Living Between Easters (1 Corinthians 15:30–34)

Commenting on the promise of resurrection, the twentieth-century German theologian, Erich Sauer wrote, “The present age is Easter time. It begins with the resurrection of the Redeemer and ends with the resurrection of the redeemed. Between lies the spiritual resurrection of those called into life through Christ. So we live between two Easters, and in the power of the first Easter we go to meet the last Easter.”

I appreciate the way he frames the present time with the two resurrections. Christ rose bodily on that first Easter, and we live in anticipation of bodily resurrection on the final “Easter.” In the meantime, we live in an intermediate era in which, through the gospel, people experience spiritual resurrection in Christ.

As the Bible makes clear, however, the spiritual resurrection we experience in Christ is but a foretaste of a fuller hope. As we saw previously, Christian hope is embodied hope and true Christian victory will only be fully realised at the resurrection of our bodies. But the resurrection of the body is only one aspect of the victory that Christ will achieve.

The New City Catechism gets to the heart of Christ’s overarching victory when it asks, “What else does Christ’s death redeem?” (Question 26). It answers, “Christ’s death is the beginning of the redemption and renewal of every part of fallen creation, as he powerfully directs all things for his own glory and creation’s good.” First Corinthians 15:20–34 highlights for us the full victory that Christ’s resurrection will ultimately achieve, and then goes on to talk about how we should live in the present in the light of that future, final victory. As Sauer puts it, the Redeemer’s resurrection empowers us to march forward to the day of our resurrection.

Victory in Jesus

As we saw previously, there was some confusion within the Corinthian church concerning the reality of resurrection. Some of the Corinthians had seemingly bought into the Greek error that future hope was all about the spirit’s release from the body into an eternal, disembodied state. Paul corrected them by warning them of the consequences of a resurrectionless religion (vv. 12–19). In vv. 20–28, he highlights two, victorious implications of the bodily resurrection of Christ. Specifically, he shows that Christ’s bodily resurrection guarantees victory for the faithful (vv. 20–23) and victory for the Father (vv. 24–28).

Victory for the Faithful

First, Paul shows that Christ’s resurrection guarantees victory for the faithful:

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 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.

(1 Corinthians 15:20–23)

Despite any protest to the contrary, the “fact” is that “Christ has been raised from the dead.” But his resurrection was not an event of never-to-be-repeated significance. Instead, he rose as “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” “Firstfruits” implies that there is more of the same sort to come.

As death was introduced to the world by “a man,” so victory over death was brought into the world by “a man.” All who are “in Adam” die. Likewise, all who are “in Christ” will be eternally “made alive.” Both death in Adam and resurrection in Christ are physical, bodily realities. The physical, bodily resurrection of all who are “in Christ” will happen “at his coming”—that is, at his bodily return to earth in our future.

The victory of the resurrection is an all-encompassing victory for God’s people. At the resurrection, we will attain final, eternal victory over death and everything associated with death (suffering, sickness, sorrow, etc.). Every physical affliction will be dealt a death blow. At the resurrection, we will also attain final, eternal victory over sin itself. Never again will we face the temptation or the desire to sin. We will be made perfectly like our Saviour. It will, indeed, be victory for Christ’s people.

Victory for the Father

Second, Paul shows that Christ’s resurrection guarantees victory for the Father:

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.

(1 Corinthians 15:24–28)

When Christ returns and resurrects his people, “then comes the end.” At that point, he will “deliver the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.” His present “reign” is about subduing his enemies. He took his throne at the ascension and he will continue to reign, through the gospel, “until he has put all his enemies under his feet.” As people hear and believe the gospel, they thereby bow the knee to Christ in submission. We, who were once enemies, become subjects of Christ through the gospel.

However, there is an implication here that the “enemies” that will be subjected to Christ are more than only human enemies. In fact, “the last enemy to be destroyed is death.” Indeed, everything that is opposed to God’s original design will be subjected to him. Yes, “all things” will be “put in subjection” to him. Paul here quotes Psalm 8:6, which shows the universality of creation’s subjection to Christ: the heavens and the earth and everything in them. Psalm 8 talks about all of creation being brought into subjection to Messiah, which is what Paul has in mind here. The curse placed upon creation because of human sin will be completely lifted so that “God may be all in all.” This universal victory was secured by Christ’s resurrection because the resurrection proved that nothing in all of fallen creation has power over Christ. At present, he is in the process of ordering all creation, which he will one day, when he returns, present complete to his Father, who will receive all things victoriously through Christ.

Faithfulness to Jesus

Christ’s resurrection, therefore, guarantees full and final victory both for believers and for God the Father. But lest we think that that future victory has no present implications, Paul, in vv. 29–33, offers three practical applications, in the present, of Christ’s victorious resurrection. As Sauer said, Christ’s resurrection empowers us in the present to march toward that final Easter. As we live between Easters, Christ’s resurrection empowers us in at least three ways.

Identification with Christ

First, as we live between Easters, the resurrection gives us the incentive we need to identify with Christ: “Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptised on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptised on their behalf?” (1 Corinthians 15:29).

This is one of the tougher verses in the New Testament, which has invited at least a dozen distinct interpretations. We cannot survey the strengths and weaknesses of each interpretation. I will, instead, put before you what I consider to be the most likely interpretation, which, I think, fits the context well.

Part of the struggle with understanding this verse is the way that different translations translate it. Your translation will likely influence your interpretation. I think that the NKJV (and the KJV) perhaps offer the best translation: “Otherwise, what will they do who are baptised for the dead, if the dead do not rise at all? Why then are they baptised for the dead?” The question is, what does Paul mean by “baptised for the dead”? (which, I think, is a better translation than “on behalf of” the dead).

Paul’s point, quite simply, I think, is that baptism is emptied of its significance if Christ did not rise from the dead. If Christ is still dead, what is the point of baptism? Baptism is an act of identification with Christ. But why would anyone identify with a dead person? Christian baptism is unique among world religions. No other world religion practices baptism as Christianity does. Some religions practice ritual washing as an initiation rite, but Christian baptism is so much more than that. It is, in a sense, an initiation rite, in that it is the initial public step of obedience to Christ. But it is more than simply that: It is an act of public, lifelong identification with Christ and his people. When we are baptised, we are publicly declaring ourselves to be one of Christ’s people. But that is only significant if the resurrection is true.

The resurrection gives Christians incentive to publicly identify with Christ. This happens, initially, at baptism, but public identification with Christ is our lifelong calling. If you believe that Jesus rose from the dead, you will not be ashamed to identify with him. You will not be ashamed to call yourself a Christian. You will not be ashamed to share the gospel. You will not be ashamed to identify with the church. This, in fact, is why Paul so strongly opposed Peter’s hypocrisy, as recorded in Galatians 2:11–15. Peter’s reluctance to identify with Christ’s people “was not in step with the gospel” (Galatians 2:14). He was emptying the gospel of its power by his embarrassment to identify with Christ and his people. Do you do the same?

Affliction for Christ

Second, as we live between Easters, the resurrection gives us the incentive we need to suffer affliction for Christ: “Why are we in danger every hour? I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, ‘Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die’” (1 Corinthians 15:30–32).

Suffering for the sake of the gospel is pointless if Christ is not alive. We gain nothing by suffering if there is no promise of resurrection in our future. We suffer faithfully between Easters because we believe that Christ’s resurrection secures our resurrection. Because of his resurrection, which secures our resurrection, Christians are willing to work hard and to suffer affliction, abuse, and ridicule.

Paul transparently states that the resurrection motivated his own willingness to suffer. He faced death every day for the sake of the gospel. He would not do so if there were no promise of resurrection. Jesus likewise promised his disciples that their willingness to leave all and follow him would be rewarded in the resurrection (Matthew 19:27–30).

If we believe the resurrection, the suffering we experience for Christ will be but “light momentary affliction,” which “is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” We will live life “look[ing] not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen,” knowing that “the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:17–18).

Ethics of Christ

Third, as we live between Easters, the resurrection gives us the incentive we need to embrace the ethics of Christ: “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.’ Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame” (1 Corinthians 15:33–34).

The words that Paul quotes here—“Bad company ruins good morals”—come from a Greek dramatist named Menander. The word translated “company” (homilia) can refer both to the “company” of people or the “company” of teaching. Bad behaviour results both from bad teaching and from the influence of those who are influenced by bad teaching. Belief affects behaviour. Paul appears to be urging his readers to avoid teaching or teachers who deny the resurrection. Entertaining resurrection-denying teachers and teaching leads to “drunken stupor” and “sinning” because it produces “no knowledge of God.” Lacking the knowledge of God, they would be tempted to lead lives dishonouring to Christ—lives of stupor and sin. This is the natural result of entertaining resurrection deniers.

Here is the basic point: If Christ never rose from the dead, then conforming to Christian ethics is ludicrous. Why would anyone put to death his or her natural desires if there is no incentive beyond this life? As MacArthur points out, “Without the prospect of a resurrection, and of the accountability it brings, there is no incentive for doing anything but what we feel like doing here and now.” On the other hand, those who affirm the resurrection have every incentive to “not go on sinning.”

The resurrection gives us the incentive we need to live a life pleasing to God. If we believe that Jesus rose, and that he is coming again to resurrect us to stand before him as our final judge, we will be careful to live a life of reverent obedience to him. But if you don’t believe the resurrection, what’s the point? Why pursue a God-honouring life if death is the end of it all?

Conclusion

So, believer, do you believe the resurrection? If you do, pursue a life of identification with Christ, of affliction for Christ, and of God-honouring ethics for Christ.

AMEN