How does 1 Corinthians 15:26 define the "last enemy" we will face? Setting the Scene Paul’s whole argument in 1 Corinthians 15 revolves around the bodily resurrection of Jesus and, by extension, the bodily resurrection promised to every believer. He moves logically from Christ’s victory to our own, climaxing with a declaration about the ultimate foe. Death Identified as the Last Enemy • 1 Corinthians 15:26: “The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” • Scripture is explicit—no metaphor or symbol here. “Death” is named plainly, literally, as an adversary. • “Last” means the final obstacle standing between redeemed humanity and the full realization of Christ’s kingdom. Why Death Is Called an Enemy • Genesis 2:17—death entered through sin, never part of God’s original “very good” creation. • Romans 5:12—“just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned.” • Death opposes God’s design for life and fellowship with Him; therefore, it is hostile to His purposes and to us. How Christ Defeats This Enemy • 1 Corinthians 15:54–55—“Death has been swallowed up in victory… Where, O death, is your sting?” • Hebrews 2:14—Jesus took on flesh “so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil.” • Revelation 20:14—“Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.” A decisive, historical, future event. • Revelation 21:4—“There shall be no more death,” confirming its eradication in the new heaven and new earth. Chronology of Death’s Defeat 1. Resurrection of Christ (firstfruits, 1 Corinthians 15:20) 2. Resurrection of those who belong to Christ at His coming (15:23) 3. Christ hands the kingdom to the Father, “after He has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power” (15:24) 4. Finally, death itself is destroyed (15:26) What This Means for Believers Now • Assurance: Because death is already mortally wounded by Christ’s resurrection, it has lost its ultimate power over us (15:57). • Hope: Physical death for the believer is temporary, destined to be reversed. • Perspective: Trials, aging, and mortality are real, but they are not permanent fixtures in God’s plan. Key Takeaways • Scripture literally names death—not sin, Satan, or suffering—as the final adversary God will abolish. • Christ’s resurrection guarantees death’s destruction; it is a future certainty. • Until that day, we live courageously, knowing even our last breath cannot separate us from the life Christ secured. |
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