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It must include millions who have died in heathen lands not ever having the opportunity
of hearing the Word of God or the Christ of the Word. These are dealt with in
resurrection along the lines of Rom. 12: 12-16.
It should be hardly necessary to say that this is not universalism. Adam and Christ are
the respective `heads' of this company and as all the true seed are "in Adam", even so
they will all be made alive in Christ. But not all at once. There is no Scriptural basis for
one general resurrection as is often held, for the next verse in the chapter we are studying
says:
"Each one, however, will be brought to life in his own rank: Christ Himself as the
firstfruits, then, at His coming, those who belong to Christ" (15: 23, 100: K. Barrett).
Let us not forget that I Corinthians was written during the Acts period when the
Second Coming of Christ was imminent. The resurrection of the Lord having taken
place, the next thing that believers eagerly awaited was His early return and the bringing
to life of those believers who had already died. I Thess. 4: 13-18 makes this quite clear.
The truth of the Mystery in Ephesians and Colossians had yet to be revealed and
therefore finds no direct reference in I Cor. 15:
The Apostle continues:
"Then cometh the end, when He shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father;
when He shall have abolished all rule, and all authority and power. For He must reign,
till He hath put all His enemies under His feet . . . . ." (I Cor. 15: 24, 25 R.V.).
Verse 24 reads literally, "then the end" and if we stop reading here we might assume
that directly after the second Advent of Christ the termination of all things take place. It
is however important to note that telos, end, means goal as well as end in time, the
completion or conclusion of a purpose or object. Matt. 26: 58 and James 5: 11 are
examples of this.
The goal the Apostle had in view is stated in verse 28 "that God may be all in all", but
the intervening verses make it clear that this is not attained at once. "Then" of verse 24
is dependent upon the two occurrences of "when" which follow. There is the abolishing
of all rule and the subjugation of all enemies and until this is secured, Christ reigns
(verse 25) which must cover a period of time.
Allowance must therefore be made for this reign with the objects stated, namely to put
"all things under His feet". There is no ground for the amillennial view that the winding
up of all things takes place immediately at the Second Advent. The goal is not arrived at
in an unbroken sequence. The Lord Jesus we repeat, reigns as King until all enemies are
subdued. These are included in the words "all rule and authority and power". Col. 2: 15
teaches that the work on the cross is the basis for the destruction of "principalities and
powers" who are hostile to God and His children. They are linked with death in the
closing verses of Rom. 8:, over which the believer is "more than conqueror". On the
other hand Col. 1: 16-20 shows that some principalities will be reconciled. When all
enemies of God have been abolished and all the redeemed brought into line or