Nougat 21

Amidst diverse teaching on spiritual living taught to them, the Corinthian church needed clarity on what was definitive about the Faith. Some of the issues are as relevant today for us, as it was them for them. Please receive Today’s Holy Nougat

“Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies.” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15‬:‭43‬-‭44‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Natural and Supernatural

They spoke about death and resurrection. It wasn’t the only thing; other topics came to the fore; but it was essential to their processing of the Faith. If we’re like Christ, and you say we are, why can’t we see our loved ones when they die?, might have been a question. Or perhaps the Corinthian church simply needed clarity on the difference between our ‘mortal’ versus our spiritual bodies. Who knows, it may have been both, or something else.

There’s the eschatological (i.e., End Times aspect) – we die now, anticipating Christ’s resurrection on that glorious Day. Given the poetic response to Death in the chapter, it is worth considering that that was to be our focus. When we die, it is not the end. Physically, yes, but there is a spiritual element to our lives. That’s the part that must worship God ‘in Spirit and in Truth’. (See Jesus’ conversation with the Woman at the Well in John 4:23; that is expounded on in John 1:14; and 14:6).

For me, it is worth exploring it in more practical ways. Within the context of immersion baptism, for example, we can find a profound lesson on the natural and spiritual, death and resurrection. For the waters of baptism could represent Death. Being submerged would symbolize the death of our old nature – our ‘naturally’ sinful state. Rising from the waters then, is a testament to our allegiance to Christ, and the new spiritual nature that we seek in Christ. That’s Death and Resurrection 101 for us.

That means our baptism helps us understand and live out our faith. When we take the vows of baptism (either by our confession of faith before immersion or at the time of our confirmation), we confess that we have a spiritual nature that we’re yielding to Christ. Spiritual bodies that seek to be strengthened in Christ. Spiritual bodies that are under the jurisdiction of God’s Spirit, and does not readily ‘fulfill the lusts of the flesh’ (see Galatians 5:16 onwards). Or, as the apostle explained it in Galatians 2:20, it’s no longer us who live [for ourselves and directing our actions], but Christ Who lives in us.

Isn’t that grand? We don’t have to do this on our own! The natural is assisted by the supernatural through Christ, our Savior and Sustainer.

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May all we seek be found in Christ