Therefore

Posted on September 28, 2023 by Elizabeth Welte in Victory Call

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58

I love this verse. It is such an encouraging word. I have heard it many times and have used it in the counseling office often. I fear, however, that I have not actually delivered it as the powerhouse of encouragement it is meant to be. I failed to connect it to the reason we can be steadfast, immovable and always abounding the work of the Lord explained in the proceeding verses 50-57.

I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.  Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.  For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.  When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
 “O death, where is your victory?
  O death, where is your sting?”

 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are perishable – from our birth to death our bodies are in the process of perishing. Our physical beings are perishable – deteriorating over time.

BUT, that is not the final say – for when Christ returns we will be raised imperishable. Our resurrected bodies will not have deteriorating strength or failing eyesight. Our teeth will not fall out or turn yellow with age, our hair will not gray, our knees will not hobble with arthritis. Our resurrected bodies will be glorious, IMPERISHABLE. I think the older we get the more that excites us.

We are mortal – with a birthdate and a death date (though we don’t know what it is). God is immortal without beginning or end. We are mortal and we will die unless the Lord returns first; we will all face death. When Christ comes, both the dead in Christ and those in Christ still alive will rise. ALL believers will be changed.

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 1 Thessalonians 4:16

Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 4:17

We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

We will all be changed from perishable to imperishable from mortal to immortal.

And then sister, then – death will have lost its fangs and venom. Death will be a destroyed enemy – having not a shred of power left. Never, ever to take a loved one from us again. Never, ever to threaten us with fear, pain or deterioration again. DEATH WILL BE SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY. Oh, what a glorious day!!!

And the sting of death which is sin will be obliterated, gone, decimated, having no power left, whatsoever. Swallowed up in victory.

THEREFORE

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58 (Emphasis added)

Therefore encourage one another with these words. 1 Thessalonians 4:18

 

Written by Diane Hunt: Diane Hunt serves on the board of America’s Keswick and is the Executive Director & CEO of Changed Choices, a Christian non-profit in North Carolina. She is also a biblical counselor and women’s event speaker. For more information about having Diane speak at your next event please contact her at dhunt@americaskeswick.org.

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This Week’s Verse to Memorize:  “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, ²⁸ so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.” Hebrews 9:27-28