Rhapsody of Realities 10 March
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:51 – Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed .
Hebrews 9:27 has been misunderstood by many for so long. It says, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” For many people, this means “We must all die someday; everyone has an appointed time to die.” But no; they’re wrong. It’s not true that everybody has to die. The Bible doesn’t say “it’s appointed to men to die.”
There’s a difference between “it is appointed unto men to die” and “…as it is appointed unto men once to die….” In the latter, the argument is on how many times they should die, not that they must die. It can be rewritten as “Because they’re not supposed to die more than once….” That is, Christ was the sacrifice, and because they’re not supposed to die more than once, Christ, therefore, was offered to die once and for all. Now that He has died, it means death is no longer compulsory.
That’s the meaning of that scripture, not that men have an appointed date with death. Death isn’t from God; it’s an enemy, and it has been defeated, awaiting destruction: “For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death” (1 Corinthians 15:25-26). “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:9-10). When you’re born again, you’re born into life and immortality—“deathlessness”!
Read yesterday’s Rhapsody of Realities here
Now you can understand why our theme verse says, “…We shall not all sleep…”; meaning that we shall not all die. It’s telling us everybody isn’t going to die. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 says when Jesus comes back, the dead in Christ (Christians who had died) shall rise first, and then it says, “…we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds….” That means everybody didn’t die! You’re not subject to death.
Eternal life—the Godlife, the very essence of divinity—was imparted to your spirit when you received Christ. The Scriptures declare that if you have the Son of God, you have that life. But you must have the knowledge of it and live every day with the consciousness of this reality, a consciousness of life, not death. Praise God!
CONFESSION: I’ve been brought from humanity to eternity, for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from death and the law of sin. In my path, there’s no death! I walk only in the path of life. I’m death-free, whether it’s death in finances, business, job, health, it makes no difference. I’m forever off death’s limits! Hallelujah!
FURTHER STUDY: 1 John 3:14 14 We know that we have passed over out of death into Life by the fact that we love the brethren (our fellow Christians). He who does not love abides (remains, is [a]held and kept continually) in [spiritual] death.
1 Corinthians 15:51-57 51 Take notice! I tell you a mystery (a secret truth, an event decreed by the hidden purpose or counsel of God). We shall not all fall asleep [in death], but we shall all be changed (transformed)
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the [sound of the] last trumpet call. For a trumpet will sound, and the dead [in Christ] will be raised imperishable (free and immune from decay), and we shall be changed (transformed).
53 For this perishable [part of us] must put on the imperishable [nature], and this mortal [part of us, this nature that is capable of dying] must put on immortality (freedom from death).
54 And when this perishable puts on the imperishable and this that was capable of dying puts on freedom from death, then shall be fulfilled the Scripture that says, Death is swallowed up (utterly vanquished [a]forever) in and unto victory.
55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?
56 Now sin is the sting of death, and sin exercises its power [upon the soul] through [the abuse of] the Law.
57 But thanks be to God, Who gives us the victory [making us conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Mark 14:27-52 & Numbers 27-28
2-YEAR BIBLE READING PLAN: Acts 26:12-23 & Psalm 69-70
Thank you for studying today’s Rhapsody of Realities – Not Subject To Death – written by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome.
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Rhapsody of Realities 10 March 2022
