Paul is going to explain the Gospel.
1 ¶ 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.
8 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.
Jesus died for our sins and was buried and rose. Many people including Paul then saw Him.
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.
12 ¶ Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
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.
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
If people are not “raised” then they are in sin and will perish.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
19 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 first fruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.
People will be “resurrected from the dead” or “made alive” at Jesus’ “Second Coming”.
24 Then cometh the end (goal Strong’s #5056), 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.
The so-called “end” or “goal” mentioned in 1 Cor 15:24 is the thing that Paul was trying to “Attain” in Philippians 3:9-11. It can be summarized as “the righteousness that comes from God through faith in Christ”.
Keep in mind here that God’s grace teaches us to do what is right and Grace is given only to those who humble themselves before God.
Paul wanted more grace. He wanted to be “literally” conformed to the image of Christ or be made right through His maintaining faith in Christ Jesus, Phil 3:9.
This is not the righteousness that comes through the law, where a person appeals for forgiveness after they have sinned. This righteousness from God through faith in Jesus means that God has transformed Paul into a person who does not sin and always does what is right.
When this is attained or achieved Jesus hands the kingdom over to the Father.
Jesus “puts down” all authority and power and delivers the Kingdom to God. This is called the “End or goal” (Strong’s 5056) of our faith, Phil 3:21 and 1 Peter 1:9.
25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
28 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?
Being baptized for the Dead or into Christ’s death to sin (Romans 6:2,3 and 11) is the same thing as being resurrected from the dead in Phil 3:9-11 and 1 Peter 2:24.
Baptized for the dead is the term that Paul uses in 1 Cor 15 and it refers to the process of trying to attain the resurrected life of Christ in Phil 3:9-11.
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.
Paul is being baptized into Jesus’ death to sin or conforming to His death (Phil 3:10-11) “daily”. He is seeking to imitate Jesus’ resurrection.
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 tomorrow 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.
35 ¶ But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
Paul addresses this topic here in 1 Cor 15 and again in 2 Cor 4:6-12.
2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
8 ¶ We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.
11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
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.
39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
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:
Paul is referring not to His body after physical death but to His body at that time, as He tries to attain the resurrected life where He does not sin. John refers to this concept in 1 Jn 3:2-3.
1 John 3:2 (YLT) beloved, now, children of God are we, and it was not yet manifested what we shall be, and we have known that if he may be manifested, like him we shall be, because we shall see him as he is;
1Jo 3:3 and every one who is having this hope on him, doth purify himself, even as he is pure. (YLT)
John is saying that it had not yet been revealed what we would be like after physical death.
The concept of the “spiritual body” Paul refers to in 1 Cor 15 cannot be referring to a body after physical death. It refers to the truth that Paul referred to in 2 Cor 4:11.
2Co 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
John’s understanding of this concept is reflected by Paul’s statements showing that the Christian while in a corrupt state must “put on” incorruption, as is seen in the following verses.
43 It is sown in dishonour (the seed is buried in baptism); it is raised (resurrected) in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
Our spirit or inner man inherits the kingdom.
2Co 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. (KJV)
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 (Strong’s 4493 – casting) of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Mt 14:28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. (KJV)
29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
Christians need to continue to look at Jesus and not cast their eyes on the troubles in the world in order to put on incorruption while in this body.
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.
Interruption is the “End” of our faith (1 Tim 1:5 and 1 Pet 1:9) referred to in 1 Cor 15:24.
1Ti 1:5 ¶ Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
1Pe 1:9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. (KJV)
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 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.
(KJV)