Victory in Jesus

April 21, 2016

Devotions:

        Life as we know it here on the earth is not the end, there is another deminsion.  We are just traveling through this life and we will all reach eternity, some to eternal separation from God and some to be eternally connected with God.  You will not enter the kingdom of God after you die unless you receive the kingdom of God in this life. 

        “Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will 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 imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  ‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:50-57‬ ‭NASB‬‬

        There is coming a time when we will receive our full salvation.  We will receive a resurrected body like Jesus' body which will never again be subject to sickness or disease or death.  We who are in Christ Jesus by the new birth have the victory never to be taken from us. 

        Paul said that we have a victory that has swallowed up death and the sting of death.  The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law.  Jesus satisfied the full demands of the law on behalf of every person who will receive what He has done.  Yes we are separated from our loved ones here as they leave their physical bodies because of physical death but this is a temporary situation.  As they have received Jesus and are born again, they are never separated from God and they will return with Jesus to receive their new body.  If we die in Jesus we will return with them.  If we are still here when Jesus returns then we will rise to meet them in the air and receive our new bodies as well.

        Sin has been dealt a deadly blow.  The law has been totally fulfilled in Jesus and that fulfillment is given to in our new birth.  Our mortal bodies right now give us the right to preach the gospel here on earth. 

        The size of your celebration demonstrates the level of your expectation and faith.