First Corinthians 15 Part 7 Using Farming Metaphors To Teach Resurrection Truth

Reject those who deny the bodily resurrection of Christ and the believer's future bodily resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15:32-34  If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to- morrow we die. 33)  Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. 34)  Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame. 

Paul is winding down his rebuke of false teachers who claimed the resurrection was past or who dismissed it as impossible.

The world view in Paul's day is much like it is today. This life is all there is so eat, drink and be merry today because tomorrow you will die and that is all there is to life.

The power of Christ's resurrection means that this life is NOT all that there is. All mankind is accountable to God for our actions.

Sinners will not like truth about the resurrection and future judgment but they must hear this in order to understand the grace of God, His mighty salvation and the power of the gospel.

Those who denied the resurrection tended to live a loose life, marked by depravity and immorality. 

Paul teaches the church at Corinth (and us) not to have fellowship with any who deny the doctrine of the resurrection of Christ and the believer's future resurrection.

Today, Jehovah's Witnesses and Unitarians are among those who deny the doctrine of the resurrection. They must be rejected for holding heretical views. 

Paul is teaching that we must not listen to false teachers who speak with evil communications because their words cast doubt upon the veracity of scripture.

They denied the resurrection because they loved sinning more than they loved God. 

Thus, Paul tells the Corinthians to "Sin not" and those who listen to false teachers should be ashamed for turning from God's truth to man's lies. 

Paul teaches how our bodies will be changed at the resurrection of life.

1 Corinthians 15:35  But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? 

Some unbelievers cast doubt upon the doctrine of resurrection based upon primitive scientific principles.

They demanded to know how a body could ever be raised from the dead. They scoffed at the idea of a bodily resurrection from the dead.

Paul addressed them with strong words. He saw the resurrected Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus. 

He personally knew several hundred eyewitnesses to Christ's resurrection, most of whom were still alive when Paul wrote this letter.  

He pointed scoffers to all four gospels because they give an accurate detailed account of Christ's resurrection. 

Matthew tells us that many Old Testament saints rose from the dead and appeared to many people in Jerusalem after Christ arose. 

Evidence of the resurrection was so overwhelming that to deny Christ's resurrection was to act like a mindless fool.

Heretical Corinthians denied the resurrection of the dead by asking “How are they raised? How should they be raised? Is it not utterly impossible?” 

Other doubters asked “With what body will they come? Will it be with the same body, with like shape, and form, and stature, and members, and qualities?” 

These are questions from curious doubters and mockers. 

It helps to recall that the Sadducees were those who denied the resurrection from the dead and the Pharisees were those who believed in the resurrection.

Both groups were still very active when the church began at Pentecost.

Our present body will be very different when we are raised from the dead. 

1 Corinthians 15:36-38  Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: 37)  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 grain: 38)  But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. 

The word "sowest" is a farming term that means to sow or scatter seed into a field prepared to receive it. 

A grain or seed cannot germinate and produce a living plant unless it is buried in the ground.

This is a clear picture to show us what death is like. 

When I die, my body will be placed in a casket and lowered into the ground and covered up with earth, just as a seed is planted in the earth.

The great resurrection principle is that death happens first before there is new life.

There is no other way of accounting for the resurrection of life and receiving a glorified body, except by the miraculous working of God’s power. 

For one bare grain planted in the ground produces a system of roots, a tall and vigorous stalk, with all its leaves that will produce fruit or grain.

The final plant of corn or wheat from a single seed is vastly and exponentially greater that the seed itself.

This is the beautiful picture of death and resurrection that God's Spirit guided Paul to record for us. 

Death precedes resurrection and future glory. 

John 12:24  Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 

Jesus used an agricultural metaphor to describe His own resurrection from the grave. 

Christ's death is pictured as a corn or seed of wheat falling into the ground being covered with earth. 

After time passes and after receiving suitable warmth and moisture, that seed will germinate and produce a beautiful wheat plant.

So is Christ's resurrection which previews our future resurrection. 

Paul pictures death in very similar terms. Our body is like seed sown by a farmer. 

Seed not only sprouts after it is dead, but it must die that in order that it may live. 

Why should any be so foolish to think that when we die we cannot be made to live again by the same power that produces life from dead grain? 

This is the substance of the apostle's answer to the first question. 

It is a foolish thing to question God's power to raise the dead, when we see it every day as God quickens and revives things that are dead.

However, there is a notable exception. Our body that goes into the grave is not going to be the same body that comes out of the grave at the resurrection of life. 

Our body at death is like a bare grain planted in the soil. The bare seed when planted looks nothing like the plant that will emerge. 

In like manner, our physical body at death will bear little resemblance to our body when we rise from the grave.  

Our body may emerge in farming terms as wheat, or corn or barley or oats, according to God's pleasure and purposes. 

Our present body marred by sin will be changed into a glorious body. 

Philippians 3:20-21  For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21)  Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. 

Our life is to be lived out with our focus and affection set on the things of God above in heaven, where Christ is seated with His Father. 

When Christ returns at the resurrection of life to rapture His church, the dead in Christ will rise with new bodies. 

Those who are alive when Christ returns shall be changed and caught up in the air with all other saints (See 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).

Our vile body, currently marred by a sin nature and rebellion from Adam will be changed. Paul tells us that our new body will be likened or similar to Christ's glorified body.

Our resurrected body will be similar to Christ's resurrected body.

Luke 24:36-43  And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 37)  But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 38)  And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 39)  Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. 40)  And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. 41)  And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? 42)  And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. 43)

 And he took it, and did eat before them. 

Luke was a physician and his gospel account of the resurrected Christ is worth reading.

Jesus appeared in the midst of His disciples after His resurrection. His body was not hindered by walls or doors. 

They were stunned and afraid but Jesus assured them He was a real, resurrected man and told them to touch His hands and feet. His glorified body had flesh and bones. Christ’s disciples recognized Jesus.

Jesus had flesh and bone yet was able to walk through walls. Jesus broke bread and ate fish and honeycomb with His disciples (See also John 20:19-29;21:1-14). 

These words comfort those of us who have loved ones who have died in Christ. We know that absent from our physical body is to be in the Lord's presence (See 2 Corinthians 5:8).

Thus, death is not something to be feared for the Christian for Christ conquered death, sin, hell and the grave at His resurrection. 

We will learn much more about the resurrection as we progress through this chapter and it is all blessing for those who are in Christ.

Bob