Page 48 - Eschatology - Student Ebook

1 Corinthians 15:51-58
In 1 Corinthians 15 the Apostle Paul revealed God’s truth about the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead. He then wrote about our resurrection from the dead, and finally about the resurrection body. At
the end of that chapter he described the process in which we receive our resurrection (glorified) body.

1 Corinthians 15:51–58 (NIV84)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, 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.

When Paul wrote that not all of us will “sleep”, he was talking about the Rapture of the church of Jesus
Christ. Paul uses “sleep” as a metaphor for physical death in various places in his letters. The only way
some of us will escape physical death is to be raptured.

He goes on to say that all bodies of believers will be changed from the perishable, mortal, sin-affected
body we now have, to the imperishable, immortal, glorified body we will have. Our best illustration of
what the body will be like is the glorified body of Jesus Christ after His resurrection.

This amazing change will occur in a “flash, in the twinkling of an eye”. Our bodies will become glorified
bodies by the same power by which God raised Jesus Christ from the dead and gave Him a glorified
body.

Paul closed this section with this encouraging truth. This truth should motivate us to stand firm and to
live for eternal values.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, Paul wrote to believers who were grieved that their loved ones were dying
physically and would now miss the anticipated Rapture of the church. Perhaps these believers wondered
whether their loved ones who had passed from this life would receive their glorified bodies now that
they had died and missed being alive for the Rapture of the church. Paul wrote to assure them that all
those who believed in Jesus Christ and were part of the church, the bride of Jesus Christ, would be
raised from the dead to be raptured along with those who were still alive.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 (NIV84)13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who
fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and
rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15
According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the
coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself
will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the
trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and

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