Only Believers or All Mankind?

Last week, we were introduced to 1 Cor 15:20–28. This week, we will study the first few verses of this passage and explore the solidary of believers with Christ in his resurrection. Looking, then, at the beginning of our passage, we see first of all that Paul teaches that Christ was raised from the dead, and, therefore, believers will be, too (1 Cor 15:20–22).

We remember that Paul began 1 Corinthians 15 by reminding his readers of an essential gospel truth that Christ was raised from the dead (1 Cor 15:4; cf. 15:1–11). Paul then argued that if there was no resurrection from the dead, as some claimed,  Christ Himself could not have been raised from the dead either (1 Cor 15:10–19). Paul  emphatically declared that “in fact Christ has been raised from the dead” (15:20) and then uses this truth further to argue for the resurrection of the believing dead in 1 Cor 15:20–22.

Paul first connects Christ’s resurrection to the resurrection of believers by describing Christ’s resurrection as “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Cor 15:20). The firstfruits in Lev 23:9–24 referred to the first produce of the harvest, the first of more to come. By calling Jesus the firstfruits, Paul implied that more people would yet be “raised from the dead,” namely, those who have fallen asleep (1 Cor 15:20), an obvious contrast to the claim that “there is no resurrection of the dead” (1 Cor 15:12).

Paul then explains (note the For, gar) Christ as the life-giving means by whom the resurrection of the dead is possible—“as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead” (1 Cor 15:21). Just as death came to all men through a man (i.e., by sinning and thus bringing about death as the penalty for sin; cf. Gen 2:17; 3:1–7; Rom 5:12–21), so also has the resurrection of the dead come about through a Man as well. The solidarity of man with Christ (by faith) includes sharing in His resurrection.

But who exactly shares in this solidarity is a matter of debate, and the debate is between amillennialists and premillennialists, and even among premillennialists as well. It is clear that “all” men universally “die” by being “in Adam,” for sin is the universal reality of all men (1 Cor 15:22a; cf. Rom 3:23). But when it is said that “in Christ shall all be made alive,” does Paul refer to “all” who have been savingly placed “in Christ” and thus refer to the resurrection of believers alone? Or does he refer to “all” mankind in general, and thus “in Christ” believers and unbelievers are alike are brought to physical life? Let’s explore the options.

Only Believers?

The evidence for limiting the second “all” in 1 Cor 15:22 to only believers is impressive. In Rom 5:12–21, Paul likewise points out the universality of sin and death for all men (Rom 5:12, 18–19). But, when the text speaks of “justification for all men” (Rom 5:18), those who are justified must mean only those who exercise faith, not all men universally (cf. Rom 3:28; 2 Thess 2:2).

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