"So when this
corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on
immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is
swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting" O grave, where is thy
victory"
1 Corinthians 15:54
From your birth to
your death there is a transformation that takes place on the outside that all
see as it pertains to your growth as far as height, puberty and physical
features… Seeing someone at the age of 10 is completely different than seeing
them at the age of 25, there are a lot of things that will change throughout
the course of one's life that are visible changes… Today, we read about changes that come through
the molding and perfecting of God which was set in place by the Lord Jesus
Christ… These changes are
internal and are not seen until our physical body returns to the dust from
which it came… Understand today that we are clothed in corruptible things, we
are mortal beings and the scars of sin are visible upon our lives… Each step
you take as a Christian in advancing your knowledge and submission to the Lord
brings you closer to your body of immortality… Being mortal means that we are
earthly, worldly or simply human… We make mistakes, we make bad decisions and
we are on a vessel charted with a course leading to hell… This body you are in
isn’t adequate for heaven, it won’t suffice and the growth, how ever painful it
is that you are going through now is preparing you to step out of the mortal
corruption into your heavenly garments… As a child, one of the most trying
times in our lives is when someone (parent of other) tells us to “wait”… When that word is uttered to us often times we become anxious
uneasy or retaliatory desiring to have our way or obtain the resolution we want
immediately… In waiting we must be patient and know that other things must take
place or time must elapse for us to get where we desire to be or obtain what we
want… Paul writes this letter to the church of Corinth to teach about the true victory that we anticipate… Many Christians
are expecting miracles and prosperity as soon as they accept Christ as their
personal Savior, some begin to lose heart whenever a trial or storm approaches
their door; however, we must take notice of what it is that Paul says today and
how it relates to us… We often hear people recite this verse about the victory
that comes in the Salvation that we receive; however, it is important that we
understand and remember the way in which this scripture begins… “So when this corruptible shall have put on
incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then…” Victory does await all those that call upon
the name of the Lord, but we must go through the refiner’s fire and the
purification process… Often times we talk about being victorious, but the question
that should be asked is how your transformation is coming along… Are you able
to give up the things in your life that you don’t need, are you able to trust
the Lord at all times (emphasis on “ALL”) and are you willing to let go
when it hurts… The saying that “…death is swallowed
up in victory…”will not be uttered
unless you have been clothed in the garments of the Most High… This means you
will see some things, you will experience some things, you will go through some
things, but you know that your perfect attire awaits… Death will be swallowed
up when your victory overcomes it… You will lie down, but in Christ this is the beginning of your
rise… This body that we
currently reside in is temporary, this physical establishment that we have will
not see the gates of heaven nor will it even be caught up in the clouds… This
transformation that must take place in our lives is giving up the things of
this world, letting go of the physical and relying on the spiritual… We can
only gain victory over death by believing in Jesus Christ and accepting His
offering on the Cross… The bible teaches us that death is certain, but when we
realize that we have a home not made by hands eternal in the heavens we realize
that the sting of death is lost, the concealing of the physical body in the
ground doesn’t mean much when we know that we were formed from the dust of the
ground… When we receive a call that someone has passed or funeral arrangements
are being made it stings us to the core; however, what Paul is saying today is that
we all have a journey to complete upon this earth and if we are of the
household of faith we know that death on earth means life forevermore and when
we see it in its true form it doesn’t hurt to see someone go on to be at rest
and peace with God… Understanding that death on this earth is a time to rejoice
when you know you are in the body of Christ allows you to close your thoughts
just as Paul closed this verse; “O death, where is thy
sting" O grave, where is thy victory…"
GO ALL IN FOR CHRIST!
No comments:
Post a Comment