Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church
500 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 678106
The opposition and severe persecution which came to him in Ephesus as likened to being thrown into a den of wild beasts and be torn apart. These beasts are a reference to evil men who sought to take his life and thwart the work of the gospel.
He speaks here of the dangers that he was exposed to daily that is life-threatening. Despite these dangers, he was courageous and trusted in God to accomplish the gospel work. He rejoices over the spiritual conversions and progress made in the spiritual lives of the Corinthian church.
The Apostle Paul preached the gospel without apology, boldly declaring the truth, often facing great persecution. He acknowledged that it took courage on his part to persevere. God’s grace sustained him. He lived a life often hanging by thread, facing great dangers because of his persecutors.
William MacDonald said well, “At the time Paul wrote, there was fierce persecution against those who took a public stand for Christ. This persecution was especially vicious at the time of their baptism. It often happened that those who publicly proclaimed their faith in Christ in the waters of baptism were martyred shortly thereafter. But did this stop others from being saved and from taking their place in baptism? Not at all.”
This world seemed to be running amok. There is a sense that things go out of control, out of order. We hear of wars and rumours of war. There seemed to be no true peace. The day is coming when Jesus Christ has to return to bring order to His created world. For all who know Him as Saviour, it will be a day of rejoicing. But for those who do not know Him, it is a day of wailing.
Christ by His resurrection from the dead overcome the curse of God upon the creation of man after his fall. It was a process of great length that the Father has to send the Son to accomplish the victory over the last enemy, namely, death. From prediction to fruition and the final consummation spans the entire history of mankind since his creation and to the end of the age.
The Apostle Paul described death as the last enemy that shall be destroyed with the resurrection of the dead in the consummation of the age. Death has been the greatest impasse for mortal men since the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Death was first defeated at the cross when Jesus Christ suffered and died for the sins of men and rose from the dead three days later.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is a testimony to the resurrection of the dead in the time when Christ returns to bear rule over all the earth. He will return the dead in Christ to glory at His coming. The world seemed to be derailing itself as men sought war as a means of resolving their conflicts. Weapons and better weapons are the answers to broker peace in a fallen world where might is right.
The first fruits will be an indicator of the quality of the harvest to come. Because Jesus rose from the dead, He is described as the firstfruits of the bumper harvest of the souls of believers that will be raised from the dead and given a glorified body like that of Jesus after His resurrection from the dead. This will take place when Jesus Christ returns. I believe that Jesus’ coming again is soon. The church needs to be ready.
God made a coat of skin to cover their nakedness and take away their shame. This was a pre-figuring of the coming of the Christ that will take away the sin of the world and restore to man life. In the fullness of time, Christ Jesus was born and lived a perfect life and died to pay the sins of men and Jesus rose again from the dead the third day, victorious over sin and death.