A Mystery Not All Sleep but Changed 1 Corinthians 15:51

Paul the apostle declared to the church members in Corinth how, “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” and “neither does corruption inherit incorruption”, and in chapter fifteen and verse fifty-one of First Corinthians, Paul shared with the church members concerning, “a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed”, where we read:

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

The verse begins, “Behold, I show you a mystery; ” Paul began with the word, “behold or “lo and see” “I show you” which means “Paul says, speaks, affirms, maintains, teaches, exhorts, advises, commands and directs toward the church members” “a mystery” or “a hidden thing, a secret and something not obvious to the understanding”. Paul “exhorted” the church members concerning a “secret”.

The verse goes on to say, “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,” Paul added the words, “we shall not all” which means “Paul and the church members were not each, every, the whole and everyone” “sleep” or “die”, “but” which is a disassociation conjunction that means what is about to be written takes precedence over what was just stated “we shall all” or “Paul and the church members will each, every, the whole and everyone” “be changed” which means “transformed”. Paul exhorted that although not “all” those who believe and trust in Jesus shall “die”, they may be assured they shall “each and everyone” be “transformed”.

When we meditate upon these words from Paul, we see how he prepared to share with the church members something that had previously been “unknown”. He shared how not everyone of the believers in Jesus would actually “sleep” or “die”, however, they could all expect to be “transformed”. People who believe and trust in Jesus Christ as their “Savior and Lord” have the promise, they “shall all be changed”, and this shall allow “all” of them to enter into the kingdom of God.

Next time Paul tells the church members what will happen, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.