In 1 Corinthians 15 the Apostle Paul is addressing those in the church who did not believe in the resurrection of the saints at the return of Jesus Christ.  In the first 19 verses he explains that Christ’s resurrection meant that those who “walk as He walked” while on earth (1 Jn. 2:6) and who  “overcome (Satan) as I (Jesus) overcame” him (Rev. 3:21) and who “purify themselves as He is pure” (1 Jn. 3:3) “by the washing by the water of the Word (of God) (Eph. 5:26) would be resurrected exactly as He had been resurrected and would become exactly as He is in His resurrected body.  They did not believe that they, like Jesus, would become spirits beings by being born again as He had been.  The people doubted, as people doubt today, that this Biblical Truth is true?  This could be true only if Jesus had been like all other people.  Was Jesus a human like everyone else?  Did He not have an advantage over His fellow man?  Can other humans be resurrected as He was and be changed from physical to spirit He was?  If we can take Him at His word, the answer is “Yes” to all of those questions.  Paul addresses these questions in verses 20-23.

In verse 20 he states that Christ was raised from the dead and became the first-fruits of those who had lived lives of holiness during Old Testament times who are now “asleep” (dead–vs 21), as well as those who would in the future who would also lead holy lives.  In verses 21-23 Paul inadvertently proves that Jesus was a man like all other men.  Paul states that by a “man” (Adam) came death, and that by a “man” (Jesus) will come the resurrection of “man” from the dead (vs 21).  In verse 22 he states that every “man” will be resurrected at his appointed time. Notice that the word “man” is used in reference to Adam, Christ and every other human being who will ever live on earth.  In each case the same word –“man”– is used.  “Man” in the Greek language is ANTHROPOS, which is defined as a human being.  This proves that Jesus was a human being (anthropos) exactly like Adam and all other human beings.  If He had any advantage over us He could not expect us to live as He lived, to overcome Satan as He overcame him, to be pure as He is pure and to do the works He did while on earth (Jn. 14:12).

Note in verse 23 that “every man” (anthropos) will be resurrected as was Jesus, each IN HIS OWN (TIME) ORDER, meaning according to the Lord’s resurrection schedule.  The first resurrection will be of those true saints who lived as He lived and overcame temptations as He overcame them during their human lives.  These will be His first-fruits who, following His Second Advent, will abide with Him in Kingdom headquarters in the geographical area known Scripturally as the “Holy Land” and the “Promised Land.”  Read The Kingdom of God.  Key word–Kingdom.  Eventually, every person who has ever lived will be resurrected.  Read The Three Resurrections.  Key word–Three.

In verses 24-45 Paul explains why man will be resurrected.  Then in verses 46-54 he describes the process that will take place when Christ returns at the end of the age, at which time He will resurrect from “sleep” those who have died in Him since creation week, along with those who are still alive when He returns–His first-fruits.  In verse 49 Paul states that, following the example of Jesus, God’s saints were initially physical (mortal/earthy), but upon their resurrections they will become spirit (heavenly).  This is the point at which the saints will be born again as Jesus was born again–by changing from physical to spirit bodily composition.  Why?  Because “flesh and blood cannot inherit (live in) the Kingdom of God” (vs 50).  Recall Christ’s conversation with Nicodemus in which He told him that he must be “born again” because “flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God” (Jn. 3:1-8).  Jesus explained that is flesh and spirit is spirit–two totally different bodily compositions.  In order to join Christ in the Kingdom, Nicodemus would have to be transformed (born again) from flesh to spirit, just as He (Jesus) would be transformed some time later.  Not even Jesus could enter God’s presence in His flesh form.

The transformation from physical to spirit (being born again) is explained in verses 52-54: “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, we will all be changed” from flesh to spirit, as had Jesus.  God’s first-fruits will enter the Kingdom of God and live with Him and His Father forever in kingdom headquarters, a 1500 mile by 1500 mile area surrounded by a 1500 mile high wall whose width will be 224 feet 4 inches thick (Rev. 21:16).

In 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 Paul gives us the order in which the first-fruits will rise to meet Jesus in the air upon His return.  Here he states that those who have died in Christ (from Abel until that instant) will rise first, then those who are then living in Christ will join them.  Jesus will have arrived in earth’s atmosphere with His mighty angels (2 Thes. 1:7) who will be joined by the resurrected dead, followed by the living saints.  Together they will descend to the Mount of Olives (Zech. 14:4).  From there they will enter Jerusalem where Christ will establish the Kingdom of God.  As verse 14 notes, Jesus will bring to the Holy Land with Him those who, prior to their resurrection, had been “asleep in Christ,” some for thousands of years.  They will accompany those who are living in holiness upon His return.  In verse 17 we are told that, following the first-fruits’ resurrection, they will “ever be with the Lord where He is.”  He and they will be in the Kingdom of God from where they will rule the earth for 1000 years, then the universe for ever.  Read God’s Very Elect: Future Caretakers of the Universe.  Key word–Caretakers.

But aren’t we told that when we die we go straight to heaven and remain there forever.  Nowhere in the Bible are we told that man has ever been, is now or will ever be in heaven.  The Kingdom of God (paradise) will be located on earth with its headquarters in the Holy Land.  Since Abel, everyone who has died is still dead and will remain dead until the time of their resurrection, the first-fruits being the first to be resurrected and born again.  For those who insist that believers will join God and Christ in Their heavenly kingdom (paradise), listen to what Jesus said to the Father about His kingdom: “… thy kingdom come (to earth later), thy will be done (in His kingdom) ON EARTH (later) as it IS IN HEAVEN” (at that time and now).  God’s kingdom is now in heaven where it will remain until it arrives on earth where it will remain forever.  Jesus is the only human being to live in heaven where He will remain until His return to earth to establish the Kingdom of God where He, the Father and their saints will live forever.

The Institutional Church does not believe in the resurrection of the saints/first-fruits.  She does not believe that God’s saints will be born again and saved at the return of Jesus Christ.  Nor does she believe that God, Christ and the saints will rule the earth for 1000 years, then rule the universe forever from New Jerusalem.  The church believes that the dead go directly to heaven or hell at the moment of death.  If they are right, who are the “dead in Christ” who will rise from their graves to meet Him in the air upon His return?  Would they have been dead in heaven?  If so, their bodies would have to be sent to earth and buried in order for them to rise from the earth to meet Christ in the air.  Why will Jesus bring only His “mighty angels” with Him?

The Holy Scriptures tell us the following: Those who have died since Abel are still dead and in the earth.  No human being except Jesus Christ has ever lived in heaven.  No other human being will ever live in heaven.  All human beings will, at their appointed times, will be resurrected and brought before the judgment seat of Christ.  Each will be judged by the Holy Scriptures.  L.J.