Bible Plan - 1. Corinthians

01th September 2025

Devotion by Deacon Thomson Imonopi

Theme: Unleash to save the never dying Soul

Fortified City Church & Love City Church, Basel

🕊️ A Devotional on 1 Corinthians 15

📖 Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 15

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Introduction

In this devotional, we will focus on the first 23 verses of 1 Corinthians 15. In the next devotional, we will continue with the remaining verses.

Paul wrote this letter to the believers in Corinth because there was a debate about the resurrection of the dead. Some struggled to believe that anyone could rise again after death

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The Debate in Corinth

Obviously there was a debate about the resurrection of the dead among the believers at Corinth when Paul the Apostle wrote this particular epistle. He had preached the gospel unto them and emphasized that Christ died for the sins of mankind according to Isa 53:5-12 and that God raised Him from the dead as foretold in Ps 16:8-10 where the Psalmist who was under the influence of the Holy Spirit emphasized:

“For Thou will not leave my soul in hell; neither will Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption.” (Ps 16:10, NLT)

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Jesus’ Suffering and Hope

Jesus went to hell! Yes He did. He did so that you and I would not have to go there if we believe what He did for us. He suffered shame, reproach and violent beating and torture all because of you and me. As a matter of fact, He did all of this by faith, hope and love.

He believed God the Father would raise Him from the dead and would not abandon Him in hell. He undertook the task of redemption because of His love for mankind, then He went to hell being full of a confident expectation that the Father would raise Him up, that confident expectation is called hope.

Ps 16 is a Messianic Psalm. It was written under the unction of the Holy Spirit to foretell a future event.V. 9: “Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.”

Did you see that? “MY FLESH SHALL REST IN HOPE.”

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Paul’s Response to Doubts

Paul the Apostle addressed the argument among them because some had carnal thinking. They couldn’t fathom how a dead man could rise again. They thought once a man dies, that is the end of it all!

“Now if Christ be preached that He rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?” (1 Cor 15:12, NLT)

In earlier verses, Paul mentioned certain names from Peter (Cephas) to the 500, some of whom were still alive at the time of his writing, so they could go confirm. He mentioned James and all the apostles, then finally himself.

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The Foundation of Faith

In conclusion, Paul the Apostle emphasized that if Christ did not resurrect from the dead, then our faith in God that He would also raise us up and that we would spend eternity with Him after this short life is baseless and is in vain.

That will simply imply that we have only served God, denying all ungodliness and all the appetites of the flesh in vain. Those were the issues addressed by Paul in those verses.

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Christ the Firstfruits

Then he concluded that segment by describing Christ as the first fruits of those who slept (died). He reiterated that since Christ rose up from the dead, all who sleep (die) in Christ, will ALSO rise from the dead at His coming.

“But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the Firstfruits of them that slept.For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.But every man in his own order: Christ the Firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at His coming.” (1 Cor 15:20-23, NLT)

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🙏 Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for dying and rising again so that we may have eternal life. Strengthen our faith in Your resurrection and fill us with hope that we too will rise with You. Help us to live each day in love, faith, and confident expectation of Your return. Keep our hearts fixed on the promise of eternal life with You. Amen.

Amen,

Deacon Thomson Imonopi

Fortified City Church | Basel City Church | Global Prayer Hub