The Bible's classic chapter on the resurrection of the dead is 1 Corinthians 15. This all Christians who are at all ac­quainted with the Bible know. The Corinthians were new Christians. Their knowledge of the truths and doctrines of salvation was limited. Paul here gives them a detailed explanation of this glorious truth. These people believed that Christ arose, but evidently did not understand that we as Christians would therefore also arise. Therefore the apostle in the first part of the chapter shows the inseparable connec­tion that exists between Christ and His people. He is the head, we are the body. If He arose — and He did — we also shall arise. But the Corinthians had more problems, and questions. No wonder, because this great truth is beyond the reach of human perception, it is not something natural. We can know it only if and when it is revealed to us by the Lord. Man does not discover the truth of the resurrection from the dead. And so the Corinthians asked how all this could be possible. Assuming of course that they believed in God, also that He is the God of miracles in all of the work of salvation, Paul even rebukes them. He uses the simple metaphor of the sow­ing of a seed and the new plant that it produces in this way. The point of the example is that the seed has to be sown in the ground for the new life to grow and be brought forth. If the seed is not put in the ground or is left lying on top of the ground it will not sprout and grow. So also our bodies must die and be buried. The body and that which is of this earth must be left behind. And "out of it" or through this process the new life is brought forth. Some people believe that every body has in it an indestructible germ of life. Out of this germ the Lord will create a new body. Whether this can be proved from Scripture is questionable. But the point of the comparison still holds. The old has to die and be buried before the new life can sprout out of it and grow. Paul means to say to the Corinthians, "Look around you and see millions of examples in nature, of the resurrection." We must bear in mind, however, that this is an example. There is one big difference between this process of the seed and the resur­rection of the body of the Christian. In the case of the seed this is a natural process. But the resurrection of the body does not take place naturally. It is a miracle of grace which can be performed only by the Lord of life. But the sprouting seed does illustrate the resurrection. In the next verses Paul goes on in more detail to characterize this sowing of the body. It is sown in corruption, raised incorruptible; it is sown in dishonor, raised in honor; and it is sown in weakness, raised in power.

With burial our bodies are sown in corruption. Beginning with birth our bodies are subject to corruption and deprav­ity. This is the result of the power of death working in us, and death of course is the result of sin. Death is a power that disintegrates, tears apart. It tears apart every tissue and cell until there is nothing left but dust. Everything in this world is subject to that power. Steel rusts, wood rots, other things fade away.

This power subjects our bodies to corruption. Already in life we use perfumes, deodorants and other cosmetics to hide this power of corruption. But finally that power of death takes over completely. The stench of the human body reportedly is more repulsive than that of any dead animal. Also, the appearance of the human body after death can be gruesome. Such bodies we bury — not really: we "sow" them. Death doesn't have the last word, Christ does. When the Lord will return He will raise those bodies of His people into a condi­tion of incorruption. That condition is difficult for us to describe or imagine. The Scriptures say little about heaven. We likely wouldn't be able to understand it anyway. Paul says that it will be something which no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor has it ever arisen in the heart of any man. Our new bodies, raised in incorruption, will never become subject to corruption again. The history of the fall with all of its dreadful results can never be repeated.

Our bodies will be sown in "dishonor." Dishonor means to be disgraceful, subject to shame. That is true of our bodies now. Many of us would look quite different if we didn't have the help of a dentist, a hairdresser and others to improve our appearances. The dishonor of our bodies becomes obvious when we visit nursing homes. When we die the undertaker makes us look as natural as possible. Without his efforts our bodies soon after death become pale and terribly discolored. To cover up the repulsive reality we have coffins, flowers, etc. And then our bodies are buried. They can't stay here on earth because of the power of corruption. But God's people will be raised in the final day in great honor and glory. And so we "sow" this body "in dishonor" into the ground. But we sow in faith that they will be raised. Beyond this pro­cess of burial, of "sowing," the Lord will raise up new bodies out of the old, a condition of great honor. Having never seen this heavenly condition, we are powerless to imagine or describe it.

Our bodies, sown in weakness, are raised in power. How weak we were when we were born, wholly dependent upon others, especially our mothers. At times it may appear, as we grow up, that we are independent. Children and adoles­cents at times seem to have unlimited endurance. But there is a limit. And as people get older their strength and endur­ance fade away. We tire easily. Older people usually take a nap (or two) during the day. A person who lives to be 70-75 years old sleeps from 18-20 years of his life because of the weakness of the body. After some 15 or 16 hours we need a night's sleep again, we need rest. Consider too the many ailments of the body, and the increasing use of medicines and visits to the doctor. Because of these weaknesses we need eye glasses, perhaps hearing aids, crutches, wheel chairs and other helps. Although by surgery our bodies may be "kept intact" with wire, nylon, stainless steel or even nuts and bolts, in the end death conquers. Because of weakness man succumbs to its power. But the bodies of children of the King may not remain conquered. We sow these bodies in the cemetery, knowing and expecting Christ to return and raise them in power. Although the Bible says little about the future state, we do know that in heaven there will be no cripples, handicapped, physical weaknesses, tiredness or disabilities. All this is as certain as the fact that Christ arose from the grave. As our Savior, He is our Head and Lord.

Paul conveys this revelation, not just as a matter of fact, but as a declaration of victory. Corruption, weakness, dis­honor and death do not finally describe real Christians. Death may be our "last enemy," but that's not the last word. We belong to Christ, with soul and body. He has and will have the victory. That exultation of the apostle Paul, which already anticipates being raised in incorruption, honor and power, bursts out in his dramatic questions:

O death, where is your victory?
O grave, where is your victory?

The implied answer is that they don't have the victory. Christ has. And in the end death will be "swallowed up in victory." In the end death itself will be gone. In war there normally is a victor and loser, and even the victor may suffer many losses. In the final day there will be no losses for the Christian. Absolutely none! What sin achieved, the Lord will have made work together for the good of His people in all of their lives. And in the end, death itself will be destroyed, being "cast into the lake of fire." No trace of it will be left. Christ will have the victory in everything, and the devil will gain nothing. Thanks be to God for the wonderful grace of our Lord Jesus Christ!