1 CORINTHIANS 15
50 I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
“Death is swallowed up in victory.”55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. – 1 Corinthians 15:50-58
1 CORINTHIANS 15 ABOUND IN THE WORK OF THE LORD
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When Jesus died and resurrected, death was defeated
Victory belongs to the Lord through his resurrected body
All believers must abound in the work of the Lord
Their labor won’t be in vain because it defeats the world.
In this letter, Paul encourages the believers by focusing on the finished work of Christ on the cross. When Jesus died for humanity, death was defeated. Sin is the sting of death. So, when Christ died on the cross, sin had no more power over those who believed in him. Paul talks about the mystery of the natural and the spiritual. In verse 51, he says that we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed. He probably was referring to us no longer dead because of sin. His resurrection changed the state of death to new life. Since we were resurrected from our sins, we ought to work with all our hearts, minds and souls for the work that Christ has begun on the cross. According to a commentary by Clarke “You must not only work, but you must labour – put forth all your strength; and you must work and labour in the Lord – under his direction, and by his influence; for without him you can do nothing.”
REFLECTION
· What does it mean to abound in the work of the Lord?
