Of course, we're breaking in
the middle of Paul's flow of thought for the sake and length
of time and the passage. But we'll pick it up and bring
it together. All right, verse 35. Paul's been
discussing the resurrection. Some had denied it. He wants
to correct them about that. And so he comes down now to the
nitty gritty of it in verse 35. But some, he said, will say,
How are the dead raised up, and with what body do they come? Fool, that which thou sowest
is not quickened, except it die. And that which thou sowest, thou
sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain. It may chance of wheat or of
some other. But God giveth it a body, as
it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. All flesh is not the same, but
one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes,
and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies
and bodies terrestrial, but the glory of the celestial is one,
and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory
of the sun, another glory of the moon, another glory of the
stars, for one star differs from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of
the dead. It is sown in corruption. It is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor. It is
raised in glory. It is sown In weakness, it is
raised in power. It is sown a natural body. It is sown, raised a spiritual
body. And there is a natural body,
and there is a spiritual body. Now the comparison between Adam
and Christ. And so it is written, the first
man, Adam, was made a living soul, the last, Adam, a quickening
spirit. Howbeit, that was not first,
which is spiritual, but that which is natural, and afterward
that which is spiritual. For the first man is of the earth
earthy, the second man is the Lord from heaven. And as is the
earthy, such are they also that are earthy, and as is the heavenly,
Such are they also that are heavenly. As we have borne the image of
the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now let's do just a little bit
of review to catch our mind up. As we stated in our first study,
Paul is the one who has been inspired and led by the Spirit
of God to give us two very grand comparisons or contrasts of Christ
and of Adam in his writing. The one in Romans 5, the other
here in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. Now the two contexts are
different, we must admit. The one in Romans 5 is built
around the cause of sin and of condemnation. The cause of righteousness
and of justification. the former from the man Adam
and the latter from the man even Christ Jesus. Now the context
here in 1 Corinthians chapter 15 is built around the death
and the resurrection of the body of men and women. Then there's
another point, I think we made the emphasis last week, that
these two men have the most profound effect upon us and upon our life
than any other that we might mention or know or have a connection
or a relation to. Now concerning Adam. Most people
in the church, and a lot of them out of the church, will profess
to believe that there was a man by the name of Adam, that he
was created out of the dust, that he was put in a garden,
and that he ate something that he ought not to eat, and then
was driven out. Now, Our neighbor up in the country
once instructed us. We were talking about the Bible
and about sin and about Adam. And she said that when Adam ate,
God said, all right, everyone out of the pool now and out of
the garden, man did go. Now, most even in the churches,
have no real understanding, however, spiritual understanding of their
connection unto Adam and the influence that Adam had upon
our life and upon our being. But the Bible said very clearly
and repeatedly, by Adam it was that sin entered into the world. and bringing with it death. The record you have of that in
Genesis chapter 3 and the reference you have to it in Romans chapter
5 and verses 12 through 14. in 1 Corinthians 15 and verse
22. In Adam all died, because death
passed upon all men. Romans chapter 5 and verse 12. Now, is this not an undeniable
biblical as well as a historical fact? All die. It has been true
from the beginning of the race, though there are not many that
make the proper connection with death and with Adam. Now, listen to Paul in the scripture
link us to Adam and connect us unto Adam, saying, in him all
die. Now, all people die, and the
Bible said that they die in Adam, 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 48. As is the earthy Adam, so also
are they that are earthy. And in verse 49 we read, we have
born the image of the earthy. That is the image of Adam. Now remember, Genesis chapter
5, when Adam begat his son Seth, in the scripture, we read in
Genesis chapter 5 and verse 3 that he begot, quote, in his own likeness
after his image, unquote. When Adam fallen begat a son
named Seth, it was in his likeness and after his image. And I have a few things to say
about this. Since Adam was now himself fallen
and sinful and corrupt, the offspring were born in his likeness and
after his image. It follows, therefore, as Matthew
Henry said, and I quote, that when Seth was born, he was sinful
and defiled. He was frail, mortal, and miserable
like Adam." Not only a man like Adam, but a sinner like Adam,
and also liable unto death. He was a man, Seth was, with
a body and a soul, and all of those human that we are endowed
with, but all of them depraved because of his descent out of
Adam. We must remember something, and
that is that corruption is passed by procreation, but grace is
not. Grace does not run in the blood. One is not a Christian because
their parents were. And all mankind is eventually
traced back unto Adam, as in Acts chapter 17 and verse 26. God has made of one blood all
nations of men for to dwell upon the face of the earth. Now, we'll
come around to this again later. in connection with the text in
1 Corinthians chapter 15. The whole 15th chapter of 1 Corinthians
is a discussion of the subject of the resurrection of the dead. And I think the reason being
that Paul devotes so much time to it is found back in verse
12 of 1 Corinthians chapter 15. Some there denied the bodily
resurrection of the dead. Some, I'll say some, that there
is no resurrection of the dead. And they are not mentioned neither
by name or they mentioned by sect. But we do know that one
sect of the Pharisee, or rather of the Jew, the Sadducees, did
not believe in a resurrection of the dead. Acts 23 and verse
8. They also did not believe in
angel or in spirit. So they did not believe in the
resurrection, or in angel, or in spirit. And you have that
again in Matthew's gospel, chapter 22 and 23, and Luke records it
in chapter 20 and verse 27, which deny that there is any resurrection. referring, of course, unto the
Sadducee. Now, notice their cunning. The
cunning of the Sadducee, who tried to use this as a trap for
our Lord. See their cunning, if you will,
in trying to impugn the Lord and his doctrine of the resurrection
of the dead. You have it in Luke chapter 20,
27 through chapter 33. Also Matthew 22 and Mark chapter
12. records this incident between
the Lord and the Sadducee. For the Lord not only taught
the doctrine of the resurrection, his as well as others, but the
Lord raised up at least three during the course of his earthly
ministry. He did not glorify them, but
he raised them again back to life in this world. often predicted
his own resurrection. He said he would die, he would
be crucified, and that he would raise again on the third day. Now in 1st Corinthians Chapter
15, let's see first how it is that Paul reasons with the deniers
of the resurrection. You that say that there is no
resurrection, have you logically followed it out until it's in? So he shows them the ramification
and the consequences of denying the resurrection. and that both
in relationship unto the gospel which Paul preached and which
they had heard and professed, and also to the personal experience
of Christ himself, the actual history of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, the ultimate conclusion
in verse 13, If there is no such thing as a resurrection of the
dead, then not even Christ is raised from the dead. Now that,
they need to face that. And Paul brings it before them.
If the dead do not raise, if there is no resurrection, then
it means that Christ himself is not raised. This is obvious
to reason and to logic, that if the dead raise not, then Christ
is not raised. In verse 16 again, He has gone
the way of David, then, to see corruption, who died and saw
corruption. That is, David did. Acts 13 and
verse 36. His grave, said Paul, is with
us even under this day. And Peter pointed that out in
Acts chapter 2 and verse 29. In Nehemiah chapter 3 and verse
16, David's grave was still known and marked and maintained there
in the city. And so Paul reasons backward. If there is no resurrection of
the dead, then Christ is not risen. Think about that. Not
even Christ is raised again. And then consider, as Paul does,
the ramifications of that on Christianity. Dropping back to
verse 14, And verse 15, if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching
vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, we are found false
witnesses of God, because we testified of God that He raised
up Christ, whom He raised not up, if so be that the dead raised
not. Now the third part of the gospel
is gone, that Christ is raised according under the scripture.
that he rose again the third day in accordance with the scripture. So this is a lie if there is
no resurrection of the dead because it means that Christ is not risen. We lie each time we declare that
Christ was resurrected if there is no resurrection of the dead. And then look at verse 17 of
1 Corinthians 15. If Christ be not raised, your
faith is vain, ye are yet in your sin. Romans 4 and verse
25 he was crucified he died for our sin and was raised for our
justification or we might render that because of or in accordance
with our justification. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse
15. On our behalf, he both died and
arose. Now, this saving work would be
incomplete without the resurrection of Christ from the dead, from
the grave. Look at verse 18. then they which
are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If there is no resurrection,
Christ is not raised, and this consequent they which are fallen
asleep in Christ are perished. Them which have fallen asleep,
like back in verse 6 of the chapter. Lazarus fell asleep. Chapter
11, verse 11 of John. There are them which sleep in
Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 4 and verse 16
or 14. It is a euphemism in the scripture
for death. Our friend Lazarus sleepeth,
then later Lazarus is dead. one and the same thing. Paul
speaks here of Christian, of believer, that if there is no
resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen, and the
ones having fallen asleep in Christ are perished. Now this is a toughie, since
as Calvin and others note, to be absent from the body is to
be present with the Lord. And yet here Paul is telling
us, if there is no such thing as the resurrection, they which
die in Christ have perished. And adding in verse 19, If in
this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most
miserable. And I guess especially the Christians
in that day and in that time who had suffered such persecution
and anguish on account of Christ and the gospel, and then not
realized the hope of a life than a resurrection. And what Paul
calls in Romans chapter 8 and verse 23, waiting for the adoption
of son to wit the redemption of our body. What the Lord calls
in Luke chapter 20, 36, the children the resurrection and in verse
35 there those counted worthy to obtain the resurrection from
the dead the resurrection from the dead Jesus speaks in John
5 and 29 of a resurrection of life and a resurrection under
damnation a resurrection under life a resurrection unto damnation
Daniel 12 And verse 2, many of them that sleep in the dust of
the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to
shame and everlasting contempt. You will notice in John chapter
6, the Lord himself at least four times that I counted, speaks
of a raising up in the last day. Verse 39, verse 40, 44, and 54. That what and who the Father
gave unto him, he will keep it and will raise it up in the last
day, that he will preserve them under that glory which the Father
has ordained them to." Now, in that encounter with a Sadducee
who tried to confound the Lord with a scenario from Moses' law
to ridicule the resurrection, that's what they were doing,
of a man, they said, here's their scenario, there was a man, and
he married, he died, his brother married his wife, on and on until
it had occurred seven times. Now their question, whose wife
shall she be in the resurrection for all of them had her to wife? Now the Lord answers very smartly,
In the resurrection, they neither marry nor are given in marriage. Matthew chapter 22, 31 and 32. As touching the resurrection
of the dead, he said, have you not read that which was spoken
by God saying, I'm the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob? These words were spoken to Moses
at the burning bush in Exodus 3 and verse 6. And the Lord puts
his commentary upon that quotation from the Old Testament scripture,
which is this, God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. touching the resurrection. Have
you not heard? God is not the God of the dead,
but of the living. Again, in Acts chapter 24 and
13. But let's get here now to 1 Corinthians
chapter 15 and work our way to our text. Let's consider, just
jump in at verse 35 and the question that we read. Some will say,
How are the dead raised up and with what body do they come? Now Paul was a wise man, great
at anticipating objection. Paul knew as to the resurrection
there were two questions that would most often come up and
be asked in regard to it. Number one, how are the dead
raised? Number two, with what body do
they come? That is, what kind of body will
it be? And I don't know whether this
be one question or two questions. Paul treats it at length, both
aspects of it, how are they raised and what body will they come
in the following verses. Let's take the first one, how
or the dead raised up. Now we wonder, is this an objection
or is it an honest question, one seeking an honest light and
answer? And then does it refer to the
manner or does it refer to the possibility that such a thing
could occur. For after all, when we think
about it, it's an incredible thing in our mind. After all,
the body is not only dead, but it is gone. It has vanished. It has perished. It has corrupted. The flesh has been destroyed. Job 19 and verse 26. David died and he saw corruption. Acts 13 and 36. And in Lazarus,
his sister feared the process had begun. In John chapter 11
and verse 39. So how are the dead raised? In Job 15 and 14, if a man died,
shall he live again? For in the 10th verse of that
chapter, he dies, he gives up the ghost, and he wastes away. Wastes away unto nothing. Let's go to Ezekiel 37 just for
a moment. You remember the vision of the
dry bones that was given to the prophet Ezekiel? And God took
him and he showed him a valley full of dry bones. And he said
unto the prophet, son of man, can these bones live? Can these
bones live again? Son of man, answer me. Or in verse 2, there were many
of them, and low, very dry, these bones that Ezekiel saw in a vision. So what they're saying, the body
is gone. The flesh, the muscle, the sinew,
and all of that is gone, and nothing is left but dry bones. Son of man, can they live? The
prophet wisely said, thou knowest, O God. And then they began to
shake. I'm not gonna read from it, but
here's the essence of it. They started shaking, the bones
came together, each one of them joining again in their particular
place so that we have now the skeleton. Then came sinews upon
the bones, and then came flesh, and then came skin, and then
there came breath, that entered into them, and they lived again,
and they stood upright upon their feet. Now, in prophecy, that
is a picture of God's coming dealing with Israel. Now, consider
the question of Nicodemus. I think it's pertinent. How can
one be born again when he is old and grown? How can that occur? John chapter 3, Paul in his trial
before Agrippa, Acts 26 and 8, why should it be thought incredible
that God should raise the dead, Paul asks, that's part of his
defense. He speaks of the resurrection
of the Messiah, his resurrection, declaring him to be the son of
God. And Paul said this was in accordance
with Israel's hope and with their scripture. And in Romans 1-4,
declared to be the Son of God in power by the resurrection
from the dead. Now the second question, or the
second part of the question, with what body do they come? What kind of body will they have? Some may say the body cannot
live again because it is not only dead, but it is gone. It is disappeared. It is no more. It is returned unto the dust. Genesis 3, 19, Job 34, 15, Ecclesiastes
12, and verse 7. What kind of a body will it be? Bare bones? Well, that's all
that might survive time. Now, before Paul answers them,
let us also take note of it. He uses an analogy from nature
or agriculture. if we might, from the sowing
of seed and its springing to life again. By the way, you remember
that the Lord used this same analogy and applied it to himself
in John chapter 12 and verse 24 when he said unto them, except
a corn of wheat or a grain of wheat fall into the ground and
die, it abideth alone. But if it die, it brings forth
much fruit. Now, in verse 37, 1 Corinthians
15, look, you sow bare grain. Bare grain, naked grain is what
he has in mind. You do not sow the stalk. The
leaves and the ear and the body is so a seed in the ground verse
38 then God Gives it a body to each one as he pleases then look
at verse 39 there are different kinds of flesh which is to be
taken in consideration and Then notice in verse 40 and 41, there
are different kinds of bodies, there are different glories,
all of these determined and assigned by God. Verse 38 kind of sums
up it all. that whatever be the seed variety
that is sown or planted in the ground, whether it be bare grain,
wheat, or some other, whatever it might be, God gives it a body
as pleases him. Notice, and to every seed its
own body. Whatever you sow, God gives it
a body. Let's have an object lesson.
Here's an acre. Here's a pecan. Here's a grain
or kernel of corn, one grain a year of corn. Here is a Chinese
tallow seed. Here is a sunflower seed that
I have brought. All of these have different bodies. When they lay in the ground and
they die and they germinate, they have different bodies. God
clothes each one of them with a different body, and you can
tell them apart by their body. Now, there are all kinds of seed,
as Paul said, and each is given the body that God would. So it
is everywhere displayed. It is a fact. that a seed may
be sown and be dead and rise out of that dead in a new form
with a new body. Note how Paul repeatedly uses
the word sown, S-O-W-N, of seeds. Verse 36, verse 37, and he carries
it over to the human body. Four times he does that, sown,
concerning the human body in verse 42 through verse 44. It
is sown, it is sown, it is sown, and then it is raised. So look
at verse 42 now. so also the resurrection of the
dead. Now his analogy is finished. He returns to show the same truth
is applicable to the human body, sewn in one form and raised in
another. that likewise God gives it a
body as pleases him and bestows upon it a particular glory. And Paul lays aside his similitude
and he speaks now in the clearest of words, answering the question
from verse 35, with what kind of body do they come? Paul wants
to make it very clear He is not saying, and I repeat, he is not
saying that the body of the resurrection will be the same as it was here. He's not saying that. In fact,
he's saying something different. In fact, in verse 50 of this
chapter, flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither
can corruption inherit incorruption. This body, which Paul calls natural
in 1 Corinthians 15 and mortal in 1 Corinthians chapter 15,
53, he calls vile in Philippians 3 and verse 21. He calls flesh. He calls it our
earthly house in 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 1. But it is a body
of sin. It's a body of death, subject
to many misery. And an order for a short time
in this world ere it goes the way of all flesh has ever gone. And its death is an undeniable
testimony to these things that Paul is saying. So with what
kind of body will it come? How will it differ since flesh
and blood cannot enter into the kingdom? For that body that we
inherit at birth and that we live in until it falls down like
an old house, is the body that is sewn when the tenant moves
out of our earthly tent or tabernacle. It is a body that is fitted and
that is designed for life in this world. as God made the earth
as the habitation of the children of men. But as it lived, it is
not suited for life in the coming world or the coming glory. It cannot enter there. It cannot enter in this body
that we now are in this morning. One needed a wedding garment.
to enter into the wedding and partake. So one needs a glorification
to enter into that great life. So here, the several comparison
that Paul makes between the body that now is, that perishes, and
that house which is from heaven, that we might be clothed with
and not be found naked. 2nd Corinthians 5, 2 and 3. So
here in 1st Corinthians 15, 42 through 44, put your attention.
Verse 42, it is shown like a seed, it is sown, it is
put, the ground is opened up, and it is put in. It is sown
in corruption, raised in incorruption. And look at verse 43. It is sown
in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness,
raised in power. Then verse 44 sums it up. It
is sown a natural body. It is raised a spiritual body. Now in some translation, you
will see the last half of verse 44 like this. there is a natural body, then
there is also a spiritual body, unquote. Not a ghost-like outline,
as some might imagine, but a spiritual body adapted to the heavenly
realm given by God unto this one and that one. Now, coming
to verse 45 through verse 49, and the question Why is this brought in here? How does it fit the flow of the
context and of the scripture? How is it relevant to the subject
that Paul is discussing here? Well, the answer is, it is in
every way very relevant. It confirms what Paul is saying,
and it traces the two sorts of condition to their source and
to their origin, that the scriptures support what Paul has written. Paul gives us another, it is
written, notice that, it is written. Calvin once wrote, after citing
the scripture, the apostle begins to make his contrast of Christ
and of Adam, unquote, showing the respective effects of each
upon us and our connection. Now, what is written? What is
written? It is written the first man, whose name was Adam, was
made a living soul. Get that. You've got to get it.
That's in Genesis 2 and verse 7. It sums it up. And the Lord
God formed man of the dust of the ground, breathed into his
nostrils, the breath of life, man became a living soul." That's
what Paul is quoting. Now notice something else. Paul
calls Adam perfect. He does that in verse 47 through
verse 49. The first man is of the earth,
earthly, earthy, earthy, meaning, I looked it up, meaning dust,
meaning dirt, meaning loose dirt. And man is earthy, his body being
earthy. Man is a piece of dirt, was suited
for an earthly existence upon the earth. On the other hand,
While Adam was a living soul, Christ, the second Adam, the
last Adam, the second man, is a quickening spirit. While Adam
was made a living soul, Christ is a quickening spirit. Furthermore, the first man is
of the earth, Christ is the Lord from heaven. And again, Adam's
body and life, a living soul or being, was only capable for
a while of an earthly existence. And the same is true of these
mortal fleshly tents that we dwell in. They must be changed,
as Paul said. Paul makes a couple of applications. Look at verse 46, of the order
of experience. There is a natural, there is
a spiritual body. Verse 44, which one is first? Not the spiritual, but the natural. That is, we have a natural body. Then a spiritual body, the natural
comes first, just as Adam appeared before Christ became incarnate. But in due time, Christ came
partaking of flesh and of blood. And then look at verse 49. As
we born the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image
of the heavenly. Paul is yet speaking of bodies
here, not moral images, as some might apply the text. There is
a sense for that in other places that we have the moral image
of the one and the other. But here he speaks not of regeneration,
but of resurrection. Not of souls only, but of body. The earthy is Adam, The heavenly
is the Lord Jesus Christ. As we inherit from and through
Adam a body mortal and natural, so through Christ a body that
is suited to the coming world, but not flesh and blood and bones
and sinews, and not sinful and not subject unto death. Consider something which Paul
writes to the saints which are at Philippi. It's in chapter
3 of that book, Unto Them, and it's verse 20 and verse 21, Philippians
chapter 3. For our conversation is in heaven. from which also we look for the
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body,
that it might be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according
to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things
unto himself. Now Paul had been exhorting the
church to faithfulness and to beware of the enemies of the
cross in Philippians, saying our citizenship is in heaven
where the Savior dwells. Verse 21, who shall change our
vile body that it conforms to the body of his glory. Our present body is one earthy. and of humiliation. As the Lord
humbled himself to assume the likeness of man, then died and
rose again, even between his resurrection and ascension, there
was a noticeable change in the body, the action, and the appearance
of our Lord, so they convey himself suddenly from one place unto
another. Now, he will affect that change,
says Paul, by the power whereby he is able to subdue all things
unto himself. Nothing is outside of his power. Now, consider this an analogy. If God give us a new heart and
quicken us spiritually, When we have been long dead in trespasses
and in sin, then why not raise the body when it is dead? What hindereth that from God
doing that? Now, the resurrection is the
ultimate power of the Almighty God. I just want to close with
this quickly. I shouldn't even bring it up.
But in the Scripture, we read these words. resurrection in
the resurrection the Sadducees use that phrase in the resurrection
whose body the Lord answered in the resurrection they need
to marry nor given and then we know that John 11 Martha said
yes I know that my brother survives again in the resurrection in
the last day. John 11, perhaps 35, I don't
remember. But this great passage of the
scripture gives us much instruction on the subject that is discussed
there. And thank God for Paul and God
bringing it in the scripture for our use and admonition. Thank God for that power that
he is able. And he just simply walked up
to three people and said to them, arise. And when he died, a lot
of graves came open in Jerusalem, and they got up and went into
Jerusalem. And some were still living. When
Paul wrote this letter, he said, but some are falling asleep.