After presenting the RESURRECTION as a KEY FACT of the
GOSPEL (I Corinthians 15:1-4) and its COMPELLING TESTIMONY from MANY WITNESSES (I Corinthians 15:5-11)
and its REDEMPTIVE NECESSITY by CRITICAL ARGUMENTS (I Corinthians 15:12-19,29) - Paul gives the TRIUMPHANT CONCLUSION, "BUT NOW is CHRIST RISEN
from the dead, and become the FIRST FRUITS of them that slept" (I Corinthians 15:20)
At each TIME of RESURRECTION there will occur a "FULNESS
(FILLING UP TO COMPLETION)" of the RECONCILED CREATION - FIRST in the HEAVENLY sphere and THEN in the EARTHLY
sphere (Ephesians 1:10 cf.Colossians 1:20)
REDEEMED ISRAEL (I Peter 2:9-10 cf.Hosea 1:9-10)
as the Lord's "PECULIAR TREASURE" will be a ROYAL NATION of PRIESTS and will be "ABOVE ALL"
the PEOPLES of the EARTH (Exodus 19:5-6) reflecting the LORD'S GLORY to ALL the NATIONS (Isaiah 60:1-3)
Thus, CHRIST as "the FIRST FRUITS of them that slept"
(I Corinthians 15:20), i.e. as "the FIRST BORN from the dead" He will have the
PREEMINENCE (Colossians 1:18) in God's RECONCILED CREATION - for ALL is "BY HIM" (Colossians 1:20)
Israel's FIRST FRUITS of the LAND (Leviticus 23:10)
is a TYPE of CHRIST, Who is "the FIRST FRUITS of them that slept" (I Corinthians 15:20)
The Lord likens the SOWING of SEED (the FALL PLANTING)
to DEATH and its subsequent BRINGING FORTH of FRUIT (the SPRING HARVEST) as a TYPE of the RESURRECTION (John 12:24)
However, (PHYSICAL) DEATH still REIGNED from ADAM to Moses
(Romans 5:14)
- even though SIN was NOT being IMPUTED TO (ACCOUNTED TO) man (Romans 5:13),
because this "BONDAGE of CORRUPTION" (Romans 8:20-21) is man's INHERITANCE from ADAM (Romans 5:12)
By ONE MAN (CHRIST) came (PHYSICAL) RESURRECTION (I Corinthians 15:21)
and "so they which receive abundance of GRACE and of the GIFT of RIGHTEOUSNESS shall REIGN in (PHYSICAL) LIFE
by ONE, Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:17)
His (PHYSICAL) DEATH brought the believer RECONCILIATION
WITH GOD (Romans 5:10
cf.Romans 5:1)