How to Understand the Hope of the Resurrection (Part 2)

The Hope and Truth of the Resurrection

© 2026 C. O. Bishop

1^st Corinthians 15:8-28

⁸ And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ⁹ For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. ¹¹ Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.

¹² Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³ But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:

¹⁴ And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

¹⁵ Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. ¹⁶ For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: ¹⁷ And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. ¹⁸ Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. ¹⁹ If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

²⁰ But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. ²¹ For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. ²² For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. ²³ But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.

²⁴ Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. ²⁵ For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. ²⁶ The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

²⁷ For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. ²⁸ And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

Introduction:

We began studying the truths and the Eternal Hope of the Resurrection, and we at least saw how vital that hope is to the entire Christian faith. We skipped through 1^st Corinthians 15, hoping to come back the next time and fill in the blank spots.

What Would Be the Results if the Resurrection Never Happened?

Paul builds a sort of “legal case outline,” here. He points out several connected ideas:

• He himself was the last of the Eyewitnesses. Not because he was good…quite the opposite. And he underscores the fact that he is not worthy to be called an apostle, since he had viciously persecuted the Church.
• Whatever the case, “it is what it is:” He says, “I am what I am.” He had to accept what he was, and start there, just as we do.
• And Paul testifies that by the Grace of God, he had accomplished more than the others, but not on his own: God did the work. However, regardless of which apostle did the preaching, the people had received the Gospel and believed it.
• But, now some among them were denying that the Resurrection was a reality. He said:
  • If that is true, then Jesus is still dead.
  • If Jesus is still dead, then the Gospel (which is dependent upon the truth of the Resurrection) is not true!
  • Those who trusted in Him have a vain hope.
  • All those who preached salvation by Jesus are liars and false witnesses.
  • Those who believed in Him are still dead in their sins.
  • Those who died, believing in Him, are in Hell, and lost forever. (Wow!)
• He concluded that, if the Hope we have in Christ is only valid for this earthly life, we are of all men most to be pitied.

BUT! Christ IS Raised from the Dead!

Paul refuted all the connected side-effects (of the resurrection hypothetically being a lie,) with the single statement: “He is Risen!” The Gospel is true!

• Jesus is the firstfruits of the believing dead who will be raised to be with Him. He says:
  • Death came by Man (Adam,) thus the Resurrection also came by Man (Jesus.)
  • All in Adam die: All in Christ shall be made alive. (Resurrected.)
  • All will occur in proper order: Jesus first, afterward, all the rest of us.
• The Resurrection will culminate in final victory for Jesus,
  • Jesus will reign until He supersedes all other kingdoms and authority.
  • All enemies will be under His feet.
  • The final enemy to be destroyed is Death.
  • The Final Kingdom and all glory will return to God the Father.

So, What Do We Do With All That Information?

Point One

The first thing we perhaps ought to notice is that only Paul lays hold of these three claims:

• I am not worthy to be called an apostle. (1^st Corinthians 15:9)
• I’m less than the least of all saints. (Ephesians 3:8)
• I am the chief of sinners. (1^st Timothy 1:15)

If others had made similar claims, we might simply consider it a mark of humility. If Peter had said it, I might have assumed it was self-condemnation, for his having denied Jesus. But only Paul said these three things: So, I have to conclude that, because the Holy Spirit chose the words, and He chose they would only come from Paul, then there must be some sense in which all are true, and only true of Paul, since all are exclusive statements.

Why is this important? Because it means if these were literally true of Paul, they cannot be true of me or of you, even if we “feel” they are true. Feelings are not reliable reflections of reality. If God could use Paul, He can use anyone.

And, just as Paul was forced to do, we have to start where we are, and choose to obey Jesus, and submit our lives to Him, if we hope for God to accomplish anything through us. This is not a “Do-it Yourself” project! Jesus said, “…apart from Me ye can do nothing!” (John 15:5)

Point Two

The Truth of the Resurrection, and the Hope of the Resurrection are central to the Truth of the Gospel. In John 11:25, Jesus said, “I am the Resurrection and the Life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” If Jesus did not literally, physically rise immortal, from the dead, then all the rest of the Gospel falls apart.

If He is still dead, then the whole Bible is a lie! The Central Theme of the entire Bible is the Redemptive Plan of God, foreshadowed in Genesis and repeatedly confirmed, in stronger and stronger terms, throughout all of the Word of God. Thus, if the Central Theme is negated, the entire structure is fatally flawed.

The “Gospel” would not be “good news.” All who believed it would have made a fatally bad decision, trusting a false messiah, and they would be just as fully lost as if they had no savior… because they truly would not have one.

Paul concludes that if our faith in Jesus has only temporal results, then it is no different than all the “world religions.” If we have been following a false messiah, then we are pitiable, miserable wretches, and still headed for destruction. But!

Point Three

Jesus is Alive! All of the above questions and speculation about the “result of a false messiah” are pointless, in the face of the eternal fact of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Paul went on to teach the logic of the resurrection, showing that it was entirely fitting that a man (Jesus) should undo the damage done by the first man, Adam. Although He doesn’t elaborate, here, this fits the requirements of the Kinsman Redeemer from the Old Testament:

• The Redeemer had to be a near relative (which is why Jesus became a man.)
• He had to be free, Himself (Jesus was sinless and free from the taint of sin.)
• The Redeemer must have the price of Redemption (a sinless body, with untainted blood.)
• He had to be Willing.

Two Positions, Two Heads of a Race

Adam sold out the entire Human Race: Jesus bought back the entire Human race, but He left it up to the individual to choose whether to trust in His completed work at the Cross. All who choose to remain in Adam simply remain spiritually dead; separated from God. All who choose to believe God, and trust His plan of salvation, are placed into (literally “baptized into… immersed into”) the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit, and we are permanently bound to Him by His Grace and Love.

Why will we be resurrected? Because He bought our salvation at the Cross. All we did was to believe His Word, and receive Him. He has already been resurrected, but God said that from His perspective, if you have trusted Jesus as your Savior, then, in Him, you are already resurrected, too! Ephesians 2:6 says you are already seated with Him on the throne in Heaven!

Point Four

Because He is already the Victor, (and we have joined Him in that victory,) we will see His ultimate victory over the entire world, as well as over all the unseen evil beings. We will see Him triumph over all His enemies, including Death! Revelation 20:14 says “Death and Hell will be cast into the Lake of fire.” After that, He will deliver the eternal Kingdom to the Father, with the Glory that goes with it.

How Does All This Truth Affect Us?

Does it make a difference in our lives, knowing that the Resurrection of Jesus The Messiah is a fact, and that we are already resurrected with Jesus? It truly ought to make a difference! Pat James used to conclude, regarding this sort of truth, “We’re bullet proof!” meaning that we simply cannot fail to end up with God for eternity, as we are already there, and Jesus promised, “He that cometh unto Me, I will in no wise cast out!” (John 6:37)

How much more confident would we feel in daily life, if we truly grasped how completely He has redeemed us, and how fully He has made us His own?

Romans 6:2-6 explains that through our being baptized into Christ, by the Holy Spirit, we are now fully identified with Him in His death, burial, resurrection and eternal life. He says we are dead with Him. He says we have been buried with Him, and that we shall be like Him in the resurrection. Ephesians 2:5, 6 makes it more explicit, saying that we have been (past tense) brought to life in Him, and raised up (ascended) with Him, and seated with Him in the heavenlies. It’s a done deal!

That truth should set us free to serve without fear and without holding back. I do not claim to have fully grasped this, because, like most people, I sometimes suffer doubts and fears. But I do know this truth, and I believe that it is fully applicable today.

Lord Jesus, please bring the truth and the hope of the resurrection to life in our minds and hearts, and use it to set us free from our fears, our doubts, and our besetting sins. Teach us to walk in the newness of life.