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15
The Resurrection of Christ
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, and in which you stand, 2 through which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Thereafter He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, of whom the majority remain until now, but some have fallen asleep. 7 Thereafter He appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 And last of all, as of one born out of due time, He appeared to me also.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than them all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11 Therefore, whether it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.
The Resurrection of the Dead
12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain and your faith also is vain! 15 And we are found to be false witnesses of God, because we bore witness concerning God, that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise—if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then neither has Christ been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are to be pitied above all men.
The Last Enemy Destroyed
20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by a man came death, also by a Man came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then those who belong to Christ at His coming. 24 Then will be the end, when He hands over the kingdom to God, even the Father, when He abolishes every ruler and every authority and power. 25 For He must reign till He puts all His enemies under His feet. 26 The last enemy that will be abolished is death. 27 For “He has subjected all things under His feet.” But when He says that “all things have been subjected,” it is evident that this is except for Him who subjected all things to Him. 28 Now when all things are made subject to Him, then also the Son Himself will be subjected to Him who subjected all things to Him, in order that God may be all in all.
Effects of Denying the Resurrection
29 Otherwise, what will they do who are being baptized for the dead, if the dead are not raised at all? Why are they also baptized for the dead? 30 And why are we also in danger every hour? 31 I affirm, by my boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32 If, in the manner of men, I fought with beasts at Ephesus, what is the benefit to me? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” 33 Do not be deceived: “Evil associations corrupts good habits.” 34 Awake to righteousness, and do not sin! For some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.
The Resurrection Body
35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? And with what sort of body do they come?” 36 Fool, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. 37 And what you sow, you do not sow that body that will be, but a bare grain—perhaps wheat or some other grains. 38 But God gives to it a body just as He desired, and to each of the seeds its own body.
39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is a different kind of flesh for men, and another flesh for beasts, another for fish, and another for birds.
40 And there are heavenly bodies, and earthly bodies; but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45 Thus also it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being;” the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
46 However, that which is spiritual is not first, but that which is natural, then that which is spiritual. 47 The first man was from earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. 48 Like the man made of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, let us also bear the image of the heavenly Man.
Our Final Victory
50 Now this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor can corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible should put on incorruption, and this mortal should put on immortality, then will come to pass the word which was written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”
56 Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 So then, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

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© 2014 Dr. Paul W. Esposito