Transitions

May 21, 2021 (Friday) 

 

Transitions can be brutal. When something is added or taken away, we can mourn the loss or fear the unknown. Some people have the ability to face a life transition with courage, some with strength and resolve, and some with grace.

 

The BIG transition is from this physical life into eternity. Paul puts it this way, “This is what I’m saying, brothers and sisters: Flesh and blood can’t inherit God’s kingdom. Something that rots can’t inherit something that doesn’t decay.” [1 Corinthians 15:50 CEB] Ouch, that is brutal.

 

Paul describes our physical bodies as “perishable,” meaning “something that rots.” You know it: Fruit that is too old, meat that has been left out too long, that animal that was hit by a car outside your house. Talk about stink. We may be moving our carcass through time and space but it’s still rotting.

 

Here’s the good news, or maybe not: every one of us will get a new body that doesn’t rot. Good for those who have eternal life in Haven, not good for those who have chosen their destiny in Hell.

 

Paul then turns his attention to those who are still alive when Jesus returns. How do they (or maybe we) make the transition? What we are told, through the Holy Spirit, is… “But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed!” [1 Corinthians 15:51 NLT] This change will be the transition for those living at Jesus’ return.

 

The Greek word for “transformed” in this passage is “allasso.” It means to change one thing for another. Literally it means to make things different. This is a theme in Paul’s writings. Speaking of what it means to be a follower of Jesus, we read things like, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” [2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV]

 

Speaking of “holiness,” Paul uses a similar word picture: “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires.” [Ephesians 4:22 NIV] What we have in Paul, I think, is that NOW is a reflection of THEN.

 

The brains who write theology books use a big word: “eschatological.” Pastor’s and theologians, like scholars and scientists, have jobs because of big words complicating simple ideas. It just means “end times.” Or if you want to extend it, eternal matters.

 

Back the rotting corpse we are dragging through life. It has to transition into something that will endure for eternity to come. Paul insists, “It’s necessary for this rotting body to be clothed with what can’t decay, and for the body that is dying to be clothed in what can’t die.” [1 Corinthians 15:53 CEB]

 

Here’s the “eschatological” part, we are told to live and be like we are already in eternity. Paul told the Romans, “Instead, dress yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ, and don’t plan to indulge your selfish desires.” [Romans 13:14 CEB] Jesus is alive: always has been (unless you count His physical death), always will be. How many are going to admit to “selfish desires?”

 

When we dress ourselves with Jesus, we acquire NOW what we will have THEN. We ALREADY have it, but NOT YET have it in full measure. Kind of like a down payment. “The Holy Spirit is the down payment on our inheritance, which is applied toward our redemption as God’s own people, resulting in the honor of God’s glory.” [Ephesians 1:14 CEB] Got it?