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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 15:27-32 (3/21/12) Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I. THE CERTAINTY OF BODILY RESURRECTION
(15:1-34) A. Historical Argument (15:1-11) B. Logical Argument (15:12-20) C. Theological Argument (15:20-28) 1. Christ’s Resurrection was the First
Fruits (20) 2. Christ’s Resurrection is the Basis for
the Resurrection of the Dead (21) 3. Christ’s Resurrection will Make Believers
Alive Again (22) 4. Christ’s Resurrection Started the Order
of Resurrections (23) 5. Christ’s Resurrection’s Restores the
Kingdom (24-28) a) Christ will Hand Over the Kingdom (24-25) b) Christ will Reign until all Enemies are
Defeated (25) c) Death is the Last Enemy (26) d) God the Father is not Subject to God the Son (27) (1) Verse 25 was an inference to Psa 8:6 quoted
in verse 27. Though in the context of David, he referred to the dominion of
man over the earth. However, when applied to Christ (cp. Psa 110:1), Christ
will have dominion over all things. (2) Paul senses the need to explain to the
Corinthians that God the Father (vs. 24) will not be subject to the Son, lest
they fall into Modalism (i.e. Oneness Theology, T.D. Jakes), believing that
God is one God but with three modes as opposed to Orthodoxy which hold that
God is One in essence but three in persons. God is “excepted” (ekto,s - outside, apart
from) from such subjection to Christ. e) God the Son will be Subjected to the God
the Father (28) (1) At the finale of God’s program, “When all things are subjected to [the Son],” then the Son “will be subjected to [God the
Father].” (2) This does not imply “Subordinationism,”
which teaches that the Son (and the Spirit) is inferior to the Father. Note
that Son is not subjected in this sense presently, but by the future passive,
“will be subjected” (hupotagêsetai) to the
Father. This is the concept of “relational subordination” where the co-equal
and co-eternal Members of the Godhead agreed among Themselves to display
different roles. (a) But the future aspect of Christ’s
subjection to the Father must rather be viewed in the light of the
administrative process in which the world is brought from its sin and
disorder into order by the power of the Son, who died and was raised and who
then, in the economy of the Godhead, turns it all over to God the Father, the
supreme administrative head. EXP in loc. (3) At that time, the triune Godhead will be
recognized as supremely sovereign and “all in all” (pa,nta
en pa,sin - phrase of total completeness in every sense). D. Experiential Argument (15:29-34) 1. Why Practice the Baptism for the Dead?
(29) a) This next section of arguments is made
from the standpoint that without the resurrection of Christ there is no
purpose for many of the things Christian do and experience. b) Verse 29 is a difficult passage indeed due
to the fact that we have lost all cultural significance to this phrase. There
are over 200 interpretations for this verse and ascertaining the correct one
is a hermeneutical challenge. c) What is the practice of the “baptism for
the dead?” (1) The Mormon View (a) It is the religious practice of baptizing a
living person on the behalf of one who is dead. (b) Taken from 1Co 15:29, the Mormon Church
believes they can convert even the departed through proxy baptism in a
dedicated Temple if the departed choose to accept the baptism on their
behalf. (c) Problems: (i) Nowhere in Scripture do we read that a
person can be saved on the basis of the works of another (other than Christ.) (ii) Furthermore no one can be saved on even
their own works (Rom 3:28; Eph 2:8-9). (iii) The Bible supports salvation through faith
alone in Christ alone and not baptismal regeneration (1Co 1:14). (2) The Christian Replacement View (a) Among the doctrinally plausible views, one
is the “Christian Replacement” View. This takes the phrase “baptism for the
dead” to refer to new converts who take the place of martyred saints. (b) The word “for” is the Greek word huper which has many various meanings. It
can mean “on behalf of” or “in place of” which could fit in this context.
Though we have examples of martyrdom in the NT, we do not see examples of new
converts being baptized to replace them. (3) The Christian Influence View (a) Another doctrinally plausible view is the
view that martyred Christians have an influence on those who watch their
martyrdom. (b) In such cases, it is supposed that the new
convert was baptized while giving recognition to the martyred saint that
influenced him. (4) The Christian Martyrdom View (a) The last doctrinally plausible view
mentioned in this study is the view that the phrase “baptized for the dead”
is to be taken figuratively as a synonym for martyrdom itself. (b) There is some similarity to other synonyms
for martyrdom and death in the NT (Jesus Mar 10:38-39; Luk 12:50) d) Whichever doctrinally plausible view is
correct, it was a practice that Paul and his readers were aware of. The point
being made by Paul was why bother with these practices no matter how
spiritual or meaningful they might be, since there is no resurrection of the
dead anyway. 2. Why are the
Apostles Persecuted? (30-31) a) In a similar reductio argument (cp. 1Co
15:12-20), Paul talks about the absurdity of going through all the perils,
trials, and dangers for which there is no reward of a resurrection of the
dead. b) Paul refers to his constant, almost hourly
danger and persecution. 3. Why not Live Without Restraints (32) a) Paul adds to the thought of vss. 30-31 in
mentioning the fighting of “wild beasts” in Ephesus. Though some suggest
literal danger of wild beasts of the field, according to Act 19:24-28, there
were riotous unbelievers who metaphorically could be called “wild beasts” at
Ephesus. b) Otherwise, if there is no resurrection of
the dead, why have restraints or morality at all? |
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