_For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead._ SALVATION BY MAN When Paul says “by man” he refers to Christ; only taking advantage of the fact that, since the Son of God incarnate, is become a proper man, it is permitted us to regard the power of salvation as include... [ Continue Reading ]
_But every man in his own order: Christ the first-fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming._ THE SEQUENCES OF THE RESURRECTION I. When and how will the dead be raised? 1. Generally Paul’s answer amounts to this. The resurrection is not a single act. All men are to be raised, “but eve... [ Continue Reading ]
_For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet._ THE REIGN OF CHRIST This world is His battlefield now; and when this conflict is at an end there will be an end to something else, “He shall reign till--,” and no longer. I. Who are Christ’s enemies? 1. All those agencies in the w... [ Continue Reading ]
_The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death _ DEATH, THE LAST ENEMY, SHALL BE DESTROYED I. The nature of that enemy. Consider-- 1. The dissolution of the human frame. The body is a wonderful machine, which bears the mark of Divine wisdom and skill. If we look upon the Goths and Vandals as th... [ Continue Reading ]
_And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son … be subject._ CHRIST SUBJECTING HIMSELF I. Christ reigning. Our text speaks of the time when 1 Corinthians 15:25 shall be accomplished. 1. Christ’s kingdom is to exist till all things are subjugated to it. It is set up to bring t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all._ BAPTISM FOR THE DEAD The baptized for the dead mean all those persons who, saved from a world of sin, from Pagan ignorance, and from the power of Satan, passed through the ordinance of initiatory baptism, there... [ Continue Reading ]
_And why stand we in Jeopardy every hour?_ THE HOURLY JEOPARDY: THE DAILY DEATH We have now reached the second of St. Paul’s _argumenta ad hominem_. The first is the argument for the resurrection from the baptism of the dead. The second is the argument which he derives from his perils and sufferin... [ Continue Reading ]
_I protest … I die daily._ I DIE DAILY I. Inevitably--by the natural decay of nature. II. Voluntarily--by self-mortification. III. Experimentally--by a growing indifference to the world. IV. Believingly--in hope of a better life. (_J. Lyth, D.D_.) I DIE DAILY 1. Deposit my soul in Christ’s ha... [ Continue Reading ]
_If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me if the dead rise not?_ BEASTS AT EPHESUS Note here-- I. A low judgment of human nature. 1. There is no good reason for taking the text literally. Had such a terrible struggle taken place it would have been r... [ Continue Reading ]
_Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners._ SELF-DECEPTION Of all species of deception, self-deception is the most detrimental; it is like having a traitor in the fortress who betrays his country to an enemy. Be not deceived-- I. By a corrupt heart. An eminent man said once_, _“Pa... [ Continue Reading ]
_Awake to righteousness._ MORAL RESURRECTION This chapter generally deals with the resurrection of the body; but the text refers to the resurrection of the soul. And this is a greater and more glorious work than the other, because-- I. The soul is greater than the body. What is the casket to the... [ Continue Reading ]
_But some man will say, How are the dead raised up?_ and with what body do they come? HOW ARE THE DEAD RAISED UP? I. These words meant, “How can the dead be raised up?” Let us try to find an answer to it. 1. If any man really believe in the existence of a Great First Cause, his answer would at o... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die._ THE REPROOF OF SCEPTICISM I. Justly severe. “Thou fool.” Because-- 1. It is opposed to God and Divine truth. 2. Is based in ignorance and self-conceit. II. Severely just. Because-- 1. It ignores the analogy between natural fa... [ Continue Reading ]
_There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon._ DEGRESS OF GLORY IN HEAVEN I. What this means. That as the Lord has displayed His mercy and His love to holiness, by rewarding a short and imperfect obedience by an eternal glory, so it is accordant with these perfections to confer hi... [ Continue Reading ]
_So also is the resurrection of the dead._ It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption. THE RESURRECTION I. Its essential character. 1. It is not the work of an age, but of a moment--not a gradual process, but an instantaneous act. 2. It is to be distinguished in its nature from-- ... [ Continue Reading ]
_The first man Adam was made a living soul _ ADAM AND CHRIST Or the mystery of life contemplated:-- I. In its sources. 1. Adam was endued with natural life, Christ with a life-giving Spirit. 2. The natural preceded the spiritual. 3. The natural is of the earth, the spiritual is the Lord from h... [ Continue Reading ]
_Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural._ THE NATURAL AND THE SPIRITUAL I. The natural precedes the spiritual. This is seen in-- 1. Nature. Not until the earth was complete did God create man, a spiritual being, “in His own image and after His own likeness,” etc.... [ Continue Reading ]
_The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven._ THE FIRST AND SECOND MAN I. The first--is of the earth, earthy--consequently-- 1. Confined to earth. 2. Perishes with the earth. II. The second--from heaven, heavenly. 1. Rules the earth. 2. Opens heaven. 3. Liv... [ Continue Reading ]
_Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God._ FLESH AND BLOOD CANNOT ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD I. The general law. 1. This carries with it its own proof: for, obviously, darkness might as well become light, or death life, as that which is corrupt rise into the incorruptible. On this point S... [ Continue Reading ]
_For this corruptible must put on incorruption._ THE GREAT CHANGE The apostle presents this-- I. As a contrast betwixt what man now is and what he will be. 1. Twice over the apostle affirms the change from corruptible to incorruption, and from mortal to immortality; first as a matter of necessit... [ Continue Reading ]
_O death, where is thy sting?_ O grave, where is thy victory? DEATH IN IDEA There are two aspects in which this language might be regarded. 1. As the sentiment of the redeemed after the resurrection. Literally, then, death will have lost its sting, and the grave its victory. 2. As the expressio... [ Continue Reading ]