Scripture to Read: 1 Corinthians 15:20–23
God was not going to leave the believers in Corinth feeling hopeless, for their hope and ours is definitely found through our relationship with our risen Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. We read in 1 Corinthians 15:20–23, “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming.” God had Paul bring the believers in Corinth back to reality. God told them, through Paul, that Christ definitely was raised from the dead and that Christ was and is “the first fruits of those who are asleep.” Christ being the “first fruits” means that Christ was “the first to be resurrected with an incorruptible, immortal body, foreshadowing the resurrection” (Amplified Bible), and because Christ was raised with a glorified body, that meant that everyone who had died in Christ was still looking forward to their glorified bodily resurrection (Philippians 3:20–21, Colossians 3:4, 1 Corinthians 15:43, 1 Corinthians 15:49). When we die, we leave our corruptible body behind and our soul (our mind, will, and emotions) and spirit are immediately in heaven with our Lord. We don’t know what we’ll look like, but we know we’re alive with Him and that our body will one day be raised incorruptible, glorified through Christ.
Challenge & Application
Since Christ did defeat sin and death for all who surrender to Him, how are you living for Him each day?
What are you looking forward to when you finally get to be in the presence of our Lord for eternity?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!