And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. Comment: This is where we ended writing in Corinthians about a week ago. Sadly there were heretics creeping into the church (as there are today) denying the physical resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Paul plainly states that while there might be some benefits morally in being ‘pseudo-Christian’ the main hope of forgiveness and resurrected life for the believer was gone and left the church deceived and in that sense robbed of all the promises of Christian belief and thus to be pitied.
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. Paul’s reply is an emphatic declaration! which is followed by a picture of what God has and is planning For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.
Comment: i) Because of the sin of Adam, the first man, death is universal. That is for everyone. Sin has broken the relationship of God with His creation. ii) The second Man, Jesus Christ, brings the possibility of resurrected life! iii) His resurrection sets the example for what will happen to all who truly follow Him. iv) Eventually God will have His way and Jesus will be the true ruler of everything. v) God will have His rightful place as the acknowledged Head of everything. There are other places in the Bible which go into more detail (eg the apocalyptic books such as Revelation) but this is all that Paul says – tantalizing for more details!
Prayer: Thank you for the real HOPE that there is in Jesus!
As I read it! 