Doctrinal Mastery: 1 Corinthians 15:20–22

“In Christ Shall All Be Made Alive”

Christ is seen with marks on his hands, dressed in a white robe.

In a previous lesson, you learned that because of the Savior’s Resurrection, all of Heavenly Father’s children will be resurrected (see 1 Corinthians 15:20–22). This lesson can help you memorize the doctrinal mastery reference and key scripture phrase for 1 Corinthians 15:20–22, explain the doctrine of the Resurrection, and apply principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge in a real-life situation.

Student preparation: Invite students to ponder experiences they know of when someone’s loved one passed away. Ask them to come prepared to discuss the challenges in these experiences and how faith in Jesus Christ can help those facing these challenges.

Possible Learning Activities

This doctrinal mastery passage lesson is designed to be taught after the lesson “1 Corinthians 15:13–28,” which is the contextual lesson for the doctrinal mastery passage 1 Corinthians 15:20–22. If this doctrinal mastery passage lesson needs to be moved to a different week, be sure to teach the corresponding contextual lesson during that week as well.

Memorize and explain

President Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) taught that “of all the events of human history, none is so significant as the resurrection of the Son of God” (“The Empty Tomb Bore Testimony,” Ensign, May 1988, 65).

Use truths from 1 Corinthians 15:20–22, such as because of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, everyone will be resurrected, to explain why the Savior’s Resurrection is the most significant event in human history. Include why it is significant for you personally.

Invite a few students to share their explanations with the class. Determine if students need additional instruction about the doctrine of the Resurrection before moving forward with the lesson.

Take a moment to memorize the scripture reference and key scripture phrase for 1 Corinthians 15:20–22. The following steps provide one way to do this.

Invite students to keep the paper they use in this activity to reference in a future lesson.

At the top of a piece of paper, write the scripture reference and key scripture phrase 1 Corinthians 15:20–22: “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.”
Fold the top of your paper down so that you can’t see what you wrote. Then write as much of the scripture reference and key scripture phrase as you can from memory.
Unfold the top to check your accuracy and correct any errors.
Repeat this process until you are able to write the scripture reference and key scripture phrase perfectly from memory.

Practice application

Because of the Fall of Adam and Eve, each of Heavenly Father’s children who experience mortality on earth will die (see 1 Corinthians 15:21–22). When we experience the death of someone close to us, we understandably feel grief. Although these experiences are different for everyone, understanding and applying the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ can help with that grief.

The following scenario is an example that could be used for the practice application activity. Alternatively, other scenarios could be used, like a personal experience, a student’s experience from their preparation for class, or the experience shared by Sister Reyna I. Aburto of the Relief Society General Presidency in her talk entitled “The Grave Has No Victory” (watch from time code 4:22 to 4:49). This video is available on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

Elder S. Mark Palmer of the Seventy described his parents’ experience with the death of their daughter before they learned about the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Watch “Our Sorrow Shall Be Turned into Joy,” available on ChurchofJesusChrist.org, from time code 3:27 to 4:26, or read the statement below.

8:51

My father and mother were sheep farmers in New Zealand. They enjoyed their life. As a young married couple, they were blessed with three little girls. The youngest of these was named Ann. One day while they were on holiday together at a lake, 17-month-old Ann toddled off. After minutes of desperate searching, she was found lifeless in the water.

This nightmare caused unspeakable sorrow. Dad wrote years later that some of the laughter went out of their lives forever. It also caused a yearning for answers to life’s most important questions: What will become of our precious Ann? Will we ever see her again? How can our family ever be happy again?

(S. Mark Palmer, “Our Sorrow Shall Be Turned into Joy,” Liahona, May 2021, 88–89)

When have you or someone you know experienced similar feelings to those of Elder Palmer’s parents after the loss of a loved one?
How might not knowing about Heavenly Father’s plan of salvation make these situations even more challenging?

The principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge can help us faithfully endure difficult situations like the one the Palmer family experienced.

Imagine that you are friends with one of Ann’s older sisters, who is now struggling with questions and challenges after losing Ann. You feel prompted to write her a letter of encouragement and support. Alternatively, write a letter and give it to someone you know who would benefit from it.

Before giving students time to individually write their letters, consider dividing them into pairs or small groups and inviting them to discuss the questions listed below that relate to the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge. Students could be placed in groups of three, with each person in the group being assigned one of the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge to study and teach the others in their group about.

Invite them to use insights from their preparation for class as they do the following activity.

To prepare to write this letter, read paragraphs 5–8, 11 in the “Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge” section of the Doctrinal Mastery Core Document (2022). Look for and mark words, phrases, scriptures, or truths that you feel would be helpful to the person you’re writing to.

How could trying to see the person you’re writing to as Heavenly Father sees them change what you write to them?

Write a letter to Ann’s sister or to someone else of your choosing. Include insights from the three principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge.

Consider some of the following ideas as you write.

Display the following ideas for students to see as they write.

Act in faith

What might acting with faith in Jesus Christ look like in their situation?
How can acting with faith in Christ help us endure loss?
What is an experience you or someone you know has had where acting with faith in Jesus Christ helped in enduring a similar challenge?

Examine concepts and questions with an eternal perspective

What truths about Heavenly Father and His plan could be comforting in the situation of the person you’re writing to? Why?
How could having an eternal perspective help them know how to respond in their situation?

Seek further understanding through divinely appointed sources

What phrases from 1 Corinthians 15:20–22 would be helpful to them? Why?
What other divinely appointed sources would help them develop faith in Jesus Christ?

Consider concluding your letter by sharing your testimony.

Invite willing students to share their letters with the class. Encourage them to use the principles of acquiring spiritual knowledge to guide them during challenges or questions in their own lives.

Doctrinal mastery review

At the beginning or end of an upcoming lesson, spend no more than three to five minutes reviewing the scripture reference and key scripture phrase for this doctrinal mastery passage. Invite students to find the folded paper they used to memorize 1 Corinthians 15:20–22. With the paper folded so that they can’t see what they wrote before, invite students to try and write the reference and phrase from memory. If they can’t do it without help, invite them to unfold the paper and review it as necessary. They can continue folding and writing until they can write the reference and phrase from memory.