Every man will be saved in his own order.
1 Cor 15:20-24 presents us with the type and fulfillment of the three harvest festivals:
[1] The Wave Sheaf of the very first of the firstfruits:
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the FIRSTFRUITS OF [the rest of the firstfruits awaiting resurrection in His presence] them that slept ... But EVERY MAN [all mankind, the WHOLE human race] in his own ORDER: Christ the firstfruits...
[2] The Firstfruits, the Spring Harvest:
Afterward they that are Christ's [those who are now saved] at His coming [the rest of the firstfruits that are sleeping and those alive waiting].
[3] The Fall Harvest:
Then comes the END [The Fall Harvest, the Feast of Tabernacles]. ...and the feast of INGATHERING [of the Fall Harvest], which is in the END... (Ex 23:16)
What did Jesus say would happen in "the end," at the "end of the Feast," "the last day," "the last great day of the feast?"
John 7:37-38 In the last day, that GREAT DAY OF THE FEAST, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If ANY MAN thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He that believes on Me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of LIVING WATER.
THEN COMES THE END
1 Cor 15:24 says, "Then comes the END..."
"The end" of what?
Just what is it that "ends" in "the end?"
Does the earth end? Does the universe end? Do we end? What ends in the end?
Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming [Gk: His presence]. Then comes THE END..." (2 Cor 15:24).
Let's look at a few verses before we come to "the end" in verse 24:
1 Cor 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
Contrary to popular teaching, there was no heavenly welcoming committee of men and women who became firstfruits BEFORE Christ became the FIRSTFRUIT.
No, there were no saints welcoming Christ back to heaven. Christ taught:
John 3:13 And NO MAN has ascended into heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
Jesus Christ was the FIRST.
Ask your pastor if this verse really is true, that "NO MAN" has ascended into heaven. This would then mean that Lazarus and Abraham in the Rich man parable also were NOT IN HEAVEN as most teach that they were, wouldn't it?
Among the very last few words that Christ uttered on this earth were these:
Rev 22:13 I am Alpha and Omega, the BEGINNING and the END, the FIRST and the LAST.
So yes, Christ is the first of the firstfruits. He is the first of EVERYTHING, He is the very Creator; and He is the last, the end, the CONSUMMATION of God's plan of universal salvation.
1Co 15:21-22 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.
First I want to show you that the word "alive" in this verse is a word that is used with reference to imparting immortality, and not just mortal life.
The Greek word is zoopoieo, and it means to give life beyond the grasp of any future death.
Notice how it is used in:
Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead [Christ was raised to immortality, not back to a mortal life] dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken [zoopoieo] your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwells in you.
So clearly God does not give "mortal" life to our "mortal" bodies, seeing that we already have mortal life.
No, He imparts IMMORTALITY to us. And this is exactly what Paul tells us in:
1 Cor 15:53 For this corruptible [body] must put on incorruption [spiritual], and this mortal [dying or dead body] must put on IMMORTALITY [Gk: DEATH-LESS-NESS].
And to whom does Christ grant immortal "zoopoieo" life?
Answer: "ALL."
The very same "all" who die in Adam are the very same "all" who are given life IN CHRIST.
It is also noteworthy that it is "...IN Christ ALL..." and is not restricted to only, "...ALL IN CHRIST..." as many have tried to twist this verse to mean.
They say it is only all those who are "in" Christ. But that is not what this verse says. It says "in Christ ALL." That is the order of words.
This verse is not speaking of those just the "all believers" who are said to be "IN Christ." No, this verse is speaking about the very same "in Adam ALL" who die become the very same "in Christ ALL" who are made alive.
And although this particular verse does not say that "all" are now "IN Christ," it does most definitely say that "in Christ," the "ALL" shall be shall be "made alive."
"Made alive" does not prove they are "in" Christ or that they are "saved," only that they have been given immortal life.
Then comes JUDGMENT. But don't think that therefore there is no Scripture that says they will eventually "ALL" be "IN" Christ, because there is:
Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together in one ALL ['things' is not in original texts] IN Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even IN HIM.
Christ first raises ALL to mortal life.
At a later date He gathers this same ALL into Himself.
The "in Christ ALL" (1 Cor 15:22) then becomes the "ALL IN CHRIST" (Eph. 1:10).
Every creature in heaven and earth will be ONE IN Christ! I hope you can believe that.
1 Cor 15:23-24 But EVERY man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming. Then cometh the end...
The King James starts a new sentence and a new verse with the words, "Then cometh the end..." It should, however, be a continuation of the previous sentence. There are three items in view here, not just two. The Concordant Version has a better rendering of this:
Yet each in his own class: the Firstfruit, Christ; thereupon those who are Christ's in His presence; thereafter the consummation...
One, two, three. So there are three orders or classes that synchronize with the three festivals of harvest:
[1] "The Firstfruit, Christ" (The Passover, The Wave Sheaf).
[2] "Thereupon those who are Christ's" (Pentecost, the Firstfruits).
[3] "Thereafter the consummation [the end]" (the final Fall Harvest of Ingathering in the end of the year).
These three match perfectly with the three types of harvest in the Old Testament. So yes indeed, there will be a fall harvest at the end, at the CONSUMMATION. Now the rest of
1 Cor 15:24 ...thereafter the consummation when He [Christ] shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
Notice that Christ does not rule "forever and ever" as is popularly taught, but rather delivers up the kingdom to GOD His Father.
But He does this after He puts down ALL RULE AND ALL AUTHORITY, AND ALL POWER. Who/Where? EVERYONE/EVERYWHERE!
Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together [just like the fall "ingathering of the harvest"] in one ALL ['things' is not in the Greek] in Christ, both which are IN HEAVEN, and which are ON EARTH, IN HIM.
And so here is our Scripture which clearly states that "ALL" in both heaven and earth will become "ONE IN Christ."
Now they are no longer just given life in Christ, but now they are SAVED, they are "one in Christ!"
Notice that there is coming a "GATHERING TOGETHER OF ALL IN ONE [Christ]."
And that this gathering together of all in one consists of ALL IN THE HEAVENS AND ALL IN THE EARTH! Who then is left out? NO ONE! These ALL in heaven and earth are not gathered "under" Christ, but "IN Christ!"
Let's read it again. A verse this important and all encompassing cannot be over emphasized:
Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fullness of times He might gather together IN ONE [just as in harvest time] ALL IN Christ, BOTH WHICH ARE IN HEAVEN, AND WHICH ARE ON EARTH; IN HIM.
Now then, when "ALL" in both heaven and earth are gathered into one "IN Christ," absolutely no one is left out. This is also in perfect harmony with other Scriptures regarding the salvation of everyone in both the heavens and the earth, and even those dead and six feet UNDER the earth.
Phil 2:9-11 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE should bow, of [those] in heaven, and those in earth, and those under [all who have died] the earth: And that EVERY TONGUE should confess that Jesus Christ IS LORD to the glory of God the Father.
Sometimes when something is important God gives us a SECOND WITNESS:
Isa 45:23 I HAVE SWORN BY myself, the Word is gone out of My mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto Me EVERY KNEE shall bow, EVERY TONGUE shall swear.
And when something is really important God even gives us a THIRD WITNESS:
Rom 14:11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, EVERY KNEE shall bow to me, and EVERY TONGUE shall confess to God.
It is futile to say that 1 Cor 15:22 means only the all who are "in" Christ will be saved, even though the order of words is clear in all translations.
It is not "all IN Christ" that is spoken of in this verse, but rather "in Christ ALL" that is spoken of.
But later, after resurrection, after judgment, "in the dispensation of the fullness of times", we learn that, indeed, it is "ALL in Christ" and now the "ALL" is EVERYONE IN HEAVENS AND ON THE EARTH-ALL OF GOD'S CREATURES!
By the way, for all those ultra-stubborn ones who say that, yes, all will bow their knees, and if they don't God will break their knees and force them to confess that "Jesus is LORD," let me present this Scripture:
1 Cor 12:3b ...no man CAN SAY that Jesus is the Lord BUT BY THE HOLY SPIRIT.
So then, "in Christ ALL" shall be made alive with immortal and incorruptible life; ALL both in the heavens and in the earth shall be judged (set right), and then all in the heavens and all in the earth will bow and confess that Christ is LORD of their lives; and ALL in both heaven and earth will be gathered together in ONE "IN Christ."
This is the great fall harvest. This is the meaning of Tabernacles. This is the grand and glorious note on which the ENDS OF EONS climax!
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