Future Resurrection – Present Life
1 Corinthians 15 is often referred to as “the great resurrection chapter.” In it we learn about many things pertaining to the time when God ends the current historical period between the death and resurrection of Jesus and the return of Jesus. Consider the following thoughts.
- “Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power” (1 Corinthians 15.24).
- “So it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable” (1 Corinthians 15.42).
- “I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.”
I strongly encourage you to read the entire chapter. However, I hope to change your perspective slightly before you read it again. With any reading, it is easy to spot that which you are hoping to find. If you read this chapter with the sole idea that it is about a future resurrection, then you will miss several significant lessons.
The chapter certainly details multiple important truths about the future, but Paul wrote for a much greater purpose than simply satisfying their common curiosity about future events. He was interested in their actions now – at the present time. The climax of this chapter is seen in verse 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.”
The truth is that understanding something about the future affects our actions in the present. In fact, it should affect everything in our lives. The reality of a future resurrection is anchored in the historical person of Jesus. If I believe that Jesus is real and that He actually died on a cross and was raised from the dead by the Father, then every part of my life should be driven by this reality.
- My life should demonstrate a priority of Jesus in time and purpose.
- The way I treat others should reflect the love exemplified by Jesus.
- The way I raise my children should reflect Jesus as the number one priority for their lives.
The list could go on, but how could I possibly believe in something as radical as the resurrection and not live out these priorities in my life?