1 Corinthians 15:42-58
42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. 46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. 48 As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.
50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—52 in a flash, 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. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. [1]
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What struck me in today’s passage is the conclusion. This entire chapter has been dedicated to defending and explaining the resurrection, Christ’s and ours. And what is the upshot of it all? What is the “so what” of this doctrinal presentation? Stand Firm. Give yourself fully to the work of the Lord.
The resurrection is not an isolated teaching, a mere add-on to the Christian faith. Paul has made the case in this chapter that it is in fact the center of the faith, and without the resurrection there is no Christianity.
But it also has a very practical application for our lives as God’s representatives on earth. Because of the resurrection, we can give ourselves fully to the mission of God. Because of resurrection, we know that God gets the last word, and we need have no fear. Because of resurrection, we know we’re on the winning team, no matter how much it may look like the church is losing. Because of resurrection, we know that the Lord truly is Lord of all and nothing in this world can thwart His plans or His kingdom.
What are the things that hold us back from giving ourselves fully to the Lord’s work? Fear? Worry? Opposition? Now look at them from the standpoint of the reality of the resurrection.
My prayer today is that I live in the reality of resurrection so that I might give myself fully to the work of the Lord.
What is the Word leading you to pray about today?
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[1] The New International Version. (2011). (1 Co 15:42–58). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
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