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- Preaching the Living WORD through
the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 - |
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THE VICTORIOUS CONCLUSION OF THE RESURRECTION 1Co 15:51-58 (04/11/12) 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) D. Experiential Argument (15:29-34) E. Natural Argument (15:35-49) F. Spiritual Argument (15:45-58) 1. The Relative Contrast of Adam and Christ
(45-50) 2. The Resurrection/Rapture Conquers Death
(51-58) a) The Resurrection/Rapture for the Church is
a Mystery (51) (1) Paul concludes his spiritual argument on
the resurrection with a strong declaration. He introduces it and draws their
attention with the word, “behold” (idou, -
look or take notice). (2) The Resurrection or Rapture of the church
is a “mystery” (muste,rion), which is something that has been unknown from the OT
but now revealed as God’s plan. The word muste,rion is used some 28 times in the NT. Some of
the major “mysteries” concerning the Church are: (a) The mystery of Israel’s blindness (Rom
11:25). (b) The mystery of the Indwelling Spirit (1Co
2:7). (c) The mystery of the Rapture (1Th 4:13-17;
1Co 15:51-53). (d) The mystery of the Gentiles in Christ (Eph
3:9-10). (e) The mystery of the Bride of Christ (Eph
5:32). (f) The mystery of Christ in the Gentiles (Col
1:26). (3) This mystery in regard to the
Resurrection/Rapture is that all believers will not “sleep”, a term referring
to deceased saints. Some will be alive at the time of the Rapture (1Th
4:13-17). (4) However both those who are asleep and those
who are alive at the Lord’s coming will be “changed” (alla,ssō
- change to another (a,llos), transform, exchange) and given glorified resurrected
bodies. b) The Change will Happen Instantaneously
(52) (1) When the Resurrection/Rapture occurs,
believers (both living and dead) will be given glorified bodies suddenly,
instantaneously, and without interval. (2) It is described as a “twinkling” (hripê, - a
rapid movement, i.e. “blink of an eye”) of an eye. Though associated with many modes of an action
(flight of a javelin, fire etc.), twinkling or blinking suggests the quickest
moving part of the human body, the eyelid. Suddenly believers will be in His
presence. (3) The “last trumpet” is not to be confused
with the seventh trumpet during the Tribulation (Post-Tribulationist View,
cf. Rev 11:15, which pertains to judgment), but is an OT signal for the
appearance of God (Exo 19:16). It is the “last” (eschatos, Eng.
eschatology) trumpet because it is the last one that the church will hear
before entering the eternal presence of the Lord. Certainly the church will
hear it. Whether or not the world will hear it is open to speculation. (4) The dead in Christ will be raised from the
dead, but those alive at the Lord’s coming will simply be “changed” (same
word as vs. 51) into glorified bodies. c) The Perishable will become Imperishable
(53) (1) Man’s body became “perishable” (phtharto,s -
subject to decay)
through the entrance of sin into the world (Gen 3:17-19; Rom 5:12). The
believer’s present body and condition will permanently “put on” (endu,ō
- clothe with a garment)
an “imperishable” (aphtharsia - a=not & phtharsia=decay, not subject
to decay) glorified body and condition (Phil 3:21). (2) Man’s body can also be described as
“mortal” (thnêto,s - subject and limited in death) in that it is subject to and limited
by death. However, the resurrection body will be “immortal” (athanasi,a -
a=not & thanasi,a(thanatos)=death, not subject to or
limited by death). d) Death has been Swallowed up in Victory
(54-55) (1) When believers are eternally changed at the
Resurrection/Rapture, they will be no longer subject to or limited by death
itself (Rev 21:4) (54). (a) Paul confirms his statement by quoting Isa
25:8. After Isaiah prophecies a time of Judgment on earth (ultimately during
the Tribulation, Isa 24:1-23), he prophecies a time of blessing when death
(Isa 5:14; Pro 1:12) itself will be swallowed up “for all time” at the end of
the Millennium for Israel (Isa 25-27). (b) The church’s victorious removal of death
will take place at the Resurrection/Rapture (1Co 15:51-58). (2) Paul quotes Hos 13:14 to show the victory
of Christ’s death and resurrection over Satan and death (55). (a) Death no longer has the victory, Christ
does. Physical death was appointed to all men (Heb 9:27), but death no longer
has the sting of spiritual death, i.e. the second death (Rev 20:6) (b) The apparent victories of Satan, in the
Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:13) and on Golgotha (Mark 15:22-24) were reversed on
the cross (Col. 2:15; Heb. 2:14-15) and vindicated in the resurrection of
Christ. From the vantage point of the certain resurrection of the saints,
Paul voiced his taunt against death and Satan. BKC e) Death is the Sting of Man’s Sin (56) (1) In further explanation, man’s sin and his
punishment gave death its sting for the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23a) (2) In addition, sin and death were reinforced
by the Law for the breaking of even one point of the Law meant physical and
spiritual death (Deu 27:26; Mat 5:18-19; Jam 2:10). The Law is good and holy
(Rom 7:12), but because of man’s sin the Law reveals his sin (Rom 7:7) and
judges him (Gal 3:10). f) Believers Have the Victory over Death through
Christ’s Resurrection (57) (1) Now death no longer has the upper hand. For
this Paul gave the sole thanks to God. (2) God gave believers the “victory” (ni,kos -
to overcome, be victorious;
“Thessalonica” means Thessalian victory) over death. (3) It was accomplished “through” (dia, with
the genitive - personal agency) Christ’s work on the cross proven by His victorious
resurrection (cp. 1Co 15:17). (4) The Law’s curse of death upon man’s sin was
removed when it was nailed to the cross (Gal 3:13; Col 2:14). Christ’s
victory over death for the believer makes them “overwhelming victors” (hupernikaō
- miore than victors, conquerors, Rom 8:37). g) Therefore Be Steadfast in the Lord (58) (1) As a result of this glorious resurrection
chapter, because of everything Christ accomplished for the believer through
His death and resurrection, the believer is never to be defeated in life or
ministry. (2) We are commanded to “continually be” (present
middle imperative - ginomai) “steadfast” (edrai,os - seated firmly in our belief),
“immovable” (amentaki,êtos - never moved away from God’s truth), “always
abounding” (perisseu,ō - over and above towards the work
of the Lord). (3) Therefore, no hard “toil” (kopos) in
the Lord, is in “vain” (kenos - without result). II. OBSERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS A. If there is no resurrection, then Paul’s
total being, attitudes, incentives, labors, and purposes are defunct. The
same should be true of every believer. B. The truth of Christ’s resurrection is the
all-encompassing truth that gives victory to the believer on every level of
the Christian life; from the forgiveness of every violation against God’s
holiness and Law to the incentive to live and serve with resurrection power. C. In connection with Christ, the believer’s
heel may be bruised, but that same bruised heel crushes the head of Satan and
death. Where can we walk in life or ministry that Christ hasn’t gained that
ground or promised to build His church? |
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