Donning The Royal Robe

Bible Book: 1 Corinthians 15 : 50-58

Subject: Christ, Return of

As I have repeatedly said, 1 Corinthians 15 is, to me, is one of the most victorious and glorious passages in all of scripture. The concluding verses in this wonderful chapter are particularly encouraging and uplifting because of the nature of what they are dealing with.

Here in these final verses, Paul is dealing with the two question which were asked of him back in v. 35. They were…"How are the dead raised up?", and "with what body do they come?" These are two very important questions. They are at the heart of what Paul is dealing with here in Chapter 15.

Remember, my friends, that these questions are still pertinent today. The only difference is that we have God's answer given to us by Paul.

I want us to examine some of the crucial and critical things Paul is informing us about concerning our resurrection and future life with God in His Kingdom.

A. An Impossibility…v. 50

1. It is impossible for the earthly body to inherit the Kingdom of God.

2. Limitations with the earthly body a. decadence…sinful acts. b. mortality….it won't last forever.

3. Both of these things became a reality for man when he sinned and was ex- cluded from the tree of life and banished from the garden.

4. There must be an absolute change before man can take part in God's Kingdom.

5. The glorified body is totally holy and it will live forever.

B. A Mystery…v. 51

1. Mystery…musterion…."an under- standing given by direct revelation of God."

2. This is why the world cannot fathom salvation, resurrection, God's King- dom.

3. It is something that lies beyond the ability of the unsaved mind to under- stand or accept.

4. Man could not and would never have thought of the thing God is going to do. It is of God and not of man.

5. Not everyone is going to die, but all will be changed. The "all" refers to those who are believers in Christ.

6. Changed…allasso….to alter…to transform….passive voice…which tells us that there is a force beyond us which is acting on us.

7. Man can't change himself it will be done TO him by God.

C. A Moment…v. 52-53

1. Moment is "atomos"…indicates a moment so quick it can't be divided.

2. We now have "nano seconds"…one billionth of a second, and picoseconds, or one trillionth of a second.

3. At any rate, Paul is speaking of a very short moment of time.

4. "blinking"….rhipe…of the eye. An even shorter time than a moment.

5. the last trump….This was predicted by Jesus….Mt. 24:31, it was anticipated by Paul…1 Thess. 4:16 and it was spoken about by John in Rev. 8:2.

6. .v 53….put on….enduomai…to clothe, to array.

7. Your new body will be put on and it will be like putting on a royal garment.

8. This new body is not subject to decadence and decay or mortality. All of this is important to understand.

9. It will know no corruption and there- fore will not experience disease and death….John told us this in Rev. 21:4. "no more death, neither sorrow nor crying."

D. A Victory…v. 54-57

1. Where is death?

it is swallowed down.

2. Where is its sting?

kentron….sting of a hornet or bite of a serpent….nullified by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

3. Why is the law the strength of sin?

Because man cannot fulfill the law and therefore it is the standard by which he is judged. The "strength of sin" speaks of its ability to inflict the numbing sting of death.

4. But Jesus overcame that inability of ours and has freed us from the sting of sin and death….v. 57

E. A Motive….v. 58

1. This "motive" has nothing to do with God's reason for saving and changing us.

2. It has to do with a motive that should be ours because of being freed from death and given an immortal body and a heavenly home.

3. Our motive should be to serve him being "steadfast, unmovable and always abounding in the work of the Lord."

There is coming a day when everyone is going to want this relationship with Jesus. Everyone will want to be resurrected. Everyone will want a new body that will not die.