Christ, the Firstfruits of Those Who Have Fallen Asleep

Christ, the Firstfruits of Those Who Have Fallen Asleep

“But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” 1 Cor. 15:20.

The fact that Jesus is called the firstfruits is powerful evidence that He partook of flesh and blood like we. This is an unspeakable consolation for us, and Peter says that we have been born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. 1:3.

We know that the firstfruits have the same body and are of the same kind as the other fruits. When we look at our corruptible bodies, we do not have much hope of the resurrection. However, Jesus had exactly the same corruptible body and the same body of death. Heb. 2:14-18. All their lifetime people were in fear of death and subject to bondage. Jesus Himself had to call out and pray with vehement cries and tears in the days of His flesh to be saved from death. He was to become the captain of our salvation and free us out from this bondage. His prayer was heard because of His godly fear. In the Swedish Bible it says that He was taken out of His fear. Heb. 5:7-9.

Jesus had to go the way to life which He has taught us to go. He has become our forerunner. Heb. 6:20. Jesus says, “Narrow is the gate and strait is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matt. 7:14. The “narrow gate” indicates that we have to forsake everything so we can say like Jesus when He came into the world, “Behold, I have come . . . to do Your will, O God.” Everyone has to begin with exactly the same surrender on the way that leads to life. Then we have to follow Jesus on the strait way, which is obedience. These are Jesus’ steps: Not My will, but Your will! This way leads to life with absolute certainty. It succeeded for Jesus, and when He was raised up, all of us received hope. According to the flesh He was born of the seed of David. It was the same flesh and the same body that we have.

Death entered into the world through disobedience. Jesus conquered death through obedience, and when He was sitting at His Father’s right hand, He sent the Spirit to those who are obedient to Him. Acts 5:32. It was in this Spirit that He Himself overcame the flesh of David and the will of man which was the root cause of death; and in this same Spirit He presented His body to do God’s will, which He did with such faithfulness that He never committed sin. He went the way of life so faithfully that His body did not see corruption. And in this same Holy Spirit we can receive guidance and strength; we can follow Jesus on the way that leads to life. Then we belong to Him. And just as surely as Jesus arose as the firstfruits, we will follow Him in the same order. 1 Cor. 15:23.

God be praised who has opened our eyes so we can see the way, and has touched our hearts so that we have become willing to go this way. God be praised who has taken us out of this religious deception that Jesus has gone the way in our stead because we either could not go this way or because there was no way for us to go. Does this mean that Jesus became our forerunner without anyone being able to follow Him? Does this mean that He consecrated this way without anyone being able to walk on it? Heb. 10:20. An extremely large number of people have been bewitched by the harlot so that they do not believe it is possible to follow Jesus. All of them are enemies of the cross of Christ—not of the cross of Calvary on which Jesus died, but of the cross of Christ on which He put to death His flesh and His will, as He plainly said we, too, must do by denying ourselves and taking up our cross daily if we want to follow Him. They are enemies of this cross. But then they also have their belly as their god, and their minds are set on earthly things. Phil. 3:18-19. Just take note of these religious windbags who speak about nothing but what Jesus has done for them; but they don’t speak about following Him. Their minds are set on earthly things!

Brothers, we need to work amid this form of godliness—all this religious darkness—to establish the obedience to the faith. Rom. 1:5. What are we going to do with the Holy Spirit then? Well, a whole mass of deceived people cry out that there are going to be signs and wonders. Paul answers that we shall put to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit so we will live; but if we live according to the flesh, we shall die. Rom. 8:11-14. In other words, you have to follow Jesus on the way to life by the Spirit.

“Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” Heb. 13:20-21.

The Shepherd leads and the sheep follow Him. The God of peace brought up our great Shepherd of the sheep from the dead. Are you in that flock that follows Him? Do you sense the Shepherd’s work with you to perfect you in every good work? Do you sense that He is working in you to please God in everything? Then you are blessed. Rejoice and be glad, for death shall not have dominion over you either. Brothers, in this connection Paul says that our work is not in vain! 1 Cor. 15:58. Abound in the work of the Lord; it shall succeed for us and for those with whom we are working. As a large flock of sheep we will be gathered together with our great Shepherd in the air with transformed bodies. We are going to be along in making the way busy which Jesus consecrated. Therefore, since we have this ministry, we proceed with great boldness.