Order of Resurrection

[Artfuldodger]

Christ the firstfruits of the resurrection from death.
Paul had to explain to the Corinthians that those in Christ who were sleeping in the grave would have a resurrection from their death.
That Christ was the firstfruits of this resurrection.

Paul starts by saying that if Christ has not been resurrected then nobody will. We'll start with 1 Corinthians 15:20;

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

 

[Artfuldodger]

Paul explains the order to the resurrection with Christ being first or the firstfruits of the harvest, the firstborn of the dead.
Back to that firstborn thing again. Very important in the Bible.

Death came through one man, the resurrection from that death through another man. Christ the firstborn of many brothers.

1 Corinthians 15:22
Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life.

Christ started the order, next will be those who belong to Christ.

 

[Artfuldodger]

The order;

1 Corinthians 15:23
But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.

or;
But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:24
then the end, when He shall hand over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He shall have annulled all dominion, and all authority and power.

"so in Christ all will be made alive."
"But each in his own turn."
"then at His coming, those who belong to Him."

 

[Artfuldodger]

Paul doesn't discuss the soul in the process of the resurrection. Instead he talks about our bodies being sowed much like a seed.
The seed you sow isn't a replica of what comes out of the ground. You put seeds into the ground, but what springs forth is not a seed, but a plant.
God gives it a body as He has designed, and to each kind of seed He gives its own body.

This is where it gets really interesting;

1 Corinthians 15:40-44
There are also bodies in the heavens and bodies on the earth. The glory of the heavenly bodies is different from the glory of the earthly bodies.41The sun has one kind of glory, while the moon and stars each have another kind. And even the stars differ from each other in their glory.42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

1 Corinthians 15:45
And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

or;
So also it is written, "The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL." The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

What got me here was that Christ "was made" or "became" a life giving spirit. Maybe because of his resurrection. An event in time.
Maybe just a bad interpretation.

"The Scriptures tell us, "The first man, Adam, became a living person." But the last Adam--that is, Christ--is a life-giving Spirit."
(better interpretation?)

1 Corinthians 15:46
What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later.

OK, and back to verse 45. Who is Paul talking about here, us and/or Jesus?
Marketgunner? If we were spirits first?
Trinitarians? If Jesus was Spirit first?

Maybe it's just Adam. Adam was the first natural body. And Jesus. Jesus was the first spiritual body or he became the first spiritual body. The firstborn of the dead. He was sown as a natural man but became different from the seed that he was sown as.

"But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual."

Oh well, moving on;

1 Corinthians 15:47
The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. 48As was the earthly man, so also are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. 49And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so also shall we bear the likeness of the heavenly man.

The mystery is we must wait for the order. We must wait to be made alive in the resurrection aspect.

1 Corinthians 15:51-53
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed — 52in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.53For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.

It's like we must wait for the order of the resurrection to be clothed with the imperishable.

 

[gordon 2]

1 Corinthians 15:45
And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

Don't know why this reminds me of this:

John 10:34
Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

 

[Artfuldodger]

I wonder why the comparison with this?

There are also bodies in the heavens and bodies on the earth. The glory of the heavenly bodies is different from the glory of the earthly bodies.41The sun has one kind of glory, while the moon and stars each have another kind. And even the stars differ from each other in their glory.42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead.

The sun, moon, and stars as compared to man, animals, birds, and fish? Was Paul showing us a difference between earthly bodies and heavenly bodies by using the son, moon, and stars?
In some way as he explains earthly bodies being different from spiritual bodies? Earthly-heavenly difference? Earthly-spiritual difference?

 

[hobbs27]

51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed

 

[hummerpoo]

first fruits/firstborn — temporally/physically/corporeally?
first fruits/firstborn — rationally/spiritually/eternally?

 

[Artfuldodger]

1 Corinthians 15:20
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

The first man to be raised from the dead in this "changed" state. Yet also Christ "became" a life giving spirit" at his resurrection.
At least his life giving capabilities became to fruition at his resurrection.

another version using "become"
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

He became the first man to resurrect in the way that we will resurrect. In this new way. A glorious body, a spiritual body.

 

[Artfuldodger]

1 Corinthians 15:45
And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

Don't know why this reminds me of this:

John 10:34
Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?

Thinking about your post, I was comparing Paul to Jesus in the respects of Jesus being a man and doing everything that he did by the will and power of God.

Jesus appeared to Paul at a different time that the rest of the apostles. Paul was persecuting the Church of God.
He was not looking for salvation nor did he believe.

1 Corinthians 15:8
Last of all, as to one born at the wrong time, he also appeared to me.

Paul saw Jesus. Perhaps when he saw Jesus, he became like him. Compare Paul to Jesus in doing God's work.

1 Corinthians 15:9-10
For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I'm not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God's church.10But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me--and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.

What ever I am now it is all from God. It was not I, but God working through me.

 

[gordon 2]

1 Corinthians 15:20
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

The first man to be raised from the dead in this "changed" state. Yet also Christ "became" a life giving spirit" at his resurrection.
At least his life giving capabilities became to fruition at his resurrection.

another version using "become"
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

He became the first man to resurrect in the way that we will resurrect. In this new way. A glorious body, a spiritual body.

Is a question coming Art?

 

[Artfuldodger]

To me, reading Corinthians 15, we must wait for the resurrection to become fully alive again. To what point this will be different than a spiritual life preexisting this resurrection, I don't know.

1 Corinthians 13:12
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

1 John 3:2
Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

We can't ignore the order of the resurrection. Jesus has already had his. When is ours? When in time does our happen? When does Paul say it will happen in 1 Corinthians 15?

"Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man."

1 Corinthians 15:52
in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.53For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come to pass: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

We need our own resurrection to become a completely alive being. To be clothed with the imperishable. To gain immortality.
To be made alive.

All of us in Christ will be made alive but each in his own turn. Christ the firstfruits; then at His coming, those who belong to Him. Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power.

1 Corinthians 15:24
Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.

And we are back to this event in time. When Jesus hands over the Kingdom to God.

 

[Artfuldodger]

Is a question coming Art?

Just wonder if Paul had become more like Jesus since he saw him face to face.
Yet according to Jesus and Paul, they were only doing the will of God. They said the things they did were the workings of the Father.

I was just wondering what Paul may have attained when he saw Jesus. Did God give Paul some special favor other than prophesy?

How can we see Paul as any different from Jesus in the respect that Jesus was a man and did the works of his Father? Jesus may have been God but on the earth he was acting as a man using the powers of his Father.
Paul also did the works of his Father.

1 Corinthians 15:10
But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me--and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace.

How can we see Paul as any different from us? Paul was not seeking God. Can we? Can we become so like Jesus or Paul that we do only the works of the Father? I don't believe we can until we see Jesus as he is. Unless the Father gives us the special favor to do just his will.
I'm wondering if Paul was special in that respect. Somewhat like Jesus but not.

Questions? Oh yes, you know me.

We are still like the earthly man. We must become like the heavenly man. We will be given a new life but in our own turn. We must wait for our turn. We must wait for our own resurrection.
We are born in the likeness of the earthly man. We must eventually bear the likeness of the heavenly man.
We must wait for this change. We are planted like a seed but something new resurrects.

 

[Artfuldodger]

Now somehow even through all of this wait. The wait for the order of the resurrection, things still happen.
We are born of the Spirit. We progress. We change. We have the Holy Spirit. Progresses start; regeneration, justification and sanctification.

Our spiritual journeys begin. Many believers will die before receiving their resurrections. What do they become? Where do they go to wait? To be made alive. To live again. To see Jesus as he is and become like Him?

The mystery continues.

1 Corinthians 13:12
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

The waiting on the order of the resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15:28
When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.

 

[Spineyman]

Now somehow even through all of this wait. The wait for the order of the resurrection, things still happen.
We are born of the Spirit. We progress. We change. We have the Holy Spirit. Progresses start; regeneration, justification and sanctification.

Our spiritual journeys begin. Many believers will die before receiving their resurrections. What do they become? Where do they go to wait? To be made alive. To live again. To see Jesus as he is and become like Him?

The mystery continues.

1 Corinthians 13:12
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

The waiting on the order of the resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15:28
When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.

Read all of this and take notice of verse 8.

2 Corinthians 5:1-8
Assurance of the Resurrection

5 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.

6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.

 

[Artfuldodger]

2 Corinthians 5:4
While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it's not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life.

"we would be further clothed,"
"we do not wish to be unclothed but clothed"

or;
These tents we now live in are like a heavy burden, and we groan. But we don't do this just because we want to leave these bodies that will die. It is because we want to change them for bodies that will never die.

or;
While we live in this earthly tent, we groan with a feeling of oppression; it is not that we want to get rid of our earthly body, but that we want to have the heavenly one put on over us, so that what is mortal will be transformed by life.

"we do not want to strip it off, but to put on over it,"
"not that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon,"

Paul is simply saying we will not have this body but we will be clothed upon. We will change to a body that never dies.
The mortal body will be swallowed up by life. Paul says he doesn't want to be unclothed but re-clothed or further clothed.

"We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet"

 

[hobbs27]

Or he could have said... To be absent of the body of Moses is to be present with our Lord in the body of Christ.

 

[Artfuldodger]

2 Corinthians 5:6
Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord.

We must shed this body.

2 Corinthians 5:8
Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.

"Away from these earthly bodies"

I agree but you have to read verse 8 with verse 4. We must leave our earthly tents. This earthly clothing. We will receive new clothing or further clothing.

"Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life."

 

[Artfuldodger]

Maybe our souls go to Paradise or somewhere else. Maybe they do go to Heaven. I'm just saying I don't think this is what Paul is saying in 2 Corinthians 5:4-8. Here he speaks of receiving new clothing or heavenly clothing in order to be with the Lord. He isn't talking about being unclothed.

Job 19:25-26
I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.26 And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God;

Is this the new clothing Paul was talking about?

1 John 3:2
Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.

1 Corinthians 13:12
Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

It's still like something is withheld until our resurrection. Some revelation, some mystery.

 

[Artfuldodger]

Reading on in 2 Corinthians 5;

2 Corinthians 5:9
So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him.

If we go back to verse 4, could this be whether we are in this earthly body or away from this earthly body? Meaning our new heavenly body. Perhaps our souls in Paradise?

2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Interesting that no matter if we are in our earthly body or away from it, we must still wait and appear at the judgement seat of Christ.
I think what this means is we must wait for the resurrection to be judged.

Therefore it doesn't appear that verse 8 is saying we go to heaven without a body.