1 Corinthians 15:50-58 (TNIV)
50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Reflection:
It’s easy to think of death as the most certain thing. It is a painful part of our experience, especially if we have lost someone close to us, and seems so inevitable. But here we are taught that there is something even more certain than death for the believer: eternal life. Our bodies have a tendency toward chaos and decay but they will be replaced with bodies that last forever. Death along with sin is swallowed up through Jesus victory in his death and resurrection. This is our hope for the future, but it is also the victory that we can live today already. We can stand firm in what we believe and give ourselves fully to God.
Responding to the Transmission:
Let’s rejoice and declare that Jesus had victory over sin and death. Let’s give thanks for he has given us victory, a great hope for the future, but also through it power to live today. We can stand firm in what he has done and live giving ourselves fully to his work. Let’s proclaim this victory over those God has placed on our hearts that they would know that he has conquered sin and death.
