Here's Scripture in 1 Corinthians 15 by Apostle Paul that apparently doesn't get much coverage in the churches today, probably because preachers think it requires too much thought to understand it, and they are afraid of confusing some in the congregation. Well, it's late in the day, and it's time the lazy in Christ's Church woke up and paid attention in His Word.
1 Cor 15:20-23
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at His coming.
KJV
Some have the false idea that the resurrection to the
"spiritual body" that Apostle Paul was talking about in that 1 Corinthians 15 chapter is about those in Christ only. They try to equate that "spiritual body" with Christ's Salvation only. That body does not mean automatic Salvation in Christ, it is simply a body type for the heavenly dimension. And you already have it inside you, attached to your flesh body. It leaves your flesh body when you die, or even in a near death experience (but your "silver cord" is not severed with an NDE).
Paul covered this about the wicked also. That verse 23 above is only about those in Christ Jesus. But verse 22 right before it includes
all men, not just the Church.
"For as in Adam all die...", who all would that apply too, just the Church only?? No, of course not, it applies to all that die in Adam because of being under Adam's sin. That includes the non-believer also.
Thus the next phrase,
"... even so in Christ shall all be made alive," is also pointing to all men. It does NOT mean all are 'saved', but means the wicked dead will also be raised to their own type of resurrection, i.e., the
"resurrection of damnation" that Jesus said in John 5. But further down in 1 Cor.15, Apostle Paul covered that
"made alive" with the wicked that are still alive on earth also on the day of Christ's future coming.
In this next section, Apostle Paul covers the gathering of Christ's saints, but also the fate of the wicked that are still alive on the day of Christ's coming...
1 Cor 15:51-55
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
Paul's idea above about being "
changed" he covered just prior to this, about our
"natural body" being changed to our
"spiritual body" which is the resurrection type body, the
"image of the heavenly" he also called it.
In the above, Paul says we "
all" shall be changed. That includes the unbelievers also. And that change is only about to the
"image of the heavenly". That image body of the future does NOT mean automatic Salvation in Jesus Christ. Paul covers this very point later in the Greek. The 'unjust' will be changed to the
"spiritual body" also on that same day of Christ's coming. But their condition will still be subject to the
"second death" of Rev.20, and there's the difference. Those in Christ of the
"first resurrection" will never be subject to the
"second death" of being cast into the
"lake of fire."
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
Once again, that applies to all on the day of Christ's coming, including the wicked, both still alive and dead. No one will be in a flesh body any longer when Jesus returns. We all will have that "image of the heavenly" that Paul said, so let me remind you of exactly what Paul said about that image...
1 Cor 15:48-49
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
KJV
Have the wicked borne the
"image of the earthy"? Yes, of course. So likewise they will also bear that
"image of the heavenly", because what that image is about is what everyone must manifest in the Heavenly dimension. And on the day of Christ's coming, the Heavenly dimension is going to be exposed to everyone in plain sight. This is why even the wicked on the 6th Seal will wish to hide from the face of Him That is sitting upon His Throne in Heaven on that day when the Heavenly is rolled together like a scroll.
1 Cor 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
That is where it is very important to take those 4 words Paul used so to understand about the unsaved being in the "spiritual body" also, but their souls still being a liable to perish state being without Christ Jesus.
1. "
corruptible" = Greek
phthartos =
perishable, decayed, i.e. our flesh body.
2. "
incorruption" = Greek
aphthrsia =
unending existence, the "image of the heavenly", the "spiritual body".
3.
"this mortal" = Greek
thnetos =
liable to die, the soul's mortal condition without Christ.
4.
"immortality" = Greek
athanasia =
deathlessness, Christ's Salvation of eternal life.
The wicked dead will be resurrected to the
"spiritual body", and the wicked still alive will be changed also to the
"spiritual body" on the day of Christ's future return. But their
"this mortal" part, their mortal souls, will STILL be in a 'liable to perish' condition throughout Christ's future
"thousand years" reign. That liable to perish condition is what the
"second death" of Rev.20 is about. They will still be under that, being without Christ.
Thus many confuse that resurrection body, the
"spiritual body", with Christ's Salvation, when that body is simply about the image of that future heavenly dimension that will be revealed right here on earth at Christ's coming.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory."
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
KJV
You do realize that Apostle Paul was QUOTING that
"Death is swallowed up in victory" from the Old Testament prophets, right? Here it is...
Isa 25:6-9
6 And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.
7 And He will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.
8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.
9 And it shall be said in that day, "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for Him, we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation.
KJV
The verse 7 & 8 events are tied together. On that day, God will end
"the face of the covering cast over all people", so what's that? That's what Paul was pointing to about with death being swallowed up in victory. It's about the END of this present flesh world, and the change to the glorious body of the world to come under Christ Jesus.
That
"covering cast over all people" is the flesh body. It is a temporary body only for this present 2nd world earth age. That is also what that,
"vail that is spread over all nations" is too. Our flesh body acts as a veil for our spiritual body that we ALREADY HAVE that dwells INSIDE our flesh body, and is attached to our flesh via the
"silver cord" (see 2 Corinthians 5 and Eccl.12).
On the 'last day', the "day of the Lord" when God's consuming fire will burn man's works off the surface of this earth per 2 Peter 3:10, is when all this casting off that covering and vail will happen. That is the day of Christ's future coming and the start of the world to come, a Heavenly dimension manifesting right here upon this earth in plain sight.