2 Corinthians 7

2 Corinthians 7:1

How the Dead Are Raised

1 Corinthians 15:35. It is not very pleasant to ask a question about resurrection, when the person who replies to that, calls you “fool” (1 Corinthians 15:36). Who doesn’t have questions about the resurrection!? Though, you should keep in mind that Paul is still talking about people who do not take the resurrection seriously, which is the very case these days with so-called Christians. The question of 1 Corinthians 15:35 should be seen in that light. It is asked by a person who is not willing to be convinced that there is a resurrection. The question is only asked to satisfy his curiosity and not from an inner desire to know more of God’s dealings.

1 Corinthians 15:36. Therefore Paul rebukes the questioner by pointing out examples from nature. From those examples he could have learned some things about the resurrection. I heard about a man who was dying and who had been thinking a lot about death and thereafter. He did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. He had had a long sickbed. Out of his bed he could see the plants and the trees outside. He then noticed that in the autumn everything was, as it were, dying. Almost all colors were changing brown and the leaves fell off until there was nothing more left than bare branches. In winter everything seemed to be even dead. But what happened in the springtime? Then new life began! Buds appeared on the branches, which later became leaves and flowers. There was life after death!

This was the eye opener in his own situation. It led him to conversion and faith in the Lord Jesus. When he died, he knew that that was not the end, but that he went to his Savior and that he would even receive a new body one day.

1 Corinthians 15:37. What this man saw and noticed can be connected with what Paul is saying here. He points at the seed that is sown. That has to die first before it germinates and grows. And what is it that grows? Does it still look like a grain that has been sown? It absolutely does not look like that anymore. The grain that was sown in the ground is not the same as what comes out above the ground after a course of time. What comes out above the ground though, comes out from the grain that has been sown.

1 Corinthians 15:38. The kind of seed that is sown, determines what will come out of it. You would be very surprised when you plough up the ground, then sow grass seed into it to get a nice lawn, but instead of that get a flowing wheat field, after a course of time, wouldn’t you? That is not possible, of course. Each seed has its own body and its own inflorescence that becomes visible above the ground. This is how God has ordained it in nature. He has given everything its own body, its own shape. It is said in Genesis 1 that God made everything “after their kind” (Genesis 1:11; 21; 24; 25).

1 Corinthians 15:39. If you look around you in nature, this time not regarding the vegetation, but regarding men and the animal world, then you notice the same distinction. Man and animal are made from the same substance, namely flesh. Nevertheless, there is a huge variety of this matter. What an immense distinction God has made between men, animals, birds and fish! The examples that Paul mentions, come from the first creation, as it is originated in Genesis 1. But through the way he uses these examples, you learn that Genesis 1 has also something to say about the distinction that will be in the new creation.

1 Corinthians 15:40-41. To add more details in the distinctions, Paul now introduces the difference between the celestial and terrestrial bodies. In the previous verses he talked about the terrestrial bodies, while in 1 Corinthians 15:40-41 he goes a step higher and points at celestial bodies, as the sun, the moon and the stars. Each planet in the universe has its own special glory, which is given by God.

I just read in Psalm 19: “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands” (Psalms 19:1). All glorious things that are seen in creation are the radiation of God Himself. He Himself is the Author and Executor of everything. He wants us to see that and praise Him for that. If that applies to the first creation, how much more it applies to the new creation. The new creation consists of a new heaven and a new earth. In the new heaven and on the new earth new people will dwell. How the new heaven and the new earth will be established, you can read in 2 Peter 3 (2 Peter 3:10-13).

We return now to 1 Corinthians 15. There it is about new people, as they will appear in the resurrection. Of these people there will be people who dwell on the new earth in a body with a terrestrial glory and there will be people who dwell in the new heaven in a body with a celestial glory. Jealousy will be no issue there, for sin does not exist anymore. Everyone will praise the wisdom of God, for He will give a body to all things as is fitting for everybody.

In summary, you can learn three things from the foregoing: 1. There is talk of seed that must die first, after which a body sprouts from what looks totally different than the seed (1 Corinthians 15:37-38). 2. There is talk of the differences between the bodies that are sprouted from the seeds (1 Corinthians 15:39). 3. There is talk of the difference between celestial and terrestrial bodies (1 Corinthians 15:40-41).

1 Corinthians 15:42a. These three things are taken from the first creation in which we live and prove that there is a resurrection. The conclusion is: “So also is the resurrection of the dead.”

1 Corinthians 15:42b-44. It has been proven that there is a resurrection and that the resurrection will happen in a way that is comparable with examples from nature. Still, what we will exactly be like, is not clarified by this proof. Neither does it become directly clear in the following verses. What has become clear is that everything will be far more wonderful, without any remembrance of weakness and the corruption of an earth where sin has done its destructing work.

You may compare this with a caterpillar and a butterfly. A caterpillar pupates. It spins silk all around itself and after a course of time a beautiful butterfly comes out of it. This transformation is really unimaginable. If you compare your earthly life with the caterpillar and your resurrected body with the butterfly, you then may have some idea of the transformation that will take place in the resurrection.

Paul uses for our ‘caterpillar life’ the words “perishable”, “dishonor”, “weakness” and “natural body”. These words indicate how terribly the consequences of sin have left its scars in our terrestrial body. When we die, this is the last and clearest proof of the decay our body has suffered from birth. Then our body is put into the ground: it is “sown”.

But to the believer that is not the end! Actually there is sown because there is a resurrection. And that resurrection shows a totally different and much more glorious body. The body is raised “imperishable”, “in glory”, “in power”, and as a “spiritual body”. The words that are used here, have to do with the Lord Jesus and His work, with heaven, with God and with the Holy Spirit.

Through His work on the cross the Lord Jesus has “abolished death and brought life and immortality to light” (2 Timothy 1:10). Heaven is the place where glory is seen and experienced and where we first were not able to come (Romans 3:23-24; Romans 5:2). It is the power of God that will make the resurrection possible (Ephesians 1:19-20).

We then will have a body that does not have any natural needs anymore. It doesn’t need food and drink anymore to remain alive. The life of the resurrected body is a spiritual life, which means that the Holy Spirit provides everything that body needs and that is fellowship with the Father and the Son. From that fellowship each activity takes place, both in the millennial kingdom and in eternity, in the Father’s house.

It seems wonderful to me to be occupied undistracted with everything the Father prepared for us based on the work of His Son in a realm where there is nothing that can disturb that anymore.

Now read 1 Corinthians 15:35-44 again.

Reflection: What characteristics of the resurrected do you find in the section?

2 Corinthians 7:2

How the Dead Are Raised

1 Corinthians 15:35. It is not very pleasant to ask a question about resurrection, when the person who replies to that, calls you “fool” (1 Corinthians 15:36). Who doesn’t have questions about the resurrection!? Though, you should keep in mind that Paul is still talking about people who do not take the resurrection seriously, which is the very case these days with so-called Christians. The question of 1 Corinthians 15:35 should be seen in that light. It is asked by a person who is not willing to be convinced that there is a resurrection. The question is only asked to satisfy his curiosity and not from an inner desire to know more of God’s dealings.

1 Corinthians 15:36. Therefore Paul rebukes the questioner by pointing out examples from nature. From those examples he could have learned some things about the resurrection. I heard about a man who was dying and who had been thinking a lot about death and thereafter. He did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. He had had a long sickbed. Out of his bed he could see the plants and the trees outside. He then noticed that in the autumn everything was, as it were, dying. Almost all colors were changing brown and the leaves fell off until there was nothing more left than bare branches. In winter everything seemed to be even dead. But what happened in the springtime? Then new life began! Buds appeared on the branches, which later became leaves and flowers. There was life after death!

This was the eye opener in his own situation. It led him to conversion and faith in the Lord Jesus. When he died, he knew that that was not the end, but that he went to his Savior and that he would even receive a new body one day.

1 Corinthians 15:37. What this man saw and noticed can be connected with what Paul is saying here. He points at the seed that is sown. That has to die first before it germinates and grows. And what is it that grows? Does it still look like a grain that has been sown? It absolutely does not look like that anymore. The grain that was sown in the ground is not the same as what comes out above the ground after a course of time. What comes out above the ground though, comes out from the grain that has been sown.

1 Corinthians 15:38. The kind of seed that is sown, determines what will come out of it. You would be very surprised when you plough up the ground, then sow grass seed into it to get a nice lawn, but instead of that get a flowing wheat field, after a course of time, wouldn’t you? That is not possible, of course. Each seed has its own body and its own inflorescence that becomes visible above the ground. This is how God has ordained it in nature. He has given everything its own body, its own shape. It is said in Genesis 1 that God made everything “after their kind” (Genesis 1:11; 21; 24; 25).

1 Corinthians 15:39. If you look around you in nature, this time not regarding the vegetation, but regarding men and the animal world, then you notice the same distinction. Man and animal are made from the same substance, namely flesh. Nevertheless, there is a huge variety of this matter. What an immense distinction God has made between men, animals, birds and fish! The examples that Paul mentions, come from the first creation, as it is originated in Genesis 1. But through the way he uses these examples, you learn that Genesis 1 has also something to say about the distinction that will be in the new creation.

1 Corinthians 15:40-41. To add more details in the distinctions, Paul now introduces the difference between the celestial and terrestrial bodies. In the previous verses he talked about the terrestrial bodies, while in 1 Corinthians 15:40-41 he goes a step higher and points at celestial bodies, as the sun, the moon and the stars. Each planet in the universe has its own special glory, which is given by God.

I just read in Psalm 19: “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands” (Psalms 19:1). All glorious things that are seen in creation are the radiation of God Himself. He Himself is the Author and Executor of everything. He wants us to see that and praise Him for that. If that applies to the first creation, how much more it applies to the new creation. The new creation consists of a new heaven and a new earth. In the new heaven and on the new earth new people will dwell. How the new heaven and the new earth will be established, you can read in 2 Peter 3 (2 Peter 3:10-13).

We return now to 1 Corinthians 15. There it is about new people, as they will appear in the resurrection. Of these people there will be people who dwell on the new earth in a body with a terrestrial glory and there will be people who dwell in the new heaven in a body with a celestial glory. Jealousy will be no issue there, for sin does not exist anymore. Everyone will praise the wisdom of God, for He will give a body to all things as is fitting for everybody.

In summary, you can learn three things from the foregoing: 1. There is talk of seed that must die first, after which a body sprouts from what looks totally different than the seed (1 Corinthians 15:37-38). 2. There is talk of the differences between the bodies that are sprouted from the seeds (1 Corinthians 15:39). 3. There is talk of the difference between celestial and terrestrial bodies (1 Corinthians 15:40-41).

1 Corinthians 15:42a. These three things are taken from the first creation in which we live and prove that there is a resurrection. The conclusion is: “So also is the resurrection of the dead.”

1 Corinthians 15:42b-44. It has been proven that there is a resurrection and that the resurrection will happen in a way that is comparable with examples from nature. Still, what we will exactly be like, is not clarified by this proof. Neither does it become directly clear in the following verses. What has become clear is that everything will be far more wonderful, without any remembrance of weakness and the corruption of an earth where sin has done its destructing work.

You may compare this with a caterpillar and a butterfly. A caterpillar pupates. It spins silk all around itself and after a course of time a beautiful butterfly comes out of it. This transformation is really unimaginable. If you compare your earthly life with the caterpillar and your resurrected body with the butterfly, you then may have some idea of the transformation that will take place in the resurrection.

Paul uses for our ‘caterpillar life’ the words “perishable”, “dishonor”, “weakness” and “natural body”. These words indicate how terribly the consequences of sin have left its scars in our terrestrial body. When we die, this is the last and clearest proof of the decay our body has suffered from birth. Then our body is put into the ground: it is “sown”.

But to the believer that is not the end! Actually there is sown because there is a resurrection. And that resurrection shows a totally different and much more glorious body. The body is raised “imperishable”, “in glory”, “in power”, and as a “spiritual body”. The words that are used here, have to do with the Lord Jesus and His work, with heaven, with God and with the Holy Spirit.

Through His work on the cross the Lord Jesus has “abolished death and brought life and immortality to light” (2 Timothy 1:10). Heaven is the place where glory is seen and experienced and where we first were not able to come (Romans 3:23-24; Romans 5:2). It is the power of God that will make the resurrection possible (Ephesians 1:19-20).

We then will have a body that does not have any natural needs anymore. It doesn’t need food and drink anymore to remain alive. The life of the resurrected body is a spiritual life, which means that the Holy Spirit provides everything that body needs and that is fellowship with the Father and the Son. From that fellowship each activity takes place, both in the millennial kingdom and in eternity, in the Father’s house.

It seems wonderful to me to be occupied undistracted with everything the Father prepared for us based on the work of His Son in a realm where there is nothing that can disturb that anymore.

Now read 1 Corinthians 15:35-44 again.

Reflection: What characteristics of the resurrected do you find in the section?

2 Corinthians 7:3

How the Dead Are Raised

1 Corinthians 15:35. It is not very pleasant to ask a question about resurrection, when the person who replies to that, calls you “fool” (1 Corinthians 15:36). Who doesn’t have questions about the resurrection!? Though, you should keep in mind that Paul is still talking about people who do not take the resurrection seriously, which is the very case these days with so-called Christians. The question of 1 Corinthians 15:35 should be seen in that light. It is asked by a person who is not willing to be convinced that there is a resurrection. The question is only asked to satisfy his curiosity and not from an inner desire to know more of God’s dealings.

1 Corinthians 15:36. Therefore Paul rebukes the questioner by pointing out examples from nature. From those examples he could have learned some things about the resurrection. I heard about a man who was dying and who had been thinking a lot about death and thereafter. He did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. He had had a long sickbed. Out of his bed he could see the plants and the trees outside. He then noticed that in the autumn everything was, as it were, dying. Almost all colors were changing brown and the leaves fell off until there was nothing more left than bare branches. In winter everything seemed to be even dead. But what happened in the springtime? Then new life began! Buds appeared on the branches, which later became leaves and flowers. There was life after death!

This was the eye opener in his own situation. It led him to conversion and faith in the Lord Jesus. When he died, he knew that that was not the end, but that he went to his Savior and that he would even receive a new body one day.

1 Corinthians 15:37. What this man saw and noticed can be connected with what Paul is saying here. He points at the seed that is sown. That has to die first before it germinates and grows. And what is it that grows? Does it still look like a grain that has been sown? It absolutely does not look like that anymore. The grain that was sown in the ground is not the same as what comes out above the ground after a course of time. What comes out above the ground though, comes out from the grain that has been sown.

1 Corinthians 15:38. The kind of seed that is sown, determines what will come out of it. You would be very surprised when you plough up the ground, then sow grass seed into it to get a nice lawn, but instead of that get a flowing wheat field, after a course of time, wouldn’t you? That is not possible, of course. Each seed has its own body and its own inflorescence that becomes visible above the ground. This is how God has ordained it in nature. He has given everything its own body, its own shape. It is said in Genesis 1 that God made everything “after their kind” (Genesis 1:11; 21; 24; 25).

1 Corinthians 15:39. If you look around you in nature, this time not regarding the vegetation, but regarding men and the animal world, then you notice the same distinction. Man and animal are made from the same substance, namely flesh. Nevertheless, there is a huge variety of this matter. What an immense distinction God has made between men, animals, birds and fish! The examples that Paul mentions, come from the first creation, as it is originated in Genesis 1. But through the way he uses these examples, you learn that Genesis 1 has also something to say about the distinction that will be in the new creation.

1 Corinthians 15:40-41. To add more details in the distinctions, Paul now introduces the difference between the celestial and terrestrial bodies. In the previous verses he talked about the terrestrial bodies, while in 1 Corinthians 15:40-41 he goes a step higher and points at celestial bodies, as the sun, the moon and the stars. Each planet in the universe has its own special glory, which is given by God.

I just read in Psalm 19: “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands” (Psalms 19:1). All glorious things that are seen in creation are the radiation of God Himself. He Himself is the Author and Executor of everything. He wants us to see that and praise Him for that. If that applies to the first creation, how much more it applies to the new creation. The new creation consists of a new heaven and a new earth. In the new heaven and on the new earth new people will dwell. How the new heaven and the new earth will be established, you can read in 2 Peter 3 (2 Peter 3:10-13).

We return now to 1 Corinthians 15. There it is about new people, as they will appear in the resurrection. Of these people there will be people who dwell on the new earth in a body with a terrestrial glory and there will be people who dwell in the new heaven in a body with a celestial glory. Jealousy will be no issue there, for sin does not exist anymore. Everyone will praise the wisdom of God, for He will give a body to all things as is fitting for everybody.

In summary, you can learn three things from the foregoing: 1. There is talk of seed that must die first, after which a body sprouts from what looks totally different than the seed (1 Corinthians 15:37-38). 2. There is talk of the differences between the bodies that are sprouted from the seeds (1 Corinthians 15:39). 3. There is talk of the difference between celestial and terrestrial bodies (1 Corinthians 15:40-41).

1 Corinthians 15:42a. These three things are taken from the first creation in which we live and prove that there is a resurrection. The conclusion is: “So also is the resurrection of the dead.”

1 Corinthians 15:42b-44. It has been proven that there is a resurrection and that the resurrection will happen in a way that is comparable with examples from nature. Still, what we will exactly be like, is not clarified by this proof. Neither does it become directly clear in the following verses. What has become clear is that everything will be far more wonderful, without any remembrance of weakness and the corruption of an earth where sin has done its destructing work.

You may compare this with a caterpillar and a butterfly. A caterpillar pupates. It spins silk all around itself and after a course of time a beautiful butterfly comes out of it. This transformation is really unimaginable. If you compare your earthly life with the caterpillar and your resurrected body with the butterfly, you then may have some idea of the transformation that will take place in the resurrection.

Paul uses for our ‘caterpillar life’ the words “perishable”, “dishonor”, “weakness” and “natural body”. These words indicate how terribly the consequences of sin have left its scars in our terrestrial body. When we die, this is the last and clearest proof of the decay our body has suffered from birth. Then our body is put into the ground: it is “sown”.

But to the believer that is not the end! Actually there is sown because there is a resurrection. And that resurrection shows a totally different and much more glorious body. The body is raised “imperishable”, “in glory”, “in power”, and as a “spiritual body”. The words that are used here, have to do with the Lord Jesus and His work, with heaven, with God and with the Holy Spirit.

Through His work on the cross the Lord Jesus has “abolished death and brought life and immortality to light” (2 Timothy 1:10). Heaven is the place where glory is seen and experienced and where we first were not able to come (Romans 3:23-24; Romans 5:2). It is the power of God that will make the resurrection possible (Ephesians 1:19-20).

We then will have a body that does not have any natural needs anymore. It doesn’t need food and drink anymore to remain alive. The life of the resurrected body is a spiritual life, which means that the Holy Spirit provides everything that body needs and that is fellowship with the Father and the Son. From that fellowship each activity takes place, both in the millennial kingdom and in eternity, in the Father’s house.

It seems wonderful to me to be occupied undistracted with everything the Father prepared for us based on the work of His Son in a realm where there is nothing that can disturb that anymore.

Now read 1 Corinthians 15:35-44 again.

Reflection: What characteristics of the resurrected do you find in the section?

2 Corinthians 7:4

A Mystery Revealed

1 Corinthians 15:45. To make clear the difference between the natural and the spiritual body, Paul quotes what is written about the creation of the first man. As you see, this is another “so … it is written”. The answer to each question, regarding the existence of man and the here-after, you ought to look for in the Bible.

How did the first man become a living soul? That happened when God breathed the breath of life in his nostrils. This is how man, who was formed by God from the dust of the earth, became a higher being than an animal. Through the breath of God man was able to start his existence on earth and was able to have fellowship with God. This is not the way God gave life to the animals. God could approach Adam and speak with him and vice versa. This is not the way God dealt with animals. God created man in such a way that he, to remain alive, had to eat. God provided man with that food.

So you see by the way God created Adam, he was someone who was dependent on God. He received everything, his life and livelihood, from God.

He received life through the soul. What the soul exactly is, I cannot explain that to you. Many people have tried to do that by writing books about it, but no one seems to have the final say about that. I certainly do not have the final say, but I would like you to consider the following. The word ‘soul’ in the Bible is used to indicate several things. One of the things is to indicate the incorporeal side of man, thus something else than his physical body, which you could call the corporeal side of man. When the word ‘soul’ is used in this way, it usually refers to man in relation to the terrestrial conditions, the way he feels and behaves on earth.

What had happened to the first man is now compared to what took place with the last Adam. The Lord Jesus is called here “the last Adam” to indicate that after Him there never will be a next Adam. Well, what is the character of the last Adam? That He became “a life-giving spirit”. So, the last Adam, the Lord Jesus, did not receive something from God, but He Himself gave life to others. The Lord Jesus did that, after He has been raised from the dead.

In John 20 you read about that (John 20:22). He breathed on the disciples and by doing that, He gave them a life in which the Holy Spirit could work. This seems similar to what happened to Adam in Genesis 2 (Genesis 2:7), but still it is different. Through what happened to Adam, he was able to live on earth as a living soul. Through what happened through the last Adam, the disciples received a new life, which enabled them to approach God in heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:46. You also see the ranking here: first comes the natural and then the spiritual. This ranking you encounter every day. A baby only needs milk. You cannot talk about spiritual matters with a baby. That is only possible if a person has reached a certain age.

1 Corinthians 15:47. There is not only a difference in what Adam and the Lord Jesus became, they also differ in origin, where they come from. This is a huge difference. The first man owes his existence to the dust of the earth. After the fall of man God said: “For you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). Man with his self-importance is nothing more than that. Without a powerful work of God there was no hope that a change would take place.

Then came the Second Man. Where did He come from? A new man from the dust of the earth? No. He came from heaven. He surely became Man, but His origin is heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:48. These two Adams both have their ‘offspring’. He who belongs to the first man – Adam – is therefore made from dust. He who belongs to the last Adam – Who is here called “the heavenly” – is heavenly. So you are heavenly, exactly like the Lord Jesus. That is quite something! Though you are on earth and still participate in what is from dust, your inner man belongs to heaven. Inwardly a tremendous change has already happened.

1 Corinthians 15:49. We are waiting for the great change that will take place at the resurrection. Then we shall bear the image of the Heavenly. Some wonderful verses that speak of that, are found in Romans 8 and 1 John 3 (Romans 8:29; 1 John 3:2).

1 Corinthians 15:50. “Flesh and blood” do not partake in the issues that are dealt with here. The expression ‘flesh and blood’ regards man as a creature with limitations, in whom sin dwells since the fall of man. That’s why he is “perishable”. God cannot disclose His kingdom for those men. He did not make them heirs. The inheritance of His kingdom is only made possible for those who are connected with the Heir, the Lord Jesus. Outside this connection there is no inheritance.

1 Corinthians 15:51. When Paul has come at this point of his teaching, he reveals a mystery. All the time he had talked about the resurrection of the dead. That is something that was also known in the Old Testament. All the believers of the Old Testament died in the faith that there will be a resurrection one day and that they will receive what God has promised. Through the whole chapter of Hebrews 11 you encounter such believers. To partake of the resurrection you ought to be dead first.

The exceptional thing of the mystery that is revealed here, is that when Christ comes to fulfill God’s promises, not all will be dead. This is because there will also be believers on earth who are still alive when Christ returns. Paul even says this in a way as if he is sure that he will not die. He speaks about “we will not all sleep”. How much more could we, who are now still alive, say that.

What then will happen to those who are alive? They will be changed. That is necessary, for you have read in 1 Corinthians 15:50 that flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s kingdom. To be with God in heaven, we need a body that is able to be there. In Philippians 3 it is said that when the Lord Jesus returns He “will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory” (Philippians 3:21).

1 Corinthians 15:52. The moment that will happen, cannot be expressed in a time unit. We use all kinds of words if we want to indicate the fastness of an event, for example: a flash, swift as an arrow, a part of a second. Still each description fails to describe the fastness in which this transformation will take place. It is in “the twinkling of an eye”.

The signal that heralds this event is the sound of the trumpet, the last trumpet of course. By that Paul alludes to the traditions of the Roman army, where the trumpet was sounded three times. The first time was the sign to break up; the second time means to line up; the third time was the command to march. That is how they used to do it in the Roman armies: breaking up, line up, march.

This is what we ought to do as Christians. Have you already broken up and are you lined up yet? Breaking up means: disconnect everything that still connects you to the world. To line up means: to be ready to go.

We have to wait for the last trumpet. When that sounds, two things happen in that twinkling of an eye. First the dead are raised. They have priority over the living, although it is just a moment of that twinkling of an eye. They do not remain longer in the grave than necessary. What happens further you can read in 1 Thessalonians 4 (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18). That section is about the same event. The emphasis there is on those who are asleep, while here the change of the living is put more in the forefront. Anyhow, the result is that we shall always be with the Lord. A wonderful perspective!

Now read 1 Corinthians 15:45-52 again.

Reflection: Which great changes will be effected by the return of the Lord Jesus? Do you look forward to that?

2 Corinthians 7:5

A Mystery Revealed

1 Corinthians 15:45. To make clear the difference between the natural and the spiritual body, Paul quotes what is written about the creation of the first man. As you see, this is another “so … it is written”. The answer to each question, regarding the existence of man and the here-after, you ought to look for in the Bible.

How did the first man become a living soul? That happened when God breathed the breath of life in his nostrils. This is how man, who was formed by God from the dust of the earth, became a higher being than an animal. Through the breath of God man was able to start his existence on earth and was able to have fellowship with God. This is not the way God gave life to the animals. God could approach Adam and speak with him and vice versa. This is not the way God dealt with animals. God created man in such a way that he, to remain alive, had to eat. God provided man with that food.

So you see by the way God created Adam, he was someone who was dependent on God. He received everything, his life and livelihood, from God.

He received life through the soul. What the soul exactly is, I cannot explain that to you. Many people have tried to do that by writing books about it, but no one seems to have the final say about that. I certainly do not have the final say, but I would like you to consider the following. The word ‘soul’ in the Bible is used to indicate several things. One of the things is to indicate the incorporeal side of man, thus something else than his physical body, which you could call the corporeal side of man. When the word ‘soul’ is used in this way, it usually refers to man in relation to the terrestrial conditions, the way he feels and behaves on earth.

What had happened to the first man is now compared to what took place with the last Adam. The Lord Jesus is called here “the last Adam” to indicate that after Him there never will be a next Adam. Well, what is the character of the last Adam? That He became “a life-giving spirit”. So, the last Adam, the Lord Jesus, did not receive something from God, but He Himself gave life to others. The Lord Jesus did that, after He has been raised from the dead.

In John 20 you read about that (John 20:22). He breathed on the disciples and by doing that, He gave them a life in which the Holy Spirit could work. This seems similar to what happened to Adam in Genesis 2 (Genesis 2:7), but still it is different. Through what happened to Adam, he was able to live on earth as a living soul. Through what happened through the last Adam, the disciples received a new life, which enabled them to approach God in heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:46. You also see the ranking here: first comes the natural and then the spiritual. This ranking you encounter every day. A baby only needs milk. You cannot talk about spiritual matters with a baby. That is only possible if a person has reached a certain age.

1 Corinthians 15:47. There is not only a difference in what Adam and the Lord Jesus became, they also differ in origin, where they come from. This is a huge difference. The first man owes his existence to the dust of the earth. After the fall of man God said: “For you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). Man with his self-importance is nothing more than that. Without a powerful work of God there was no hope that a change would take place.

Then came the Second Man. Where did He come from? A new man from the dust of the earth? No. He came from heaven. He surely became Man, but His origin is heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:48. These two Adams both have their ‘offspring’. He who belongs to the first man – Adam – is therefore made from dust. He who belongs to the last Adam – Who is here called “the heavenly” – is heavenly. So you are heavenly, exactly like the Lord Jesus. That is quite something! Though you are on earth and still participate in what is from dust, your inner man belongs to heaven. Inwardly a tremendous change has already happened.

1 Corinthians 15:49. We are waiting for the great change that will take place at the resurrection. Then we shall bear the image of the Heavenly. Some wonderful verses that speak of that, are found in Romans 8 and 1 John 3 (Romans 8:29; 1 John 3:2).

1 Corinthians 15:50. “Flesh and blood” do not partake in the issues that are dealt with here. The expression ‘flesh and blood’ regards man as a creature with limitations, in whom sin dwells since the fall of man. That’s why he is “perishable”. God cannot disclose His kingdom for those men. He did not make them heirs. The inheritance of His kingdom is only made possible for those who are connected with the Heir, the Lord Jesus. Outside this connection there is no inheritance.

1 Corinthians 15:51. When Paul has come at this point of his teaching, he reveals a mystery. All the time he had talked about the resurrection of the dead. That is something that was also known in the Old Testament. All the believers of the Old Testament died in the faith that there will be a resurrection one day and that they will receive what God has promised. Through the whole chapter of Hebrews 11 you encounter such believers. To partake of the resurrection you ought to be dead first.

The exceptional thing of the mystery that is revealed here, is that when Christ comes to fulfill God’s promises, not all will be dead. This is because there will also be believers on earth who are still alive when Christ returns. Paul even says this in a way as if he is sure that he will not die. He speaks about “we will not all sleep”. How much more could we, who are now still alive, say that.

What then will happen to those who are alive? They will be changed. That is necessary, for you have read in 1 Corinthians 15:50 that flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s kingdom. To be with God in heaven, we need a body that is able to be there. In Philippians 3 it is said that when the Lord Jesus returns He “will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory” (Philippians 3:21).

1 Corinthians 15:52. The moment that will happen, cannot be expressed in a time unit. We use all kinds of words if we want to indicate the fastness of an event, for example: a flash, swift as an arrow, a part of a second. Still each description fails to describe the fastness in which this transformation will take place. It is in “the twinkling of an eye”.

The signal that heralds this event is the sound of the trumpet, the last trumpet of course. By that Paul alludes to the traditions of the Roman army, where the trumpet was sounded three times. The first time was the sign to break up; the second time means to line up; the third time was the command to march. That is how they used to do it in the Roman armies: breaking up, line up, march.

This is what we ought to do as Christians. Have you already broken up and are you lined up yet? Breaking up means: disconnect everything that still connects you to the world. To line up means: to be ready to go.

We have to wait for the last trumpet. When that sounds, two things happen in that twinkling of an eye. First the dead are raised. They have priority over the living, although it is just a moment of that twinkling of an eye. They do not remain longer in the grave than necessary. What happens further you can read in 1 Thessalonians 4 (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18). That section is about the same event. The emphasis there is on those who are asleep, while here the change of the living is put more in the forefront. Anyhow, the result is that we shall always be with the Lord. A wonderful perspective!

Now read 1 Corinthians 15:45-52 again.

Reflection: Which great changes will be effected by the return of the Lord Jesus? Do you look forward to that?

2 Corinthians 7:6

A Mystery Revealed

1 Corinthians 15:45. To make clear the difference between the natural and the spiritual body, Paul quotes what is written about the creation of the first man. As you see, this is another “so … it is written”. The answer to each question, regarding the existence of man and the here-after, you ought to look for in the Bible.

How did the first man become a living soul? That happened when God breathed the breath of life in his nostrils. This is how man, who was formed by God from the dust of the earth, became a higher being than an animal. Through the breath of God man was able to start his existence on earth and was able to have fellowship with God. This is not the way God gave life to the animals. God could approach Adam and speak with him and vice versa. This is not the way God dealt with animals. God created man in such a way that he, to remain alive, had to eat. God provided man with that food.

So you see by the way God created Adam, he was someone who was dependent on God. He received everything, his life and livelihood, from God.

He received life through the soul. What the soul exactly is, I cannot explain that to you. Many people have tried to do that by writing books about it, but no one seems to have the final say about that. I certainly do not have the final say, but I would like you to consider the following. The word ‘soul’ in the Bible is used to indicate several things. One of the things is to indicate the incorporeal side of man, thus something else than his physical body, which you could call the corporeal side of man. When the word ‘soul’ is used in this way, it usually refers to man in relation to the terrestrial conditions, the way he feels and behaves on earth.

What had happened to the first man is now compared to what took place with the last Adam. The Lord Jesus is called here “the last Adam” to indicate that after Him there never will be a next Adam. Well, what is the character of the last Adam? That He became “a life-giving spirit”. So, the last Adam, the Lord Jesus, did not receive something from God, but He Himself gave life to others. The Lord Jesus did that, after He has been raised from the dead.

In John 20 you read about that (John 20:22). He breathed on the disciples and by doing that, He gave them a life in which the Holy Spirit could work. This seems similar to what happened to Adam in Genesis 2 (Genesis 2:7), but still it is different. Through what happened to Adam, he was able to live on earth as a living soul. Through what happened through the last Adam, the disciples received a new life, which enabled them to approach God in heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:46. You also see the ranking here: first comes the natural and then the spiritual. This ranking you encounter every day. A baby only needs milk. You cannot talk about spiritual matters with a baby. That is only possible if a person has reached a certain age.

1 Corinthians 15:47. There is not only a difference in what Adam and the Lord Jesus became, they also differ in origin, where they come from. This is a huge difference. The first man owes his existence to the dust of the earth. After the fall of man God said: “For you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). Man with his self-importance is nothing more than that. Without a powerful work of God there was no hope that a change would take place.

Then came the Second Man. Where did He come from? A new man from the dust of the earth? No. He came from heaven. He surely became Man, but His origin is heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:48. These two Adams both have their ‘offspring’. He who belongs to the first man – Adam – is therefore made from dust. He who belongs to the last Adam – Who is here called “the heavenly” – is heavenly. So you are heavenly, exactly like the Lord Jesus. That is quite something! Though you are on earth and still participate in what is from dust, your inner man belongs to heaven. Inwardly a tremendous change has already happened.

1 Corinthians 15:49. We are waiting for the great change that will take place at the resurrection. Then we shall bear the image of the Heavenly. Some wonderful verses that speak of that, are found in Romans 8 and 1 John 3 (Romans 8:29; 1 John 3:2).

1 Corinthians 15:50. “Flesh and blood” do not partake in the issues that are dealt with here. The expression ‘flesh and blood’ regards man as a creature with limitations, in whom sin dwells since the fall of man. That’s why he is “perishable”. God cannot disclose His kingdom for those men. He did not make them heirs. The inheritance of His kingdom is only made possible for those who are connected with the Heir, the Lord Jesus. Outside this connection there is no inheritance.

1 Corinthians 15:51. When Paul has come at this point of his teaching, he reveals a mystery. All the time he had talked about the resurrection of the dead. That is something that was also known in the Old Testament. All the believers of the Old Testament died in the faith that there will be a resurrection one day and that they will receive what God has promised. Through the whole chapter of Hebrews 11 you encounter such believers. To partake of the resurrection you ought to be dead first.

The exceptional thing of the mystery that is revealed here, is that when Christ comes to fulfill God’s promises, not all will be dead. This is because there will also be believers on earth who are still alive when Christ returns. Paul even says this in a way as if he is sure that he will not die. He speaks about “we will not all sleep”. How much more could we, who are now still alive, say that.

What then will happen to those who are alive? They will be changed. That is necessary, for you have read in 1 Corinthians 15:50 that flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s kingdom. To be with God in heaven, we need a body that is able to be there. In Philippians 3 it is said that when the Lord Jesus returns He “will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory” (Philippians 3:21).

1 Corinthians 15:52. The moment that will happen, cannot be expressed in a time unit. We use all kinds of words if we want to indicate the fastness of an event, for example: a flash, swift as an arrow, a part of a second. Still each description fails to describe the fastness in which this transformation will take place. It is in “the twinkling of an eye”.

The signal that heralds this event is the sound of the trumpet, the last trumpet of course. By that Paul alludes to the traditions of the Roman army, where the trumpet was sounded three times. The first time was the sign to break up; the second time means to line up; the third time was the command to march. That is how they used to do it in the Roman armies: breaking up, line up, march.

This is what we ought to do as Christians. Have you already broken up and are you lined up yet? Breaking up means: disconnect everything that still connects you to the world. To line up means: to be ready to go.

We have to wait for the last trumpet. When that sounds, two things happen in that twinkling of an eye. First the dead are raised. They have priority over the living, although it is just a moment of that twinkling of an eye. They do not remain longer in the grave than necessary. What happens further you can read in 1 Thessalonians 4 (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18). That section is about the same event. The emphasis there is on those who are asleep, while here the change of the living is put more in the forefront. Anyhow, the result is that we shall always be with the Lord. A wonderful perspective!

Now read 1 Corinthians 15:45-52 again.

Reflection: Which great changes will be effected by the return of the Lord Jesus? Do you look forward to that?

2 Corinthians 7:7

A Mystery Revealed

1 Corinthians 15:45. To make clear the difference between the natural and the spiritual body, Paul quotes what is written about the creation of the first man. As you see, this is another “so … it is written”. The answer to each question, regarding the existence of man and the here-after, you ought to look for in the Bible.

How did the first man become a living soul? That happened when God breathed the breath of life in his nostrils. This is how man, who was formed by God from the dust of the earth, became a higher being than an animal. Through the breath of God man was able to start his existence on earth and was able to have fellowship with God. This is not the way God gave life to the animals. God could approach Adam and speak with him and vice versa. This is not the way God dealt with animals. God created man in such a way that he, to remain alive, had to eat. God provided man with that food.

So you see by the way God created Adam, he was someone who was dependent on God. He received everything, his life and livelihood, from God.

He received life through the soul. What the soul exactly is, I cannot explain that to you. Many people have tried to do that by writing books about it, but no one seems to have the final say about that. I certainly do not have the final say, but I would like you to consider the following. The word ‘soul’ in the Bible is used to indicate several things. One of the things is to indicate the incorporeal side of man, thus something else than his physical body, which you could call the corporeal side of man. When the word ‘soul’ is used in this way, it usually refers to man in relation to the terrestrial conditions, the way he feels and behaves on earth.

What had happened to the first man is now compared to what took place with the last Adam. The Lord Jesus is called here “the last Adam” to indicate that after Him there never will be a next Adam. Well, what is the character of the last Adam? That He became “a life-giving spirit”. So, the last Adam, the Lord Jesus, did not receive something from God, but He Himself gave life to others. The Lord Jesus did that, after He has been raised from the dead.

In John 20 you read about that (John 20:22). He breathed on the disciples and by doing that, He gave them a life in which the Holy Spirit could work. This seems similar to what happened to Adam in Genesis 2 (Genesis 2:7), but still it is different. Through what happened to Adam, he was able to live on earth as a living soul. Through what happened through the last Adam, the disciples received a new life, which enabled them to approach God in heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:46. You also see the ranking here: first comes the natural and then the spiritual. This ranking you encounter every day. A baby only needs milk. You cannot talk about spiritual matters with a baby. That is only possible if a person has reached a certain age.

1 Corinthians 15:47. There is not only a difference in what Adam and the Lord Jesus became, they also differ in origin, where they come from. This is a huge difference. The first man owes his existence to the dust of the earth. After the fall of man God said: “For you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). Man with his self-importance is nothing more than that. Without a powerful work of God there was no hope that a change would take place.

Then came the Second Man. Where did He come from? A new man from the dust of the earth? No. He came from heaven. He surely became Man, but His origin is heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:48. These two Adams both have their ‘offspring’. He who belongs to the first man – Adam – is therefore made from dust. He who belongs to the last Adam – Who is here called “the heavenly” – is heavenly. So you are heavenly, exactly like the Lord Jesus. That is quite something! Though you are on earth and still participate in what is from dust, your inner man belongs to heaven. Inwardly a tremendous change has already happened.

1 Corinthians 15:49. We are waiting for the great change that will take place at the resurrection. Then we shall bear the image of the Heavenly. Some wonderful verses that speak of that, are found in Romans 8 and 1 John 3 (Romans 8:29; 1 John 3:2).

1 Corinthians 15:50. “Flesh and blood” do not partake in the issues that are dealt with here. The expression ‘flesh and blood’ regards man as a creature with limitations, in whom sin dwells since the fall of man. That’s why he is “perishable”. God cannot disclose His kingdom for those men. He did not make them heirs. The inheritance of His kingdom is only made possible for those who are connected with the Heir, the Lord Jesus. Outside this connection there is no inheritance.

1 Corinthians 15:51. When Paul has come at this point of his teaching, he reveals a mystery. All the time he had talked about the resurrection of the dead. That is something that was also known in the Old Testament. All the believers of the Old Testament died in the faith that there will be a resurrection one day and that they will receive what God has promised. Through the whole chapter of Hebrews 11 you encounter such believers. To partake of the resurrection you ought to be dead first.

The exceptional thing of the mystery that is revealed here, is that when Christ comes to fulfill God’s promises, not all will be dead. This is because there will also be believers on earth who are still alive when Christ returns. Paul even says this in a way as if he is sure that he will not die. He speaks about “we will not all sleep”. How much more could we, who are now still alive, say that.

What then will happen to those who are alive? They will be changed. That is necessary, for you have read in 1 Corinthians 15:50 that flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s kingdom. To be with God in heaven, we need a body that is able to be there. In Philippians 3 it is said that when the Lord Jesus returns He “will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory” (Philippians 3:21).

1 Corinthians 15:52. The moment that will happen, cannot be expressed in a time unit. We use all kinds of words if we want to indicate the fastness of an event, for example: a flash, swift as an arrow, a part of a second. Still each description fails to describe the fastness in which this transformation will take place. It is in “the twinkling of an eye”.

The signal that heralds this event is the sound of the trumpet, the last trumpet of course. By that Paul alludes to the traditions of the Roman army, where the trumpet was sounded three times. The first time was the sign to break up; the second time means to line up; the third time was the command to march. That is how they used to do it in the Roman armies: breaking up, line up, march.

This is what we ought to do as Christians. Have you already broken up and are you lined up yet? Breaking up means: disconnect everything that still connects you to the world. To line up means: to be ready to go.

We have to wait for the last trumpet. When that sounds, two things happen in that twinkling of an eye. First the dead are raised. They have priority over the living, although it is just a moment of that twinkling of an eye. They do not remain longer in the grave than necessary. What happens further you can read in 1 Thessalonians 4 (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18). That section is about the same event. The emphasis there is on those who are asleep, while here the change of the living is put more in the forefront. Anyhow, the result is that we shall always be with the Lord. A wonderful perspective!

Now read 1 Corinthians 15:45-52 again.

Reflection: Which great changes will be effected by the return of the Lord Jesus? Do you look forward to that?

2 Corinthians 7:8

A Mystery Revealed

1 Corinthians 15:45. To make clear the difference between the natural and the spiritual body, Paul quotes what is written about the creation of the first man. As you see, this is another “so … it is written”. The answer to each question, regarding the existence of man and the here-after, you ought to look for in the Bible.

How did the first man become a living soul? That happened when God breathed the breath of life in his nostrils. This is how man, who was formed by God from the dust of the earth, became a higher being than an animal. Through the breath of God man was able to start his existence on earth and was able to have fellowship with God. This is not the way God gave life to the animals. God could approach Adam and speak with him and vice versa. This is not the way God dealt with animals. God created man in such a way that he, to remain alive, had to eat. God provided man with that food.

So you see by the way God created Adam, he was someone who was dependent on God. He received everything, his life and livelihood, from God.

He received life through the soul. What the soul exactly is, I cannot explain that to you. Many people have tried to do that by writing books about it, but no one seems to have the final say about that. I certainly do not have the final say, but I would like you to consider the following. The word ‘soul’ in the Bible is used to indicate several things. One of the things is to indicate the incorporeal side of man, thus something else than his physical body, which you could call the corporeal side of man. When the word ‘soul’ is used in this way, it usually refers to man in relation to the terrestrial conditions, the way he feels and behaves on earth.

What had happened to the first man is now compared to what took place with the last Adam. The Lord Jesus is called here “the last Adam” to indicate that after Him there never will be a next Adam. Well, what is the character of the last Adam? That He became “a life-giving spirit”. So, the last Adam, the Lord Jesus, did not receive something from God, but He Himself gave life to others. The Lord Jesus did that, after He has been raised from the dead.

In John 20 you read about that (John 20:22). He breathed on the disciples and by doing that, He gave them a life in which the Holy Spirit could work. This seems similar to what happened to Adam in Genesis 2 (Genesis 2:7), but still it is different. Through what happened to Adam, he was able to live on earth as a living soul. Through what happened through the last Adam, the disciples received a new life, which enabled them to approach God in heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:46. You also see the ranking here: first comes the natural and then the spiritual. This ranking you encounter every day. A baby only needs milk. You cannot talk about spiritual matters with a baby. That is only possible if a person has reached a certain age.

1 Corinthians 15:47. There is not only a difference in what Adam and the Lord Jesus became, they also differ in origin, where they come from. This is a huge difference. The first man owes his existence to the dust of the earth. After the fall of man God said: “For you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). Man with his self-importance is nothing more than that. Without a powerful work of God there was no hope that a change would take place.

Then came the Second Man. Where did He come from? A new man from the dust of the earth? No. He came from heaven. He surely became Man, but His origin is heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:48. These two Adams both have their ‘offspring’. He who belongs to the first man – Adam – is therefore made from dust. He who belongs to the last Adam – Who is here called “the heavenly” – is heavenly. So you are heavenly, exactly like the Lord Jesus. That is quite something! Though you are on earth and still participate in what is from dust, your inner man belongs to heaven. Inwardly a tremendous change has already happened.

1 Corinthians 15:49. We are waiting for the great change that will take place at the resurrection. Then we shall bear the image of the Heavenly. Some wonderful verses that speak of that, are found in Romans 8 and 1 John 3 (Romans 8:29; 1 John 3:2).

1 Corinthians 15:50. “Flesh and blood” do not partake in the issues that are dealt with here. The expression ‘flesh and blood’ regards man as a creature with limitations, in whom sin dwells since the fall of man. That’s why he is “perishable”. God cannot disclose His kingdom for those men. He did not make them heirs. The inheritance of His kingdom is only made possible for those who are connected with the Heir, the Lord Jesus. Outside this connection there is no inheritance.

1 Corinthians 15:51. When Paul has come at this point of his teaching, he reveals a mystery. All the time he had talked about the resurrection of the dead. That is something that was also known in the Old Testament. All the believers of the Old Testament died in the faith that there will be a resurrection one day and that they will receive what God has promised. Through the whole chapter of Hebrews 11 you encounter such believers. To partake of the resurrection you ought to be dead first.

The exceptional thing of the mystery that is revealed here, is that when Christ comes to fulfill God’s promises, not all will be dead. This is because there will also be believers on earth who are still alive when Christ returns. Paul even says this in a way as if he is sure that he will not die. He speaks about “we will not all sleep”. How much more could we, who are now still alive, say that.

What then will happen to those who are alive? They will be changed. That is necessary, for you have read in 1 Corinthians 15:50 that flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s kingdom. To be with God in heaven, we need a body that is able to be there. In Philippians 3 it is said that when the Lord Jesus returns He “will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory” (Philippians 3:21).

1 Corinthians 15:52. The moment that will happen, cannot be expressed in a time unit. We use all kinds of words if we want to indicate the fastness of an event, for example: a flash, swift as an arrow, a part of a second. Still each description fails to describe the fastness in which this transformation will take place. It is in “the twinkling of an eye”.

The signal that heralds this event is the sound of the trumpet, the last trumpet of course. By that Paul alludes to the traditions of the Roman army, where the trumpet was sounded three times. The first time was the sign to break up; the second time means to line up; the third time was the command to march. That is how they used to do it in the Roman armies: breaking up, line up, march.

This is what we ought to do as Christians. Have you already broken up and are you lined up yet? Breaking up means: disconnect everything that still connects you to the world. To line up means: to be ready to go.

We have to wait for the last trumpet. When that sounds, two things happen in that twinkling of an eye. First the dead are raised. They have priority over the living, although it is just a moment of that twinkling of an eye. They do not remain longer in the grave than necessary. What happens further you can read in 1 Thessalonians 4 (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18). That section is about the same event. The emphasis there is on those who are asleep, while here the change of the living is put more in the forefront. Anyhow, the result is that we shall always be with the Lord. A wonderful perspective!

Now read 1 Corinthians 15:45-52 again.

Reflection: Which great changes will be effected by the return of the Lord Jesus? Do you look forward to that?

2 Corinthians 7:9

A Mystery Revealed

1 Corinthians 15:45. To make clear the difference between the natural and the spiritual body, Paul quotes what is written about the creation of the first man. As you see, this is another “so … it is written”. The answer to each question, regarding the existence of man and the here-after, you ought to look for in the Bible.

How did the first man become a living soul? That happened when God breathed the breath of life in his nostrils. This is how man, who was formed by God from the dust of the earth, became a higher being than an animal. Through the breath of God man was able to start his existence on earth and was able to have fellowship with God. This is not the way God gave life to the animals. God could approach Adam and speak with him and vice versa. This is not the way God dealt with animals. God created man in such a way that he, to remain alive, had to eat. God provided man with that food.

So you see by the way God created Adam, he was someone who was dependent on God. He received everything, his life and livelihood, from God.

He received life through the soul. What the soul exactly is, I cannot explain that to you. Many people have tried to do that by writing books about it, but no one seems to have the final say about that. I certainly do not have the final say, but I would like you to consider the following. The word ‘soul’ in the Bible is used to indicate several things. One of the things is to indicate the incorporeal side of man, thus something else than his physical body, which you could call the corporeal side of man. When the word ‘soul’ is used in this way, it usually refers to man in relation to the terrestrial conditions, the way he feels and behaves on earth.

What had happened to the first man is now compared to what took place with the last Adam. The Lord Jesus is called here “the last Adam” to indicate that after Him there never will be a next Adam. Well, what is the character of the last Adam? That He became “a life-giving spirit”. So, the last Adam, the Lord Jesus, did not receive something from God, but He Himself gave life to others. The Lord Jesus did that, after He has been raised from the dead.

In John 20 you read about that (John 20:22). He breathed on the disciples and by doing that, He gave them a life in which the Holy Spirit could work. This seems similar to what happened to Adam in Genesis 2 (Genesis 2:7), but still it is different. Through what happened to Adam, he was able to live on earth as a living soul. Through what happened through the last Adam, the disciples received a new life, which enabled them to approach God in heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:46. You also see the ranking here: first comes the natural and then the spiritual. This ranking you encounter every day. A baby only needs milk. You cannot talk about spiritual matters with a baby. That is only possible if a person has reached a certain age.

1 Corinthians 15:47. There is not only a difference in what Adam and the Lord Jesus became, they also differ in origin, where they come from. This is a huge difference. The first man owes his existence to the dust of the earth. After the fall of man God said: “For you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). Man with his self-importance is nothing more than that. Without a powerful work of God there was no hope that a change would take place.

Then came the Second Man. Where did He come from? A new man from the dust of the earth? No. He came from heaven. He surely became Man, but His origin is heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:48. These two Adams both have their ‘offspring’. He who belongs to the first man – Adam – is therefore made from dust. He who belongs to the last Adam – Who is here called “the heavenly” – is heavenly. So you are heavenly, exactly like the Lord Jesus. That is quite something! Though you are on earth and still participate in what is from dust, your inner man belongs to heaven. Inwardly a tremendous change has already happened.

1 Corinthians 15:49. We are waiting for the great change that will take place at the resurrection. Then we shall bear the image of the Heavenly. Some wonderful verses that speak of that, are found in Romans 8 and 1 John 3 (Romans 8:29; 1 John 3:2).

1 Corinthians 15:50. “Flesh and blood” do not partake in the issues that are dealt with here. The expression ‘flesh and blood’ regards man as a creature with limitations, in whom sin dwells since the fall of man. That’s why he is “perishable”. God cannot disclose His kingdom for those men. He did not make them heirs. The inheritance of His kingdom is only made possible for those who are connected with the Heir, the Lord Jesus. Outside this connection there is no inheritance.

1 Corinthians 15:51. When Paul has come at this point of his teaching, he reveals a mystery. All the time he had talked about the resurrection of the dead. That is something that was also known in the Old Testament. All the believers of the Old Testament died in the faith that there will be a resurrection one day and that they will receive what God has promised. Through the whole chapter of Hebrews 11 you encounter such believers. To partake of the resurrection you ought to be dead first.

The exceptional thing of the mystery that is revealed here, is that when Christ comes to fulfill God’s promises, not all will be dead. This is because there will also be believers on earth who are still alive when Christ returns. Paul even says this in a way as if he is sure that he will not die. He speaks about “we will not all sleep”. How much more could we, who are now still alive, say that.

What then will happen to those who are alive? They will be changed. That is necessary, for you have read in 1 Corinthians 15:50 that flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s kingdom. To be with God in heaven, we need a body that is able to be there. In Philippians 3 it is said that when the Lord Jesus returns He “will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory” (Philippians 3:21).

1 Corinthians 15:52. The moment that will happen, cannot be expressed in a time unit. We use all kinds of words if we want to indicate the fastness of an event, for example: a flash, swift as an arrow, a part of a second. Still each description fails to describe the fastness in which this transformation will take place. It is in “the twinkling of an eye”.

The signal that heralds this event is the sound of the trumpet, the last trumpet of course. By that Paul alludes to the traditions of the Roman army, where the trumpet was sounded three times. The first time was the sign to break up; the second time means to line up; the third time was the command to march. That is how they used to do it in the Roman armies: breaking up, line up, march.

This is what we ought to do as Christians. Have you already broken up and are you lined up yet? Breaking up means: disconnect everything that still connects you to the world. To line up means: to be ready to go.

We have to wait for the last trumpet. When that sounds, two things happen in that twinkling of an eye. First the dead are raised. They have priority over the living, although it is just a moment of that twinkling of an eye. They do not remain longer in the grave than necessary. What happens further you can read in 1 Thessalonians 4 (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18). That section is about the same event. The emphasis there is on those who are asleep, while here the change of the living is put more in the forefront. Anyhow, the result is that we shall always be with the Lord. A wonderful perspective!

Now read 1 Corinthians 15:45-52 again.

Reflection: Which great changes will be effected by the return of the Lord Jesus? Do you look forward to that?

2 Corinthians 7:10

A Mystery Revealed

1 Corinthians 15:45. To make clear the difference between the natural and the spiritual body, Paul quotes what is written about the creation of the first man. As you see, this is another “so … it is written”. The answer to each question, regarding the existence of man and the here-after, you ought to look for in the Bible.

How did the first man become a living soul? That happened when God breathed the breath of life in his nostrils. This is how man, who was formed by God from the dust of the earth, became a higher being than an animal. Through the breath of God man was able to start his existence on earth and was able to have fellowship with God. This is not the way God gave life to the animals. God could approach Adam and speak with him and vice versa. This is not the way God dealt with animals. God created man in such a way that he, to remain alive, had to eat. God provided man with that food.

So you see by the way God created Adam, he was someone who was dependent on God. He received everything, his life and livelihood, from God.

He received life through the soul. What the soul exactly is, I cannot explain that to you. Many people have tried to do that by writing books about it, but no one seems to have the final say about that. I certainly do not have the final say, but I would like you to consider the following. The word ‘soul’ in the Bible is used to indicate several things. One of the things is to indicate the incorporeal side of man, thus something else than his physical body, which you could call the corporeal side of man. When the word ‘soul’ is used in this way, it usually refers to man in relation to the terrestrial conditions, the way he feels and behaves on earth.

What had happened to the first man is now compared to what took place with the last Adam. The Lord Jesus is called here “the last Adam” to indicate that after Him there never will be a next Adam. Well, what is the character of the last Adam? That He became “a life-giving spirit”. So, the last Adam, the Lord Jesus, did not receive something from God, but He Himself gave life to others. The Lord Jesus did that, after He has been raised from the dead.

In John 20 you read about that (John 20:22). He breathed on the disciples and by doing that, He gave them a life in which the Holy Spirit could work. This seems similar to what happened to Adam in Genesis 2 (Genesis 2:7), but still it is different. Through what happened to Adam, he was able to live on earth as a living soul. Through what happened through the last Adam, the disciples received a new life, which enabled them to approach God in heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:46. You also see the ranking here: first comes the natural and then the spiritual. This ranking you encounter every day. A baby only needs milk. You cannot talk about spiritual matters with a baby. That is only possible if a person has reached a certain age.

1 Corinthians 15:47. There is not only a difference in what Adam and the Lord Jesus became, they also differ in origin, where they come from. This is a huge difference. The first man owes his existence to the dust of the earth. After the fall of man God said: “For you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). Man with his self-importance is nothing more than that. Without a powerful work of God there was no hope that a change would take place.

Then came the Second Man. Where did He come from? A new man from the dust of the earth? No. He came from heaven. He surely became Man, but His origin is heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:48. These two Adams both have their ‘offspring’. He who belongs to the first man – Adam – is therefore made from dust. He who belongs to the last Adam – Who is here called “the heavenly” – is heavenly. So you are heavenly, exactly like the Lord Jesus. That is quite something! Though you are on earth and still participate in what is from dust, your inner man belongs to heaven. Inwardly a tremendous change has already happened.

1 Corinthians 15:49. We are waiting for the great change that will take place at the resurrection. Then we shall bear the image of the Heavenly. Some wonderful verses that speak of that, are found in Romans 8 and 1 John 3 (Romans 8:29; 1 John 3:2).

1 Corinthians 15:50. “Flesh and blood” do not partake in the issues that are dealt with here. The expression ‘flesh and blood’ regards man as a creature with limitations, in whom sin dwells since the fall of man. That’s why he is “perishable”. God cannot disclose His kingdom for those men. He did not make them heirs. The inheritance of His kingdom is only made possible for those who are connected with the Heir, the Lord Jesus. Outside this connection there is no inheritance.

1 Corinthians 15:51. When Paul has come at this point of his teaching, he reveals a mystery. All the time he had talked about the resurrection of the dead. That is something that was also known in the Old Testament. All the believers of the Old Testament died in the faith that there will be a resurrection one day and that they will receive what God has promised. Through the whole chapter of Hebrews 11 you encounter such believers. To partake of the resurrection you ought to be dead first.

The exceptional thing of the mystery that is revealed here, is that when Christ comes to fulfill God’s promises, not all will be dead. This is because there will also be believers on earth who are still alive when Christ returns. Paul even says this in a way as if he is sure that he will not die. He speaks about “we will not all sleep”. How much more could we, who are now still alive, say that.

What then will happen to those who are alive? They will be changed. That is necessary, for you have read in 1 Corinthians 15:50 that flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s kingdom. To be with God in heaven, we need a body that is able to be there. In Philippians 3 it is said that when the Lord Jesus returns He “will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory” (Philippians 3:21).

1 Corinthians 15:52. The moment that will happen, cannot be expressed in a time unit. We use all kinds of words if we want to indicate the fastness of an event, for example: a flash, swift as an arrow, a part of a second. Still each description fails to describe the fastness in which this transformation will take place. It is in “the twinkling of an eye”.

The signal that heralds this event is the sound of the trumpet, the last trumpet of course. By that Paul alludes to the traditions of the Roman army, where the trumpet was sounded three times. The first time was the sign to break up; the second time means to line up; the third time was the command to march. That is how they used to do it in the Roman armies: breaking up, line up, march.

This is what we ought to do as Christians. Have you already broken up and are you lined up yet? Breaking up means: disconnect everything that still connects you to the world. To line up means: to be ready to go.

We have to wait for the last trumpet. When that sounds, two things happen in that twinkling of an eye. First the dead are raised. They have priority over the living, although it is just a moment of that twinkling of an eye. They do not remain longer in the grave than necessary. What happens further you can read in 1 Thessalonians 4 (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18). That section is about the same event. The emphasis there is on those who are asleep, while here the change of the living is put more in the forefront. Anyhow, the result is that we shall always be with the Lord. A wonderful perspective!

Now read 1 Corinthians 15:45-52 again.

Reflection: Which great changes will be effected by the return of the Lord Jesus? Do you look forward to that?

2 Corinthians 7:11

A Mystery Revealed

1 Corinthians 15:45. To make clear the difference between the natural and the spiritual body, Paul quotes what is written about the creation of the first man. As you see, this is another “so … it is written”. The answer to each question, regarding the existence of man and the here-after, you ought to look for in the Bible.

How did the first man become a living soul? That happened when God breathed the breath of life in his nostrils. This is how man, who was formed by God from the dust of the earth, became a higher being than an animal. Through the breath of God man was able to start his existence on earth and was able to have fellowship with God. This is not the way God gave life to the animals. God could approach Adam and speak with him and vice versa. This is not the way God dealt with animals. God created man in such a way that he, to remain alive, had to eat. God provided man with that food.

So you see by the way God created Adam, he was someone who was dependent on God. He received everything, his life and livelihood, from God.

He received life through the soul. What the soul exactly is, I cannot explain that to you. Many people have tried to do that by writing books about it, but no one seems to have the final say about that. I certainly do not have the final say, but I would like you to consider the following. The word ‘soul’ in the Bible is used to indicate several things. One of the things is to indicate the incorporeal side of man, thus something else than his physical body, which you could call the corporeal side of man. When the word ‘soul’ is used in this way, it usually refers to man in relation to the terrestrial conditions, the way he feels and behaves on earth.

What had happened to the first man is now compared to what took place with the last Adam. The Lord Jesus is called here “the last Adam” to indicate that after Him there never will be a next Adam. Well, what is the character of the last Adam? That He became “a life-giving spirit”. So, the last Adam, the Lord Jesus, did not receive something from God, but He Himself gave life to others. The Lord Jesus did that, after He has been raised from the dead.

In John 20 you read about that (John 20:22). He breathed on the disciples and by doing that, He gave them a life in which the Holy Spirit could work. This seems similar to what happened to Adam in Genesis 2 (Genesis 2:7), but still it is different. Through what happened to Adam, he was able to live on earth as a living soul. Through what happened through the last Adam, the disciples received a new life, which enabled them to approach God in heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:46. You also see the ranking here: first comes the natural and then the spiritual. This ranking you encounter every day. A baby only needs milk. You cannot talk about spiritual matters with a baby. That is only possible if a person has reached a certain age.

1 Corinthians 15:47. There is not only a difference in what Adam and the Lord Jesus became, they also differ in origin, where they come from. This is a huge difference. The first man owes his existence to the dust of the earth. After the fall of man God said: “For you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). Man with his self-importance is nothing more than that. Without a powerful work of God there was no hope that a change would take place.

Then came the Second Man. Where did He come from? A new man from the dust of the earth? No. He came from heaven. He surely became Man, but His origin is heaven.

1 Corinthians 15:48. These two Adams both have their ‘offspring’. He who belongs to the first man – Adam – is therefore made from dust. He who belongs to the last Adam – Who is here called “the heavenly” – is heavenly. So you are heavenly, exactly like the Lord Jesus. That is quite something! Though you are on earth and still participate in what is from dust, your inner man belongs to heaven. Inwardly a tremendous change has already happened.

1 Corinthians 15:49. We are waiting for the great change that will take place at the resurrection. Then we shall bear the image of the Heavenly. Some wonderful verses that speak of that, are found in Romans 8 and 1 John 3 (Romans 8:29; 1 John 3:2).

1 Corinthians 15:50. “Flesh and blood” do not partake in the issues that are dealt with here. The expression ‘flesh and blood’ regards man as a creature with limitations, in whom sin dwells since the fall of man. That’s why he is “perishable”. God cannot disclose His kingdom for those men. He did not make them heirs. The inheritance of His kingdom is only made possible for those who are connected with the Heir, the Lord Jesus. Outside this connection there is no inheritance.

1 Corinthians 15:51. When Paul has come at this point of his teaching, he reveals a mystery. All the time he had talked about the resurrection of the dead. That is something that was also known in the Old Testament. All the believers of the Old Testament died in the faith that there will be a resurrection one day and that they will receive what God has promised. Through the whole chapter of Hebrews 11 you encounter such believers. To partake of the resurrection you ought to be dead first.

The exceptional thing of the mystery that is revealed here, is that when Christ comes to fulfill God’s promises, not all will be dead. This is because there will also be believers on earth who are still alive when Christ returns. Paul even says this in a way as if he is sure that he will not die. He speaks about “we will not all sleep”. How much more could we, who are now still alive, say that.

What then will happen to those who are alive? They will be changed. That is necessary, for you have read in 1 Corinthians 15:50 that flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s kingdom. To be with God in heaven, we need a body that is able to be there. In Philippians 3 it is said that when the Lord Jesus returns He “will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory” (Philippians 3:21).

1 Corinthians 15:52. The moment that will happen, cannot be expressed in a time unit. We use all kinds of words if we want to indicate the fastness of an event, for example: a flash, swift as an arrow, a part of a second. Still each description fails to describe the fastness in which this transformation will take place. It is in “the twinkling of an eye”.

The signal that heralds this event is the sound of the trumpet, the last trumpet of course. By that Paul alludes to the traditions of the Roman army, where the trumpet was sounded three times. The first time was the sign to break up; the second time means to line up; the third time was the command to march. That is how they used to do it in the Roman armies: breaking up, line up, march.

This is what we ought to do as Christians. Have you already broken up and are you lined up yet? Breaking up means: disconnect everything that still connects you to the world. To line up means: to be ready to go.

We have to wait for the last trumpet. When that sounds, two things happen in that twinkling of an eye. First the dead are raised. They have priority over the living, although it is just a moment of that twinkling of an eye. They do not remain longer in the grave than necessary. What happens further you can read in 1 Thessalonians 4 (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18). That section is about the same event. The emphasis there is on those who are asleep, while here the change of the living is put more in the forefront. Anyhow, the result is that we shall always be with the Lord. A wonderful perspective!

Now read 1 Corinthians 15:45-52 again.

Reflection: Which great changes will be effected by the return of the Lord Jesus? Do you look forward to that?

2 Corinthians 7:12

Labor Is Not in Vain In the Lord

1 Corinthians 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.

1 Corinthians 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 (1 Thessalonians 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 (Revelation 6:9; Revelation 13:15-17). Nevertheless they participate in the millennial government of Christ. This is what is written in Revelation 20 where they are mentioned (Revelation 20:4). Thus they are raised before Christ accepts His government. That is the second stage and then the first resurrection has been completed (Revelation 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 (Revelation 20:14). Death cannot exert its terror anymore. It will never happen again that a believer is laid in a grave.

1 Corinthians 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.

1 Corinthians 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.

1 Corinthians 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?

1 Corinthians 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 (Colossians 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?

2 Corinthians 7:13

Labor Is Not in Vain In the Lord

1 Corinthians 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.

1 Corinthians 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 (1 Thessalonians 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 (Revelation 6:9; Revelation 13:15-17). Nevertheless they participate in the millennial government of Christ. This is what is written in Revelation 20 where they are mentioned (Revelation 20:4). Thus they are raised before Christ accepts His government. That is the second stage and then the first resurrection has been completed (Revelation 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 (Revelation 20:14). Death cannot exert its terror anymore. It will never happen again that a believer is laid in a grave.

1 Corinthians 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.

1 Corinthians 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.

1 Corinthians 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?

1 Corinthians 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 (Colossians 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?

2 Corinthians 7:14

Labor Is Not in Vain In the Lord

1 Corinthians 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.

1 Corinthians 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 (1 Thessalonians 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 (Revelation 6:9; Revelation 13:15-17). Nevertheless they participate in the millennial government of Christ. This is what is written in Revelation 20 where they are mentioned (Revelation 20:4). Thus they are raised before Christ accepts His government. That is the second stage and then the first resurrection has been completed (Revelation 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 (Revelation 20:14). Death cannot exert its terror anymore. It will never happen again that a believer is laid in a grave.

1 Corinthians 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.

1 Corinthians 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.

1 Corinthians 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?

1 Corinthians 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 (Colossians 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?

2 Corinthians 7:15

Labor Is Not in Vain In the Lord

1 Corinthians 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.

1 Corinthians 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 (1 Thessalonians 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 (Revelation 6:9; Revelation 13:15-17). Nevertheless they participate in the millennial government of Christ. This is what is written in Revelation 20 where they are mentioned (Revelation 20:4). Thus they are raised before Christ accepts His government. That is the second stage and then the first resurrection has been completed (Revelation 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 (Revelation 20:14). Death cannot exert its terror anymore. It will never happen again that a believer is laid in a grave.

1 Corinthians 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.

1 Corinthians 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.

1 Corinthians 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?

1 Corinthians 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 (Colossians 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?

2 Corinthians 7:16

Labor Is Not in Vain In the Lord

1 Corinthians 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.

1 Corinthians 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 (1 Thessalonians 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 (Revelation 6:9; Revelation 13:15-17). Nevertheless they participate in the millennial government of Christ. This is what is written in Revelation 20 where they are mentioned (Revelation 20:4). Thus they are raised before Christ accepts His government. That is the second stage and then the first resurrection has been completed (Revelation 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 (Revelation 20:14). Death cannot exert its terror anymore. It will never happen again that a believer is laid in a grave.

1 Corinthians 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.

1 Corinthians 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.

1 Corinthians 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?

1 Corinthians 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 (Colossians 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?