The Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.” But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit. What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later. Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second Man, came from heaven. Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly Man. Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly Man. What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever.
1 Corinthians 15:45-50
First this; then that. There is a natural and spiritual order to things. The first Adam or man was a living person; the last Adam (Christ) is a life-giving spirit. First the natural, then the spiritual. The first was made from dust (Adam means man or dust) the second was “made in heaven”. Earthly will always be earthly and heavenly always heavenly. Hold on to the hope people – you are earthly now but one day you will be heavenly. Why? Because of the resurrection! The resurrection is foundational to most of the New Testament doctrine. Think on the difference between your present body and your body of the future. The new model will be such a new improved version. It will boggle the mind. Eye hasn’t seen, nor ear heard nor mind conceived . . .
But it is all premised on dying. Death releases the glory of the resurrection in so many ways. There is nothing to fear in death when one knows Jesus. Because of His resurrection we will walk in newness of life in the most amazing bodies imaginable. Christ has conquered the grave; as with the proto type so too with the models to come. It is all dependent on the resurrection. But it is also dependent on dying. Paul says these dying bodies can’t inherit the eternal. We must die in more ways than one. Just as there is an underlying New Testament message relating to the second death so too there is an underlying message of death to self, death to sin. A relinquishing of all that is not of God in order to gain all that is. And all this is available to us because of the resurrection.
Are you getting the message how important and how foundational the resurrection is? Do you believe it? More importantly do you believe and trust Christ to save you? That is the first step. All the rest are fringe benefits.
A weak faith is weakened by predicaments and catastrophes, whereas a strong faith is strengthened by them.
Victor Frankl (Holocaust Survivor)
Friends, every single one of us only live once. But if we live it right, once is enough.
Sidney Mohede
If a 1000 steps separate you from Christ, He has taken 999. Walk in His direction. He is waiting.
Max Lucado