1 Corinthians (Written)

Saturday, 21 March 2015

For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted.  1 Corinthians 15:27

This verse goes back to verse 25, thus it makes verse 26 a parenthetical thought. The “For” at the beginning of the verse shows us this. The work of Messiah is on-going in time and it will continue until all things are placed under His feet (meaning that all things are subjected to Him.) This is found in Psalm 8 –

“You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet.” Psalm 8:6

This verse from the psalm is speaking of man, but in the greater sense it is speaking of Christ who took on the nature of man. Adam (man) fell and lost his right to the world. Christ came to reclaim that. It is this work of Christ that is on-going in the lives of people around the world. Someday this work will be complete and Death and Hades will be cast into the Lake of Fire. When this occurs, all things will have truly have been placed under His feet because, “The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.”

However, Paul wants to clarify the nature of the Godhead and so he continues with “But…” His term “all things” is speaking of the created order. Elsewhere, Christ’s authority and supremacy over all things is noted, such as in Colossians 1:15-20, Hebrews 2:5-9, etc. But it is not possible that He would have supremacy over the Godhead. Rather, He is a member of the Godhead. Therefore Paul notes that “it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted.”

God is God. As the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all revealed to be “God” in the Bible, then it cannot be that one is greater than the others. They are co-equal because each is God. Therefore, He (meaning God) who put all things under Him (meaning Christ) is excepted. Paul will continue his explanation of this in the next verse.

Life application: We as Christians do not worship and serve a “lesser god.” Rather, we worship and serve Jesus – fully God. The doctrine of the Trinity is complicated, but it is neither contradictory nor irrational. It is logical and it reveals the true nature of God.

Glorious God! I look at the creation and am astonished at the wisdom and intricacy of what You have done. Once there was nothing and now there is a universe which is logical, orderly, and beautiful in the extreme. All things have purpose and all things reflect Your infinite wisdom. My soul is overwhelmed at Your splendid majesty and Your surpassing greatness. Truly O God You are to be exalted! Amen.

Friday, 20 March 2015

The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. 1 Corinthians 15:26

Considering the Greek here will shed light on what Paul is thinking. The verb for “will be destroyed” is in the present indicative middle or passive voice. And so rather than “will be” the action has already begun and is on-going until a fixed point.

A good way to understand this would be to consider a major league baseball team which has no chance of winning the pennant. They have lost the right to play in the World Series, and yet they continue to play because other teams still have a chance. Until the series is ended they continue in order to meet a set plan which was initiated at the beginning of the season. Though they are defeated, their defeat will continue until it the plan is finished.

As the Pulpit Commentary notes, it is “already begun and continuing by an inevitable law.” Therefore, Paul is thinking “is being destroyed until it is finished.” Further, there is a definite article in front of “death.” Therefore, “death” is being personified and capitalizing it is more appropriate. As Tyndale’s version renders this –

“Lastly, Death the enemy shall be destroyed.”

In support of the on-going (and yet inevitably completed) nature of the action, we can review several pertinent verses from the New Testament which concern the work of Christ. These are only a few among many which show us that Death is defeated, but that it will continue in this defeated condition for a set amount of time. First, from Paul’s second letter to Timothy –

“…but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel…” 2 Timothy 1:10

Paul shows that in Christ’s first appearance death was abolished. However, death still exists as is quite evident from the world around us. To understand this, again think of the baseball team that has no chance of winning the pennant and yet, it still plays during the regular season. And so even though this action is done, it is awaiting a future fulfillment.

Next, From Hebrews 2, we see that it was through Christ’s death that this came about. In this, “death” is tied in with the devil, showing that it is the devil who had “the power of death” –

“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” Hebrews 2:14, 15

Next, in John’s first epistle, he shows that death is tied to sin. This takes us back to the very beginning when the devil deceived the man. In so doing, man sinned and death entered the world. As the wages of sin is death, it shows that the work of the devil is what brought death about –

“He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” 1 John 3:8

Jesus Christ came to undo this. He accomplished it at the cross, destroying the power of the devil in all who believe. But why didn’t He just toss the devil into hell right then? The answer is that He is building a church out of the redeemed of the world. If He simply destroyed the devil at that time, there would be no church and thus no “living temple.” Instead, the victory was won, but the devil has been allowed to continue in the world until a time determined by God. In this, we can think of the team which will eventually win the pennant. It is comprised of people who are winners, but they are not winners until the end of the season.

Those who come to Christ are “in Christ” and can never die again. But those who are not will both physically die and they will be eternally separated from God in the process, because Death continues to reign over them. Thus, we see why there is an on-going nature to the work of Christ. But some wondrous day, even Death will be eliminated forever. This is noted in Revelation 21 and it fits perfectly with Paul’s words of verse 26 which we are evaluating –

“Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. ¹⁵ And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:14, 15

Life application: In Christ, Death is defeated. If you are in Christ, don’t be fearful of the Death which surrounds us; he has no mastery over you.

Heavenly Father, even though death continues on in the world today, I know that it is already defeated because of the work of Christ. Of those who have called on Him, You are building a temple of living stones to serve and worship You for all eternity. Death can no longer harm them. My prayer today is that those who have not yet called on Christ will understand that because of sin, the devil is their master. I pray that eyes will be opened and that they will long for You. Eternal life is possible because Jesus has defeated the enemy. Open eyes and change hearts, O God. To Your glory I pray this. Amen.

Thursday, 19 March 2015

 For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 1 Corinthians 15:25

The previous verse spoke of things to come concerning the rule of Christ; a rule which will continue until the kingdom is delivered “to God the Father.” This will be when all rule, authority, and power have been ended and there is only the kingdom of God which remains. In fact, “He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet.”

There are at least two logical reasons why this must be so. The first is because it is morally proper for it to be this way. God created Adam and gave him free reign in the Garden of Eden, with but one prohibition. Adam disobeyed and plunged the world into sin. The devil’s rule began and with it there have been many lesser kingdoms which have sprung up in this fallen world. In order to return things to the way they were intended to be, all of these lesser kingdoms must be ended and the rule go back to one Man.

This is already accomplished in God’s mind, and it is revealed as accomplished in the pages of Scripture. Two pertinent verses of note from Revelation are –

“Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!'” Revelation 11:15

&

“The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Revelation 20:10

The kingdoms of the world will come to an end, and the devil who deceived man will be destroyed forever. It was morally proper for this to occur, and the Bible shows us that it will, in fact, come about.

The second reason that Christ “must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet” is because Scripture (based on the moral necessity of the matter) foretold that it would occur. It has done it throughout the Old Testament and it is confirmed in the New. Two parallel passages which highlight this are –

“The Lord said to my Lord,
‘Sit at My right hand,
Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.'” Psalm 110:1

&

“But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, ¹³ from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.” Hebrews 10:12, 13

What is right and proper has been prophesied. As the Bible is the word of God, it cannot fail to come about. And therefore, Christ must rule until it does. We should have more surety in our hearts that Christ will accomplish these things than we do anything else.

Life application: In God’s mind, the battle is already won. He has revealed this truth to us for our comfort and reassurance during times of trouble and difficulty. Let us hold fast to the truth of Christ as an anchor for our souls.

Heavenly Father, when I look at the plan of redemption as You have laid it out in the Bible, I feel one hundred percent confident in my future. Scripture said Christ was coming; Scripture has shown He has come; and Scripture tells us of the rest of the plan which is future to us now. Because these words are from You, the part ahead cannot fail. And so I have all the assurance in the world that even if troubles come, the end for me is secure. Thank You for the confidence I possess because of the promises and guarantees written in Your word! Thank You for this superior word! Amen!

Wednesday, 18 March 2015

Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. 1 Corinthians 15:24

Paul is giving a logical order of things to come, not all of the details included in those things. There is within his words a multitude of events not mentioned. What he said in the previous verse spoke of the order of the resurrection – first Christ and then those who are His. There is nothing to discount a rapture, a post-tribulation resurrection, and other events all occurring in his wording.

After the resurrection phase will come “the end.” The word is telos. It signifies an end; event or issue; the principal end, aim, purpose; or even a tax (which would be considered a final payment on something, thus “ending” it). This then is the end of the mediatorial role of Christ. He is currently in this position, working between God and man. However, there will be a time when this is no longer necessary.

That time will be “when He delivers the kingdom to God.” When there is no longer the need for a Mediator between God and man, God will be open and accessible directly. At this time, when Christ’s work of redemption and mediation are finished, God will receive the kingdom directly rather than through His Mediator. When this occurs, our relationship to God will be close and personal, rather than only accessible through Christ. All who are redeemed will be, in fact, redeemed. God will be “the Father” that we have truly anticipated since the fall of man.

This term, “God the Father,” can be taken in one of two ways. The first is speaking of the Father within the Godhead – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The second would be the nature of God as the Father. The second is surely the use of “Father” which is intended here. This same concept of God as Father is seen many times in Scripture. One explicit use of this is found in Malachi 2:10 –

“Have we not all one Father?
Has not one God created us?”

Paul’s continued words will bear out that this is certainly speaking of God “as” Father of all rather than the Person of “God the Father” in the Trinity. But logically, even from this verse, we can deduce this to be true. If there is no need for a Mediator, then we will have access to the Father-God referred to, such as in Malachi. He will truly be our eternal Father figure in the fullest sense. But such is not the case at this time because there are still people who are being redeemed (who are not yet God’s children, but who will be at some future point), and thus there is still the need for Christ’s work.

When that work is done, a new order of things will take form. However, this must wait until the time “when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.” Until then, we as saved believers are God’s adopted children, but we are still awaiting the fullness of what that means. The last page of the Bible gives us a glimpse of that. Take a gander at it today and revel in what lies ahead as we await the completion of Christ’s marvelous work!

Life application: There is one God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This God, our Creator, is a Father to all who are saved by the blood of Christ. Keep getting the word out while you can. The day is coming when those who are not adopted as His children will be banished from His presence forever. Now is the time to go about our business telling of the great work of Christ to redeem fallen man.

Lord, too often people mistake being a part of creation as being a child of God, and so the common term “we are all God’s children” is used in this way. But this is incorrect. We are all God’s creatures, but only those redeemed by the work of Christ can truly be called God’s children. Help us to see this distinction while there is still time. The words of Jesus – that He alone is the path to You – are clear and precise. Give me the sense of urgency I should have to get this word out now. This I pray that You will be glorified through many children – redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. Amen.

Tuesday, 17 March 2015

But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. 1 Corinthians 15:23

In this verse, Paul speaks of “order” concerning resurrection, not specifically “timing.” The timing of the future events is dealt with elsewhere and must be inferred from a careful reading of the Bible. Concerning order, however, specific detail is revealed in this verse. He just noted that, “as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.” He follows this with “But each one in his own order.” This order then explains more fully the concept of “in Christ” from the preceding verse.

The word for “order” is used only here in the New Testament and it indicates a “band” or a “troop.” The stalk of grain at the harvest of the firstfruits was emblematic of the entire harvest. Christ was raised and those who are “in” Him will be raised in the same manner with the same eternal likeness (see 1 Corinthians 15:49). This is the “order” then. As Vincent’s Word Studies notes concerning this –

“The reference is not to time or merit, but simply to the fact that each occupies his own place in the economy of resurrection, which is one great process in several acts. Band after band rises. First Christ, then Christians. The same idea appears in the first-fruits and the harvest.”

Life application: If you are a part of Christ’s harvest field, then you will be presented before God, just as He was. As with the Firstfruits, so with the rest of the harvest!

O God! It is so comforting to know that the Firstfruits of the harvest are representative of the entire harvest. Just as Christ was raised to life, so will I and all who have called on Him be raised to life as well! I stand ready at His coming, a stalk approved as of the finest wheat – not because I am so great, but because of the Lord who planted, watered, and tended to me. Thank You for Christ my Lord – the Lord of the Harvest! Amen.