Wearing the right clothes for the right occasion is important! Paul’s words, in verses 50–54, highlight the change that will happen in resurrection. What sort of body will we have when we are raised (v 35)? In verse 51 Paul says, ‘… we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed’. He is not referring here just to the Corinthian Christians, but to Christians in general. 

There will be Christians still alive on the day that Jesus returns, whenever that may be. They will be living mortal lives in perishable bodies that decay with age, but these ‘clothes’ will be changed when the resurrected Jesus returns (v 52)! People’s bodies will be transformed instantly to immortal, imperishable bodies, so that they are dressed appropriately. Then the sting of sin and the power of the law will be removed once and for all (vs 55,56) through the victory of Jesus over death (v 57).

Paul shows the implications of the victory of Jesus for our living as Christians in the present (v 58). Because Jesus is victorious over death, nothing we do for the Lord is ever wasted. Therefore, we should stand firm and give ourselves fully to living and working in the present for Jesus.

Lord, thank you that you have defeated death through your death on the cross.

What extraordinary verses these are, full of drama and power. They draw this great chapter to a fitting climax and give us a thrilling vision of the final victory of Christ on behalf of his people. Death is literally swallowed up by the victory of Christ as the perishable is ‘clothed’ with the imperishable (vs 53–55). Take a moment to take in the wonderful scene and allow it to lift your faith and your spirits. What we see here is the final culmination of what a Puritan writer called ‘the death of death in the death of Christ’.¹ Turn these thoughts into praise and worship. 

We respond in heartfelt praise, but is anything else required of us? In verse 58 Paul gives us two applications. First, he once again encourages us to ‘stand firm’. What in the world compares to this? No philosophy, no formulaic religion, no idols such as consumerism or materialism should draw us away. We are urged to ‘Let nothing move’ us. Here we take our stand on the life-changing, eternal gospel. Second, we are challenged to give ourselves unstintingly to God’s work. ‘Labour’ carries overtones of back-breaking toil. Perhaps this is how you feel about the work God has called you to do right now? If this is the case, Paul is alongside you with a pastor’s heart to urge you forward (note his tender ‘dear brothers and sisters’). Allow verse 58 to speak to you and God’s Spirit to strengthen you. The labour is tough, but what a cause and what a reward! There are many who start well in the Christian life but then stumble and fall, sometimes dropping out of the discipleship race altogether. Let’s finish well, depending on God’s extraordinary, amazing grace to us in his risen Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.  

Is there an aspect of the work to which God has called you, which at the moment is tough? Pray that God will strengthen you to continue your ‘labour’. 

¹ John Owen, The Death of Death in the Death of Christ, 1648