1 Corinthians 15:49 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

NIV: And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.

NASB: Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.

CSB: And just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.

NLT: Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man.

KJV: And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

NKJV: And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.

The Bible describes two states of existence in two separate bodies. One is the natural body that we're all familiar with. As was the case with Adam's body, these pre-death bodies are built to live on earth (Genesis 2:7). They are corrupted by sin and temporary. Those who are in Christ will receive a second body. This new body germinates, in a sense, from our old bodies (1 Corinthians 15:37). However, it is transformed in the moment of resurrection to follow the pattern of Christ's body instead of Adam's (1 John 3:2). That new body will be made of the same eternal material as Christ's body and built to last eternally with God in heaven.

Now, Paul adds that both bodies are marked by the image of the first of their kind. Every human being bears the image of Adam; our features, both external and internal, follow the pattern God established when forming Adam out of the earth. In a similar way, every Christian will in some way bear the image of the first one to be resurrected to a glorified body, Christ Himself. Since those bodies are eternal, we will bear His image forever.

Despite what some think, this is not intended to mean we will not be distinguishable as our unique selves in eternity. Bearing Christ's image does not mean that we will all wear Christ's specific face. Nor does it mean we will have the exact same, indistinguishable self. Here and now, we don't all look identical to Adam or to each other. Instead, we should understand that our glorified bodies will follow the pattern of Christ's body in the sense that we will share His defining characteristics (1 Corinthians 15:51).

First Corinthians 15:35–49 describes how the resurrected bodies of believers will be different from our current bodies. Resurrected bodies will not be reanimated corpses or some lesser version of our pre-death frame. The opposite is true. Our current, corrupt bodies are like seeds that are sown to bring to life the plant. These forms are temporary, dishonorable, and weak. Our transformed bodies will be eternal, glorified, and powerful, made from the materials of heaven, not earth, and built for an eternity with God.

Paul provides thorough teaching about the resurrection of Christians from the dead. This is a direct counter to some group of Corinthians who did not believe in such a resurrection. He shows that natural death is not the end of life for Christians; it is the last step before receiving a glorified, resurrected body like that of the risen Christ. That ''spiritual'' body will be as different from our current bodies as a star is from a fish. In that moment, for all who have believed in Christ, living and dead, death will be defeated for good.

In chapters 12, 13, and 14, Scripture focused on the concept of spiritual gifts and how best to use them. This follows several other ideas where Paul corrected errors in the Corinthians' thinking. Chapter 15 contains extensive teaching on one last issue about which some Corinthians were confused or misled. Apparently, they harbored some doubts about the physical resurrection of Christians from the dead. After clearing up these confusions, Paul will address various other items, of a less doctrinal nature, and close out his letter.

First Corinthians is one of the more practical books of the New Testament. Paul writes to a church immersed in a city associated with trade, but also with corruption and immorality. These believers are struggling to properly apply spiritual gifts and to resist the ungodly practices of the surrounding culture. Paul's letter gives instructions for real-life concerns such as marriage and spirituality. He also deals with the importance of unity and gives one of the Bible's more well-known descriptions of love in chapter 13.