1 Corinthians 15:51-58: a reflection

51Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. 53For this perishable body must become imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54But when this perishable body will have become imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then what is written will happen: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55“Death, where is your sting? Hades, where is your victory?” 56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the Lord’s work, because you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Paul reaches the climax of his great chapter on the resurrection with a triumphant promise. At the last trumpet, he says, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will all be changed; this perishable body will put on the imperishable, this mortal will put on immortality. And then death itself will be defeated: Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your sting? Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. And Paul draws a conclusion for how to live in the meantime.

Notice the victory Paul proclaims: death itself, the last enemy, is swallowed up, its sting removed, through the risen Christ. For those who are in Christ, death is not the end; it is a defeated enemy, and beyond it lies resurrection to an imperishable, immortal life. This is not wishful thinking but the sure hope grounded in Christ's own resurrection, which Paul has been defending throughout the chapter. Death has lost, and Christ has won the victory for us.

And notice the conclusion Paul draws: Therefore, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain. Because death is defeated and resurrection is sure, our lives and our labors are not futile, swallowed up by death, but have lasting meaning. Live, then, in the certainty of this victory. Let the sure hope of resurrection make you steadfast and immovable, not shaken by death's threat; and let it make you abound in the work of the Lord, knowing that nothing you do for him is wasted. Death is swallowed up in victory; live and labor in the light of that triumph, for your work in the Lord is not in vain.

Lord, Paul proclaims that at the last trumpet the dead will be raised imperishable, and death itself will be swallowed up in victory, its sting removed, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you for so sure a hope. For those who are in Christ, death is not the end; it is a defeated enemy, and beyond it lies resurrection to imperishable life. Help me live in the certainty of this victory. Let the sure hope of resurrection make me steadfast and immovable, not shaken by death's threat. And let it make me abound in your work, knowing that my labor is not in vain, that nothing I do for you is wasted or swallowed up by death. Thanks be to you, who give us the victory through Jesus Christ. Help me live and labor in the light of that triumph, steadfast, immovable, always abounding in your work, for death is swallowed up in victory, and my work in you is not in vain.