Covenanter Witness Vol. 86 - Rparchives.org

Sabbath SchoolLessonLesson Helps for the Week of April 11For April 11,1971The Nature of Our ResurrectionI Cor. 15:20-22,35-45; Matt. 28Comments by John K. GaultHuman life is filled with frustrations,disappointments, and sorrow. Theresurrection of the saints is, therefore, thegreat hope of the Christian life. ThroughHis incarnation and sacrificial death,Christ became far more than an example tobelievers. He became their righteousnesswithout which there is no salvation. Deathis a sure sign of unrighteousness forrighteousness is a force which cannot die.Paul said, therefore, in I Corinthians 15:19,"If in this life only we have hope in Christ,we are of all men most miserable."1: The Resurrection of Believers IsBased upon the Resurrection of Christ.Paul said, "But now is Christ risen fromthe dead, and become the firstfruits ofthem that slept. For since by man camedeath, by man came also the resurrectionof the dead. For as in Adam all die, even soin Christ shall all be made alive" (I Cor.15:20-22). Jesus was put to death on thecross, but early in the morning of the thirdday after, namely, on the first day of theweek, He rose from the dead. During thenext forty days Jesus made many appearancesto people. Paul described theseappearances in verses 6-8, "And He wasseen of Cephas (Peter), then of the twelve:after that, He was seen of above fivehundred brethren at once: of whom thegreater part remain unto this present, butsome are fallen asleep. After that, He wasseen of James; then of all the apostles. Andlast of all He was seen of me also, as of one the dead. It is sown in corruption; it isborn out of due time." But there were raised in incorruption. It is sown inother appearances which Paul did not dishonor; it is raised in glory; it is sown inmention in this list. Jesus first appeared tothe women who were the first arrivals atweakness; it is raised in power; it is sown anatural body; it is raised a spiritual body.the sepulchre and He also appeared to the There is a natural body and there is atwo disciples on the way to Emmaus. Toquote from Halley's Bible Handbook, "Thestatement of Acts 1:3, 'showed Himselfalive by many proofs by the space of fortyspiritual body." In this Scripture Pauldays, speaking things concerning thekingdom of God,' along with similiarstatements in Acts 10:31 and 13:31, impliesthe possibility that He may have mademany appearances beside those recorded,and that His post-resurrection ministrymay have been more extensive than weknow."2: Paul, First Viewed theResurrection from a Negative Viewpoint.He as much as says, "What will thingsbe like if there is no resurrection of thedead?" He said this because there weresome who denied the resurrection, "Howsay some among you that there is noresurrection of the dead?" He answeredthem by saying, "But if there be noresurrection of the dead, then is Christ notrisen. And if Christ be not risen, then is ourpreaching vain, and your faith is also vain."(By the word vain Paul meant "empty" or"without reality") "Yea, and we are foundfalse witnesses of God; because we havetestified of God that He raised up Christ:whom He raised not up, if so be that thedead rise not. For if the dead risenot, thenis not Christ raised; and if Christ be notraised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in yoursins. Then they also which are fallen asleepin Christ are perished." This, then, wouldhave been the condition of people's beliefsif Christ had not risen from the dead and ifthere were no resurrection of the dead forbelievers.3: There Must Be Death If There Is toBe a Resurrection.This was a stumbling block to some ofthe Corinthians as is evident from whatPaul said in verses 35-45. "But some manwill say, How are the dead raised up? andwith what body do they come? Thou fool,that which thou sowest is not quickenedexcept it die: and that which thou sowest,thou sowest not that body that shall be; butbare grain, it may chance of wheat, or ofsome other grain; but God giveth it a bodyas it hath pleased Him and to every seed hisown body. —So also is the resurrection ofcompared the resurrection of believers to asprouting seed from which decay therecomes a new plant of grain. He continuedto describe the resurrection in verses 45-48,"And so it is written, the first man Adamwas made a living soul; the last Adam wasmade a quickening spirit. Howbeit that wasnot first which is spiritual but that which isnatural, and atterward that which isspiritual. The first man is of the earth,earthy; ,the second man is the Lord fromheaven. As is the earthy, such are they alsothat are earthy: and as is the heavenly,such are they also that are heavenly."4: "Flesh and Blood Cannot Inherit theKingdom of God." (verse 50)To inherit implies a future state of blissfor believers. Our bodies, then, such asthey are in the world will not be like that inheaven; they will be spiritual bodies. WhenJesus comes the second time to judge allpeople there will be many on earth whowill not have died. How will theresurrection affect them? Paul answeredthis question in verse 51, "Behold I showyou a mystery; we shall not all sleep but weshall all be changed, in a moment, in thetwinkling'of an eye, at the last trump: forthe trumpet shall sound and the dead shallbe raised incorruptible, and we shall bechanged." So whether one is alive or dead,when Jesus comes, "this corruptible mustput on incorruption, and this mortal mustput on immortality."5: The Resurrection and Change WhenJesus Comes Will Win the Victory forBelievers in Christ.Paul said in verse 54b, "Then shall bebrought to pass the saying that is written.Death is swallowed up in victory. O death,where is thy sting? O grave, where is thyvictory? The sting of death is sin and thestrength of sin is the law. But thanks be toGod which giveth us the victory throughour Lord Jesus Christ." Death, therefore, isthe final struggle of the evil of our natures,but by reason of the resurrection of Christa glorious resurrection of believers isassured. This will be the final victory. Thisaccomplishment of Christ takes the stingout of death and the victory from thegrave.6: Because of Their AssuredResurrection, Believers in Christ ShouldBe Strong and Active in the Work of theLord.Paul said in verse 58, "Therefore, mybeloved brethren, b.> ye stedfast, unmoveable,always abounding in the work ofthe Lord, forasmuch as ye know that yourlabor is not in vain in the Lord." All thosein Christ should realize that all work for theLord is not in vain even if few, or anyMARCH 17, 1971 11