By this faith you are saved [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose], if you hold firmly to the word which I preached to you…For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to [that which] the Scriptures [foretold], and that He was buried, and that He was [bodily] raised on the third day according to [that which] the Scriptures [foretold], and that He appeared to Cephas (Peter), then to the Twelve.
After that He appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, the majority of whom are still alive, but some have fallen asleep [in death]. Then He was seen by James, then by all the apostles, and last of all, as to one untimely (prematurely, traumatically) born, He appeared to me also. 1 Co. 15:2 – 8. AMP
Thus, the apostle Paul begins making the case for the first and most important event at the cross: that of Jesus’ salvation death and resurrection. Witnessed by many. The outcome?
But now [as things really are] Christ has in fact been raised from the dead, [and He became] the first fruits [that is, the first to be resurrected with an incorruptible, immortal body, foreshadowing the resurrection] of those who have fallen asleep [in death].
For since [it was] by a man that death came [into the world], it is also by a Man that the resurrection of the dead has come. For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ’s [own will be resurrected with incorruptible, immortal bodies] at His coming.
After that comes the end (completion), when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after He has made inoperative and abolished every ruler and every authority and power. For Christ must reign [as King] until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be abolished and put to an end is death. 1 Co. 15:20 – 26. AMP
However, when all things are subjected to Him (Christ), then the Son Himself will also be subjected to the One (the Father) who put all things under Him, so that God may be all in all [manifesting His glory without any opposition, the supreme indwelling and controlling factor of life]. 1 Co. 15:28 AMP
When Christ was transformed at His resurrection into this new God-Man existence, He became His Father’s agent of man’s resurrection. Jesus is the first fruit of the ‘resurrection harvest’ of humanity, at the end of time. He guaranteed resurrection for God’s children by wiping out the spiritual death, (which ultimately results in physical death as well) brought on us by Adam’s original sin.
That cleansing is only available to those who accept Christ’s invitation for salvation – which frees God’s children from the ravages of time and death.
All of Christ’s salvation works are given freely to us. But we must prepare ourselves as well:
Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” Be sober-minded [be sensible, wake up from your spiritual stupor] as you ought, and stop sinning… 1 Co. 15:33, 34. AMP
Paul then tells them how God will make it possible for them to rise from their graves:
As is the earthly man [the man of dust], so are those who are of earth; and as is the heavenly [Man], so are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the earthly [the man of dust], we will also bear the image of the heavenly [the Man of heaven].
Now I say this, believers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit nor be part of the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable (mortal) inherit the imperishable (immortal). Listen very carefully, I tell you a mystery [a secret truth decreed by God and previously hidden, but now revealed]; we will not all sleep [in death], but we will all be [completely] changed [wondrously transformed], in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at [the sound of] the last trumpet call.
For a trumpet will sound, and the dead [who believed in Christ] will be raised imperishable, and we will be [completely] changed [wondrously transformed]. 1 Co. 15:48 – 52. AMP
Wow! Christ’s work at the cross enables us to be resurrected as both righteous, and transcendent of the Law of Moses.
We get a new body, made in His image, which never wears out! Our physical sufferings are a forgotten memory, as we stand ready to enter an eternity of the unimaginable. And it’s all about the Love…
Goodnight and God Bless.