1 Corinthians 15:23
“But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then those who are Christ’s, at his coming.”
What does 1 Corinthians 15:23 mean?
Paul is describing the sequence of resurrection in a way that would comfort the Corinthians who were worried about what happens to believers who die before Jesus returns. Just as a farmer's first harvest of grain assures him that a full harvest is coming, Christ's resurrection is the guarantee and pattern for what will happen to his followers. When Jesus comes back, everyone who belongs to him will be raised to new life in the same way he was, each in their proper time and order. There's a reassuring logic here: Christ has already gone through resurrection, so his people can trust they will too.