January 22nd - What is Faith?

"Now faith is an assumption of what is being expected, a conviction concerning matters which are not being observed; for in this the elders were testified to. By faith we are apprehending the eons to adjust to a declaration of God, so that what is being observed has not come out of what is appearing." (Hebrews 11:1-3 CLNT)

Above is the Biblical definition of "faith".  It is having a "conviction" that what God promises will happen even though it seems impossible.  When you have this faith you know God will "adjust" things eventually so that what He has promised will happen.

Having faith in what you want, or what men say, or what you think should be done is not worth much. But having "faith" in what God has promised is of great value, and having that faith is considered "righteous" by God. An example is Abraham who believed God when He told him he would have a son in his old age and he would have many descendants.

"Then He brought him forth outside and said: Now look up toward the heavens and count off the stars if you can number them. And He promised him: Thus shall become your seed. Now Abram believed Elohim, and it was reckoned to him for righteousness." (Genesis 15:4-6)

Believing God is a righteous thing to do. Yet, Abraham died long before his "seed" became as numerous as the stars he saw that night. And he is not alone, many others named in the Bible died without seeing the promises God made to them fulfilled.

"And these all, being testified to through faith, are not requited with the promise of God..." (Hebrews 11:39)

Satan is a liar and his job has always been to convince people not to believe what God says. The Apostle Paul warned of this deception...

"Now the spirit is saying explicitly, that in subsequent eras some will be withdrawing from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and the teachings of demons..." (1 Timothy 4:1-20

The apostle Paul tells us what not to believe...

"Now profane and old womenish myths refuse..." (1 Timothy 4:7)

Paul then tells us a promise from God that we are to have faith in, and teach to others...

Faithful is the saying and worthy of all welcome (for for this we are toiling and being reproached), that we rely on the living God, Who is the Savior of all humanity, especially of believers. These things be charging and teaching." (1 Timothy 4:9-11)

Any teaching which limits salvation to less than "all humanity" is not having faith in what God says, it is simply unbelief. Those few who now have faith in the salvation of all recognize this salvation solely by the grace of God, apart from any good works of our own.  

"For in grace, through faith, are you saved, and this is not out of you; it is God's present, not of works, lest anyone should be boasting..." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Jesus Christ had biblical faith and "Jesus Christ's faith" was for all humanity and will eventually be possessed by all humanity.

"…a righteousness of God through Jesus Christ's faith, for all, and on all who are believing...”. (Romans 3:21-22 CLNT)

Some versions change the phrase "Jesus Christ's faith" to read “through faith in Christ Jesus” thus robbing humanity of the truth. That is how subtle Satan is, but such change is among the many "teachings of demons" found in institutional religion.

"For the One not knowing sin, He makes to be a sin offering for our sakes that we may be becoming God's righteousness in Him.  Now, working together, we are also entreating you not to receive the grace of God for naught. For He is saying, In a season acceptable I reply to you, and in a day of salvation I help you. Lo! Now is a most acceptable era! Lo! Now is a day of salvation!" (2 Corinthians 5:20-6:2) 

Only a few are given the faith of Jesus Christ in this present age, but we should rest assured that ALL will have this faith after the resurrection of the dead. Then all will affirm that Jesus Christ is Lord which will bring glory to God.

“For all sinned and are wanting of the glory of God. Being justified gratuitously in HIS GRACE, through the deliverance which is in Christ Jesus ...For the ration of Sin is death, yet the gracious gift of God is life eonian, in Christ Jesus, our LORD.” (Romans 3:23-24; 6:23)

"I, the LORD, speak the truth; I say what is right. Come, gather together, and draw near, you fugitives from the nations...There is no other El but Me, a righteous El and Savior; there is none but Me. Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am El, and there is no other. By Myself I have sworn; truth has gone out from My mouth, a word that will not be revoked: Every knee will bow before Me, every tongue will swear allegiance. Surely they will say of Me, In the LORD alone are righteousness and strength.’ ” (Isaiah 45:19-24)

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, existing in the form of God the Father, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross. Therefore God the Father exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name above all names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11)

Many say that when all "confess" Jesus as Lord it will be too late to be saved. To me, such teachers are "giving heed to deceiving spirits and the teachings of demons."

January 21st - Deliverance of Humanity

The word translated "sin" in the Bible means to miss the mark. The mark for humans was to be the "image of God", but all humanity falls short of that mark. They are estranged from God as the result, and stand in need of salvation, reconciliation, and transformation.. 

"...for all sinned and are wanting of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

"...the ration for sin is death, yet the gracious gift of God is life eonian, in Christ Jesus, our Lord."  (Romans 6:23)

God's plan for saving humanity from death involves "bloodshedding" to cleanse - but the blood must come from an innocent source.  

"And almost all is being cleansed in blood according to the law, and apart from bloodshedding is coming no pardon." (Hebrews 9:22)

The blood of ordinary human beings or animals could not atone for sin. This was clearly shown in the history of Israel. The bloody sacrifices of animals was only a "shadow" of the permanent cleansing that God the Father would provide by the "gracious gift" of His Son.

"For the law, having a shadow of the impending good things...with their same sacrifices which they are offering year by year, are never able to perfect to a finality...in them there is a recollection of sins year by year; for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and of he-goats to be eliminating sins." (Hebrews 10:1-4)

The blood of Jesus, an innocent human was sacrificed once and for all humanity. It took "away the sin of the world". Jesus, the original Son of God, saved humanity from perishing in death, and reconciled the world to God the Father.

"On the morrow he is observing Jesus coming toward him, and is saying, Lo! the Lamb of God which is taking away the sin of the world." (John 1:29)

"...yet now, once, at the conclusion of the eons, for the repudiation of sins through His sacrifice, He is manifest." (Hebrews 9:26)

Jesus always did the will of His Father, and it was the Father's will for Him to shed His "blood" to take away the sins of the world and bring reconciliation to the entire creation. 

"My little children, these things I am writing to you that you may not be sinning. And if anyone should be sinning, we have an Entreater with the Father, Jesus Christ, the Just. And He is the propitiatory shelter concerned with our sins, yet not concerned with ours only, but concerned with the whole world also." (1 John 2:1-2)

"God is commending this love of His to us, seeing that, while we are still sinners, Christ died for our sakes." (Romans 5:8)

"God was in Christ, conciliating the world to Himself, not reckoning their offenses to them...For the One not knowing sin, He makes to be a sin offering for our sakes that we may becoming God's righteousness in Him." (2 Corinthians 5:18-21)

God the Father sacrificed His one and only begotten Son for our sake.

"This one, given up in the specific counsel and foreknowledge of God, you, gibbeting by the hand of the lawless, assassinate...Yet what God announces before through the mouth of all the prophets - the suffering of His Christ - He thus fulfills." (Acts 2:23; 4:18-19)

The "love" of God did this for all "irreverent" sinners, not just a few.

"For Christ, while we are still infirm, still in accord with the era, for the sake of the irreverent, died" (Romans 5:6-7)

"Yet now, in Christ Jesus, you, who were once far off, are become near by the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2:13)

God is "for us" sinners, not against us as some suggest, so we need not worry about the future of humanity.

If God is for us, who is against us?  Surely He who spares not His own Son, but gives Him up for us all, how shall He not, together with Him, also, be graciously granting us all?"  (Romans 8:31-32)

Do not let the religious doctrines of men rob you of the truth of God's great love for all humanity, and rob you of the knowledge that His plan is to save and reconcile all humanity to Himself in His "grace" through the "blood" of our Lord Jesus Christ.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who blesses us with every spiritual blessing among the celestials, in Christ, according as He chooses us in Him before the disruption of the world, we to be holy and flawless in His sight, in love, designating us beforehand for the place of a son for Him through Christ Jesus; in accord with the delight of His will, for the laud of the glory of His grace, which graces us in the Beloved." 
(Ephesians 1:3-6)

Yes, that is the glorious plan of God the Father!

"...in Whom we are having the deliverance through His blood, the forgiveness of offenses in accord with the riches of his grace, which He lavishes on us.; in all wisdom and prudence making known to us the secret of His will." (Ephesians 1:7)

The salvation of all humanity is no longer a secret to those who believe the Bible.

"And the Word became flesh and tabernacles among us, and we gaze at His glory as of an only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John is testifying concerning Him and has cried, saying, 'this was He of Whom I said, He Who is coming after me, has come to be in front of me, for He was first before me, for of that which fills Him we all obtained, and grace for grace. For the law through Moses was given; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. God no one has ever seen. The only-begotten God, Who is in the bosom of the Father, He unfolds Him." (John 1:14-18)

Finally, our Lord Jesus will transform all of us out of our mortal sinful bodies of flesh and blood into an immoral body of pure spirit to become eternal citizens of the Kingdom of God.

"But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body." (Philippians 3:20)

"There are bodies celestial as well as bodies terrestrial. But a different glory, indeed, is that of the celestial, yet a different that of the terrestrial...Thus also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is roused in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor; it is roused in glory. It is sown in infirmity; it is roused in power. It is sown a soulish body; it is roused a spiritual body. If there is a soulish body, there is a spiritual also... And according as we wear the image of the soilish, we should be wearing the image also of the Celestial. Now this I am averring, brethren, that flesh and blood is not able to enjoy an allotment in the kingdom of God, neither is corruption enjoying the allotment of incorruption." (1 Corinthians 15:40-50)

"Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is." (1 John 3:2)

January 20th - Why Death?

"And Yahweh Elohim instructed the human, saying: From every tree of the garden you may eat, yea eat, but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you must not eat from it; for on the day you eat from it, to die you shall be dying." (Genesis 2:16-17)

The first human beings lived in a garden paradise on Earth prepared specifically for them.  Elohim gave them only one commandment to obey - don't eat the fruit from the tree of the "knowledge of good and evil". 

They did not have a "knowledge" of good and evil so they did not know the difference. Elohim had a plan to give them that knowledge of good and evil. That plan would involve a choice to disobey God's commandment. The serpent who we later learn was Satan tempted them, and they disobeyed.

"Now the serpent, it became more crafty than any other animals of the field that Yahweh Elohim had made. The serpent said to the women: Indeed did Elohim say, you shall not eat from every tree of the garden." (Genesis 3:1)

Satan, the "man-killer", influenced the serpent to deceive and kill humanity.

"...the ancient serpent called Adversary and Satan, who is deceiving the whole inhabited earth." (Revelation 12:9)

"He is a man-killer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth." (John 8:44) 

Yet, it was God who created Satan to do what he does.

"Yahweh has made every thing for its own outcome, Yea, even the wicked for the day of evil." (Proverbs 16:4)

"I am Yahweh, and there is no other. Former of light and Creator of darkness, Maker of good and creator of evil." (Isaiah 45:7)

"And I Myself created the ruiner to harm." (Isaiah 54:16)

God created and planned for evil to come into the world. However, He works ALL THINGS for good, even the evil. 

"Now we are aware that God is working all together for the good..." (Romans 8:28)

God will eventually save humanity from the evil He created and reconcile them to Himself.  When finished, His love will have been demonstrated, along with His grace and mercy. That is His promise to humanity, and our only hope of survival.

"For the saving grace of God made its advent to ALL humanity, training us that, disowning irreverence and worldly desires, we should be living sanely and justly and devoutly in the current eon, anticipating that happy expectation, even the advent of the glory of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ, Who gives Himself for us, that He should be redeeming us from all lawlessness and be cleansing for Himself a people to be about Him, zealous for ideal acts." (Titus 2:11-15)

"He will be brushing away every tear from their eyes.  And death will be no more, nor mourning, nor clamor, nor misery; they will be no more, for the former things passes away. And He Who is sitting on the throne said, Lo! New am I making all! And He is saying, Write, for these sayings are faithful and true." (Revelation 21:4-5)  

Evil, suffering, and death will have served its purpose.

"For the ration of Sin is death, yet the gracious gift of God is age eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

At least that is my view of the message of the Bible.

January 19th - The Humble Beginning and Glorious End of Humanity

"As for the earth, it came to be a chaos and vacant, and darkness was over the surface of the abyss." (Genesis 1:1-2 CLNT)

After the Earth became dark and vacant, God recreated it.

"And the spirit of Elohim was vibrating over the surface of the waters. And Elohim said: Let light come to be! And light came to be." (Genesis 1:2-3)

Then came six days of recreation....

"On the sixth day Elohim finished His work that He had made; and He ceased on the seventh day from all His work that He had made." (Genesis 2:2)

It was on the sixth day of His work that God made humanity.

"Yahweh Elohim formed the human out of soil from the ground, and He blew into his nostrils the breath of life; and the human became a living soul." (Genesis 2:7)

"And Yahweh Elohim said: It is not good for the human to be alone by himself. I shall make for him a helper as his complement...He took one of his angular organs and closed up the flesh over its place. Yahweh Elohim built the angular organ that He had taken from the human into a woman and brought her to the human." (Genesis 7:18-22)

We call the first human Adam and his spouse Eve. All humanity springs from this first couple.

"And Elohim said: Let Us make humanity in Our image and according to Our likeness...So Elohim created humanity in His image; in the image of Elohim He created it: male and female He created them. Elohim blessed them, and Elohim said to them: Be fruitful and increase; fill the earth and subdue it. Hold sway over the fish of the sea and over the flyer of the heavens, over every domestic beast, over all the earth and over every animal that is moving on the earth." (Genesis 2:26-28)

No missing links, just the Elohim beginning the process of creating humanity in their image. One man and one woman, the first family - BUT they were soon tarnished by sin and evil. Why? 

God gave King Solomon the wisdom to know why...

"...wisdom and knowledge are being granted to you, and also riches, substance and honor I shall give to you, such as none of the kings before you has come to have, nor shall there be any after you." (2 Chronicles 1:8-11)

And with wisdom King Solomon tells us why God allows sin and evil to ruin humanity...

“I applied my heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: it is an experience of EVIL Elohim has given to the sons of humanity TO HUMBLE THEM by it.  I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun, and behold, the whole is vanity and a grazing on wind. What is distorted cannot be set in order, and what is lacking cannot be counted. I spoke with my heart, saying, behold, I have grown great and have added in wisdom over all who were over Jerusalem before me; my heart has seen much of wisdom and knowledge. Then I applied my heart to know wisdom, as well as to know about raving and frivolity; I realize that even this, it is a grazing on wind. For in much wisdom is much vexation, And he who adds knowledge adds pain." (Ecclesiastes 1:13-18)

That is the bad news - but the good news tells us that after humans have been suitably HUMBLED, they are to be recreated into the image of Christ Jesus - the immortal and sinless Son of God!

"Thus it is written also, The first man, Adam, "became a living soul:" the last Adam a vivifying Spirit. But not first the spiritual, but the soulish, thereupon the spiritual. The first human was out of the earth, soilish; the second Adam is the Lord out of heaven. Such as the soilish one is, such are those also who are soilish, and such as the Celestial One, such are those also who are celestials. And according as we wear the image of the soilish, we should be wearing the image also of the Celestial. Now this I am averring, brethren, that flesh and blood is not able to enjoy an allotment in the kingdom of God, neither is corruption enjoying the allotment of incorruption. Lo! a secret to you am I telling! We all, indeed, shall not be put to repose, yet we all shall be changed, in an instant, in the twinkle of an eye, at the last trump. For He will be trumpeting, and the dead will be roused incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality.  Now, whenever this corruptible should be putting on incorruption and this mortal should be putting on immortality, then shall come to pass the word which is written, Swallowed up was Death by Victory." (1 Corinthians 15:46-54)

God has a plan for the good of all humanity.

"Now we are aware that God is working all together for the good of those who are loving God, who are called according to the purpose that, whom He foreknew, He designates beforehand, also, to be conformed to the image of His Son, for Him to be Firstborn among many brethren." (Romans 8:28-29)

And then what?

"And I perceived a new heaven and a new earth, for the former heaven and the former earth pass away, and the sea is no more. And I perceived the holy city, new Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I hear a loud voice out of the throne saying, "Lo! the tabernacle of God is with humanity, and He will be tabernacling with them, and they will be His peoples, and God Himself will be with them. And He will be brushing away every tear from their eyes. And death will be no more, nor mourning, nor clamor, nor misery; they will be no more, for the former things passed away." And He Who is sitting on the throne said, "Lo! New am I making all!" And He is saying, "Write, for these sayings are faithful and true." (Revelation 21:1-5)

January 18th - In a Beginning - Out of Nothing Came the Big Bang!

"In a beginning Elohim created the heavens and the earth. As for the earth, it came to be a chaos and vacant, and darkness was over the surface of the abyss." (Genesis 1:1-2 CLNT)

"Elohim" is a Hebrew plural word meaning mighty ones. There were two of them as I understand the Bible, God the Father, and His Son, the firstborn of all creation. 

"...there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we exist. And there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we exist." (1 Corinthians 8:6)

In the very first "beginning" recorded in the Bible, the mighty ones were already there. The Scripture does not attempt to prove they exist. It simply implies that however far back we go, whatever beginning we want to look into, the mighty ones of creation are already there. 

"In a beginning Elohim created..". (Genesis 1:1)

Science calls this creation event "The Big Bang" or a "Singularity". But they are lost as to what was before the big bang because all known physical laws cease to work at that point. The most recent hypothesis is that there was nothing, everything in our vast Universe came into being out of nothing. It is interesting that the Hebrew word for "created" is "bara" which is generally understood to mean "come into existence out of nothing" which confirms the most recent scientific hypothesis!

But the Bible indicates that something happened to the Earth after its initial creation by the Elohim out of nothing. It states that the earth "came to be a chaos and vacant". 

Isaiah tells us it was not originally created that way...

"For thus says Yahweh, Creator of the heavens; He is the One, Elohim, the Former of the Earth and its Maker, He Himself established it; He did not create it a chaos; He formed it to be indwelt." (Isaiah 45:18)

God the Father and His Son, the Elohim, are in absolute control of the beginning and end of their creation. They will accomplish their plan to make humanity into their image. The Bible unfolds that plan for those patient enough to read the whole thing. When man has been made into that image they will enter and see the final Kingdom of God, a New Heaven and New Earth.

"And I perceived a new heaven and a new earth, for the former heaven and the former earth pass away, and the sea is no more. And I perceived the holy city, new Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I hear a loud voice out of the throne saying, "Lo! the tabernacle of God is with mankind, and He will be tabernacling with them, and they will be His peoples, and God Himself will be with them. And He will be brushing away every tear from their eyes. And death will be no more, nor mourning, nor clamor, nor misery; they will be no more, for the former things passed away." And He Who is sitting on the throne said, "Lo! New am I making all!" And He is saying, "Write, for these sayings are faithful and true." (Revelation 21:1-5)

January 17th - God 101 Final Exam

"For God was pleased to have ALL His fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself ALL things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the cross." (Colossians 1:20)

God 101 - Final Exam: (This is an open book test - and I assume you know what book)

MULTIPLE CHOICE

1.  Jesus came into the world to seek and to save...

(a)  some of the lost
(b)  the lost who repent of their sins and ask Jesus into their hearts
(c)  those who repeat the sinners prayer
(d)  all that are lost

2.  God wills...

(a)  all to be saved
(b)  a few to be saved
(c)  most to be saved
(d)  only Christians and Jews to be saved

3.  Jesus came into the world to

(a)  offer salvation to sinners
(b)  condemn sinners to hell
(c)  attempt to save sinners from hell
(d)  save sinners

4.  Salvation is...

(a)   an offer from God that can be rejected
(b)  earned by mixing the grace of God with the good works of people
(c)  limited to those who hear and believe the gospel
(d)  the free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ the Lord

5.  God loves...

(a)  some people
(b)  all people
(c)  only Christians and a few Jews and Republicans
(d)  nobody

6.  At death...

(a)  Christians immediately go to heaven
(b)  Unbelievers immediately go to hell
(c)  That's it - People cease to exit
(d)  none of the above

7.  At the resurrection

(a)  we receive a new spiritual body not made from the soil
(b)  the new body is immortal
(c)  the new body is like the one Jesus now has
(d)  all of the above

8.  The English word "hell" in the King James Bible is from ...

(a)  the Hebrew word "sheol"
(b)  the Greek words  "gehenna" and "tartarus"
(c)  the Greek word "hades"
(d)  all of the above

9.  The blood of Christ Jesus has atoned for the sins of ...

(a)  the whole world
(b)  only Jews
(c)  only Christians and children who never reach the age of accountability
(d)  only Jews and Christians

10.  The lake of fire is defined in the Bible as...

(a)  the place where those who do not accept Jesus are tortured forever
(b)  the place God created to torture Satan and his demons forever
(c)  the place rich people go after death
(d)  the second death

TRUE OR FALSE

1.  God is Spirt.    ____

2.  God is Love.   _____
 
2.  God loves everyone.  ____
  
3.  God wills that all be saved.  ____

4.  God has the power to save everybody.  ____

5.  God's will is more powerful than man's will.  ____

6.  Jesus did the will of the Father.  ____

7.  Jesus was sent by God to save the world.  ____

8.  Jesus did not fail in what He came to do.  ____

9.  Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.  ____

10. The whole creation will be reconciled to God.  ____

FILL IN THE BLANKS

1.  "He said to Abraham, through your offspring ____ peoples on earth will be blessed."

2.  "Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tiding of great joy which shall be to ____ people."

3.  "And ___ humanity will see God's Salvation."

4.  "God our Savior, will have _____ humanity to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth."

5.  "We trust in the living God, who is the Savior of _____ humanity."

6.  "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw _____ humanity unto me."

7.  "The grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to _____ humanity."

8.  "There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself a ransom for ____"

9. "For as in Adam _____ die, even so in Christ shall ____  be made alive."

10.  "Christ is  ___, and in ___."

11.  "That God may be ___ in ___."

January 16th - Grace and Truth

“...the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” (John 1:17) 

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23)

The Law brings death because humanity is unable to obey it.

“…the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23)

Only in Christ will anyone be deemed righteous. 

"God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them...God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:19-21)

God will freely give sinners abundant and everlasting life after death - that is the truth. 

"...the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23)

At our resurrection we will be changed into immortals with a spiritual body, leaving our sinful flesh and blood bodies in the dust.

"So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So it is written: The first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. The spiritual does not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man..." (1 Corinthians 15:42-49)

"Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in an instant, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality...The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!" (1 Corinthians 15:51-53, 56)

“He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the law but of the Spirit; for the law kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Corinthians 3:6)