People want to know how they can find their
spiritual callings,
i.e.
what God is calling them
to do with their lives.
They want to know the one, grand purpose God has for them,
the one dominant spiritual gift that will reach
hundreds or thousands or millions.
The truth is, however, God doesn’t call many people to dedicate their lives to one specific area.
And if He does,
He does so in His own timing.
In popular Christian culture, it is usually the people who find their niche and stay there for years who get the attention. Major para-church leaders, musicians, and evangelists often spend decades working at and perfecting the one area in which God has called them to serve.
But the vast majority of believers are not called to a single, ground-breaking ministry. Instead, we’re called to several, depending on our stage of life, our spiritual maturity level, and the needs of those around us. God calls us to serve where we are. Someone with the gift of teaching may lead a Sunday school class for a while, teach at a Christian school, and then write curriculum. Or he may work at a bank and find opportunities to teach others about God through more informal situations.
We are ultimately called to fill the needs of the body (1 Corinthians 12:7), but that doesn’t mean we’ll have a single, lifelong ministry to concentrate on, although sometimes it does.
Sometimes,
God does give an individual a specific ministry,
but He always does so in His own timing.
Like training before a competition,
it takes time to develop
the wisdom and skills we need
(1 Corinthians 3:2).
If God were to give us the mission before the training,
we’d try to do too much too soon.
Instead,
God holds us back,
taking time to build our practical skills
(Luke 2:52),
spiritual knowledge
(2 Peter 3:18),
and faith
(James 2:22).
James spoke to this in James 1:2-4:
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,
whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because you know that the testing of your faith
produces perseverance.
Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be
mature and complete, not lacking anything."
Many people are anxious to discover their calling from God,
but when "calling" is used in the
New Testament,
it almost always refers to our
calling "as believers"
(Romans 11:29; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 1:18, 4:1, 4; 2 Thessalonians 1:11; 2 Timothy 1:9; Hebrews 3:1; 2 Peter 1:10),
not our calling to a specific ministry.
Ultimately, our "calling" is to love God, love others, obey God,
and take care of others.
If we concentrate on fulfilling the responsibilities He’s given us now,
God will take care of our impact on the world.
The word used for “edification”
in the New Testament is oikodomé,
which translates literally as “the building of a house.”
The word appears in the King James Bible only about 20 times, and then only in the New Testament. It is translated into phrases such
as “building up”
in more modern translations.
Interestingly, its usage is also limited to Paul’s letters.
The dictionary definition of
edify is “to instruct and improve,
especially
in moral and religious knowledge.”
According to New Testament Words,
the word indicates the promotion of
“spiritual growth and development of character of believers, by teaching or by example, suggesting such spiritual progress as the result of patient labor.”
Edification
is more than just encouragement;
it includes any activity that results in more
Christlikeness,
either in oneself or in another believer.
Edification may be individual or corporate.
Individually, one can edify oneself by participating in the
various spiritual disciplines
(Bible intake, private prayer, private worship, etc).
Generally, however, the concept of edification in the
New Testament is applied to the corporate body
(mutual edification).
Mutual edification involves helping one another along the road to Christlikeness, and it requires the participation of all members of the church.
Teaching and preaching improve
our understanding of God;
encouragement promotes conduct that
develops Christlike character.
When we exhort one another and hold one another accountable, we are prompted to engage in activities that promote godliness.
Accountability means we lovingly check each other’s spiritual progress. Christlike service ensures that the needs of the church are met,
and true fellowship is the interaction we have with each other on a
deeper spiritual level.
The corporate nature of edification cannot be overemphasized.
Without mutual edification, the church becomes a collection of spiritual weaklings, a perpetual nursery for
spiritual infants, rather than a body
(1 Corinthians 12:27) or a building (Ephesians 2:20-22).
Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:12 and repeatedly in 1 Corinthians 14:1-26 that edification is one
of the reasons that spiritual gifts are given to believers.
In 2 Corinthians,
Paul states no fewer than three times
that the “building up” of the church
is the reason for his apostolic authority
(10:8, 12:19, and 13:10).
Paul’s goal was to edify.
In 1 Corinthians 10:23 and Ephesians 4:16, he states that the church must work to edify itself for the overall health of each member. Finally, each of us is commanded to engage in edification (Romans 14:19; 15:2; Ephesians 4:29; 1 Thessalonians 5:11).
The church exists in community.
Throughout the New Testament, the language is
rich with communal imagery.
The church is described as Christ’s flock, His body, and His building. None of these metaphors denote an individual entity. Paul expounds on this concept in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31, describing the interdependence of the parts of the human body and the necessity of each. He goes so far as to say that we’re actually “members of one another” in Ephesians 4:25 (NKJV).
An analogy is instructive here. The Gothic arch was a very popular structure in medieval architecture. The primary advantage of the arch was its strength and stability, which it derived from the fact that each stone in the arch leaned on the one beside it. This system of mutual support enabled the construction of much larger structures than might otherwise have been built. The Gothic arch could be a symbol of the church. The very fact that we need one another gives the church its strength. And the minute we decide to stop leaning on one another, we fall.
The phrase “the Body of Christ” is a common New Testament metaphor for the Church (all those who are truly saved). The Church is called “one body in Christ” in Romans 12:5, “one body” in 1 Corinthians 10:17, “the body of Christ” in 1 Corinthians 12:27 and Ephesians 4:12, and “the body” in Hebrews 13:3. The Church is clearly equated with “the body” of Christ in Ephesians 5:23 and Colossians 1:24.
When Christ entered our world, He took on a physical body “prepared” for Him (Hebrews 10:5; Philippians 2:7). Through His physical body, Jesus demonstrated the love of God clearly, tangibly, and boldly—especially through His sacrificial death on the cross (Romans 5:8). After His bodily ascension, Christ continues His work in the world through those He has redeemed—the Church now demonstrates the love of God clearly, tangibly, and boldly.
In this way, the Church functions
as “the Body of Christ.”
The Church may be called the Body of Christ because of these facts:
1) Members of the Body of Christ are joined to Christ in salvation (Ephesians 4:15-16).
2) Members of the Body of Christ follow Christ as their Head (Ephesians 1:22-23).
3) Members of the Body of Christ are the physical representation of Christ in this world. The Church is the organism through which Christ manifests His life to the world today.
4) Members of the Body of Christ are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9).
5) Members of the Body of Christ possess a diversity of gifts suited to particular functions (1 Corinthians 12:4-31). “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ” (verse 12).
6) Members of the Body of Christ share a common bond with all other Christians, regardless of background, race, or ministry. “There should be no division in the body, but . . . its parts should have equal concern for each other” (1 Corinthians 12:25).
7) Members of the Body of Christ are secure in their salvation (John 10:28-30). For a Christian to lose his salvation, God would have to perform an “amputation” on the Body of Christ!
8) Members of the Body of Christ partake of Christ’s death and resurrection (Colossians 2:12).
9) Members of the Body of Christ share Christ’s inheritance (Romans 8:17).
10) Members of the Body of Christ receive the gift of Christ’s righteousness (Romans 5:17).
Within evangelicalism in the last fifty years, there has developed an emphasis on the “seeker service.” In this model of ministry, the primary purpose of the church service is to provide a place for spiritual “seekers” to feel at home. They are greeted by friendly people. They are not subjected to liturgy and terminology that would be strange to them or that would make them feel uncomfortable. The music is popular and sometimes even secular.
The whole service is designed to meet felt needs of unbelieving seekers for the purpose of getting them to take a closer look at Christianity. For these churches, the purpose of the church service is evangelism,
and the audience is the seeker.
Other churches emphasize that the church service is for believers,
and the primary purpose is to worship God
(which an unbeliever cannot do)
and to learn from God’s Word.
Unbelievers are welcome,
but they may not feel very comfortable, and that is OK. They are spectators, not true participants. The audience is God, and the believers participate by worshiping. (Listening to the Word of God proclaimed is part of worship.)
Evangelism takes place outside the church as Christians are trained and motivated to take the gospel to friends and neighbors.
In the matter of ecclesiasticism, it seems the
most important question to decide
is “who is the intended audience?”
The answer to this question will determine what is done and how it is done.
If the seeker is the audience, then a lot will be done to keep his attention,
and “entertainment value” will be high on the list.
If God is the audience and those
in attendance are
motivated to be there because they love God,
then entertainment will be
significantly less important.
The Bible should inform our ecclesiasticism.
In the New Testament, there is no example of a church service for seekers.
Certainly,
Christians like Paul did speak in open-air forums
and appeal to unbelievers,
but once a church was established,
the emphasis seems to be on believers,
with the recognition that sometimes unbelievers may be in attendance
(1 Corinthians 14:25).
Early Christians were “devoted” to the following activities,
according to Acts 2:42–47:
• Listening to the apostles’ teaching (today, that is found in the Bible)
• Fellowship
• Breaking bread (this may refer to a common meal or to the Lord’s Supper. Often, the two occurred together, as reported in 1 Corinthians)
• Prayer
• Sharing with each other as they had need (a further extension of fellowship, which also involved giving—perhaps taking up an offering)
• Eating together from house to house (fellowship outside the church service)
Scripture speaks of two church offices:
elder (overseer, pastor) and deacon.
The job of the elder is to exercise spiritual oversight and to teach
(1 Timothy 5:17),
and elders must be spiritually qualified
(1 Timothy 3:1–8; Titus 1:5–9).
The deacons are to help meet the physical needs of the congregation so that the elders are free to do their jobs, but being a deacon is still a spiritual ministry with spiritual qualifications
(Acts 6:1–4; 1 Timothy 3:8–13).
Elders are always spoken of in the plural, and there is no example in the New Testament of a single pastor who controls everything; neither is there an example of a congregation that overrules the elders.
Although the specifics of church governance vary, it would seem that, at a minimum, there should be a
clearly defined group of spiritual leaders who
guide and teach the church
and another group of spiritually qualified leaders
who minister to the physical needs of the church.
Leaders who are not biblically qualified or who are controlling and domineering are a clear indication that something has gone wrong, as is a congregation who will not submit to qualified leaders.
Correcting an Abuse of the Lord’s Supper
11:23–25pp--Mt 26:26–28; Mk 14:22–24; Lk 22:17–20
In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. 18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisionse among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval.f 20 So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, 21 for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers.g As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. 22 Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of Godh by humiliating those who have nothing?i What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you?j Certainly not in this matter!
23 For I received from the Lordk what I also passed on to you:l The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said,
“This is my body,m which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenantn in my blood;o do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.q 28 Everyone ought to examine themselvesr before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.s 31 But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment.t 32 Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplinedu so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.
33 So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. 34 Anyone who is hungryw should eat something at home,x so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.
And when I comey I will give further directions.
Concerning Spiritual Gifts
Now about the gifts of the Spirit,z brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.a 2 You know that when you were pagans,b somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.c 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,”d and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,”e except by the Holy Spirit.f
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spiritg distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyoneh it is the
same God at work.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.j 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom,k to another a message of knowledgel by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faithm by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healingn by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers,o to another prophecy,p to another distinguishing between spirits,q to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,a r and to still another the interpretation of tongues.b 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit,s and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
Unity and Diversity in the Body
12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body,t so it is with Christ.u 13 For we were all baptizedv byc one Spiritw so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or freex—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
Even so the body is not made up of
one part but of many.
Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placeda the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.b 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ,d and each one of you is a part of it.e 28 And God has placed in the churchf first of all apostles,g second prophets,hthird teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing,i of helping, of guidance,j and of different kinds of tongues.k 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tonguesd?l Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desirem the greater gifts.
Love Is Indispensable
And yet I will show you the most excellent way.
13 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,
but do not have love,
I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but
rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in partf and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes,g what is in part disappears.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhoodh behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror;i then we shall see face to face.j Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.k
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.l
But the greatest of these is love.
Intelligibility in Worship
Follow the way of loven and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them;s they utter mysteries by the Spirit. 3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.
4 Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves,
but the one who prophesies edifies the church.
5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy.
The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.
6 Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction?
Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? 8 Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?e 9 So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. 10 Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11 If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me.f 12 So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build uph the church.
13 For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say.i 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays,j but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit,k but I will also pray with my understanding; I will singl with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. 16 Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer,d say “Amen”m to your thanksgiving,n since they do not know what you are saying? 17 You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.o
18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.p
20 Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children.q In regard to evil be infants,r but in your thinking be adults. 21 In the Laws it is written:
“With other tongues
and through the lips of foreigners
I will speak to this people,
but even then they will not listen to me,t
says the Lord.”
22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers;
prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers.
23 So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?
24 But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in
while everyone is prophesying,
they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all,
25 as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare.
So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming,
“God is really among you!”
Good Order in Worship
26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn,a or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tonguec or an interpretation.d Everything must be done so that the
church may be built up.
If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret.
If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.
29 Two or three prophets should speak,
and the others should weigh carefully what is said.
And if a revelation comes to someone
who is sitting down,
the first speaker should stop.
31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.
The spirits of prophets are subject
to the control of prophets.
For God is not a God of disorder
but of peace
as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.
If anyone thinks they are a prophetq or otherwise gifted by the Spirit,
let them acknowledge that what I am
writing to you is the Lord’s command.
But if anyone ignores this,
they will themselves be ignored.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy,
and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
But everything should be done in a
fitting and orderly way.
The Resurrection of Christ
15 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospelw I preached to you,x which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved,y if you hold firmlyz to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3 For what I receiveda I passed on to youb as of first importancea: that Christ died for our sinsc according to the Scriptures,d 4 that he was buried,e that he was raisedf on the third dayg according to the Scriptures,h 5 and that he appeared to Cephas,b i and then to the Twelve.j 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.k 7 Then he appeared to James,l then toall the apostles,m 8 and last of all he appeared to me also,n as to one abnormally born.
9 For I am the least of the apostleso and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecutedp the church of God.q 10 But by the gracer of God I am what I am, and his grace to mes was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of themt—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.u 11 Whether, then, it is I or they,v this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
The Resurrection of the Dead
12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead,w how can some of you say that there is no resurrectionx of the dead?y 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised,z our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead.a But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.b 18 Then those also who have fallen asleepc in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,e the firstfruitsf of those who have fallen asleep.g 21 For since death came through a man,h the resurrection of the deadi comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.j 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits;kthen, when he comes,l those who belong to him.m 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdomn to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.o 25 For he must reignp until he has put all his enemies under his feet.q 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.r 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.”c s Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.t 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him,u so that God may be all in all.
29 Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 30 And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour?w 31 I face death every dayx—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beastsy in Ephesusz with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised,
“Let us eat and drink,
for tomorrow we die.”
Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of Godd—I say this to your shame.
The Resurrection Body
35 But someone will ask,f “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?”g 36 How foolish!h What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.i 37 When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.j 39 Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. 41 The sun has one kind of splendor,k the moon another and the stars another;l and star differs from star in splendor.
42 So will it bem with the resurrection of the dead.n The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;o 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory;p it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”f;r the last Adam,s a life-giving spirit.t 46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.u 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth;v the second man is of heaven.w 48 As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven.x 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man,y so shall weg bear the image of the heavenly man.
50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blooda 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 changedf--52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound,g the deadh will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishablei 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.”
'Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”
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.
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters,
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.
People want to know how they can find their
spiritual callings,
i.e.
what God is calling them
to do with their lives.
They want to know the one, grand purpose God has for them,
the one dominant spiritual gift that will reach
hundreds or thousands or millions.
The truth is, however, God doesn’t call many people to dedicate their lives to one specific area.
And if He does,
He does so in His own timing.
In popular Christian culture, it is usually the people who find their niche and stay there for years who get the attention. Major para-church leaders, musicians, and evangelists often spend decades working at and perfecting the one area in which God has called them to serve.
But the vast majority of believers are not called to a single, ground-breaking ministry. Instead, we’re called to several, depending on our stage of life, our spiritual maturity level, and the needs of those around us. God calls us to serve where we are. Someone with the gift of teaching may lead a Sunday school class for a while, teach at a Christian school, and then write curriculum. Or he may work at a bank and find opportunities to teach others about God through more informal situations.
We are ultimately called to fill the needs of the body (1 Corinthians 12:7), but that doesn’t mean we’ll have a single, lifelong ministry to concentrate on, although sometimes it does.
Sometimes,
God does give an individual a specific ministry,
but He always does so in His own timing.
Like training before a competition,
it takes time to develop
the wisdom and skills we need
(1 Corinthians 3:2).
If God were to give us the mission before the training,
we’d try to do too much too soon.
Instead,
God holds us back,
taking time to build our practical skills
(Luke 2:52),
spiritual knowledge
(2 Peter 3:18),
and faith
(James 2:22).
James spoke to this in James 1:2-4:
"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,
whenever you face trials of many kinds,
because you know that the testing of your faith
produces perseverance.
Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be
mature and complete, not lacking anything."
Many people are anxious to discover their calling from God,
but when "calling" is used in the
New Testament,
it almost always refers to our
calling "as believers"
(Romans 11:29; 1 Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 1:18, 4:1, 4; 2 Thessalonians 1:11; 2 Timothy 1:9; Hebrews 3:1; 2 Peter 1:10),
not our calling to a specific ministry.
Ultimately, our "calling" is to love God, love others, obey God,
and take care of others.
If we concentrate on fulfilling the responsibilities He’s given us now,
God will take care of our impact on the world.
The word used for “edification”
in the New Testament is oikodomé,
which translates literally as “the building of a house.”
The word appears in the King James Bible only about 20 times, and then only in the New Testament. It is translated into phrases such
as “building up”
in more modern translations.
Interestingly, its usage is also limited to Paul’s letters.
The dictionary definition of
edify is “to instruct and improve,
especially
in moral and religious knowledge.”
According to New Testament Words,
the word indicates the promotion of
“spiritual growth and development of character of believers, by teaching or by example, suggesting such spiritual progress as the result of patient labor.”
Edification
is more than just encouragement;
it includes any activity that results in more
Christlikeness,
either in oneself or in another believer.
Edification may be individual or corporate.
Individually, one can edify oneself by participating in the
various spiritual disciplines
(Bible intake, private prayer, private worship, etc).
Generally, however, the concept of edification in the
New Testament is applied to the corporate body
(mutual edification).
Mutual edification involves helping one another along the road to Christlikeness, and it requires the participation of all members of the church.
Teaching and preaching improve
our understanding of God;
encouragement promotes conduct that
develops Christlike character.
When we exhort one another and hold one another accountable, we are prompted to engage in activities that promote godliness.
Accountability means we lovingly check each other’s spiritual progress. Christlike service ensures that the needs of the church are met,
and true fellowship is the interaction we have with each other on a
deeper spiritual level.
The corporate nature of edification cannot be overemphasized.
Without mutual edification, the church becomes a collection of spiritual weaklings, a perpetual nursery for
spiritual infants, rather than a body
(1 Corinthians 12:27) or a building (Ephesians 2:20-22).
Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:12 and repeatedly in 1 Corinthians 14:1-26 that edification is one
of the reasons that spiritual gifts are given to believers.
In 2 Corinthians,
Paul states no fewer than three times
that the “building up” of the church
is the reason for his apostolic authority
(10:8, 12:19, and 13:10).
Paul’s goal was to edify.
In 1 Corinthians 10:23 and Ephesians 4:16, he states that the church must work to edify itself for the overall health of each member. Finally, each of us is commanded to engage in edification (Romans 14:19; 15:2; Ephesians 4:29; 1 Thessalonians 5:11).
The church exists in community.
Throughout the New Testament, the language is
rich with communal imagery.
The church is described as Christ’s flock, His body, and His building. None of these metaphors denote an individual entity. Paul expounds on this concept in 1 Corinthians 12:12-31, describing the interdependence of the parts of the human body and the necessity of each. He goes so far as to say that we’re actually “members of one another” in Ephesians 4:25 (NKJV).
An analogy is instructive here. The Gothic arch was a very popular structure in medieval architecture. The primary advantage of the arch was its strength and stability, which it derived from the fact that each stone in the arch leaned on the one beside it. This system of mutual support enabled the construction of much larger structures than might otherwise have been built. The Gothic arch could be a symbol of the church. The very fact that we need one another gives the church its strength. And the minute we decide to stop leaning on one another, we fall.
The phrase “the Body of Christ” is a common New Testament metaphor for the Church (all those who are truly saved). The Church is called “one body in Christ” in Romans 12:5, “one body” in 1 Corinthians 10:17, “the body of Christ” in 1 Corinthians 12:27 and Ephesians 4:12, and “the body” in Hebrews 13:3. The Church is clearly equated with “the body” of Christ in Ephesians 5:23 and Colossians 1:24.
When Christ entered our world, He took on a physical body “prepared” for Him (Hebrews 10:5; Philippians 2:7). Through His physical body, Jesus demonstrated the love of God clearly, tangibly, and boldly—especially through His sacrificial death on the cross (Romans 5:8). After His bodily ascension, Christ continues His work in the world through those He has redeemed—the Church now demonstrates the love of God clearly, tangibly, and boldly.
In this way, the Church functions
as “the Body of Christ.”
The Church may be called the Body of Christ because of these facts:
1) Members of the Body of Christ are joined to Christ in salvation (Ephesians 4:15-16).
2) Members of the Body of Christ follow Christ as their Head (Ephesians 1:22-23).
3) Members of the Body of Christ are the physical representation of Christ in this world. The Church is the organism through which Christ manifests His life to the world today.
4) Members of the Body of Christ are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9).
5) Members of the Body of Christ possess a diversity of gifts suited to particular functions (1 Corinthians 12:4-31). “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ” (verse 12).
6) Members of the Body of Christ share a common bond with all other Christians, regardless of background, race, or ministry. “There should be no division in the body, but . . . its parts should have equal concern for each other” (1 Corinthians 12:25).
7) Members of the Body of Christ are secure in their salvation (John 10:28-30). For a Christian to lose his salvation, God would have to perform an “amputation” on the Body of Christ!
8) Members of the Body of Christ partake of Christ’s death and resurrection (Colossians 2:12).
9) Members of the Body of Christ share Christ’s inheritance (Romans 8:17).
10) Members of the Body of Christ receive the gift of Christ’s righteousness (Romans 5:17).
Within evangelicalism in the last fifty years, there has developed an emphasis on the “seeker service.” In this model of ministry, the primary purpose of the church service is to provide a place for spiritual “seekers” to feel at home. They are greeted by friendly people. They are not subjected to liturgy and terminology that would be strange to them or that would make them feel uncomfortable. The music is popular and sometimes even secular.
The whole service is designed to meet felt needs of unbelieving seekers for the purpose of getting them to take a closer look at Christianity. For these churches, the purpose of the church service is evangelism,
and the audience is the seeker.
Other churches emphasize that the church service is for believers,
and the primary purpose is to worship God
(which an unbeliever cannot do)
and to learn from God’s Word.
Unbelievers are welcome,
but they may not feel very comfortable, and that is OK. They are spectators, not true participants. The audience is God, and the believers participate by worshiping. (Listening to the Word of God proclaimed is part of worship.)
Evangelism takes place outside the church as Christians are trained and motivated to take the gospel to friends and neighbors.
In the matter of ecclesiasticism, it seems the
most important question to decide
is “who is the intended audience?”
The answer to this question will determine what is done and how it is done.
If the seeker is the audience, then a lot will be done to keep his attention,
and “entertainment value” will be high on the list.
If God is the audience and those
in attendance are
motivated to be there because they love God,
then entertainment will be
significantly less important.
The Bible should inform our ecclesiasticism.
In the New Testament, there is no example of a church service for seekers.
Certainly,
Christians like Paul did speak in open-air forums
and appeal to unbelievers,
but once a church was established,
the emphasis seems to be on believers,
with the recognition that sometimes unbelievers may be in attendance
(1 Corinthians 14:25).
Early Christians were “devoted” to the following activities,
according to Acts 2:42–47:
• Listening to the apostles’ teaching (today, that is found in the Bible)
• Fellowship
• Breaking bread (this may refer to a common meal or to the Lord’s Supper. Often, the two occurred together, as reported in 1 Corinthians)
• Prayer
• Sharing with each other as they had need (a further extension of fellowship, which also involved giving—perhaps taking up an offering)
• Eating together from house to house (fellowship outside the church service)
Scripture speaks of two church offices:
elder (overseer, pastor) and deacon.
The job of the elder is to exercise spiritual oversight and to teach
(1 Timothy 5:17),
and elders must be spiritually qualified
(1 Timothy 3:1–8; Titus 1:5–9).
The deacons are to help meet the physical needs of the congregation so that the elders are free to do their jobs, but being a deacon is still a spiritual ministry with spiritual qualifications
(Acts 6:1–4; 1 Timothy 3:8–13).
Elders are always spoken of in the plural, and there is no example in the New Testament of a single pastor who controls everything; neither is there an example of a congregation that overrules the elders.
Although the specifics of church governance vary, it would seem that, at a minimum, there should be a
clearly defined group of spiritual leaders who
guide and teach the church
and another group of spiritually qualified leaders
who minister to the physical needs of the church.
Leaders who are not biblically qualified or who are controlling and domineering are a clear indication that something has gone wrong, as is a congregation who will not submit to qualified leaders.
Correcting an Abuse of the Lord’s Supper
11:23–25pp--Mt 26:26–28; Mk 14:22–24; Lk 22:17–20
In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. 18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisionse among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God’s approval.f 20 So then, when you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, 21 for when you are eating, some of you go ahead with your own private suppers.g As a result, one person remains hungry and another gets drunk. 22 Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of Godh by humiliating those who have nothing?i What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you?j Certainly not in this matter!
23 For I received from the Lordk what I also passed on to you:l The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said,
“This is my body,m which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenantn in my blood;o do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
27 So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.q 28 Everyone ought to examine themselvesr before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. 29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. 30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.s 31 But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment.t 32 Nevertheless, when we are judged in this way by the Lord, we are being disciplinedu so that we will not be finally condemned with the world.
33 So then, my brothers and sisters, when you gather to eat, you should all eat together. 34 Anyone who is hungryw should eat something at home,x so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment.
And when I comey I will give further directions.
Concerning Spiritual Gifts
Now about the gifts of the Spirit,z brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.a 2 You know that when you were pagans,b somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.c 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,”d and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,”e except by the Holy Spirit.f
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spiritg distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyoneh it is the
same God at work.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.j 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom,k to another a message of knowledgel by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faithm by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healingn by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers,o to another prophecy,p to another distinguishing between spirits,q to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,a r and to still another the interpretation of tongues.b 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit,s and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
Unity and Diversity in the Body
12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body,t so it is with Christ.u 13 For we were all baptizedv byc one Spiritw so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or freex—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
Even so the body is not made up of
one part but of many.
Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placeda the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.b 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ,d and each one of you is a part of it.e 28 And God has placed in the churchf first of all apostles,g second prophets,hthird teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing,i of helping, of guidance,j and of different kinds of tongues.k 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tonguesd?l Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desirem the greater gifts.
Love Is Indispensable
And yet I will show you the most excellent way.
13 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,
but do not have love,
I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but
rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in partf and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes,g what is in part disappears.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhoodh behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror;i then we shall see face to face.j Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.k
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.l
But the greatest of these is love.
Intelligibility in Worship
Follow the way of loven and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them;s they utter mysteries by the Spirit. 3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.
4 Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves,
but the one who prophesies edifies the church.
5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy.
The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.
6 Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction?
Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? 8 Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?e 9 So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. 10 Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11 If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me.f 12 So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build uph the church.
13 For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say.i 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays,j but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit,k but I will also pray with my understanding; I will singl with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. 16 Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer,d say “Amen”m to your thanksgiving,n since they do not know what you are saying? 17 You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.o
18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.p
20 Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children.q In regard to evil be infants,r but in your thinking be adults. 21 In the Laws it is written:
“With other tongues
and through the lips of foreigners
I will speak to this people,
but even then they will not listen to me,t
says the Lord.”
22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers;
prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers.
23 So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?
24 But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in
while everyone is prophesying,
they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all,
25 as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare.
So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming,
“God is really among you!”
Good Order in Worship
26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn,a or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tonguec or an interpretation.d Everything must be done so that the
church may be built up.
If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret.
If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.
29 Two or three prophets should speak,
and the others should weigh carefully what is said.
And if a revelation comes to someone
who is sitting down,
the first speaker should stop.
31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.
The spirits of prophets are subject
to the control of prophets.
For God is not a God of disorder
but of peace
as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.
If anyone thinks they are a prophetq or otherwise gifted by the Spirit,
let them acknowledge that what I am
writing to you is the Lord’s command.
But if anyone ignores this,
they will themselves be ignored.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy,
and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
But everything should be done in a
fitting and orderly way.
The Resurrection of Christ
15 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospelw I preached to you,x which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved,y if you hold firmlyz to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3 For what I receiveda I passed on to youb as of first importancea: that Christ died for our sinsc according to the Scriptures,d 4 that he was buried,e that he was raisedf on the third dayg according to the Scriptures,h 5 and that he appeared to Cephas,b i and then to the Twelve.j 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.k 7 Then he appeared to James,l then toall the apostles,m 8 and last of all he appeared to me also,n as to one abnormally born.
9 For I am the least of the apostleso and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecutedp the church of God.q 10 But by the gracer of God I am what I am, and his grace to mes was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of themt—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.u 11 Whether, then, it is I or they,v this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
The Resurrection of the Dead
12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead,w how can some of you say that there is no resurrectionx of the dead?y 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised,z our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead.a But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.b 18 Then those also who have fallen asleepc in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,e the firstfruitsf of those who have fallen asleep.g 21 For since death came through a man,h the resurrection of the deadi comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.j 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits;kthen, when he comes,l those who belong to him.m 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdomn to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.o 25 For he must reignp until he has put all his enemies under his feet.q 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.r 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.”c s Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.t 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him,u so that God may be all in all.
29 Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 30 And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour?w 31 I face death every dayx—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beastsy in Ephesusz with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised,
“Let us eat and drink,
for tomorrow we die.”
Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character.” 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of Godd—I say this to your shame.
The Resurrection Body
35 But someone will ask,f “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?”g 36 How foolish!h What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.i 37 When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.j 39 Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. 41 The sun has one kind of splendor,k the moon another and the stars another;l and star differs from star in splendor.
42 So will it bem with the resurrection of the dead.n The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable;o 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory;p it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”f;r the last Adam,s a life-giving spirit.t 46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.u 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth;v the second man is of heaven.w 48 As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven.x 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man,y so shall weg bear the image of the heavenly man.
50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blooda 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 changedf--52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound,g the deadh will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishablei 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.”
'Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”
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.
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters,
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.
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