With What Body Are the Dead Raised?
- The issue is whether there is a resurrection of the bodies of believers after they die (12b).
- In Corinth there were those who denied the bodily resurrection.
- If there is no resurretion of the dead, then Jesus is not risen.
- Christ’s resurrection assures us that in Christ we shall be made alive, for He is the firstfruits.
- In our text Paul answers the challenge of the resurrection skeptics who ask how a resurreciton could ever be.
- The skeptics cannot conceive how it could ever be (cf. Acts 17:31b,32).
- But what man cannot conceive God can and He explains in His Word.
- Job believed it (Job 19:26) and Paul declared it when he said that we shall be changed (Phil. 3:21).
- How are the dead raised up?
- God insists that the identity of the resurrection body is this my body.
- It will be changed, marvellously reconstructed, but it will be this body.
- Also Paul declares the skeptics to be fools not knowing the Scirptures nor the power of God (Matt. 22:29).
- With what body do they come forth?
- Creation shows that the seed sown does not rise and become alive except it die first (cf. John 12:24).
- And the identity of the body is preserved.
- But when it springs forth, it will have a different form.
- The glorious gospel is that we shall be raised body and soul through Jesus Christ.
- Like as Christ arose form the death, so all those in Him will God raise from the dead.
- Let the ungodly be warned! Flee from the wrath to come by repenting!
- For those with faith in Christ, there need be no fear - only great joy.