"The Resurrected and Glorified Body" (1 Corinthians 15:35)

Let's examine the question from our passage. It reads, "But someone will say, How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?" The Bible describes death by using the comforting and familiar word "sleep!" However, it's a word that only applies to the physical body. In other words, sleep is a metaphor that describes the appearance and posture of the physical body! The word sleep is not used for the spirit of a person. The Lord Jesus, when speaking about His friend Lazarus said, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, so that I may awaken him out of sleep. The disciples then said to Him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover. Now Jesus had spoken of his death..." (John 11:11-13). Concerning Stephen's death, Luke says, "Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord do not hold this sin against them!" Having said this, he fell asleep" (Acts 7:60). When Paul spoke of the "more than five hundred brethren" who had seen Jesus alive after His resurrection, he said,"but some have fallen asleep" (1 Corinthians 15:6). Paul's message of comfort to the Thessalonian Christ followers was, "But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep" (1 Thessalonians 4:13). So the question is, "Why is death for the Christ follower described using the word sleep?" The aim of the word sleep is to suggest what death is like and means to the Christ follower! Sleep is used to show the temporary nature of death for the Christ follower. As sleep is temporary, so also is the death of the body! We are very familiar with what it means to sleep. It causes no fear or anxiety to sleep. Sleep is not harsh or fearful. As we awake from sleep, in the same way, God has promised to raise (awaken) the bodies of Christ followers, proving the temporary nature of death. I pray that this teaching, which causes every one of us to face the realities of death and what lies beyond, will cause you, if you've never trusted Christ as your Lord and Savior to consider Him! Your move. Be encouraged!