1Cor 15:54-55 | KingComments | STEP | . So a great change must happen before we are able to enter heaven and dwell in the place where God and the Lord Jesus dwell. Our body is, as a result of sin, perishable and must therefore “put on the imperishable”. ‘Perishable’ means that our body is constantly deteriorating. How many efforts you make to keep your body in good condition and do a lot of physical training, it will stop one day. Even if you remain healthy (you cannot claim health), you will notice at a certain moment that you can no more do everything that you formerly were able to. Therein you can see that perishableness. Our body will get rid of that process of deterioration when it is raised imperishable and has put on the imperishable. Additionally, our current body is mortal. That is not suited for heaven. Therefore our body must “put on immortality” – we shall receive that with the return of Christ. The ageing process and death will no longer have a hold over our body. So it is not only a body that cannot die anymore and will remain to live in all eternity, but death will never get a chance to rule anymore. . When will be the moment that the word “death is swallowed up in victory” comes true? That is when all the redeemed will have been raised from the graves. The resurrection will actually take place in some stages. The first stage becomes a reality with the coming of the Lord Jesus to gather the church. He will not then return to earth. He shall raise all believers who have ever lived on earth and catch them up together to meet Him in the air. The proof of this is written in 1 Thessalonians 4 ( ). After the rapture of these believers, there will still be believers who will die. Those are the believers who came to faith after the rapture. Many of them will have to pay for their confession of faith with their life. That will mainly happen during the great tribulation that will take place after the first stage of the resurrection. In Revelation 6 and 13 you read about these believers ( ). Nevertheless they participate in the millennial government of Christ. This is what is written in Revelation 20 where they are mentioned ( ). Thus they are raised before Christ accepts His government. That is the second stage and then the first resurrection has been completed ( ). Then perishableness and mortality belong to the past. They are replaced by imperishableness and immortality. The victory over death is complete. That death as the last enemy still has to be abolished, does not make any difference to the victory. That is only the execution of the verdict, as it is described in sober words in Revelation 20 ( ). Death cannot exert its terror anymore. It will never happen again that a believer is laid in a grave. . Therefore the words of this verse sound as a triumphant cry of victory, whereby death is challenged, as it were, to show its victory and its sting. But death does not have an answer anymore. When all believers are withdrawn from the realm of death through the resurrection from the dead and the ‘metamorphosis’ (transformation) of the living , then death has lost its control over the bodies of the dead and living believers forever. . Previously death had a strong weapon with which it could defeat people and that was sin. Sin is called here the sting of death. Death and sin have made an obscure alliance together. Through sin death entered the world and sin drags all men into death. The law makes it worse because it brings the sinful and rebellious will of man to light. After all, the law proposes nothing more than a number of rules for man to obey them. And what becomes clear? That man doesn’t keep the rules, but breaks them. He is not able to keep the law because sin works in such a powerful way. The law proves the power of sin. The letter to the Romans has made clear that there is nothing wrong with the law. It is man who is wrong. . Fortunately, God did not let us continue to struggle forth in this unequal fight. We were the losers, but God gave us the victory in the gift of His beloved Son. Yes indeed, He gave! It is a gift that we were able to accept through grace. We did not have to do anything for it. Every effort we made to escape the fear of death and to win the battle against sin, resulted again and again in failure and defeat. Praise God! He gave the victory. On the cross at Golgotha the Lord Jesus abolished sin; when He rose from the grave He abolished death. Although we do not see the entire result of it yet, we know by faith that He has achieved a complete and eternal victory. God already sees the final result and we can see that too by faith. What else can you do than to thank God? . Thus, everything is prepared for the future. But how do you reflect on your further life here on earth? You still live in a world where death is exerting its power. The Lord Jesus still has not come yet to transform your body. That means that you still have a task to fulfill. The final verse of this chapter starts with “therefore” and thus refers to the previous verses. If you have understood something of those verses, you will be able to find a great motive to commit yourself totally “in the work of the Lord”. Looking forward to that great transformation is quite an exhortation to “abound” in the work of the Lord and not just give a little bit of your time and energy for it. You are called to be “steadfast” and “immovable”. That is necessary, for there will surely be much resistance if you decide to live for the Lord Jesus. Be sure that there will always be voices that are trying to convince you that you can slow down a bit. That voice can be from yourself or others can tell you for example that you surely need some rest. Of course you should not deal recklessly with your health, but your commitment is important. Perhaps you may also have to deal with much hostility that might discourage you. Therefore: be steadfast and immovable; keep going and be persistent. From the previous you are sure of one thing: your toil is not in vain in the Lord. It would have been in vain and useless if there was no resurrection. But the resurrection is a fact and when that happens, the reward will be handed out. Everything you do or abandon for the Lord’s sake, He will reward. I want to point at a mistake. Some people think that a person can only do ‘work for the Lord’, if he or she doesn’t have a job in the society anymore and can dedicate all his time to spiritual matters. That is a misconception. Each Christian is called here to abound in the work of the Lord. Your work in society, whether you go to school or your occupation with housekeeping, are included. You may do everything for the Lord ( ). That gives luster to the most common occupations. ‘Abound in the work of the Lord’ does not mean that you should lose yourself in all kinds of earthly activities. It means that you are focused to do the will of the Lord, even in the simplest activities. Now read 1 Corinthians 15:53-58 again. Reflection: What is the best motivation to always abound in the work of the Lord?

‏ 1 Corinthians 15:54-55

Labor Is Not in Vain In the Lord

1Cor 15:53. So a great change must happen before we are able to enter heaven and dwell in the place where God and the Lord Jesus dwell. Our body is, as a result of sin, perishable and must therefore “put on the imperishable”.

‘Perishable’ means that our body is constantly deteriorating. How many efforts you make to keep your body in good condition and do a lot of physical training, it will stop one day. Even if you remain healthy (you cannot claim health), you will notice at a certain moment that you can no more do everything that you formerly were able to. Therein you can see that perishableness. Our body will get rid of that process of deterioration when it is raised imperishable and has put on the imperishable.

Additionally, our current body is mortal. That is not suited for heaven. Therefore our body must “put on immortality” – we shall receive that with the return of Christ. The ageing process and death will no longer have a hold over our body. So it is not only a body that cannot die anymore and will remain to live in all eternity, but death will never get a chance to rule anymore.

1Cor 15:54. When will be the moment that the word “death is swallowed up in victory” comes true? That is when all the redeemed will have been raised from the graves. The resurrection will actually take place in some stages.

The first stage becomes a reality with the coming of the Lord Jesus to gather the church. He will not then return to earth. He shall raise all believers who have ever lived on earth and catch them up together to meet Him in the air. The proof of this is written in 1 Thessalonians 4 (1Thes 4:17).

After the rapture of these believers, there will still be believers who will die. Those are the believers who came to faith after the rapture. Many of them will have to pay for their confession of faith with their life. That will mainly happen during the great tribulation that will take place after the first stage of the resurrection. In Revelation 6 and 13 you read about these believers (Rev 6:9 ; Rev 13:15-17). Nevertheless they participate in the millennial government of Christ. This is what is written in Revelation 20 where they are mentioned (Rev 20:4). Thus they are raised before Christ accepts His government. That is the second stage and then the first resurrection has been completed (Rev 20:5).

Then perishableness and mortality belong to the past. They are replaced by imperishableness and immortality. The victory over death is complete. That death as the last enemy still has to be abolished, does not make any difference to the victory. That is only the execution of the verdict, as it is described in sober words in Revelation 20 (Rev 20:14). Death cannot exert its terror anymore. It will never happen again that a believer is laid in a grave.

1Cor 15:55. Therefore the words of this verse sound as a triumphant cry of victory, whereby death is challenged, as it were, to show its victory and its sting. But death does not have an answer anymore. When all believers are withdrawn from the realm of death through the resurrection from the dead and the ‘metamorphosis’ (transformation) of the living , then death has lost its control over the bodies of the dead and living believers forever.

1Cor 15:56. Previously death had a strong weapon with which it could defeat people and that was sin. Sin is called here the sting of death. Death and sin have made an obscure alliance together. Through sin death entered the world and sin drags all men into death.

The law makes it worse because it brings the sinful and rebellious will of man to light. After all, the law proposes nothing more than a number of rules for man to obey them. And what becomes clear? That man doesn’t keep the rules, but breaks them. He is not able to keep the law because sin works in such a powerful way. The law proves the power of sin. The letter to the Romans has made clear that there is nothing wrong with the law. It is man who is wrong.

1Cor 15:57. Fortunately, God did not let us continue to struggle forth in this unequal fight. We were the losers, but God gave us the victory in the gift of His beloved Son. Yes indeed, He gave! It is a gift that we were able to accept through grace. We did not have to do anything for it. Every effort we made to escape the fear of death and to win the battle against sin, resulted again and again in failure and defeat. Praise God! He gave the victory.

On the cross at Golgotha the Lord Jesus abolished sin; when He rose from the grave He abolished death. Although we do not see the entire result of it yet, we know by faith that He has achieved a complete and eternal victory. God already sees the final result and we can see that too by faith. What else can you do than to thank God?

1Cor 15:58. Thus, everything is prepared for the future. But how do you reflect on your further life here on earth? You still live in a world where death is exerting its power. The Lord Jesus still has not come yet to transform your body. That means that you still have a task to fulfill. The final verse of this chapter starts with “therefore” and thus refers to the previous verses. If you have understood something of those verses, you will be able to find a great motive to commit yourself totally “in the work of the Lord”. Looking forward to that great transformation is quite an exhortation to “abound” in the work of the Lord and not just give a little bit of your time and energy for it.

You are called to be “steadfast” and “immovable”. That is necessary, for there will surely be much resistance if you decide to live for the Lord Jesus. Be sure that there will always be voices that are trying to convince you that you can slow down a bit. That voice can be from yourself or others can tell you for example that you surely need some rest. Of course you should not deal recklessly with your health, but your commitment is important. Perhaps you may also have to deal with much hostility that might discourage you. Therefore: be steadfast and immovable; keep going and be persistent. From the previous you are sure of one thing: your toil is not in vain in the Lord.

It would have been in vain and useless if there was no resurrection. But the resurrection is a fact and when that happens, the reward will be handed out. Everything you do or abandon for the Lord’s sake, He will reward.

I want to point at a mistake. Some people think that a person can only do ‘work for the Lord’, if he or she doesn’t have a job in the society anymore and can dedicate all his time to spiritual matters. That is a misconception. Each Christian is called here to abound in the work of the Lord. Your work in society, whether you go to school or your occupation with housekeeping, are included. You may do everything for the Lord (Col 3:17). That gives luster to the most common occupations.

‘Abound in the work of the Lord’ does not mean that you should lose yourself in all kinds of earthly activities. It means that you are focused to do the will of the Lord, even in the simplest activities.

Now read 1 Corinthians 15:53-58 again.

Reflection: What is the best motivation to always abound in the work of the Lord?