Victory Over Death

Paul addresses death as a defeated foe as he uses the technique of personification. This defeat happens when the perishable ‘puts on’ the imperishable. These passages are often cited at funerals and so are familiar to most people.

We unpack the significance of them for each believer and make practical applications for the lives of people who have faith in Christ. The resurrected Christ is the first-fruits from the dead and His promises assure us that the “sting” of death no longer applies.

This is because the “stinger” is removed from what would be a venomous creature. These analogies piled together serve to convince those in the church at Corinth that they will be radically changed for eternity at the future resurrection.

Because we have these promises, our work in the Lord is never vain or literally ‘empty'. Thus, we must be strong and steadfast in our service in the body of Christ.