Daily Scripture Reading 1Corinthians 15:33-58

A constant reality of humanity through all ages has been the reality of death. Every person eventually dies. No one lives on earth forever. Furthermore, we can’t see what happens after death. We can’t see if we go to an afterlife or cease to exist. This causes most people to fear death and mourn when death takes place.

Much money and skill has been expended over the centuries searching for a fountain of youth or a magic lifestyle which would allow people to avoid death and live forever. If such a thing could be found, then people would not need to fear death.

We will see in today’s passage that while our physical bodies cannot avoid death, there is a way to avoid the sting of death. As Christians, we can triumph over death.

Yesterday, we read from the first half of chapter 15 in which Paul proclaimed the centrality of the resurrection. If there is no resurrection, then Jesus did not rise from the dead, which means our faith is in vain. If there is no resurrection, then instead of serving Jesus, we would be better off living life for ourselves.

1Cor. 15:33 Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.”

At first glance, this verse appears to be a random statement unrelated to the context. This statement about bad company corrupting morals is a self-contained truth, but Paul did not erratically insert it here. He had a reason for doing so.

There were people in Corinth who denied that people can rise from the dead. If you draw the logical conclusion from that belief, then eventually you would conclude that humans should eat and drink until we die. That mentality would lead to a selfish life full of sin. This means keeping company with bad people who deny the resurrection would eventually corrupt good morals.

1Cor. 15:34 Become righteously sober-minded, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.

This verse informs us some of the people in the church at Corinth had no knowledge of God. That is a stunning problem. It is no wonder Paul used the word “shame”.

Unfortunately, biblical illiteracy is so bad in the 21st century that I believe many Christians, or so-called Christians, in our churches today also have no knowledge of God. They have heard of Him and know His name, but they do not understand His true character. They picture God as a happy, jolly Santa Claus who never does or says anything mean. That is not an accurate understanding of God. Many people believe a good God would not allow people to suffer or send people to hell. Those people have no knowledge of God.

1Cor. 15:35 ¶ But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?”

1Cor. 15:36 You fool! That which you sow does not come to life unless it dies;

Note the word “fool” which means Paul said something that is not nice. Contrary to what many believe, there are times when we should not be nice.

1Cor. 15:37 and that which you sow, you do not sow the body which is to be, but a bare grain, perhaps of wheat or of something else.

1Cor. 15:38 But God gives it a body just as He wished, and to each of the seeds a body of its own.

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

1Cor. 15:40 There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another.

1Cor. 15:41 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.

1Cor. 15:42 ¶ So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a corruptible body, it is raised an incorruptible body;

1Cor. 15:43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;

1Cor. 15:44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

The natural world gives us many illustrations of resurrection. Just as you sow a seed and not a stalk of grain in order to grow a stalk of grain, and just as the seed needs to die before it grows, so too the human body needs to die in order to live forever, but in the resurrection it becomes something different than our earthly body.

1Cor. 15:45 So also it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

1Cor. 15:46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual.

1Cor. 15:47 The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven.

1Cor. 15:48 As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly.

1Cor. 15:49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.

1Cor. 15:50 ¶ Now I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the corruptible inherit the incorruptible.

1Cor. 15:51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,

1Cor. 15:52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed.

1Cor. 15:53 For this corruptible must put on the incorruptible, and this mortal must put on immortality.

1Cor. 15:54 But when this corruptible puts on the incorruptible, and this mortal puts on immortality, then will come about the word that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory.

1Cor. 15:55 O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?”

Throughout human history, humans have feared death. Much effort has been expended searching for the fountain of youth so that people would not have to die. Death causes sadness and despair in most people.

As Christians, we have a different outlook on death. We do not need to fear death. Death is not a hopeless ending. Instead, death is the beginning of an eternity which we will spend in heaven with Jesus. Therefore, for Christians, death has no sting.

1Cor. 15:56 Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law;

1Cor. 15:57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!

1Cor. 15:58 ¶ Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Sometimes serving Jesus seems pointless and unrewarding. However, we should persevere because even if we are not rewarded here on earth for serving Jesus, we will be rewarded in eternity.

Most people fear death and try to avoid it. As Christians, we do not need to fear death because we will triumph over death. After our existence on earth has come to an end, we will spend eternity in heaven with Jesus.

What emotions do you experience when people die?

What emotions do you experience as you think about your future death?

How well have you grasped the reality that, as a Christian, you will triumph over death and death has no sting in your life?

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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”