Scripture to Read: 1 Corinthians 15:50
The whole mystery of the resurrection boils down to what God had Paul write in 1 Corinthians 15:50, “Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.” God reminds the believers in Corinth that there is a difference between the perishable and the imperishable. Jesus explained it best to Nicodemus after He asked Jesus this question in John 3:4, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” Nicodemus was focused simply on the natural and not on the spiritual. Jesus graciously refocused Nicodemus by saying the following in John 3:5–8: “Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Jesus clearly laid out the difference between the natural and the spiritual. Unless someone is born-again spiritually through the Spirit of God, they remain dead in their sins and cannot inherit the imperishable. Only through Christ is the imperishable possible for those who surrender to Him as Lord.
Challenge & Application
How would you explain the difference to someone who does not understand the difference between the natural and the spiritual?
We must take care of the natural because it is the temple of the Holy Spirit; so, how are you doing just that?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!