Christian Basics Bible - Flipbook - Page 30
1 Corinthians 15 • page 1320
from the dead? And if there is no resurrec
tion, “Let’s feast and drink, for tomorrow
we die!”* 33 Don’t be fooled by those who say
such things, for “bad company corrupts good
character.” 34 Think carefully about what is
right, and stop sinning. For to your shame I
say that some of you don’t know God at all.
The Resurrection Body
But someone may ask, “How will the dead
be raised? What kind of bodies will they
have?” 36 What a foolish question! When
you put a seed into the ground, it doesn’t
grow into a plant unless it dies first. 37 And
what you put in the ground is not the plant
that will grow, but only a bare seed of wheat
or whatever you are planting. 38 Then God
gives it the new body he wants it to have.
A different plant grows from each kind of
seed. 39 Similarly there are different kinds
of flesh—one kind for humans, another for
animals, another for birds, and another for
fish.
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There are also bodies in the heavens
and bodies on the earth. The glory of the
heavenly bodies is different from the glory
of the earthly bodies. 41The sun has one kind
of glory, while the moon and stars each have
another kind. And even the stars differ from
each other in their glory.
42
It is the same way with the resurrection
of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted
in the ground when we die, but they will
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be raised to live forever. 43 Our bodies are
buried in brokenness, but they will be
raised in glory. They are buried in weak
ness, but they will be raised in strength.
44
They are buried as natural human bodies,
but they will be raised as spiritual bodies.
For just as there are natural bodies, there
are also spiritual bodies.
45
The Scriptures tell us, “The first man,
Adam, became a living person.”* But the
last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving
Spirit. 46 What comes first is the natural
body, then the spiritual body comes later.
47
Adam, the first man, was made from the
dust of the earth, while Christ, the second
man, came from heaven. 48 Earthly people
are like the earthly man, and heavenly
people are like the heavenly man. 49 Just as
we are now like the earthly man, we will
someday be like* the heavenly man.
50
What I am saying, dear brothers and
sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot
inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying
bodies cannot inherit what will last forever.
51
But let me reveal to you a wonderful
secret. We will not all die, but we will all be
transformed! 52 It will happen in a moment,
in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet
is blown. For when the trumpet sounds,
those who have died will be raised to live
forever. And we who are living will also be
transformed. 53For our dying bodies must be
transformed into bodies that will never die;
Christ’s resurrection and ours
Christ’s resurrection from the dead is so foundational to Christian faith that Paul
says, “If Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith
is useless. . . . And you are still guilty of your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:14, 17). But the
Resurrection did in fact take place, as Paul makes clear in introducing this section
(15:1-9). And it is through Christ’s resurrection that we can be sure that death is
conquered, sin is forgiven, new life is given, and victory is assured (15:12-28).
Paul describes Christ as “the first of a great harvest of all who have died” (15:20).
The first part of the harvest, or firstfruits, assured that the rest of the crop would
follow, and it was dedicated to God as a sign of thanksgiving and faith (e.g., Exodus
23:19; Leviticus 23:9-14). In describing Christ as “the first of a great harvest,” Paul
sees his resurrection as God’s pledge that the rest will follow; that is, that those
who believe in him will also be raised from the dead. When we die, our spirits will
go to be with Christ in heaven (e.g., John 14:1-3), but when Christ returns, there will
be a great resurrection. We will be given transformed, glorious, immortal bodies,
just like Christ’s resurrection body (1 Corinthians 15:35-49), so we can live in God’s
Kingdom in all its fullness (15:50-57).
