Death Has Died, And Jesus Christ Has Won (1 Corinthians 15:51-58)

In 1 Corinthians 15:51-58, Paul teaches that the flesh cannot inherit the kingdom of God, and in our present state, our sins and wickedness cannot be tolerated in the presence of a holy God. Paul tells the Corinthians that at the allotted time, God will change our present corrupt bodies into incorruptible bodies fit for the kingdom of God, all done in "the twinkling of an eye" (v.52). When the trumpet sounds, it will be the end of the present church age and history as we know it. The prophetic events presented in the book of Revelation will come to pass and the promised judgment of God upon a wicked world will commence for seven years (Daniel 9:27). The bodies we receive from the LORD will not be plagued with the problems we have to endure at this time. Death and disease will not be a part of God's new design for us. Hell will no longer have a hold over us, all due to the fact that the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ has made it a reality as well as the fulfillment of His promise that anyone who believes in Him will not die eternally, but have everlasting life (John 11:25, 46). The compassion He promised for all who would come to Him has been fulfilled (Matthew 9:35-36, 11:28-30). He is victorious over death, hell, and the grave and because of that, we share in the victory as well (vv.54-55).

These verses and others in the Bible (Mark 9:23, 11:24; Luke 17:6; John 1:12, 3:14-16, 5:24, 28-29, 11:26; 14:12; Acts 4:12; Romans 1:16; Hebrews 3:14; 1 Peter 2:6; Revelation 21:1-17) are confirmation that the promises of God are certain and reliable. They show the finished work of redemption by the merciful act of a gracious God through the Lord Jesus Christ. Without Him, all hope of redemption dies and all talk of it is worthless and futile. The act of redemption on our behalf (Ephesians 1:4, 2:8-10) was planned before the foundations of the world. The promise of redemption was not only for our sakes but an act of mercy upon fallen creation (Romans 8:20-22) as well. After the fall in Eden (Genesis 3), God showed Adam and Eve that while their sins corrupted their mind and body and brought death into the world because of their rebellion (Romans 5:12), He would not abandon them to eternal death. He promised that in His time, He would bring a Redeemer to the world to make all things new, and it was the Lord Jesus Christ who fulfilled that task. He was be the final and complete sacrifice for our sins, and He took upon Himself the sin debt that we could never pay in our own strength (Isaiah 53:1-12; John 19:30). Because Jesus Christ is the spotless Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world (John 1:29-34) by dying upon the cross, buried, and rising again as He promised (Matthew 16:21-23, 17:22-23; Mark 8:31-33, 9:30-32; Luke 9:21-22, 18:31-34), we now possess through Him the hope and reality of our own resurrection.

Dr. Billy Graham (1918-2018), in his last televised message to America given in 2013, said this, "There is no other way of salvation except through the cross of Christ. There is no other way to God the Father except through Jesus Christ. He says, 'I will forgive you! I will give you a new life. It's all yours. All you have to do is receive it. He's alive! I've not given my heart to a dead Christ, but a living Christ! I know where I'm going. Do you?" Because Jesus lives, we have the promise of eternal life. One day, we will be about our business, and in the next second be in the glory of heaven because we have put our faith and trust in Him. Is this an assurance that you can claim at this moment, or are you uncertain of where you will go when you take your final breath? If you have the slightest doubt, then admit before God that you are a sinner, ask Him to forgive you of your sins, confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and God raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9-10), and according to Scripture, you shall be saved.

Please do not put this off. You have no guarantee of tomorrow (2 Corinthians 6:2; James 4:14-17). Get a copy of the Bible (I recommend the New King James Version), begin reading either the gospels of Luke or John, talk with God in prayer each day, find a good Bible-believing church in your area and serve there faithfully. Always be ready to share your faith with others who need the same hope and grace you now possess in Christ (1Peter 3:15), and get ready, because He is coming soon.

donaldwhitchard@outlook.com

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