Terms Of Peace

1 Corinthians 15 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

1 Corinthians 15

The Resurrection of Christ

1Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the

gospel I preached to you, which you received and

on which you have taken your stand. 2By this

gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the

word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have

believed in vain.
3For what I received I passed on to you as of

first importance[a]: that Christ died for our

sins according to the Scriptures, 4that he was

buried, that he was raised on the third day

according to the Scriptures, 5and that he

appeared to Peter,[b] and then to the Twelve.

6After that, he appeared to more than five

hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of

whom are still living, though some have fallen

asleep. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all

the apostles, 8and last of all he appeared to me

also, as to one abnormally born.

9For I am the least of the apostles and do not

even deserve to be called an apostle, because I

persecuted the church of G-d. 10But by the grace

of G-d I am what I am, and his grace to me was

not without effect. No, I worked harder than all

of them—yet not I, but the grace of G-d that was

with me. 11Whether, then, it was I or they, this

is what we preach, and this is what you believed.


In this chapter, the Apostle gives a long

discourse on the resurrection. '...this is what

we preach, and this is what you believed...'

There should be no confusion about this doctrine.

The Apostle is not suggesting reincarnation. He

makes clear that this is a one time event. This

passage opens with the resurrection of Jesus, a

unique one-time event, and goes on to illustrate

the resurrection of believers at the time that

Jesus returns to establish a new world and a new

world order. If you will, a death, burial and

resurrection of the entire universe. We are left

with the clue that after this event, the nature

of both men and the universe will be entirely

different than what is seen at the present.

Since there is no scientific detail provided to

describe these future events, you're left to

speculate about what is going to happen.


Christian doctrine includes a number of unique

one-time events in the course of time. This

gives rise to objection on the part of those who

find these events difficult if not impossible to

explain. There's alot that can't be explained.

Nevertheless, there it is. The record of

scripture provides solid evidence of the

resurrection. There is ample evidence of the

truth of prophetic passages in scripture as we

saw yesterday with the ancient city if Tyre. We

have every reason to believe that even though we

can't fully explain every aspect of the

apocalyptic nature of the scriptural doctrine of

eschatology, based on my experience, the only way

that peace will be established on earth is

exactly by means of an apocalyptic episode.

Notice that it's not a man-made event. Like

creation and the flood and the resurrection, it

will be an event of Providential origin. One

thing that's not open to speculation is that this

doctrine is reiterated throughout scripture.


20But Christ has indeed been raised from the

dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen

asleep. 21For since death came through a man, the

resurrection of the dead comes also through a

man. 22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all

will be made alive. 23But each in his own turn:

Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes,

those who belong to him. 24Then the end will

come, when he hands over the kingdom to G-d the

Father after he has destroyed all dominion,

authority and power. 25For he must reign until he

has put all his enemies under his feet. 26The

last enemy to be destroyed is death.


In this passage, the Apostle goes further to

describe the significance and context of the

resurrection. Adam gave us the fall, and Jesus

gave us resurrection. Adam brought death into

human experience, and Jesus introduced life. We

didn't do anything to find ourselves in this

predicament of sin, and we aren't required to do

anything to escape the death penalty. From

yesterday's look at Romans 10, we see that

justification and salvation is a consequence of

faith in Jesus; '...if you confess with your

mouth... and believe in your heart...' We are

given everything that we need. But it lies down

the path that's straight and narrow.


And finally, 'The last enemy to be destroyed is

death.' The resurrection leads to the final and

complete establishment of peace. But there will

only be peace, after all that stands opposed to

it has been completely destroyed; satan and those

who follow him. Then every reminder and

everything defiled by the sin of Adam must also

be destroyed; the earth and the heavens. Isaiah

provides a hint of the coming reign of peace.

But notice from the words of the Apostle that

peace is ushered in by absolute destruction of

all that is in opposition to it. War provides

peace. And the final war, will provide the final

peace, because it will bring an end to the

present world order. Until then, well, we wait

for the Jesus Bus to take us home.


Here's the irony of it all. what we call the

end, as in eschatology, is really the

beginning -- everything will be made new. Go

figure.


Isaiah 65 (KJV)

17For, behold, I create new heavens and a new

earth: and the former shall not be remembered,

nor come into mind.

18But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that

which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a

rejoicing, and her people a joy.

19And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my

people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more

heard in her, nor the voice of crying.

20There shall be no more thence an infant of

days, nor an old man that hath not filled his

days: for the child shall die an hundred years

old; but the sinner being an hundred years old

shall be accursed.

21And they shall build houses, and inhabit them;

and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit

of them.

22They shall not build, and another inhabit;

they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the

days of a tree are the days of my people, and

mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their

hands.

23They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth

for trouble; for they are the seed of the blessed

of the LORD, and their offspring with them.

24And it shall come to pass, that before they

call, I will answer; and while they are yet

speaking, I will hear.

25The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and

the lion shall eat straw like the bullock: and

dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not

hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith

the LORD.