Paul was dead certain that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and therefore dead certain that the dead in Christ will also rise again. He was certain that those who die in Christ will rise again like Christ and therefore he was certain that this truth will shape how Christians live. Certainty is a theme of the text before us. But certainty, in this context, is more than mental assent; it must make a difference to the way we live. We will unpack this text under three broad headings:

1. Dead Certainty about the Resurrection (vv. 20–22)

2. Dead Certainty about the New Creation (vv. 23–27a)

3. Dead Certainty about the Consummation (vv. 27b–28)