THE RESURRECTION BODY

1 Corinthians 15:35-58

   Key Verse: 15:49

 “And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.”

Our God is almighty God, who is powerful, with whom nothing is impossible. Most of all, he is the Creator of the universe and everything in it. This God whom we worship and believe has revealed his great plan for us. That’s to give us resurrection glorious body. Let us pray that we may have faith in our almighty God, who even put an end to the power of sin and death, so that we may win the victory over all the powers in this world.  

I. Our Resurrection Bodies (35-49)

Look at verse 35. “But someone may ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?’” These questions are asked mainly based on a negative, cynical, and sarcastic mindset, that is, unbelief by some believers in the Corinthian church. “Huh, if it were really true, it would be terrible. Imagine decayed bodies, diseased and mutilated people rising from the ground! It’s horrible!” When they did not have faith in Almighty God, they were just limited in thought by their limited reason and knowledge. When I was an elementary student, I did not understand how it was possible that three minus five equals to minus two because I did only five minus three. In my limited knowledge, that was impossible. However, it was possible when I came to know the system and types of numbers such as integer, whole, real, complex and imaginary numbers in middle school. When I was a little baby, I did not see my mother give birth to me in the hospital. Even so, I have never doubted my mother is my biological mother and never thought she is a stepmother. Likewise, when we do not understand something in the Bible, we should not be doubtful or negative, but just accept and believe it as it says. Later on, when your faith grows you will truly understand what it means with the help of the Holy Spirit. I pray that we may believe in the resurrection whether or not we understand to the full extent. May God help us to open our spiritual eyes to see clearly the reality of the resurrection!

Even though their questions were foolish, Paul explained the resurrection of the body to them, using the metaphor of a seed. Look at verses 36-38. “36 How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.” First of all, seeds must die if plants are to come up from them. Secondly, when we plant, we do not put into the ground the final, mature plant that we expect to have; we put in only a small seed. Thirdly, seeds are very different from the plants that come from them. It is hard to tell what plant it is for just by looking at a seed. But God knows which seed produces which plant.

By the same token, our present bodies are like seeds. We first have to die in order to receive a glorious resurrection body. Our resurrection body is going to be greatly different than our present body, just as a seed is different from the plant it produces. Like the plants that come from seeds, our resurrection bodies will be beautiful and glorious, and God will determine what they will be like. This illustration of seeds and plants teaches us that resurrection of the body is not strange. Just as God made seeds and the beautiful plants that come from them, so he made he made our bodies. One day he will give a resurrection body to those who live by faith in Jesus.

Look at verse 36 again. Here we see an important principle: First death, then resurrection. This rule applies to our practical Christian life. You may have heard this: no pain, no gain; no cross, no crown. This principle points out to a problem with the believers in the Corinthian church. They were living in a city full of abundance in wealth, entertainment, and culture. There were so many things to enjoy for them. For them it seemed unnecessary and unpopular to suffer, so they might say, “What is the resurrection for? Do not suffer that much and just enjoy drinking and eating for tomorrow we die.” We have this same problem. From time to time we are inclined to enjoy glory without suffering: “No pain, but gain. No hard work, but Princeton University” This idea is just as foolish today as it was then.   

Look at verse 39. “All flesh is not the same: Men have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another.” Here we see Paul takes more examples in order to help those skeptical about a resurrection body. Among all God’s creatures there are different kinds of flesh: octopus soft and slippery flesh, hedgehog spiky flesh, dog hairy and smooth flesh, and human beings beautiful and unique flesh. Because God, who made different kinds of flesh, is the creative designer and maker, it is a sort of piece of cake that he will create a different kind of body, a resurrection body. When I see some new cars on the road, I am amazed that their new design, body, flesh and everything are not comparable to their old ones. Automaker such as Hyundai, Kia, Toyota, Honda, and BMW, they are very creative that they make a whole lot different model. 1995 and 2009 Honda Civic are totally different in quality, design, and performance even though 95 model was popular in those days. So every year when I see a new model, the previous model begins to look ugly. And also the same thing happened to cellular phones. In early 1990’s cellular phones looked like a 3’x 9’ block in size, but nowadays they became tiny enough to fit in one’s palm to carry with and improved in function and performance. In those days, I had never imagined things like I-phone or Black Berry phone. And I can continue with personal computers and laptops and you name it. Actually, I could not imagine such a great revolution of the modern technology with my limited knowledge and understanding in those days. The point being is that our present body and our future resurrection body are not comparable to each other in glory. Our creator Almighty God will present a whole lot different, new model of flesh for those who have faith in Jesus. With our limited understanding we cannot imagine what the new model looks like or do not know when it will be rolled out. But one thing is sure that our resurrection body is real.

Look at verse 40. “There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another.” Paul continues to explain about a resurrection body. Here he turns our eyes to the heavens. If we ever stop to notice, we can see that the heavenly bodies are different from earthly bodies just like what I said before about the new and old models in cars and cellular phones; they have a different kind of splendor. Earthly bodies have a splendor, but it soon fades away. Heavenly bodies, on the other hand, have a splendor that is far more glorious and awesome, and it never fades away. Next, Paul helps us notice the variety of the splendor of the heavenly bodies. Look at verse 41. “The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.” When we gaze on the splendor of the sun, moon and stars, we realize that each is glorious, and yet, each has a unique kind of splendor. For God, who made such amazing heavenly bodies, it is not hard at all to create a glorious resurrection body.

Look at verses 42-44a. “So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.” Now, Paul draws his conclusion. The bodies that we have now have many problems. Our present bodies are perishable and they age and get old. Nowadays I have many problems in my body: back pain, gum weakening, and stomach problem. When I was a teenager, it was o.k. to play soccer every day. But now I get easily tired and feel painful all over my body after I play soccer. Our present bodies are natural, literally meaning animal or flesh and blood. But when they are raised, our bodies will be quite different. They will be imperishable and they will last forever. They will be glorious, awesome and beautiful without any defect or shame. They will be powerful and spiritual.

Look at verses 44b-47. “If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. 46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven.” Here, Paul tells us even better news: through the Risen Christ we become part of a glorious new humanity. He contrasts Adam with Christ to show us what we receive from both. From Adam we all receive a physical body and a soul. From Christ we receive new life, spiritual life, and, a glorious resurrection body. More than that, we also receive a new character. Wow! Some of you might say “M. Joseph, I am so happy that I will be patient, kind, and generous even though I am now hot-tempered and get angry easily.” Still others might say “M. Joseph, I am glad that my fearful, shy, passive, sometimes depressed heart will be changed into peaceful, active, positive one.” Yes, that’s right. We will be totally different from what we are now. We would be what we were made for and what we should be in spirit and body. We are more than a conqueror. We are victor in this world and in the kingdom of God.

Look at verses 48 and 49. “As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.” Here the earthly man was Adam. What was he like? God gave him every blessing imaginable when he gave him the Garden of Eden and its stewardship. But Adam took all God’s blessings for granted. He became ungrateful to God and proud. Finally, he disobeyed God and fell into sin. He and his descendants became enslaved to sin. He was a failure.  But the man from heaven is Jesus. Here, Paul uses the present tense of the verb; not Jesus was the man from heaven, but Jesus is the man from heaven. What does it mean by that? It means Jesus is alive. When he was on earth, he humbled himself and obeyed to God to the point of death, even death on the cross. And now, after he rose from the dead and went back to heaven, he is our great high priest, mediator who intercedes for us. So when we say we grow in the image of Jesus or become more like Jesus, it means that we are more of heaven by being changed by Jesus. We are not influenced or shaken by earthly hopes because we have a heavenly hope. With that we are able to think of spiritual things: heavenly joy, peace, meaning of sufferings, forgiveness, love, righteousness, faith, and you name it. In the course of life of faith in the resurrection, we are growing in the character of Jesus: humility and obedience. I pray that God may bless all of us here to be of heaven just like Jesus so that we may be full of heavenly hope, joy, and peace in our hearts.

Read verse 49 again “And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.” This is a great promise. It is God’s amazing grace that one day, we who have borne the likeness of sinful Adam will bear the likeness of the man from heaven, Jesus Christ. Not in part, but fully! What an amazing grace and privilege! What a dramatic change! What a glory! No more ugly sin or sinful tendencies! There is no greater glory than the glory that by God’s grace we will bear the likeness of Jesus. That means we would be never discouraged by our chronic sin, totally free from the bondage of our sins. In light of the resurrection, it is not just a nice aspiration; it is a certainty; so Paul wrote, "just as ... so shall." Read verse 49 once more. This good news can be appreciated only by those who struggle sincerely against their sinful nature.  

II. Victory over Death (50-58)

Look at verse 50-53. “I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed--52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.”  Paul proclaims that the resurrection body will not be flesh and blood. It’s because they are not suited for heaven even though they are good for earth. So we cannot inherit the kingdom of God with flesh and blood. Paul continues, “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed.”  Christians who are alive when Jesus comes again will not have to die in order for their bodies to be changed.  As believers are resurrected or caught up, they will be changed (1Th 4:17).  This remarkable change will occur in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet. In this verse, “at the last trumpet,” refers to the time of Jesus’ second coming.  We don’t know when Jesus will come again.  But when he comes again, God will summon all of his people to himself.  Speaking of the coming resurrection day, Jesus said, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (Jn 14:3).  We should look forward to the appearing of the glory of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus (Tit 2:13). 

Look at verses 54-56. “54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." 55 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.” Jesus’ coming means joy and salvation to believers. But the time of his second coming is the time of condemnation and suffering for the enemies of our God.  And the last enemy, the power of sin and death, is completely destroyed by the second coming of Jesus Christ, and there will be no more sorrow and tear. So Paul cried out to this power of death, which has been made powerless, “‘Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (55-57).

Look at verse 58. “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”  In light of the glory and victory of the resurrection, what should we do? When we see everything getting swallowed up by death, when we see the power of sin, we lose the meaning even of trying. But when we remember the glory and victory of the resurrection, we can persevere. There is no regret in following Jesus because all we do in Jesus are not in vain. This was Paul’s own secret.

In conclusion we learned that the Risen Christ will come again and give us a glorious, eternal resurrection body so that we can share in his victory and inherit the kingdom of God. May God bless us with the hope of true glory, the glory of bearing the likeness of Jesus!