1 Corinthians Chapter 15 Verse 6
• The Bible uses, in certain places, this term, “fallen asleep,” to mean death. There are some that teach a doctrine known as soul sleep in that once a person dies, his or her soul goes into a death comma like state where they “sleep” until the time of the resurrection. (This doctrine is especially held by the JWs and Seventh-day Adventists) The issue with that doctrine is the Bible. HA! Whenever the issue with a doctrine is the Bible…you have a problem! HA!
• 2 Corinthians 5:8 says, “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” Ok, well that’s a good one but doesn’t quite seal it for me. Here’s a few more that help us to understand correctly 2 Corinthians 5:8. Paul speaking about his own death in Philippians 1:23 said, “For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ…” Furthermore, at the Transfiguration of Jesus in Matthew Chapter 17, we see Moses and Elijah appear there with him, and they weren’t asleep.
• Moreover, Jesus on the cross in Luke 23 turned to the criminal on his right and said to him (Luke 23:43), “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” We could continue and speak of the folks that were conscious and aware after death in Jesus telling of Abraham’s Bay in Luke 16 and we could go to Revelation 6:10 where we see those that had died in the faith asking God, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood…” but we need not develop the Biblical case further. It is clear, the moment after you breathe your last breath on earth, you take in your first conscious, fully aware moment in eternity…some unto paradise, some unto condemnation…but the doctrine of soul sleep must be rejected on the basis of Biblical truth.
• One more that I find funny. The same word in the Greek used by Paul here in 1 Corinthians 15:6 he already used in 1 Corinthians 7:39 that says, “The wife is bound by the law as long as he husband lives; but if her husband falls asleep….” Well, HA! He’s taking a nap, I’m out! HA! Ok, maybe funny to me. We press on…
1 Corinthians Chapter 15 Verses 7 – 11
• Paul in building his rock-solid case for the bodily resurrection of Jesus from the grave mentions himself as the last to see the resurrected Jesus. I want you to know something, something I’ve taught before but perhaps you weren’t here then…as Paul served the Lord, his wisdom grew. His understanding of reality matured…and listen, as your understanding of reality matures, you are able to navigate more effectively and efficiently this life.
• If I don’t understand the taste of a particular ingredient then I will have no idea or perhaps the wrong idea as to what that ingredient will do to a recipe…and forget about making a desirable dish! In the same manner, as you walk with the Lord, following His lead, learning about creation from the Creator Himself, you grow up in the things of truth and in the things of the world. You can begin to master life…excel in vocation…succeed in efforts and relationships…this happened to Paul.
• Key indicator…as he grew in knowledge and truth, his understanding of his own state furthered and we can see that in his growth of humility. The exact same thing that should happen to anyone growing up in character, in the spirit and in effectivity and efficiency. Here, he calls himself the “least of the apostles,” counting himself amongst them. Later, as he learns a bit more, you begin to see this reverse progression as John 3:30 plays out in Paul’s life (as John said, “He must increase, but I must decrease”).
• Paul would later characterize himself differently as he writes to the church in Ephesus Chapter 3 Verse 8 saying, “To me, who am less than the least of all the saints…” Takes himself right out of the ranks of the twelve and counts himself even the lowest of God’s people…and then as he neared the end of his life, after walking with the Lord for 30 years, he writes in 1 Timothy 1:15, “This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.”
• What happened to Paul? He learned through following God, through all of his amazing adventures and successes and failures that this life is not about performing in perfection but about walking in God’s grace. God’s grace cancels out pride when it is received…and with the receiving of grace personally, there is freedom to then give it to others. It’s true, the way up in the Kingdom of God is down…but that is not this self-deprecating self-forgiveness junk that is available in all religions and the answers of psychology…it’s to learn of God’s love and goodness and then to simply be broken and yet complete in the hands of God…So as you learn the truth, you need less attention and acceptance and tolerance and recognition personally…you’re just grateful, humble, graceful and loved…and that is freedom.
• One more thing I want you to see in what Paul says here…grace and works go hand in hand. They are partners. They are companions in the Lord. Why? Because if you are walking in the grace of God, you can’t help it…your life will reveal it…and similarly, to maintain the works of the Spirit, it must be by grace…because you’re going to find out quickly that you’re a flesh-filled mess and yet day after day, you get back up and get back at it. How? Only explanation for that fresh filling of the Holy Spirit is GRACE!
1 Corinthians Chapter 15 Verses 12 – 19
• Paul introduces a truth here that the resurrection is the key to the Gospel. Yes, Jesus died for the sins of the world but without the bodily resurrection of Christ, sin is beaten and yet life is still gone…but the wages of sin are death…so that doesn’t make sense. You can’t have sins beaten and yet still have death…if you do then the Gospel is a self-contradicting sham and we are all still in our sins because death has not been overcome!
• And something awesome that many of you have been taught before but perhaps some have not is related to this statement by Paul in verse 15 that “God raised Jesus from the dead.” Who raised Jesus from the dead? This says God the Father. Hmmm, review Romans 8:10-11. The Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead…and what about John 2:18-19 and then John 10:18 which clearly informs us that Jesus raised Himself? How can this be? Simply a proof of the Triune God!
1 Corinthians Chapter 15 Verses 20 – 28
• Just a note here, this is a clear refutation of Oneness Christianity or Oneness Pentecostalism as God the Son and God the Father are clearly depicted as two separate persons…
• Such a wonderful revelation-promise of God to end on today…that one day all that is wrong will be made right. All that is weak will be made strong. All that has failed will be restored and all that is today very bitter will be again made sweet. All rule, all authority, all power gone…only peace. Only purity and righteousness, not in the behaviors of the nations but in the hearts of the people.
• And your entrance into that world to come is the First-fruit Himself…the one who defeated death…no one else, nothing else, no other way, ever…it is only through Him by which today you have a free invitation…and on top of that, a wonderful promise. Here Paul speaking of that world to come, calls it “The end.” But this isn’t an “end” like a cut-off point or a stopping point, it’s more like a finish line…Jesus at His ascension said to His disciples there and disciples to come as Matthew closes his Gospel account in Matthew 28:28, “I am with you always, even to the end…” Same word…His promise…trust in Me, I’ll get you there. I’ve already opened the way.