Being the Church - One in Faith - The Glory of Christ!

“The bodily resurrection of Christ, the first fruits of our resurrection; his ascension to the Father, and his reign and mediation as the only Saviour of the world.” - Evangelical Alliance Statement of Faith. Article 7.

This breaks down in 2 key parts:

The bodily resurrection of Jesus

The Ascension & Reign of Jesus

I. “The bodily resurrection of Christ, the first fruits of our resurrection...”

The teaching of the bodily Resurrection of Christ is essential to the Gospel and without it the whole Gospel falls apart - see 1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Some people in the Corinthian church were denying the reality of resurrection (1 Cor 15 :12). In this passage

Paul summarizes the gospel message, emphasizing the reality and centrality of Christ’s resurrection. He wants them to see that their faith as Christians requires that they affirm its reality.

He therefore reminds them of the Gospel (1 Cor 15:1–2) he proclaimed in order for them to see that denying the resurrection contradicts the very essentials of their faith. This is what they received and in which they should presently stand. It is what defines them as Christians (compare Col 2:6), and it is something they cannot deny without repudiating Christianity itself as they would have believed for no purpose (compare Heb 3:14).

This is an important verse for establishing that it is possible for a person to have a faith that doesn’t save (compare Jas 2:14).

Question 1 - What would you say to the idea that it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you have faith?

It is important that we get this! - Our stance on the resurrection is no minor matter. If the resurrection is part of the gospel, then their rejecting it is a rejection of the gospel and constitutes apostasy. It endangers your soul! What you believe or don’t believe really matters!

So Paul gets very specific to tell us what the Gospel is and what it means in 1 Corinthians 15:3-11:

1 Cor 15:3 - He explains that the gospel includes that Christ died for our sins just as the OT predicted he would, according to the general plan of God as laid out in the OT. See Isa 52:12–53:12.

1 Cor 15:4 - He adds that the gospel includes Christ’s burial and his resurrection, just as the OT predicted (see Ps 16:10; Isa 53:10).

1 Cor 15:5-8 - He stresses the various appearances of the risen Christ because the eyewitness testimony is strong, and the testimony of witnesses bolsters the fact of the resurrection. Paul mentions that the resurrected Christ appeared to Peter and then to the twelve and James the Lord’s brother and “to all the Apostles”, those not part of the original twelve but with the Lord from His baptism to His ascension into Heaven, of which only Paul was the exception as “one abnormally born.” (see 1 Cor 9:1).

Paul points out that Jesus appeared to five hundred people, most of whom are still alive when Paul writes. This would be a rash claim to make if it were untrue.

1 Cor 15:9–10 - Paul considers himself least of the apostles, not because he was the last to see Jesus but because he persecuted the church of God and wasn’t worthy to be an apostle (compare 1 Tim 1:12–16). He became an apostle due to sheer grace, and this grace was not in vain, because he worked harder than all the rest of them, but he once again gives glory to God’s grace for that fact.

1 Cor 15:11 - Paul insists on this gospel (as that which all the apostles preached as well as that which the Corinthian church believed so they should not turn away from it now!

Why is this so important to Paul and for us to grasp?

4 key truths are brought out here:

(i). Without the resurrection believers have no hope (1 Cor 15:12–19).

The risen Christ is our hope! - Denying the resurrection has many disastrous consequences, and Paul explains many of them here.

1 Cor 15:12 - their claim that there is no resurrection from the dead for anyone contradicts the gospel message that “Christ has been raised from the dead.”

A denial of the resurrection means that Paul’s preaching is “useless”, and their faith is as well. (1 Cor 15:13-14). That Paul and the other Apostles are liars(1 Cor 15:5) and they “are still in” your “sins” (1 Cor 15:16-17).

The denial of the bodily resurrection of Christ is an act of an unbeliever! - see Acts 17:32 and Christians who have got things wrong here need to sort this out for their denial is destroying their Christian faith and is diametrically opposed contradiction in their belief system.

Why? Because the resurrection is God’s proof that Christ’s death did what he said it would do, “delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (see Rom 4:25). If Christ is not raised there is no reason to think God accepted Christ’s sacrifice.

A Christ who stays dead doesn’t save and those who trusted in such a Christ will not rise from the dead - see 1 Cor 15:18 - there is no hope for the afterlife or hope of heaven; those who have died are destroyed and if this is the case we are to “be pittied”1 Cor 15:19

(ii). Through the resurrection the curse is fully reversed and death defeated (1 Cor 15:20–28).

Paul explains that it is through the resurrection that the curse is fully reversed and death defeated.

He draws our attention to the redemptive-historical thread in this paragraph and noting that Christ, as the last Adam, is the one who reverses the curse in line with what God promised in Gen 3:15. The resurrection is the capstone of God’s eternal plan of redemption.

Also note 1 Cor 15:20 where Paul explains that Christ is “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” —the first of a larger harvest. The Christian hope of a future resurrection where death is defeated and humanity is restored - see 1 Cor 15:21 - A human ruined things by the fall, and a Human rectified it.

Humanity must bring life, but being totally depraved it cannot “please God”(Rom 8:7) or even choose to come to God (see John 6:44). Christ therefore took part of human nature so that he could save his people from death (Heb 2:14) - “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ, all will be made alive.”(1 Cor 15:22).

All people are subsumed either in Adam as their representative head or Christ as their head. All those who are “in Adam” die. Adam sinned and brought guilt, condemnation, and death on his descendants (compare Rom 5:17–19). Christ, on the other hand, brings righteousness, justification, and life to all who are in him, that is, to all believers in Christ.

OK so when is all this going to be fuflilled? - 1 Cor 15:23 Paul makes the point that Christ’s resurrection comes first, and then believers will be resurrected when he comes again. It’s started!

1 Cor 15:24-25 - Christ will first destroy all enemies. Once he does so, the end will come, “when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power” that stands against God and then “the last enemy to be destroyed is death”(1 Cor 15:26 see Rev 20:14, 21:4).

Then “everything” will submit to Christ, the Father excluded and “God will be all in all” - 1 Cor 15:27-28.

(iii). The resurrection has present-time consequences that demonstrate its reality (1 Cor 15:29–34).

If anyone wants to consider whether the resurrection actually happened, Paul simply tells them to consider some historical facts.

1 Cor 15:29 - Though Paul does not condone the practice of baptizing the dead (note how he distances himself from the practice by referring to “others” who are doing it), he notes that this erroneous practice argues for the ubiquity of the idea of the resurrection, apparently because they are baptizing the dead in hopes of assuring that the ones who died will partake in the resurrection. Jesus was resurrected, and this huge event causes seismic ripples that show up even in misguided people’s practices. How else would so many diverse people accept it as a reality?

1 Cor 15:30–33 - Paul brings up the apostolic witness as evidence. Why would the apostles be willing to sacrifice their lives continually if there were no resurrection?

1 Cor 15:33-34 Paul explains to the Corinthians that they must expel the bad company from their midst lest they learn their bad ways (compare 5:5, 7; Rom 16:17–18). He tells the Corinthians that they needed to wake up and resume a lifestyle of helping others learn about God.

(iv). The resurrection has profound eternal consequences for us as individuals and for the World: 1 Cor 15:35–58.

Our resurrection body is a glorious one (1 Cor 15:35–49).

1 Cor 15:35-39 - Paul imagines such a questioner as unsympathetic to the idea of resurrection. The questioner wonders how the resurrection body could be desirable since it is dead. Paul answers using an agricultural metaphor; explaining that when a person sows seed, the seed must die and decompose before the plant can take root and grow.

This illustrates that desirable and healthy life can come after death. So it is not unreasonable to expect that the human body can die and then enjoy resurrection to a better life afterward as such an idea has parallels in nature, where death is not an end, but a new beginning, just as God intended. “A seed”(v37) for example is just a kernel or a grain but the plant that grows up is larger, fuller, richer, even though it came from the small seed.

Paul makes the point that just as there are different kinds of seeds (1 Cor 15:37–38) and flesh (1 Cor 15:39-40), so the resurrection body, or heavenly body, will have a different degree of glory from the earthly body. He then adds to the illustration by referring in 1 Cor 15:41 to the different types of “splendour” of the sun, moon, and stars as examples of differing degrees of glory.

Paul then draws attention to the key differences in 1 Cor 15:42-44 between the earthly body and the resurrection body. The earthly body is perishable, dishonourable, weak and natural in that is sinful, morally corrupt and decays, while the resurrection body does not, it is “imperishable”, glorious, powerful and “spiritual” - totally under the influence of the Spirit of God. There will be no influence of the flesh, or fallen nature, on it because as 1 Cor 15:45-46 shows first there was a natural body, dominated by a fallen nature which we inherited in Adam, “a living being” but then there will be a spiritual body, totally influenced by the Spirit of God that we inherit in Christ, “a life-giving spirit”. While Adam was simply living, passing on his sinful , fallen nature to humanity; Christ imparts new spiritual life.

After all 1 Cor 15:47-49 shows that whilst Adam had had his origins in the “dust of the earth”(see Gen 2:7); Christ had a preexistence in heaven, from which he came to earth (compare Phil 2:6; John 16:28). Both have extensive influence on those who are “in” them. Those in Adam bear Adam’s "likeness”(see Gen 5:2–3; Rom 5:19) and those in Christ bear Christ’s “likeness”(see Eph 4:24; Col 3:10; 2 Cor 3:18).

A reminder once again that all people are subsumed either in Adam as their representative head or Christ as their head. All those who are “in Adam” die. Adam sinned and brought guilt, condemnation, and death on his descendants (see Rom 5:17–19). Christ, on the other hand, brings righteousness, justification, and life to all who are in him, that is, to all believers in Christ. Christians have begun to share in Christ’s image to greater and greater degrees (2 Cor 3:18), and this image will be completed at glorification, when they receive their resurrection bodies. This is why Paul says “we will bear” Christ’s image.

Our Final Victory is certain (1 Cor 15:50–58)

Paul explains that a natural human body of flesh and blood cannot endure the glories of heaven, and therefore there is need for the great change. The natural human body is not fitted for heavenly life. It is corruptible and cannot be part of a world in which there is no corruption. This does not mean that it has no physicality to it; just that it has no sin or corruption. Our resurrection body will be like Christ’s glorious body, after Christ was raised, he clearly had a body that could be touched and even carry out activities such as eating (Luke 24:39–43; Phil 3:21)

Paul describes the change as instantaneous and glorious, destroying death and securing eternal victory for those undergoing it.

In 1 Cor 15:51 Paul uses the term “sleep” for death (e.g., 1 Cor 15:18). Some believers will be alive when Christ returns and together with those who have already died, all believers will undergo change and receive resurrection bodies.

1 Cor 15:52 shows the quickness of the change. The last trumpet is when the change will occur, an event placed in context with other eschatological teaching on the last days (see Matt 24:31; 1 Thess 4:16). Those who are dead will be raised to be incorruptible, or imperishable, no longer subject to decay. Those who are alive will be not be raised, because they aren’t dead, but they will be changed and will receive the same imperishable bodies as those who are raised.

1 Cor 15:53-54 repeats the necessity for this as human nature must put on immortality and imperishability. but also because Scripture must be fulfilled which predicts the resurrection of the dead (see Isa 25:8, Dan 12:1-3;Hos 13:14

So Paul concludes that “death has been swallowed up in victory” (1 Cor 15:55-56). Ever since Adami fell in the Garden “the sting of death is sin” that brings death or kills as required by “the law” so “death reigned” (Rom 5:17) BUT “thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 15:57).

Christians are no longer condemned under the terms of the broken covenant of works (Gen 2:16–17). Believers are no longer under the power of darkness (Heb 2:14) but have been transferred into the kingdom of Christ (Col 1:13), in which they have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins (Eph 1:7).

APPLICATION OF THIS TRUTH - We have so much to thank God for when it comes to the resurrection and this should both encourage and strengthen us as 1 Cor 15:58 makes clear: "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

Since believers have such a grand hope of the resurrection body, they should be assured that their labors are not in vain or to no purpose.

Paul wants the Corinthians to be steadfast like an immovable rock in their service to Christ, but not to let their immovability make them stagnant; they should always abound in their work for the kingdom.

Paul thinks of the Christian life as one in which we use every moment for serving and glorifying Christ (Eph 5:16; Rom 13:11), and our heavenly hope should constantly motivate us to do so.

Question 2 - What excites you? Scares you? Perplexes you about the resurrection of the body?

II. “...his ascension to the Father, and his reign and mediation as the only Saviour of the world.”

The Bible makes it clear that Christ’s ascension was an event at which the incarnate Son returned to heaven as the last Adam and took his place at the Father’s right hand in a coregency with the Spirit.

To summarize NT teaching:

Jesus foretold the Ascension (John 6:62; 14:2, 12; 16:5, 10, 17, 28; 17:5; 20:17), and Luke described it (Luke 24:50–53; Acts 1:6–11).

Paul celebrated it and affirmed Christ’s consequent lordship (Eph. 1:20; 4:8–10; Phil. 2:9–11; 1 Tim. 3:16),

and the writer of Hebrews applied this truth for encouragement of the fainthearted (Heb. 1:3; 4:14; 9:24).

The essence of the importance of the ascension is captured by this verse:

“While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.” - LUKE 24:51

“Jesus’ ascension was his Father’s act of withdrawing him from his disciples’ gaze upward (a sign of exaltation) into a cloud (a sign of God’s presence). This was not a form of space travel, but part two (the Resurrection being part one) of Jesus’ return from the depths of death to the height of glory.” (J.I. Packer).

The ascension is prefigured in the Old Testament in several passages that signal the resurrection of the Messiah or his eternal reign.

The key passage is Daniel 7:13–14, which tells of a “son of man” who comes up to the Ancient of Days and receives a “kingdom” that “will never be destroyed.”

The Ascension is from one standpoint the restoration of the glory that the Son had before the Incarnation, from another the glorifying of human nature in a way that had never happened before, and from still another, the start of a reign that had not previously been exercised in this form.

Christ is inaugurated fully into his offices of Prophet, Priest and King, upon his ascension from earth to his sovereign position at “the right hand” of God the Father (Phil 2:9–11).

He was “made … both Lord and Christ” at that moment of exaltation (Acts 2:36) and began pouring out the Holy Spirit on his church (Acts 2:33).

The Ascension shows us:

(i). Christ’s Ascension into Heaven:

Jesus went up to the place of power, pictured as a throne at the Father’s right hand - Matt. 28:18; Eph. 1:20–22; 1 Cor. 15:27; 1 Pet. 3:22.

(ii). Christ’s Advocacy in Heaven:

Jesus entered into the heavenly sanctuary in heavenly Zion (Heb. 9:24; 12:22–24),

He is accessible to all who seek His aid(Heb. 4:14), and he is powerful to help them, anywhere in the world (Heb. 4:16; 7:25; 13:6–8).

He is interceding for his people (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25).

What does this involve?

Making requests of the Father as part of the interceding activity (John 14:16),

Giving us “mercy and grace to help us in our time of need”. (see Heb 4:14-16).

Lavishing upon us the benefits that his suffering won for us - “Our Lord’s life in heaven is his prayer” (H. B. Swete). From his throne he sends the Holy Spirit constantly to enrich his people (Acts 2:33; John 16:7–14) and equip them for service (Eph. 4:8–12).

(iii). Our Security in Heaven:

We who are united to Christ get to participate in his ascension:

God the Father has “raised us up with [Christ] and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:6).

In Eph 1:20 we read of the declaration of the Father’s power, not only in raising Christ from the dead, but also in the fact that he ‘made him sit at his right hand in the heavenly places’.

Eph 2:1-10 speaks of God making us “alive in Christ” and “raising us up with him, and made us sit with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

Furthermore in Eph 1:3 the apostle has said that God has ‘blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places’.

Our life has become so bound up in Christ that He is “with us always” and we are “with Him always”, even whilst He is seated at the right hand of God! - see Colossians 3:1–3.

Through Christ’s death we have been lifted ‘from the deepest hell to heaven itself’ (Calvin).

Our Citizenship is now in heaven (Phil. 3:20); and not under the limits imposed by the world, nor in conformity to its standards (Rom. 12:2).

“We are no longer of this present world or in its sphere of sinfulness and rebellion. We have been rescued from spiritual death and given spiritual life in order to be in Christ Jesus and to be with Him in the heavenly places.”(John MacArthur).

John Calvin said in his Institutes of the Christian Religion:

“The Lord, by his ascension into heaven, has opened up the access to the heavenly kingdom, which Adam had shut. For having entered it in our flesh, as it were in our name, it follows … that we are in a manner seated in heavenly places, not entertaining a mere hope of heaven, but possessing it in our Head” (II.xvi.16).

(iv). Christ’s Authority in Heaven:

Christ’s present role in glory is commonly referred to as his “heavenly session.” Session (Latin: sessio) means “sitting.”

The New Testament pictures Jesus’ heavenly activity as standing ready to act (Acts 7:56; Rev. 1:1–16; 14:1), walking among his people (Rev. 2:1) and riding to battle (Rev. 19:11–16), but it regularly expresses his present authority by saying that he sits at the Father’s right hand—not to rest, but to rule. The picture is not of inactivity but of authority.

The fact that Jesus Christ is enthroned as master of the universe should be of enormous encouragement to all believers.

Christ rules over all the spheres of authority that exist, both angelic and human (Matt. 28:18; 1 Pet. 3:22)

His kingdom in a direct sense is the church, which he heads as his body and governs by his Word and Spirit (Eph. 1:22–23).

The state is not the form of the kingdom of God as it was in the Old Testament: the sword is not to be used to enforce Christ’s kingdom (John 18:36), but Christ from his throne uses secular authority to maintain civil peace and order, and he commands his disciples to submit to its rules (Matt. 22:21; Rom. 13:1–7).

Psalm 110, is frequently quoted in the New Testament, the Father invites the Son, “Sit at my right hand.”

At the ascension, he did, as he promised he would: “But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God” (Luke 22:69).

While Stephen is being stoned, he looks up to heaven and sees the enthroned Christ. When Paul is confronted on the Damascus Road, he hears the enthroned Messiah.

During the time between the times, the Father’s message to his ascended and enthroned Son is clear: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool” (Ps 110:1).

Christ’s Heavenly session will continue until all his and our enemies, including death, are brought to nothing.

Death, the last enemy, will cease to be when Christ at his appearing raises the dead for judgment (John 5:28–29).

Once judgment has been executed, the work of the mediatorial kingdom will be over, and Christ will triumphantly deliver the kingdom to the Father (1 Cor. 15:24–28).

Question 3 - How does it feel to be seated with Christ in Heavenly realms now? What difference does it/should it make to your every day life?