“Can science cure death? It sure looks like it.”
“Can Google solve death?”
“With brain preservation, nobody has to die.”
These are just a few of the headlines that caught my attention recently while preparing for a message on the future resurrection of saints. One author claimed that microscopic robots repairing our bodies on the cellular level will be the key to overcoming the Grim Reaper. Another proposed cryopreservation as the means of conserving our brain identity and structure, making it possible to create a new, digital existence simply by uploading the content of our gray matter. The common denominator of each article, though, is that giving science a bit more time is the key to our achieving biological immortality.
While reading, my mind continually returned to the book of Hebrews, which plainly states every person has an appointment with death, followed by the judgment (Heb. 9:27). Scripture unapologetically and indiscriminately insists human mortality is a reality for all due to our inherited sin nature (Rom. 5:12). Avoiding our end is impossible despite the marvels of modern medicine or the advancements of contemporary technology.
I understand the ambition to dodge death, but our only real hope is to defeat it entirely. Therein lies the pastoral heart of the Apostle Paul as he writes to the Corinthian church seeking to explain the various reasons we should anticipate our future resurrection, why we need it, and how we should respond in the meantime.
Because Christ’s bodily resurrection from the dead serves as the foundational cornerstone of Christianity (1 Cor. 15:3-4), its inextricable link to our coming victory over death is no surprise. Simply put, if we are not raised from the dead there is no reason to believe that Jesus ever was (1 Cor. 15:13, 16). Inversely, if Jesus indeed rose on the third day, we should never doubt our ultimate victory over the grave (1 Cor. 15:20).
But how is it possible for a corpse to live again (1 Cor. 15:35)? To answer, Scripture points us to the principles of cultivation and the process of creation. Just as a seed sown in the ground is fundamentally different from beautiful plant that emerges, so, too, these bodies of ours will lay down in destruction only to rise demonstrably better than what we buried (1 Cor. 15:36-38). In both instances, death gives way to life anew.
Furthermore, because our God clothed human beings, beasts, birds, and fish with a physical dwelling from the very beginning, giving us a new body in the resurrection poses no particular problem. If the sun, moon, and stars, along with all other heavenly bodies, were covered with glory, why do we worry about what is ahead for us (1 Cor. 15:40-41)? The sovereign Creator of heaven and earth has unlimited creativity and unparalleled beauty in His heart, which means only His divine imagination can limit our immortal state.
But why is the resurrection essential? Why not avoid death altogether? Since the Garden of Eden, sin’s curse hangs over all of humanity, ultimately ending in our demise apart from God’s intervention (Rom. 5:18-19). Thus, these bodies of ours are perishable, dishonorable, and weak (1 Cor. 15:42-44). Simply put, our biological clocks will wind down one day. The wrinkles around our eyes, the thinning of our hair, the soreness in our joints, and dimness of our vision betrays us. So, through a monumental act of grace, God promises to raise us in immortality, glory, and power.
Our glorified bodies will be recognizable, just as Jesus was after the cross (John 20:24-29; 21:1-14). Life that was previously impossible will soon be available as we live free from temptation, sickness, and sadness (Rev. 21:4). Finally, with death swallowed up in victory (1 Cor. 15:53-54), we will bear God’s image perfectly, living according to His original intent as stewards of His new Heaven and earth (Gen. 1:26-28).
So how should we respond to these glorious truths? Three simple concepts capture the practical urgency of our forthcoming immortality (1 Cor. 15:58). Be steadfast. Keep trusting. Keep believing. Keep living by faith. Immovable. Stand firmly upon the Gospel. Resist the wisdom of men. Do not bend to the winds of relativism. Abound in the work of the Lord. Keep serving faithfully. Keep giving sacrificially. Keep loving relentlessly. Keep suffering joyfully. Keep enduring until the very end! Remember, you will reap if you do not grow weary (Gal. 6:9).
The hope of resurrection was never meant to be put on a shelf, only to come down for theological discourse or debate. Instead, every day we live while perishing should anchor our hearts to the imperishable life that awaits. When death finally knocks on your door, only what you have done for Jesus will last. When you open your eyes in eternity, all that will matter is who you are in Jesus. When your loved ones gather around your grave, all that will remain is the hope you have in Jesus.
Dr Adam B. Dooley is pastor of Englewood Baptist Church in Jackson, TN, and author of Hope When Life Unravels. Contact him at adooley@ebcjackson.org. Follow him on Twitter @AdamBDooley.
