1 Corinthians 15:35-41

                                                                 1 Corinthians 15:35-41

But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?”  You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.  And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain.  But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body.  For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish.  There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another.  There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

 

Death is scary for all of us because it is often painful, and it is unknown.  We do not know many things about what will happen after we die because it is a reality that we do not experience on earth in our current life.  God has revealed some things to us but many things remain a mystery.  This mystery cases some to doubt or outright deny the resurrection.  Paul seeks to inform us of concerning the resurrection, so it is not so frightening or mysterious.

 

DEATH PRECEDES THE RESURRECTED BODY: Death is a necessary ending to our current life on earth.  We were created to enjoy eternal life.  The only way for us to pass from our current earthly and temporary life is by death.  Paul compares it to the process of a seed being planted in the soil.  The seed must die so that an entire tree can grow from it.  The new life of the tree is made possible by the death of the seed.  If the seed does not die, the tree will not exist.  As difficult as death may be for us to imagine or experience, we must recognize that it is necessary.  

 

GOD PROVIDES THE RESURRECTED BODY: How a seed transforms into a tree is a part of the mystery of creation.  The body we will receive in the resurrection will be determined by God.  He has created all kinds of bodies with different qualities that can be observed here on earth.  Humans, animals, birds and fish all have different kinds of bodies as determined by God.  The form and qualities of our resurrected bodies is also determined by God.  Certainly, there will be resemblances to our former bodies and it seems we will be recognized as the same persons we were in our first bodies.  However, there will be drastic and observable changes according to the will of God. 

 

GLORY PREVADES THE RESURRECTED BODY: While both the earthly body and the heavenly body are created in the image of God, they are different.  Both bodies can be described as glorious because of the way they reflect God’s image.  However, the glory of the heavenly body is different and greater than that of the earthly body.  Both the sun and the moon are seen as glorious, but their glory is far different from one another.  God is a glorious God.  His image is being restored in us through the resurrection that results from redemption from sin in Jesus.  We will experience a glory in or resurrected bodies that we cannot imagine in our current, sin cursed, bodies.

 

APPLICATION: We need not fear death if we have placed our faith in Christ.  Trust God to provide just the right type of body which we can enjoy for eternity.  Live in hope of experiencing a glory that will be eternal and extraordinary.  Be thankful that we can live and die with this promise of eternal and glorious life.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Isaiah 54:1-17

Hope is a wonderful blessing from God, without which we would be vulnerable to all kinds of destructive tendencies in our lives.  Today’s society is marked by depression, anger, fear, anxiety and self-righteousness, in large part, because of the sense of hopelessness that prevails in our culture.  Isaiah writes to a people who are about to be taken into captivity because of their sin.  God knows that they will feel rejected, threatened and hopeless so He reveals His future plans for the nation in order to give them hope in the midst of the coming trial.  Hope is the expectation of good based upon the promises of God.  Many times when our lives are marked by the sins mentioned above it is because we have forgotten or failed to focus upon the promises of God’s Word. THE PROMISE OF GOD: From the very first day that God revealed His plan for the nation of Israel, He promised numerous descendants.  God chose Abraham, not because he was more righteous than any of the other people of his
Read more

1 Timothy 1:3-7

As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not   to teach any different doctrine,   nor   to devote themselves to myths and endless   genealogies, which promote   speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.    The aim of our charge is love   that issues from a pure heart and   a good conscience and   a sincere faith.    Certain persons, by   swerving from these, have wandered away into   vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law,   without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.   There will always be false teachers that come into the church attempting to distract people from the truth and destroy people’s faith.  When this happens, it is the job of spiritually mature leaders to confront these false teachers and correct their teachings.  However, it is important that this correction be accomplished with the right motives and methods. 
Read more

1 Timothy 2:11-15

Let a woman learn quietly   with all submissiveness.    I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet.    For Adam was formed first,   then Eve;   and Adam was not deceived, but   the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.    Yet she will be saved through   childbearing—if they continue in   faith and love and holiness, with self-control. There is certainly controversy and confusion about this passage in many churches today.  The idea of a distinction between men and women and their roles in the family and church certainly goes against the flow of many cultures around the world.  Some would argue that the literal and plain teaching of this passage is no longer applicable to today’s culture.  However, it is always dangerous to discard biblical teaching or try to interpret Scripture based on the cultures in which we live.  Certainly, the Spirit who inspired this text was aware of the many changes that would occur in future cul
Read more