November 7, 2022 UNLESS IT DIES
1 Corinthians 15:36-37, 42-44, 49 “You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies; and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which it is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or something else.” “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown as a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.” “And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.”
This passage of scripture reveals a truth that is staggering! I dare say we do not give much thought to the amazing facts that are so clearly presented in these scriptures. If there are any scriptures that should give us hope and cause us to look forward and not fear death, it is these. Paul starts out rather abruptly by saying “You fool!” He say that because everyone knows that a seed must die and be buried before it brings forth new life-and the life it brings fort is different from the seed. The analogy of the seed dying and bringing forth new life is a picture of what takes place when one who knows God as Savior dies a natural death. Like a perishable seed, our present bodies are perishable; we may try to preserve it and prolong it, but we are bound to die. (It is a good thing to remember that our body is perishable-it can help us appreciate the time we have on earth.) Can we grasp the fact that our body is like a seed; when we were born, we were sown as a perishable body; yet, on that great day to come, we will be raised imperishable. (To be honest, I have a hard time even imagining such a great event.) We are sown in dishonor; we have struggles in this life, we face sickness, and our bodies are far from perfect. We were sown in weakness; we will be raised in power. We were sown a natural body; we will be raised a spiritual body. In the time we spend on this earth, we bear the image of the earthy; when we are raised, we will bear the image of the heavenly. In 1 Corinthians 15:46 Paul tells us that the natural is first, then the spiritual. We are now in the natural, or physical, but awesome events are coming; we will become immortal, spiritual beings when we are raised form the dead. This passage of scripture is a clear reminder that this earth is not our permanent home; we have a fantastic destiny to anticipate with great joy. The good news is that God does not leave us alone while we are in this natural world; even in this world, we can know and experience the love of God and be overcomers in life. Let us live with the view of all that God has planned for those who love Him.
1 Corinthians 15:51-53,55 “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
Blessings,
Buddy
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