What awaits those who die in Christ? How does Christ transform our mortal bodies into a body like His? Paul explains the wonderful transformation that comes when Christ resurrects us and ends the reign of death. The gift of grace brings us true, everlasting life that conquerors death just as Jesus triumphed over His death and lives! This truth and hope moves us forward in our journeys of faith.
Hope that you will enjoy the pictures of spring in this post. I chose these pictures to represent new life and growth that comes as we walk with Christ in this journey of faith. Check out my YouTube channel for new encouraging content.
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Helpful commentary for this passage
https://biblehub.com/commentaries/benson/1_corinthians/15.htm
The Coming New Body! 1 Corinthians 15:35-49
The Resurrection Body
35But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” 36You fool! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37And what you sow is not the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or something else. 38But God gives it a body as He has designed, and to each kind of seed He gives its own body.
39Not all flesh is the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another, and fish another. 40There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. But the splendor of the heavenly bodies is of one degree, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is of another. 41The sun has one degree of splendor, the moon another, and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.
God gives us a body for this life and another even more glorious body for eternity! Recall that God resurrects everyone! Those Christ redeems are resurrected as well as those who will be eternally separated.
The Imperishable, Glorious Body!
42So will it be with the resurrection of the dead: What is sown is perishable; it is raised imperishable. 43It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being;” the last Adam a life-giving spirit.
46The spiritual, however, was not first, but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. 48As was the earthly man, so also are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. 49And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so also shall we bear the likeness of the heavenly man.
Remember that Jesus has a glorified body after His Resurrection. The Gospels mention Jesus as physically existing after His death. Jesus’ wounds were visible–the scars and the disciples recognized Him. He wasn’t a ghost. He eats fish with them and appears at will. Our resurrected bodies will be of the same type as Jesus.
1 Peter 1:3-9 Resurrection gives us a living hope!
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials 7so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
8Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9now that you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Peter reminds us that we are born again in Christ! Jesus’ Resurrection completes the redemption that allow us to experience “living hope.” We have hope because Christ is victorious. This hope enables us to rejoice even when suffering. Our suffering refines our character and faith which brings glory to God. God is glorified when we stand firm in Him! Even when we don’t understand the “whys” or have answers, faith endures and glorifies God. Faith is a journey with mountain high experiences and valleys of doubt and difficulties! We believe in One whom we can’t physically see or “prove” exists.
Death Finally Defeated! 1 Corinthians 15:50-55
50Now I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
51Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.
54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come to pass: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
55“Where, O Death, is your victory?
Where, O Death, is your sting?”
This passage is typically read during funerals. It’s a great promise and truth! Death isn’t the end nor permanent! Those who follow Christ are with Him in heaven after passing through death. We will see them again and enjoy eternity with them! Because Jesus rose again and the grave couldn’t hold Him–we have a precious hope when facing death and loss. While this promise doesn’t remove sadness or grief–we have to work through those long, dark seasons–we know that these are just seasons and that eternity awaits.
Victory, No Labor for Christ is Vain!
56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
58Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Christ’s victory is our victory! Peter reminds us: 1 Peter 1:13-16
13Therefore prepare your minds for action. Be sober-minded. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance. 15But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, 16for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
This great hope prepares us for action. We’re to set ourselves upon hope in His grace as we become more holy as He is. Grace and hope sustains us on this pilgrimage of faith! The end goal is to grow in holiness and become more like the One whom we seek.
Put on Your New Self in Christ! Colossians 3:1-4
1Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
We are to prepare for His coming by striving for “things above.” Better yet, our lives are hidden with Christ in God. What does it mean to be hidden with Christ? It means that we identify ourselves with Christ and God instead of the world. This concept is explained in the following article:
https://www.gotquestions.org/hidden-with-Christ-in-God.html
To know Christ is to be transformed by Him! Consider that Peter, James, John, Matthew and the other early believers died for the belief that Jesus was Savior, Victorious over the grave. Are you amazed at how God changes the Disciples from the Gospels to the Acts of the Apostles? It’s an amazing transformation! May God do likewise in us as we trust and seek Him daily in our pilgrimages of faith!
May God’s grace, hope, and truths encourage you as you face difficulties and persevere in your faith journey!
Words of Grace, Truth, and Hope 