King James Bible Study – [And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. – Mark 8:34]
Date: Wednesday, December 04, 2024
Chapters: I Corinthians Chapters 15-16
Message: Remember Where The Finish Line Is
Hello My Friend,
As saved, born again Christians, it seems like the more blessed we are, the more something tries to pull us down, shake us up, or get us to doubt our faith. Yet, here is Jesus lifting us up time and time again, encouraging us to keep going until we reach the finish line. Let me tell you, we are not always going to be at the head of the line but the most important thing to remember is where the finished line is. If we are trying to get there by ourselves we can expect that we are going to lag behind, but getting there with Jesus will give us the victory, [1 Corinthians 15:56-58 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.]
It does not matter what we do for Jesus, whether we are sent out in the world or church, none of it goes without notice. Paul, was the last of the apostles to start his ministry, but he was also the one who did the most work for Jesus. You see, while most of the other apostles were scattered abroad and may have reached some of the Gentiles, their main focus was the Jews, it was Paul who would become the light to the Gentiles. As we come to the end of the reading of 1 Corinthians, Paul, reminds them and all of us that all believers of Christ are under the same blood that He shed for us, that is unless any have believed in vain.
[1 Corinthians 15:1-7 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.]
[I declare unto you the gospel… By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached] While no one who truly and honestly receives Christ as their Saviour can lose their salvation, those who never received Him were never saved to begin with. Jesus, said it this way, [John 10:27-30 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and my Father are one.]
This is why I know that anyone who falls away from their faith in Christ was never saved because it is impossible for Him to let go of anyone to accepts Him. Now, they may get caught up in sin and appear as heathens, but in the end they will return to Christ and often become an even greater testimony of Christ’s love, mercy, and grace. Paul, goes on to point out how he once persecuted Christians and got saved.
[1 Corinthians 15:8-11,13-15 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. 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.]
[he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.] Paul, is referring to the time that Jesus spoke to him when he was on his way to Damascus to capture professing Christians, [Acts 9:3,10-11,13,15-16 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 10 And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Behold, I am here, Lord. 11 And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth, 13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saints at Jerusalem: 15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.]
It was probable that Paul did cross paths with Jesus before His passion as he was a Pharisee, but it was not the time for him to believe in and receive Him. Strangely enough, everything that we go through from birth to death has an appointed time and that include our salvation. These are not fables as so many proclaim, these are not tales that were told from those who never witnessed Christ, these are true, uncorrupt, words spoken by the apostles, who witnessed Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. This is not about keeping our salvation, this is about giving those who are lost or confused the same hope that we have after this time of our lives comes to an end.
[1 Corinthians 15:19-26 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.]
[every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s] Everything goes in the proper order with God. Christ is the first-fruits of those who’s souls had already departed from their flesh prior to His own death and because He has risen they too will rise. Likewise, those who believe in Him from the time He resurrected to the day He returns will rise also. When Jesus returns He will reign as KING and judgment begins upon those who are not believers, they too will resurrect only to be cast into the lake of fire, where the devil, and even death itself will be destroyed.
[Revelation 20:10,12-14 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.]
The dead are those who never received Christ as their Saviour or had faith in Him coming here prior to His passion before they took their last breath. Christ’s sinless death, His burial, and resurrection three days later, was necessary so that we too would be released from the curse of death. It is a sad day for those who accepted that Jesus died for them, but did not raise from the dead. That is not believing the Gospel and in fact, is a one way ticket to hell as we must believe in the Gospel in its entirety if we expect to get past those pearly gates. Paul, goes on to explain this.
[1 Corinthians 15:28-33 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. 29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead? 30 And why stand we in jeopardy every hour? 31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32 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.]
[And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him] Even though Jesus is God in the flesh, God, the Father has kept some things from Him until death is destroyed, in particular the day He returns to earth, [Matthew 24:35-37 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. 36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. 37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.]
Christ, as the First-fruits, has entered into the fullness of life, in His human nature He assumed immortality, and an incorruptible body. By Christ lying in the grave He took redemption further by raising out of it three days later. By His resurrection He sanctified His people forever. Think about it, Jesus gave His life so that we would no longer be bound to the Law, and to illustrate this, Paul compares our salvation to corn, which gets its life from dying first.
[1 Corinthians 15:36-38,41-43 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. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:]
[that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:] Jesus, said it this way, [John 12:24-25 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. 25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.] In order for us to receive eternal life we must first die to ourselves, meaning stop trying to use our own works of righteousness to save our soul and start looking to Jesus, [Romans 10:9-11 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.]
Since God is the Creator I am pretty sure that He can do whatever it is that He wants to do with all of His creation. God’s most valuable creation is man and He actually created the earth and everything on it for us to live here forever, but man messed it up with one sin and now we are cursed with death. However, that is where Jesus came in, by His one time sinless sacrifice He took death head on and one day it too will be destroyed forever along with everything else that corrupted mankind.
[1 Corinthians 15:50-54 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.]
[Death is swallowed up in victory.] Referring to this passage, [Isaiah 25:8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.] Death, Satan, the Antichrist, false prophets, doubters, unbelievers, and anyone who has not called on Christ to save them will be cast into the lake of fire, [Revelation 21:7-8 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.]
We are who we are only by the grace of God, all the good we do, all the blessings received, these are all by the grace of God. When we are going through things that is when all sorts of doubts come crashing to our heads, some even doubting their faith. We cannot do whatever it is that Jesus has called us to do by ourselves, if we try to then, we will get weary and burn out, and this is what happens to me. Paul, encourages the Corinthians to accept the help given to them so that they can get refreshed and rested.
[1 Corinthians 16:13-14,2-24 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong. 14 Let all your things be done with charity. 20 All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss. 21 The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand. 22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. 23 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. The first epistle to the Corinthians was written from Philippi by Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus and Timotheus.]
[Greet ye one another with an holy kiss.] In other words, Christians ought to greet each other with well wishes that are honest and sincere. We have enough to deal with in life, we need to encourage one another and not argue and fight, [Galatians 5:14-15 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 15 But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.]
[let him be Anathema Maranatha.] [Anathema; accursed to damnation (hell), Maranatha; our Lord is coming.] What Paul is saying is that, Our Lord is coming, and He will judge those who have rejected Him, and they will be the to receive damnation, [Revelation 20:12-15 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.]
Jesus Christ Revealed/Magnified: [1 Corinthians 15:19-20 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.]
Today’s Prayer: God, It is truly amazing that with all the trials and tribulations I have brought upon myself You use all of them for me to serve a purpose for You. Thank You for Your mercy, grace, and love, and for giving me the spiritual gifts that You have given me, may I know how to use them all for Your glory. Lord, lead me and guide me, help me to learn to yield to the Holy Spirit as He teaches me to serve You with all my heart, soul, and might. Give me a heart that loves as Jesus does, and let all my work be a godly influence on those around me. I ask these things in Your name, Jesus, Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
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