‘Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor corruption inherit incorruption (1 Corinthians 15:50).’
‘So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O Death where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:54-57).’
There are times when Christians feel anything but victorious, and this is the work of the devil (2 Timothy 2:26). He does all he can to weigh us down, to accuse us, to make us despondent (1 Peter 5:8). His time is short, and he knows it. Hence he intensifies his attacks.
Fellow Christians are having all sorts of trials and tribulations. Some of them seem minor by comparison to those of Christians in foreign lands who find themselves in perilous, dangerous situations where even their *lives are threatened.
In spite of these things we have eternal hope (Titus 1:1, 2; 3:7) in Jesus who was raised from the dead. To the world, His victory may seem hollow, but they do not understand or believe (1 Corinthians 1:18). They do not know the power of resurrection in their own lives. They do not have the indwelling Spirit (Romans 8:9) who testifies to new life in Him (v 11; 2 Corinthians 1:22). They do not have assurance of salvation from sin, death and hell. They do not have the testimony: ‘And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life (1 John 5:11, 12).’
John went on to write, ‘These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you will continue to believe in the name of the Son of God (v 13).’
These are words of encouragement for the Christian, and stern warnings to those who reject Jesus.
Victory is sure for the believer (1 John 5:3—5), because Jesus has risen from the dead. ‘He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once,’ by Cephas, James and all the apostles (1 Corinthians 15:6-7). He ascended into heaven (Acts 1:9) and sits at the right hand of His Father (Colossians 3:1), and from there He will return to earth (Acts 1:11) for the final vanquishing of the devil, whom He will cast into the lake of fire and brimstone (Revelation 20:10) to join the beast and the false prophet (Revelation 19:19, 20), where they ‘will be tormented day and night forever and ever (Revelation 20:10).’
No longer will death reign, for it will be swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:54, 55) through our Lord Jesus Christ, and those in Him will reign (2 Timothy 2:10-12) in immortality with Him.
‘So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O Death where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory (1 Corinthians 15:54, 55)?”
- At least 50 more Christians die in militia-style Fulani attack on two Nigerian villages
The Biblical Way 