1 Corinthians

Monday, 6 April 2015

It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. 1 Corinthians 15:43

Paul is speaking of the form of the resurrection, responding to the question which had been asked, “With what body do they come?” Like the previous verse, he gives contrasting thoughts. When our current body dies he says, “It is sown in dishonor.” Why do we bury bodies? The answer is because they quickly begin to degrade and become offensive to the senses, and so we secret them away because of the shame (the dishonor) which occurs in them. This state of decay is a direct result of something else which is shameful, sin.

When Adam sinned against the Lord, he hid himself and covered himself with fig leaves. There was dishonor in what occurred. When the man sinned, he died spiritually. Further, as a result of this spiritually dead condition, the Lord told him he would also die physically. He would return to the dust from which he came. After this, the Lord clothed him with a tunic of skin, thus covering him. All of this indicates that shame and dishonor is associated with this life in which we live. The stain continues in all men because all are in Adam and thus all have sinned. The result of this is death. And the result of death is being “sown in dishonor.”

However, for those in Christ, the seed that is planted will be “raised in glory.” There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ. Sin is no longer imputed to us because we have moved to Christ. Therefore, when this body of sin is taken away, what comes from it will be glorious. The Greek word for “glory” is doxa. It carries the meanings of, “honor, renown; glory, an especially divine quality, the unspoken manifestation of God, splendor.” The fallen image of Adam will be replaced with the glorious image of Christ.

In addition to this, Paul notes that, “It is sown in weakness.” Our human lives are exceedingly frail. Our bodies are susceptible to all kinds of limitations and potentially catastrophic occurrences. We cut easily, bones break, sickness is always around the corner from infections, pollens, viruses, etc. The earthly body that we exist in is temporary and degrades in just a few decades. At the end or our days, it is sown in this same weak condition and degrades even more swiftly until it is nothing but dust once again.

However, for those in Christ, the seed which is planted “is raised in power.” As Paul is giving contrasts, the word for power is to be taken as the opposite of “weakness.” It is the Greek word dunamis. It can carry a host of meanings including physical strength, endurance, and the like. The “weakness” spoke of frailty and eventually death. The “power” then is speaking of robustness, hardiness, and life. We will not be susceptible to the same limitations and ultimate termination that we now face. Instead, a whole new order of existence will be realized.

Life application: At this time, we can only imagine the state of our future body in relation to what our current body is like. We can make logical assumptions of what lies ahead, but we cannot know exactly what it will be like. However, we can be certain that our bodies will be fitting for being in the presence of the God of glory, and they will be sufficient to last us for all eternity there in that wondrous place.

Lord God, Christ arose conquering death for all who place their faith in Him. This is what the Bible proclaims. I want a ride on that train, a walk on that path, and a future with that certain guarantee. I want what Jesus offers! I believe and I receive. Jesus Christ died for my atonement and He rose for my justification. I receive the Gift and I call on the name of the Lord Jesus. Hallelujah and Amen!

Sunday, 5 April 2015

So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. 1 Corinthians 15:42

Paul now begins to respond to the question in 1 Corinthians 15:35 with specific details. These are based on the analogies he provided in verses 36-41. This particular verse is responding to verses 36-38. The seed went into the ground in corruption, it sprang into a new and exciting form, and yet it was the same life which went into the ground. The analogy has been given, it is appropriate, and Paul confirms it with the words, “So also is the resurrection of the dead.”

What happens with the seed will also be the case with those who die. This then is speaking of the form of the resurrection, not the manner. Their body “is sown in corruption.” When a believer is planted in the ground, they decompose and return to the form of the basic elements from which they were taken, eventually becoming nothing but dust once again. But this is not the end of the story. Like the seed, the body of the believer will change and it will be “raised in incorruption.”

This change will take place and its results will be explained in greater detail in verses 51-54. The body we now have is corruptible; the body we will be given will be incorruptible. The body we have now is prone to weakness, sickness, fractures, infection, etc; the body we will receive will not have such characteristics of corruption. Instead, like the body of the plant which is completely different than the seed, the body of the believer will be completely different from what we now experience.

Life application: Unless we have observed a particular type of seed being planted and growing into a plant, we could never guess what that plant would actually look like and what its characteristics would be. The same is true with our resurrection bodies. We cannot fully imagine what lies ahead. But we can know that it has been planned by the Creator of all things. Because all things are possible to God, we can be certain that what lies ahead for us will be marvelous. If you’re struggling with some human weakness today, just remember that it is but a temporary and light affliction compared to the glory which awaits!

Heavenly Father, the older I get, the closer I am to my inevitable end. And as that approaches, so come the difficulties with my aging body. My eyes aren’t as strong, my joints ache a bit more, a bout with the flu is more difficult to overcome, and those around me that I have known and loved have begun departing in ever-increasing numbers. And yet, I am not dispirited. I know that this is the way of life and that You have a far better way ahead, reserved for me because of the resurrection of Jesus. I too will share in that honor when old things will have passed away. I know that all things will be made new. I cherish the thought of what is coming. Amen.

Saturday, 4 April 2015

There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. 1 Corinthians 15:41

In the previous verse, Paul noted that there are “also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.” This verse now is not explaining that, but rather it is confirming the truth in another way. Just as there are different types of flesh on the earth, there are different types of glory in the sky above us.

When we look up, we don’t see just one object in the sky. Rather we see different objects at different times and they have a variety of purposes. First, “there is one glory of the sun.” The sun rules the day time. It provides heat to the world and it lights the day. God purposed this. It is a certain distance from the earth so that the right amount of heat and light arrive for life to continue.

There is also “another glory of the moon.” When the sun is hidden from our sight, the moon is often there reflecting the light of the sun. It appears closer or farther away at various times and it can go from a tiny sliver to a full circle as it moves. It serves God’s purposes in a variety of ways for the benefit of His creatures on earth.

And Paul notes that there is even “another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.” Not only do the stars differ in the glory they radiate on earth in comparison to the sun and the moon, but they also do so in comparison to one another. They are set in the heavens and often appear as groupings which we call constellations. The North Star remains fixed in one spot. Some stars appear bluish, others have a silvery or reddish tone. Every one of them is there for a purpose and not one is unknown to God (see Psalm 147:4).

Genesis 1:14-19 notes that each and all of these heavenly orbs have a purpose according to the wisdom of God –

“Then God said, ‘Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years; ¹⁵ and let them be for lights in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth’; and it was so. ¹⁶ Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. ¹⁷ God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, ¹⁸ and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. ¹⁹ So the evening and the morning were the fourth day.”

Life application: If God has put such minute care into the structure of the heavenly bodies, which were placed there as “signs and seasons” for man, then how much more can we be certain that God cares for man! And if in our fallen state He attends to us, then how much more attention can we hope for when we receive our resurrected bodies! Whatever He has planned for our eternal abode, we can trust that it will be magnificent.

Lord God, there is careful attention to the layout of the heavenly bodies so that they show us Your plan of redemption and also signs of events which occur at fixed and preset times. If You have done this for our benefit so that we can see Your mighty hand at work, then how much more do You care for us, for whom these things were ordained! We can look to the heavens and trust that You who created them have a good plan and purpose for those You have redeemed. Great are You, O God, and greatly are You to be praised! Amen.

Friday, 3 April 2015

There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 1 Corinthians 15:40

If this verse isn’t read as a part of the whole paragraph and one immediately goes to the next verse (verse 41), it may leave the misperception that verse 41 is explaining verse 40; that the “celestial bodies” are the sun, moon, and stars mentioned next in verse 41. This however, would not properly explain Paul’s use of wording. Instead, it would “provide a false antithesis to ‘bodies terrestrial'” (Pulpit Commentary).

In other words, Paul has three separate groupings from verse 39 to 41 –

Verse 39 – flesh; men, animals, fish, birds
Verse 40 – bodies; celestial bodies, terrestrial bodies
Verse 41 – glory; sun, moon, stars (and star from star)

The word for “celestial” here is epouranios. It signifies that which is heavenly. It is used 19 times in the New Testament and it is consistently speaking of a heavenly matter, meaning a spiritual one. One of those 19 examples will help clarify what this means –

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶ and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:4-7

In this, the word “heavenly” is speaking of the “spiritual” realm of heaven, not the cosmos where the sun, moon, and stars are. We are currently seated with Christ in God’s redemptive plans even though we have not actually arrived there yet. This is the type of “heaven” that the word signifies.

Understanding this, we can properly perceive what Paul is writing about here. It is not specifically angels, but “heavenly” beings. These are being contrasted to earthly, or “terrestrial,” beings. This same word, epouranios, will be used 3 times in verses 48 & 49 when speaking of our resurrection bodies which will be like the resurrected body of Christ. Therefore, Paul is showing us a taste of that now by placing this comparison between two examples of natural types of bodies – those in verse 39 and those in verse 41.

As noted, this is not speaking specifically of angels, but it is a comparison to such heavenly beings. This is stated by Jesus concerning those of the resurrection in Matthew 22:30 –

“For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven.”

To further substantiate this, we can see a similar analogy of the resurrected bodies to stars. This is found in Daniel 12 –

“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,
Some to everlasting life,
Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
³ Those who are wise shall shine
Like the brightness of the firmament,
And those who turn many to righteousness
Like the stars forever and ever.” Daniel 12:2, 3

And so we can see in this verse, Paul is using both of the natural types of bodies (those of verse 39 and those of verse 41) as examples to help us understand the difference between the heavenly and the earthly bodies of verse 40.

Life application: Whatever our coming heavenly bodies will be like, they will be amazing. They will be so vastly superior to what we are clothed in now, that we should rejoice at the thought of heading off to be with Jesus. Let us not fear the temporary hold of physical death. It has no mastery over us!

Heavenly Father, eternity sure is a long time. If the bodies we have now wear out after a few decades, how amazing our coming resurrected bodies must be! They will endure throughout the ages of ages and still be able to keep going. They will be able to assimilate a continuous stream of information without getting overloaded in the mind, and they will be able to stand in Your presence, not in fear of being consumed, but in the joy of being ever-invigorated. Personally, I can’t wait! No fear here. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Amen.

Thursday, 2 April 2015

All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds. 1 Corinthians 15:39

Paul is still answering the question found in verse 35 – “How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?” After those questions, he used the seed as an example we could grasp. Put a seed in the ground and out comes a plant, and yet it is the same life. So why should it be considered impossible for the resurrection body to be substantially different than the earthly body while still being the same person?

To highlight this further, he notes that, “All flesh is not the same flesh.” The word flesh here denotes the body as much as the material with which the body is made. Each animated being has a body unique and perfectly suited for the environment in which it lives. Thus he notes that “there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds.”

The body of man is given to man based on his capabilities. He was given dominion over the earth and in order to fulfill that, he was given hands to grasp, legs to run, a mind to think, etc. But he was also given the ability to swim in the ocean. With the development of technology, he can swim under the waters, even for extended periods of time. And because of technological developments he can also fly. Thus man has a body which is designed by God to fulfill the commission he was given.

The animals all have their own bodies, each suited for the purpose God intended. Squirrels eat nuts, but they also store them. Sometimes, those nuts are forgotten, covered over by mud from a flood, or maybe even the squirrel dies, leaving the nut uneaten. When this happens, the nut sprouts into a tree. And so squirrels serve a purpose in this way, helping to sew new forests or continue forests that exist. This is just one example in an almost infinite variety of things that various animals do with the bodies they have been given.

Paul notes also that there is “another of fish.” If flesh were flesh without variety, then we would think it impossible that a being could live under water. We would have no concept of something that could accomplish this feat. But there are fish. Because there are, we can see that life can live and thrive where we cannot. So why should we think it is impossible that we will someday be given bodies that are substantially different than the ones we have now, ones which are able to live and act in a way we cannot yet comprehend?

Paul finishes this verse with, “another of birds.” Will we be able to fly in our resurrected bodies? Birds can fly even though we can’t. They have another type of flesh than we have. They have been designed to do what birds do. Like the squirrel, many birds provide transporting services for seeds and nuts. As they do, new life springs up. Along with this, they live their lives doing all those things that birds do, working harmoniously within the realm for which they were designed.

A final thought concerning animal life and the resurrection body would be to consider the butterfly. It transforms into its beautiful state from a mere caterpillar. If this is possible within the natural creation, why should we assume that it is impossible for the resurrection body to be wholly different than what we now know while still being the same life-force that we always have been, memories and all.

Life application: If we have nifty bodies that can do really amazing stuff now, imagine what God has prepared for us in our resurrected bodies! Don’t be afraid of death, it is a temporary and necessary step on the way to amazing glory.

O God! A caterpillar becomes a butterfly because this is what You have ordained for it to do. It is the same life-being and yet it is a completely different form than it once was. All things have come from Your wisdom and we can accept them because we see them. Help us to have faith that the same Word which created the butterfly can also resurrect us to eternal life. You have spoken it will happen, and so we can be confident it will come to pass. Thank You for Jesus who makes it possible. Amen.