Christ the First Fruits; Afterward They That Are Christ's At His Coming -- Part 1683

"For I know [that] my Redeemer liveth, and [that] He shall stand at the latter [day] upon the earth: and [though] after my skin [worms] destroy this [body], yet in my flesh shall I see God ..." (Job 19:25-26)

"Thy dead [men] shall live, [together with] My dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew [is as] the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead." (Isaiah 26:19)

We have such hope in Jesus, the promised Christ! Nevertheless, there are many today that insist that there is no resurrection, and that once our bodies are buried in the grave, that this is the end. This is not a new theme. We see apostle Paul dealing with the same issue during his walk on earth in the scriptures. Paul writes:

"Now if Christ be preached that He rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen; and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain? Yea, and if we are found false witnesses of God that He raised up Christ; whom He raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised; and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain, ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." (I Corinthians 15:12-19)

Herein, Paul is explaining the folly of man's earthly wisdom. He is pointing out that even though he [Paul] is the least of the apostles, and similarly not meet to be called an apostle (because he persecuted the church of God), that it is only because of the grace of God that "I am what I am." (I Corinthians 15:9-10) That it was His grace bestowed upon Paul that led him to labour more abundantly than they all -- "yet not I but the grace of God which was with me." (I Corinthians 15:10)

"Therefore, whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed!" (I Corinthians 15:11) 

The good news gospel message never changes, because we also gladly receive His Word -- as it is written -- and believe. What does Jesus say when the Jews desire to see a sign?

"Then answered the Jews and said unto [Jesus], "What sign shewest Thou unto us, seeing that Thou doest these things?" Jesus answered and said unto them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." Then said the Jews, "Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?" But He spake of the temple of His body. When therefore He was risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the Word which Jesus had said." (John 2:18-22)

"And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by His own power." (I Corinthians 6:14)

Did Jesus not say not say unto Martha (when Lazarus her brother had died and already buried in the tomb before Jesus brought him back to life) -- " I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live ..." (John 11:25)

Jesus also said, "And this is the will of Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise Him up at the last day." (John 6:40)

Indeed, there was never any question that Jesus would, after three days and three nights, be raised from the dead. And that if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, that even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him, in that day to come. (I Thessalonians 4:14) 

Why? Because "if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you." (Romans 8:11) 

The Holy Ghost! The resurrected Christ. And as Jesus told His disciples, "And now I am no more in the world, but these are int he world, and I come to Thee, Holy Father, keep through Thine own Name those whom Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, as we [are]." (John 17:11) Jesus glorified "with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was. (Acts 1:2; John 17:5) The work of salvation having now been finished. Jesus (God manifest in the flesh) Himself became the first fruits so that we could partake of everlasting life in Him.

"Yet a little while, and the world seeth Me no more; but ye see Me: because I live, ye shall live also." (John 14:19)

"Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead ... to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time, wherein ye greatly rejoice ... " (I Peter 1:3-6)

While the Lord's enemies may have thought they had killed the Prince of life, God hath raised from the dead, whereof the apostles (and many other disciples of Jesus) were witnesses. (Acts 3:15)

Who were some of the other witnesses? "And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the [mother] of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint Him ..." (Mark 16:1-7)

It is for this reason, as Paul shares, that we are NOT of all men most miserable because Christ is risen from the dead. He is the firstfruits of them that slept. "For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the first fruits, afterward, they that are Christ's at His coming. Then [cometh] the end, when He shall have delivered up the kingdom of God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and all power ... 

for He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For He hath put all things under His feet. But when He saith all things are put under [Him], it is manifest that HE IS EXCEPTED, which did put all things under Him. And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all ... else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead? And why stand we in jeopardy every hour? I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily!" (I Corinthians 15:19-31)

This is why we are called to awake unto righteousness, and sin not, for some have not the knowledge of God. That knowledge -- as Peter standing with the eleven on the day of Pentecost declared -- that this same Jesus whom ye have crucified is both Lord and Christ. That we need to repent, and be [water] baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ so that we can receive the gift of the Holy Ghost -- the resurrected Christ. (Acts 2:36-38; Acts 10:44-48; Romans 6:1-2; I Peter 3:21-22; I Corinthians 10:1-4)

This happens, as Jesus said, when we eat His flesh -- the Word and drink His blood -- then we will have eternal life. Then, said Jesus, "I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:54) "Have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust." (Acts 24:15)

 

"Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also [in the likeness of His] resurrection; knowing this, that our old man is crucified with [Him] that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth, we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him; knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth nor more; death hath no more dominion over Him, for in that He died, He died unto sin once; but in that He lives, He liveth unto God." (Romans 6:4-11)

When we -- so many of us -- are baptized into Jesus Christ, we are baptized into His death. (Romans 6:3) 

Jesus said, "And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." (Luke 14:14)

And our hope? "For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first ..." (I Thessalonians 4:16)

The same never changing message prophesied by Daniel in the old -- "And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame [and] everlasting contempt." (Daniel 12:2)

There are significant insights here to digest, and to meditate upon. But nevertheless, thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." (I Corinthians 15:57-58)

Stand in the offering plate.