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 of 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 first fruits, 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.  

(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 response to problems in the Church he founded there and Chapter 15 is Paul’s defense of the doctrine of the resurrection.  Some in Corinth were saying the resurrection of the dead had already taken place; some were denying the resurrection of the dead – Paul is writing this letter to the Corinthians to warn them that a denial of the resurrection of the dead was a denial of the Gospel and denial of hope for this world and the next.

Paul writes of the historical bodily resurrection of Christ Jesus from the dead with certainty and then he addresses the implications of the resurrection.  He compares the risen Christ to the first fruits – in the Old Testament this referenced the first fruits from seed that was planted.  These first fruits were a sign and promise that more would come.  Christ is the first fruit and Paul is saying this is proof that bodily resurrection of more will occur.  Adam – the first Adam – brought about death for himself and the human race but Jesus as the last Adam brings life for all men.  Christ’s substitute death and resurrection will bring about a sequence of events as ordained by God before time began.  Christ will be first and the faithful next – finally the unbelieving dead will be raised.  There will be the reign of Christ when all His enemies are defeated and then the kingdom will be handed to the Father.  The last and final enemy is death and then the mortal bodies of the faithful will be resurrected as transformed bodies fit for the presence of God – removing the sting of sin and resulting in victory over death.  And forever God will be all in all.