What does "flesh and blood cannot inherit" imply about our earthly nature? Setting the Scene • 1 Corinthians 15:50: “Now I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.” • Paul is wrapping up his long explanation of the resurrection. He has shown that Christ’s resurrection guarantees ours (vv. 12–34) and has described differing kinds of bodies (vv. 35–49). Verse 50 drives home why a change is absolutely required. What “Flesh and Blood” Means • A Hebrew idiom for ordinary, natural humanity—people in the present, physical condition after the fall (cf. Matthew 16:17). • “Flesh” in Paul’s letters often highlights human weakness and corruption (Romans 8:3). • “Blood” underscores mortality—life that can be drained away (Genesis 9:4). Together, the phrase points to our current, perishable bodies shaped by sin and death. Limitations of Our Earthly Nature 1. Perishability – 1 Corinthians 15:42 describes our bodies as “sown in corruption.” – All creation groans under decay (Romans 8:20–22). 2. Moral Weakness – “Those controlled by the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:8). – Our bodies harbor sinful impulses inherited from Adam (1 Corinthians 15:22). 3. Mortality – “It is appointed for man to die once” (Hebrews 9:27). – Dust we are, and to dust we return (Genesis 3:19). Because the kingdom of God is imperishable, holy, and eternal, these limitations bar untransformed humanity from inheriting it. Why Transformation Is Necessary • Jesus taught, “What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6). A spiritual birth is required. • 1 Corinthians 15:51–53 immediately promises: “We will all be changed… this perishable must be clothed with the imperishable.” • Philippians 3:20–21: Christ “will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.” • 2 Corinthians 5:4: “We do not wish to be unclothed but clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.” Without this divine makeover, the gap between mortal corruption and divine glory remains unbridgeable. The Resurrection Body: What Awaits Believers • Incorruptible – never subject to decay (1 Corinthians 15:42). • Glorious – shining with Christlike splendor (15:43; 1 John 3:2). • Powerful – no longer hindered by weakness or sickness (15:43). • Spiritual – fully yielded to the Spirit, fit for eternal communion with God (15:44). Living Today in Light of This Truth • Hold loosely to earthly comforts; they are temporary. • Resist sin’s pull, remembering its days are numbered (Romans 13:11–14). • Grow in hope: “We eagerly await a Savior… who will transform” (Philippians 3:20–21). • Serve steadfastly: “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). The phrase “flesh and blood cannot inherit” reminds us that our present condition, although precious and created by God, is not final. A grand, bodily redemption is on the horizon—one perfectly suited for the kingdom we are destined to inherit. |
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