There is order to the resurrection. And there is a powerful, practical purpose.
The order of events is referred to in 1 Cor. 15:23. Christ must be first, the firstfruit. Death is the penalty for sin. Christ satisfied the penalty by His own
death. The strength of sin comes from
the law, as Paul so clearly teaches in Romans 7. But Christ is the fulfillment of the law and
the end of the law for believers (Rom. 8:1-4; 10:4). Therefore Christ is the only One capable of
rendering death powerless, and He did this by His resurrection.
As we have seen previously, while in Adam all died, in
Christ all shall live. Again, 1 Cor.
15:23 indicates the next one in the order of resurrection are those who are
Christ’s. They will be raised in
connection with His future coming. Both
of today’s passages indicate that the Church will be resurrected in connection
to the rapture, the time when
believers will go to be with Christ.
Again, there is an order. 1
Thess. 4:17 says the dead in Christ will rise first, and then those still alive
will meet Him in the air. They will at
that time receive their resurrection or glorified bodies, changed in the
twinkling of an eye.
When Christ returns this first
resurrection will be completed. The
saints already in heaven will return with Him (1 Thess. 4:14). Then those killed for the sake of Jesus
during the time of tribulation will be resurrected (Rev. 20:4). The next verse indicates that the rest of the dead (i.e. the wicked,
unbelievers) will also be resurrected but not until after the 1000 year reign
of Christ on earth. The Bible is clear:
both the righteous and the wicked are resurrected (Dan. 12:2; John
5:28-29). As with Christ this is a
resurrection of the body. The soul or
inner being has a continued existence even after the body dies (e.g. the
parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31).
But now let us note the powerful practical purpose of the
resurrection. Both passages speak of
this today. Corinthians is concerned
with believers who may begin to waver, thinking their labor is in vain
(v58). What is it that will enable them
to be steadfast, unmovable, abounding in the Lord’s work? Thessalonians is concerned with believers
grieving as if they were unbelievers, seeing death as a hopeless
situation. What will bring them comfort?
The answer to both is found in one word: hope.
The fact of the resurrection gives believers the solid foundation for a
positive outlook on life. Hard trials,
which are the norm, will not diminish their love for Christ. Even the death of fellow believers will not
discourage them. We are not talking
about the power of positive thinking
here. We are talking about truth,
reality, the facts. And it is all
because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Because He has led the way, we have the full assurance of eternal life,
to be lived in a body perfectly made for eternity.
My beloved brethren,
be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. For if we
believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those
who sleep in Jesus. Therefore comfort
one another with these words.
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