All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fish. There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body, it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 1Cor 15:39-44
How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come? These are the two questions Apostle Paul presumes will be raised by the Corinthians who deny the fact of the bodily resurrection. To answer the first question, Paul uses an analogy, comparing the nature of seeds to the resurrection- both are mysterious, and both are radical. In response to the second, Paul gives us a glimpse of the what the resurrected body will be like through a series of qualitative contrasts.
Paul begins his defense by stating, All flesh is not the same. Unlike animals, man was created in God’s image. (Gen 1:27) He has a spirit, and is able to know God and worship Him. (Ecc 12:7) He is able to analyze numbers and literature, create art, and build meaningful relationships with other fellow men. Why was man uniquely made? God created man with the resurrection end in mind. Just as the celestial bodies all differ in glory, the resurrection body is unique in kind, in level, and in character.
It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body…
Though every one of us will one day perish, the bodily resurrection will raise us to life immortal. The resurrected body has nothing to do with death. (Lk 24:5) It is raised an imperishable body because of the divine nature in our hearts- though we are not yet perfect, we have been made partakers of God’s divine nature through His Holy Spirit dwelling in us. (2Pet 1:4) Salvation is a gift- it can never be purchased by wealth or good works, so we rejoice and are full of hope because of God’s amazing grace.
It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory…
Man is depraved because the Fall affected the whole person of man. Because of our sinful nature, we dishonor God even though we desire to honor Him. How does man dishonor God? Man dishonors God by suppressing the truth. (Rom 1:18-20) Even though all the evidence to believe in God is here, he doesn’t want to believe, and therefore suppress the truth. Man dishonor God by not fearing Him- having no thanksgiving, acknowledgement, or praise for everything God has given to them. (Acts 12:21-23) Lastly, man dishonors God by denying Jesus as the Lord and Savior. The resurrected body will be raised in glory- it will be complete, able to honor and glorify God. By putting on the perfect righteousness that Christ provides us in our glorified state, whatever we do, God will be honored perfectly. (Is 35:8-9)
It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power…
Man is fragile and weak. We are dependent on something or someone every moment of our lives. The Bible describes our lives as a vapor, and warns us to not presume tomorrow will come. (James 4:14) But the at the resurrection we will become supernatural, unrecognizable from the broken conditions we’re in now. (Jn 21:4) We will be perpetually filled with the Holy Spirit, always bearing fruit, unceasingly glorifying our God.
It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body…
In our natural state, we are weak, dishonoring, and perishable. Our flesh is suitable to leave on earth. The natural man does not believe in the resurrection- he does not trust Jesus’s word. The resurrected body is a spiritual body, but that does not mean it is immaterial- the spiritual body includes the physical body. (Lk 24:39) As Paul states logically, if there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
At the resurrection, our perishable, weak, natural, dishonoring bodies will be laid to the dust, and through Christ we will be raised an imperishable, spiritual body in power and glory. This is the grace of God. Looking forward to Jesus’s coming brings hope and joy to the present- it dispels fear and strengthens faith to lay down our fleeting lives for the One who died and was raised for our eternal sake.
BIBLE COMMUNITY CHURCH 
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