You see, all things are under Christ today. But when He comes again, all things will be under God once more.

And my! What an impact that kind of faith is going to make on our living, he says. “Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?” [1 Corinthians 15:29]

Our Mormon friends have a problem with that. They baptize for people who are dead many years ago, some of them. But, Paul is not talking about being baptized for other people who are already deceased! He’s talking about that part of us that’s dead—the body is dead, and why, then, if there’s not going to be a resurrection of that dead body, why are we baptized with that hope and with that anticipation? It gives meaning even…to…our…baptism, the fact that we’re going to be raised from the dead.

And then, he goes on to talk about other problems that we have in life, and how this faith affects us. He says, “And why stand we in jeopardy every hour? ³¹I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. ³²If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die,” [1 Corinthians 15:30-32]. If the dead rise not—if there’s not going to be any resurrection, then let us eat and drink and be merry.

“Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. ³⁴Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.

³⁵ But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? ³⁶Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: ³⁷And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: ³⁸But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased Him, and to every seed his own body,” [1 Corinthians 15:33-38]. And that’s the way it’s going to be with us.

“³⁹All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. ⁴⁰There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. ⁴¹There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. ⁴²So also is the resurrection of the dead. It (the body) is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: ⁴³It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: ⁴⁴It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body,” [1 Corinthians 15:39-44]. We’re going to be changed!

“⁴⁵And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam [Christ] was made a quickening spirit. ⁴⁶Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. ⁴⁷The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. ⁴⁸As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. ⁴⁹And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. ⁵⁰Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

⁵¹ Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,….” We won’t all be in the graves when the Lord comes. But even the living will be changed. “…⁵²In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible….” Those…dead…bodies…will be changed to…spiritual bodies! “…and we shall be changed” who are still living. ⁵³For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory .” I LOVE that. “Death is swallowed upin victory”! What a great thought that is! THAT’S the hope the Christian has in Christ Jesus. “⁵⁵O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? ⁵⁶The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. ⁵⁷But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”[1 Corinthians 15:45-58]. What a great passage on resurrection! Answers a lot of questions for us, doesn’t it?