VICTORY THROUGH JESUS CHRIST

Passage: 1 Corinthians 15:50-58

Key verse: 57

NIV

50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood(A) cannot inherit the kingdom of God,(B) nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.(C) 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery:(D) We will not all sleep,(E) but we will all be changed(F)— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound,(G) the dead(H) will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable(I) must clothe itself with the imperishable,(J) 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.”[a](K)

55 “Where, O death, is your victory?
    Where, O death, is your sting?”[b](L)

56 The sting of death is sin,(M) and the power of sin is the law.(N) 57 But thanks be to God!(O) He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.(P)

58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,(Q) because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.(R)

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Footnotes
  1. 1 Corinthians 15:54 Isaiah 25:8
  2. 1 Corinthians 15:55 Hosea 13:14
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Mystery and Victory

50 I tell you this, brothers: (A)flesh and blood (B)cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold! I tell you a mystery. (C)We shall not all sleep, (D)but we shall all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For (E)the trumpet will sound, and (F)the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and (G)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:

(H)“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 (I)“O death, where is your victory?
    O death, where is your sting?”

56 The sting of death is sin, and (J)the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, (K)who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 (L)Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in (M)the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord (N)your labor is not in vain.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
1. Christ's victory over death (5 -57) The resurrection is necessary for us. As we are, we cannot enter the kingdom of God. Our bodies are bound to the earthly plane. They are perishable and mortal. We must be transformed in order to go where Christ has gone. We must be resurrected and raised imperishable and immortal! It won't happen over a period of years, hours, or even minutes. It will all happen in a flash when the Lord comes again. This is the complete and total victory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Death wouldn't have any power over us if it weren't for sin and the law. But, because Jesus bore our sin on the cross and satisfied the law with a perfect life, death no longer has any power over us. Death has been swallowed up in victory. 2. Living by faith (58) Paul says, "Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you." In other words, we are to live with resurrection faith. Our hope in the resurrection is stronger than any trial we may face and more powerful than any persecution we might endure. The resurrection gives meaning to everything we do. We can give ourselves fully to the Lord's work with no sense of loss at all. Our labor for the Lord is not in vain because he is the one we will be with forever.

Prayer: Father, fill our hearts with the good news of Christ's victory.

One Word: Jesus has won the victory!