1 Corinthians 15:20-28 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, 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 he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.
Jesus' birth, life, death, and resurrection on Earth were for the purpose of making sons and daughters who can enter into the very presence of God. We who are bought by the blood of Jesus are transformed into new creatures with the Holy Spirit abiding in us. As surely as Jesus was raised from the grave so will we be raised. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. (Romans 8:11) Christ, the first of the first fruits, freed from the grave, broke through the veil of tears, to be present with God. We who are IN CHRIST BY FAITH WILL FOLLOW IN THAT TRANSITION FROM DEATH TO LIFE. This wonderful plan, conceived in the heart of God eons ago, is now implemented on Earth. A wonderful plan, but it is a plan that can be fulfilled only through an act of faith in Christ's death on the cross and his victory over the grave. God will not allow us to go the visceral way, a way of the senses, a way of proofs that please the intellect. No, He asks us to stand by faith, to believe something that the carnal world cannot believe, for this plan cannot be perceived by the natural mind, on which we depend in this world. Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. To believe that He is and that He is a good God. (Hebrews 11:1-3) The ancients were commended for believing in something they could not see. God will also honor our faith in what we cannot experience through our senses. Not one person around this breakfast table can explain adequately to us what heaven is like, giving the details that will make it come alive. Yet, we believe in such a land, a place called home for all who are new creatures in Christ. Of course heaven is God's holy dwelling place. As the Word says, The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. (Psalm 103:19) As with the levitical priests, God is our inheritance. They shall have no inheritance among their brothers; the LORD is their inheritance, as he promised them. (Deuteronomy 18:1)
Life for all of us will be played out in the wilderness. We believe there is a Promised Land in front of us, but we do not partake of it now. We cannot conceive of it fully with our human limitations. As we read earlier in our study, we do not have clear spiritual sight with our earthly vision, but we look to a time when we will see the Lord face to face and know him and ourselves completely: For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. (1 Corinthians 13:12) But, we do have the blessed Holy Spirit present in us who constantly encourages us to keep going, to endure to the end. He reminds us often that we are God's beloved children. Therefore, God will never abandon us in the wilderness of life, in this finite existence. When we struggle with trials and problems, He will provide living water for our parched souls, spiritual manna from his storehouse when we are weak and desperate. The reality of the Holy Spirit in our lives ensures our spiritual well-being. But our ears must be continuously tuned to his voice, for we are traversing a sparse land, that is not conducive to our spiritual survival. If we listen to the Holy Spirit, He will remind us of God's great love for us and tell us about our inheritance of eternal life. This world will pass away when all things have been put under his authority. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. Brothers and sisters, remember we are greatly cherished, even as Jesus Christ is cherished by God. Yet, unless Christ comes soon, we will not escape death. Nonetheless, we should not fear death, for it is not the end for believers, but the beginning of our life in heaven with God. Our spirits will rise to be present in the family of God. All of our enemies, all of our struggles, all of our tears will cease when we are present with the ETERNAL GOD. We know this is true from various scriptures such as Paul's words: We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:8)
In the beginning God created everything! In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. (Genesis 1:1-3) God separated the light from darkness. He made a distinction, declaring the light as good. He brought life to this planet when it was merely formless and empty. Even then his heart held a plan that exceeded making men and women and walking with them in the cool of the evening. He planned to bring such light into the human form that the darkness would flee from their souls. Adam and then Eve was a very good work, but they could and did fall away from God. They could not achieve the position of adoption into God's family. They were created creatures, but God desired sons and daughters in his intimate family, always present with him. Of course, this all goes beyond man's imagination. We are BUT HUMAN; how can we envision such a reality? Faith alone opens our eyes to God's purposes. Jesus came, performing one miracle after another, doing things that no other person from the beginning of time could do. He performed these miracles to substantiate He was God, that He came from the Father's house. His claim was that He would provide eternal life to finite men and women. He came to present God's salvation plan to the world. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16) We will not perish for the resurrection reveals there is life eternal. Jesus experienced that transition first. He walked this earth, experiencing all the difficulties of man in the flesh: anxieties, pain, sorrow, bewilderment. He experienced life as it is. He went to the grave with a cry: From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” — which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:45-46) But as Paul says, Christ has indeed been raised from the dead. Christ arose, and so will we all be raised from the dead if we have trusted in the risen Lord. We are not without hope, for hope is our inheritance, won by the blood of Jesus.
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