As Paul says, it is clear that the Father is not put under the feet of the Lord Jesus. Rather it is true that God is putting all things under the feet of Jesus. When this has been accomplished the Lord Jesus Himself will be subject to God so that God may be All in all.

Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead? (I Corinthians 15:29)

Nowhere in the Scriptures is it suggested that we should be baptized on the behalf of dead people. We do not believe that Paul was endorsing this practice. Evidently Paul was using the fact that some people made a practice of being baptized on behalf of the dead to prove that the dead indeed will be raised. Paul's implication is that their position was unsound in that on the one hand they were denying the resurrection and on the other hand being baptized on behalf of dead people.

An alternate explanation is that some believers were waiting until they were near death before they were baptized. Paul then would be asking, if there is to be no resurrection, why would they be baptized just before they died?

And why stand we in jeopardy every hour? I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ our Lord, I die daily. If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die. Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. (I Corinthians 15:30-33)

Paul seems to be saying here that his testimony of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and of our consequent resurrection, had brought much trouble to him. He continually was in danger. Perhaps he was referring to the people of Ephesus as "beasts," indicating that he had suffered at their hands as he sought to bring the witness of the resurrection to them.

"Let us eat and drink. Let us have a good time. Tomorrow we die and there will be no resurrection, no giving an account of our behavior. Since this is true, why bother to endure such pain?"

"Don't be deceived," Paul warns. "To talk and think as though there is to be no resurrection will have a bad effect on your behavior."

So it is today. The believers have been taught that if they will take the four steps of salvation they will receive a body like that of the Lord Jesus, and after receiving such a body they will live in a mansion of gold in Paradise forever.

If this is true, why put to death their flesh with its appetites and lusts?

The teaching of the Kingdom of God, of the resurrection of the dead, is that each believer will be faced with the consequences of his behavior by being given a body that contains within itself the good he has practiced and the evil he has practiced. Some will be exceedingly glad because their patient discipleship has formed for them a glorious robe of radiant righteousness. Others will bear the contempt of the onlookers because their resurrected flesh and bones will reveal the spiritual nakedness of their personalities. They have sown to the flesh and have reaped corruption as a result.

To be continued.