But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (21) For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection from the dead. (22) For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. (23) But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. (24) Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. (25) For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. (26) The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. (27) For “He has put all things under His feet.” But when He says “all things are put under Him,” it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted.(28) Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.

The first letter to the Corinthians was written by the apostle Paul. In this chapter Paul first proves the fact of Christ’s resurrection and moves to the certainty of the resurrection of His people. False teachers in Corinth denied this doctrine which was a primary principle of the gospel which Paul preached and in which their salvation depended. To deny the resurrection of the dead is to deny the resurrection of Christ and to make the apostles false. Man’s union with the first Adam is the cause of death. From Adam we derive a corrupt and enfeebled nature. Union with Christ (believers) is the cause of life and the future of the body and soul. Paul writes that “in Christ” the faithful all shall be made alive – the universal resurrection of believers.

Our verses unfold successive stages of God’s purposes: the resurrection of Christ, then after the purpose of the present age is accomplished, His Second Coming. Then the resurrection of those who belong to Christ who will overthrow all His enemies and establish His glorious rule over the earth and ultimately His delivering up the Kingdom to God that God may be all in all. Christ has not yet subdued His enemies – the last enemy is death and it will be destroyed.

What is peculiar to Christianity is the message of salvation. Some hope it is how we live that counts. Some philosophers contend that souls are immortal; but as for resurrection of the body, it never entered into the minds of any. Our hope is forgiveness of sin because of Christ who suffered and redeemed man and was raised from the dead. Christ came that He might restore everything that had been ruined in Adam. Christ is the firstfruit of resurrection and the guarantor that those in Him will be raised. His resurrection is a sample of ours.