#DailyDevotion Jesus’ Resurrection Raises Everyone From The Dead

1 Corinthians 15²⁰But now Christ did rise from the dead, the first in the harvest of those who are sleeping in their graves. ²¹Since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. ²² As in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. ²³But everyone in his own group: first Christ, then, when He comes, those who belong to Christ.

In the previous verses Paul was arguing what it meant if there wasn’t an actual resurrection of the body to eternal life. Basically, if there is no resurrection of the body of Christians then Christ isn’t raised from the dead and we’re pretty stupid for being Christians if there is a resurrection of the body on the last day. If we’re not raised bodily from our graves, then Christ did not rise from the dead and we are still dead in our sins. With that Paul boldly proclaims that Christ did rise from the dead. That is Christ is the first person to rise from the dead in a new imperishable, glorious, powerful, immortal body. Others have been raised from the dead, the widows son in Elijah’s day, Jesus raised another widow’s son and he raised Lazarus but these were raised as mortals that would die again one day. If Jesus is the first then there’s going to be a second. That second is all humanity and the kosmos.

Through Adam the first man came death into the world. He sinned against his maker, the LORD, by not trusting him and eating the forbidden fruit. On that day he died and because he was dead he spread his death to all his offspring. Everyone is conceived and born dead in Adam. So in Adam all die for we are spiritually dead and we follow him in his sin which eventually brings about our bodily death. Because of Adam’s sin all creation was cursed and became like its lord.

Jesus, born of woman (Mary) and not of man (Adam), was not conceived and born dead as he was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. He was living and is Life. Unlike Adam he did trust his Father in heaven and obeyed him in everything having been tempted by the devil in every way just like us. His death on the cross and his burial took the death of Adam with him and buried it in the grave. Jesus rose from the dead though. Jesus was raised bodily with an immortal, imperishable, glorious, powerful body. As all creation was cursed through Adam now it is redeemed and renewed in Jesus.

Because Jesus is risen from dead all humanity is going to raised on the Last Day. However as Paul states, everything in its own order will be raised. When Jesus returns first the dead in Christ who preceded us will rise immortal bodily, then we who trust in Christ will be changed in the twinkling of an eye with new immortal bodies. Then all the dead who are not in Christ are raised for their bodies too were redeemed though they do not have the life of Christ in them. They are cast into the Lake of Fire to be tormented with Satan and all his angels. Finally the kosmos is resurrected as the current one is under the curse, it too is redeemed and so we have a new heavens and new earth being effected by Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.

To be resurrected bodily into a resurrected world is the Christian hope. We don’t hope to be heaven with God for all eternity as spirits. We hope that God comes down to be with us in our bodies in the new world he creates. We will see Jesus as he is and be like him. God makes his dwelling among men.

Merciful Father, grant us faith in Christ that we may be raised bodily to immortal life on the day of Christ Jesus’ return and live with him in his eternal kingdom. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.