Based on 1 Corinthians 15:35-58 (New King James Version)
“But someone will say, ‘How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?’ Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain—perhaps wheat or some other grain. But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body. All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 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 incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 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. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
Probably the biggest challenge facing those of us who have chosen to follow the Lord is the issue of shifting our focus from the earthly to the spiritual. And this matter is very logical because we were all born and live only knowing this world, and nothing else. It's the only thing that our senses have been showing us, so to speak. This world is the only thing we know. But blessed be God who created us and also made us with other things that give us the ability to go beyond the earthly. And that's what we should focus on.
I imagine that many will ask, “What is the problem in focusing on the here and now if you yourself say that this is the only thing we know?” The problem, as we read today, is that what is earthly is corruption, and corruption does not last forever, but rather, it will one day end. We should rather focus on the incorruptible, the eternal, even if it is not something we are familiar with. The problem with focusing only on the earthly, on the corruptible, is that ultimately all of this will lead only to death, eternal death. This is what the Word says: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Galatians 6:7-9. Concerning ourselves only with the flesh will only produce corruption and ultimately death. But he who sows for the Spirit will reap eternal life, if he does not faint, because we must continue to the end.
This is probably the main problem that many so-called believers have, in that even though they profess to believe in the Lord, their focus, their attention, their effort is only on the earthly, on the corruptible. They continue to live for what only ends in death despite saying that they believe in the One who gives life. What's more, the vast majority seek God only to solve their daily problems and for Him to serve them in the present. And they think that because they involve God in their lives in some way, that they will also have eternal life, even though that is not their focus. And this is a serious mistake. If a person focuses primarily on the earthly, on the corruptible, that is what they will reap, no matter what faith they profess to have. Their supposed faith will be in vain, because as we just read, God cannot be mocked. No one can use God, even if it seems at the moment that they are getting what they want. Many judge that they are right with God when they think that things go their way, but what happens here and now has nothing to do with what will happen in God's great judgment. And that is why it is so urgent to change your thinking and to put aside the present and look toward the eternal future, because it is the only way you will obtain eternal life. Otherwise, you will only continue on your course towards hell. We must always remember that reality is not controlled by our opinion. And no human being is God, nor can they make God do whatever he or she wants to.
What should happen then in our lives? There must be a drastic change, from focusing on the worldly to the heavenly, from the earthly to the spiritual, and the corruptible to the incorruptible. This is what the Word says: “I beseechyou therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:1-2. There must be a renewal of our understanding, and this only happens with a complete repentance and conversion from all sin, and a complete turning or changing from everything that opposes God. This is the main thing, that without repentance, without a total and genuine conversion, you will never be able to be born again in Christ and have the Holy Spirit enter your life. And we need Him because we cannot do this transformation or renewal of understanding alone. We need the Eternal God and Father to work in our lives through His Holy Spirit. And the end must be very obvious, that we should take our sight away from the corruptible and setting it on the Incorruptible, on Christ, as it is written: “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2. Christ must become our primary focus, our goal, the reason for our existence. It doesn't mean that the rest doesn't matter, but it does mean that God has the priority, and that we should seek to have His will done primarily. If you can achieve that in your life, if you can be firm and constant, growing in the work of the Lord, doing that which is necessary, you will effectively obtain eternal life. So, where do you have your eyes set? Lord bless! John