Monday, May 8

42 So it is with the resurrection of the dead: Sown in corruption, raised in incorruption; 43 sown in dishonor, raised in glory; sown in weakness, raised in power; 44 sown a natural body, raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

1 Corinthians 15:42-44

The Resurrected Body

Up to this point in 1 Corinthians 15 (vv.1-34), Paul has defended our belief in the Resurrection and has rooted his arguments in history, logic, theology, and experience. Now, in this section (vv.35-58), Paul addresses the nature of the resurrected body and the victory of the resurrection. 1 Corinthians 15:42-45 shows us that our earthy natural bodies are fallen. As a result, it is temporary, imperfect, and weak. 2 Corinthians 5:1-5 describes our natural bodies as an "earthly tent."Imagine a tent that you pick up from the store. It is not inherently bad; it serves a purpose on your camping trip, but that tent is not designed to withhold storms; nor is it meant to be lived in forever. It is a temporary structure, it is an imperfect structure, and in light of high-force storms, it is weak. In the same way, our current bodies are not bad, but they are temporary. Paul does a masterful job in this passage contrasting our earthy bodies from the resurrected bodies we will receive. He states:

• natural bodies are sown in corruption, raised in incorruption
• natural bodies are sown in dishonor, raised in glory
• natural bodies are sown in weakness, raised in power
• sown in natural body, raised a spiritual body

May we have hope today that we will have eternal bodies that are different from our earthly bodies, ones God designs that will be incorruptible, glorious, powerful, and spiritual.