1 Corinthians 15:33

1 Corinthians 15:33 says, Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.  Paul had just stated that if there was no resurrection that we should just eat and drink and enjoy life until we die. There were those then, as there are those today, who proclaim this to be the best way to live, but Paul said that we are not to listen to this evil communication.  We must understand that anyone who denies the death, burial and resurrection of Christ is guilty of evil communication, and we are to never listen to what they are saying.  Verse thirty-four adds, Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.  Paul was still addressing the church at Corinth in this letter, but the principles still apply today.  We need to awake to righteousness, to following the will of God.  I believe Paul was warning them that not all those who professed to be Christians had a knowledge of God, and yet they would attempt to lead others to their beliefs.  This has not changed today.  Many profess to be Christians who have not awakened to the righteousness of God and to not give in to sin.  Verse thirty-five continues, But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?   Paul stated that some were still questioning the resurrection of the dead and wondering what kind of body they would have.  We today may wonder about the nature of the resurrected body, but Paul tells us that this is nothing we need to be concerned with.  We simply need to claim the truth of the resurrection.  Verse thirty-six states, Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:  Paul said it was foolish to worry about the physical body, and that we should learn from planting seeds.  In order to grow a new plant, or to resurrect itself, the seed must die.  This old body will pass away.  Even those who are alive when Christ returns will be charged in the twinkling of an eye we are told.  Verse thirty-seven adds, And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:  Paul tells us that when we plant a seed that we don't expect to get that seed back, but we plan to get something much greater.  I believe Paul was saying that the same is true of the resurrected body.  We will have a body that is much greater than this present one.  Verse thirty-eight continues, But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.  Paul tells us God is in charge of the production of crops from seed, and He is likewise in charge of the resurrected body.  Verse thirty-nine says, All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.  No matter how much we people may attempt to put other animals on par with human beings, they will never be the same.  People have an immortal soul, and the other animals do not.  Verse forty adds, There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.  Paul changes his discourse from living things to the planets and stars.  He tells us that they are not all viewed with the same glory.  We need to simply look to poor Pluto to see this is true.  For years, Pluto was a planet, then it wasn't, and I am not even sure its status today.  Verse forty-one continues, There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.  Paul continues this thought here.  Not all of the stars receive the same glory.  We know that we need the sun more than we need any other star.  After comparing the glory of the stars,  Verse forty-two states, So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:  Paul returns to the resurrection of the body. He tells us that the old body is sown, or buried, in corruption.  This body that we now have has been corrupted by sin, but the resurrected body will not be so.  Verse forty-three Paul adds, It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:  I believe Paul is telling us that we should not even want this old body back, because we are going to receive on that is so much better.  Verse forty-four continues, It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.  Paul reminds us that what we have is a natural body, but what we will have in the resurrection is a spiritual body.  We know that the physical body will pass away, but the spiritual body, whatever its form may be, will last forever.  We can rely on God to give us the body that is best for us without the corruption that it now suffers.