The next to be resurrected are church-age believers—those who belong to Christ at His coming.
Using 1 Corinthians 15:23, Les Feldick explains that after Christ and the firstfruits, the next company in the resurrection order is the body of Christ, the believer of the church age. He stresses that this is not simultaneous but a later event, 'afterward' at Christ's coming. This group forms the main harvest of the first resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15:23 — This verse names Christ as the firstfruits and afterward identifies those who are Christ's at His coming, which Les teaches are church-age believers.
In 1 Corinthians 15:20, Paul writes, 'But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.' Verses 22–23 continue, 'For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.' The plain order in the text is Christ first, then those who belong to Him at His coming. The passage also shows that resurrection comes through the work of the God-man, just as death came through Adam (1 Corinthians 15:21).
Les Feldick teaches that resurrection is not one event where everyone rises at the same time. He frequently points to verse 23's phrase 'every man in his own order' as a military-style company arrangement. The first company was Christ and the Jewish believers who came out of the graves in Matthew 27—the firstfruits. The next company in the order is 'they that are Christ's at His coming,' which Les identifies as the church-age believer, the body of Christ. He says being 'in Christ' is a unique Pauline term for the Body of Christ. Later companies include Old Testament saints and tribulation saints, who are raised after the tribulation. Les also clarifies that while all will be resurrected, believers are raised to life through Christ's cross work, and unbelievers are raised later to a different end.
Les Feldick identifies this group as the church-age believer and the body of Christ. He notes that every believer of every age belongs to Christ as Creator, but the positional phrase 'in Christ' is unique to the Body of Christ and strictly Pauline. He says these believers are the next order after the firstfruits, resurrected at Christ's coming.
Les compares the resurrection to an orderly harvest: first Christ and the Matthew 27 saints as the firstfruits; then the church-age believer as the main harvest; then Old Testament saints and tribulation saints after the tribulation and a 75-day interval. He calls these three categories the first resurrection of believers. The unsaved are not raised until after the kingdom has ended.
No. Les emphasizes the word 'afterward' in 1 Corinthians 15:23 means a later time, not simultaneously. He also points out that the lost will be resurrected by the same power of God, but to a totally different end, referencing John's Gospel chapter 5.
Believers and unbelievers resurrected to different ends
Les connects Adam's death with Christ's resurrection and clarifies that believers are raised to life through the cross while unbelievers are also raised but to a different end.
After the firstfruits come those who are Christ's
Les identifies the next resurrection group as the believers of the church age—those who are Christ's at His coming.
Church-age believers as the largest resurrection group
Les places church-age believers as the largest group in the first resurrection, with Old Testament and tribulation saints resurrected later.
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But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept or have died. Now I wish I had another hour and we could qualify the firstfruits and all the rest. We can't do that in this half hour. Verse 21, for since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
'Afterward' means a later time
Les emphasizes that 'afterward' in verse 23 is not simultaneous and refers to the church-age believer, the body of Christ.
The next order is 'they that are Christ's at His coming'
Les says this next order is uniquely the Body of Christ, since being 'in Christ' is a strictly Pauline positional term.
Three categories of the first resurrection
Les outlines firstfruits, the main harvest of church-age believers, and Old Testament saints as the categories of the first resurrection.
Every man in his own company
Les describes Christ and the firstfruits as the first group, then the main harvest of the Body of Christ, then Old Testament and tribulation saints.
1 Corinthians 15:20: But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
Establishes Christ as the firstfruits of the resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15:21: For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
Links Adam's legacy of death to Christ's resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15:22: For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
Shows that resurrection comes through Christ just as death came through Adam.
1 Corinthians 15:23: But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
The key verse showing the next group after Christ and the firstfruits is those who are Christ's at His coming.
Les teaches that the firstfruits are Christ Himself and the Jewish believers who came out of the graves at His resurrection in Matthew 27. They make up the first company of resurrection people.
Yes, according to Les. The church-age believer is the next group after Christ and the firstfruits, while Old Testament and tribulation saints are resurrected later, after the tribulation.
No. Les emphasizes 'every man in his own order'—Christ and the firstfruits first, then the church-age believer, then Old Testament and tribulation saints, with the lost raised after the kingdom.
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