the church (Gal 2:9). (4) Paul (8-11) (a) Jesus appeared last to the apostle Paul and
after the His ascension (8). Though Paul was not one of the original
disciples, he witness the resurrected Christ (Act 9:3-5) though as “one
untimely born” (e,ktrōma -
.lit. wound or cut out; abnormal time of birth). (b) Emphatically (egō eimi - I myself)
Paul considered himself “least” (ela,chistos
- most insignificant)
of the apostles, nevertheless a bona-fide apostle (9). Because he persecuted
(diōkō - hostile pursuit; cp. 2Th 1:4) the church of God, he
was not “fit” (hikano,s - not
sufficient or worthy)
to be an apostle. (c) Nevertheless, by the grace of God, he was
an apostle. God’s grace did not prove empty because Paul, through the grace
of God, “labored” (kopia,ō - to
toil wearisome) “more”
(perisso,s - abundantly) than the rest, perhaps because of his
past persecutions. Paul had a more extensive ministry than the other
apostles. (d) Whoever it was, Paul or the other apostles,
they continually proclaimed the gospel (pres. act. - kêr,ssō - herald
or proclaim) to the Corinthians, As a result they believed the gospel,
the death and resurrection of Christ, and were saved. II. OBSERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS A. The resurrection of Christ is a major
component of the gospel and the dogma of the apostles in the 1st Century.
It is still our unashamed message today and more than hope for this life to
those who receive it. B. Since the resurrection of Christ is a
major component of the gospel and the Scriptures, to deny the resurrection is
to let go of the apostolic message and show that that it was only a
superficial and unsaving faith from the start. C. Now it is our turn to be witnesses of the
resurrection of Christ, though we have not seen Him, we love Him and have
experienced His salvation. But our most potent testimony is the testimony of
God’s promises in His Word, the Scriptures. D. All of the apostles died a martyrs death,
save John, affirming to the truth of the literal bodily resurrection of
Christ. They only way they could have lied was if they denied the truth of
Christ’s resurrection. |
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