1 Corinthians 15:49
And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so also shall we bear the likeness of the heavenly man.
And just as
This phrase introduces a comparison, linking the past and present experiences of believers with their future hope. The Greek word "καθώς" (kathōs) suggests a direct correlation or analogy. In the context of 1 Corinthians 15, Paul is drawing a parallel between the physical and spiritual realities, emphasizing the certainty of the transformation believers will undergo.

we have borne
The verb "borne" comes from the Greek "φορέω" (phoreō), which means to carry or wear. This implies an active participation in the human condition, marked by mortality and sin. Historically, this reflects the shared human experience since Adam, the "earthly man," whose fall introduced sin and death into the world.

the likeness
The term "likeness" is translated from the Greek "εἰκών" (eikōn), meaning image or representation. This word is significant in biblical theology, as it recalls humanity being made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). However, due to the fall, this image has been marred, and here it refers to the fallen nature inherited from Adam.

of the earthly man
"Earthly man" refers to Adam, the first human created from the dust of the earth (Genesis 2:7). The Greek word "χοικός" (choikos) means made of earth or dust. This highlights the temporal and perishable nature of human existence, which is subject to decay and death.

so also shall we bear
This phrase indicates a future transformation. The Greek "φορέω" (phoreō) is used again, but in the future tense, suggesting a promise or assurance of what is to come. It reflects the hope and certainty of the resurrection and the believer's future glorified state.

the likeness of the heavenly man
The "heavenly man" refers to Jesus Christ, who, after His resurrection, possesses a glorified, imperishable body. The Greek "οὐράνιος" (ouranios) means heavenly or celestial, contrasting with the earthly nature of Adam. This phrase encapsulates the Christian hope of resurrection, where believers will be transformed to share in Christ's glory, free from sin and death.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Paul the Apostle
The author of 1 Corinthians, addressing the church in Corinth, providing teachings on the resurrection of the dead and the transformation of believers.

2. The Church in Corinth
The recipients of the letter, a diverse and often troubled congregation in the ancient city of Corinth, dealing with issues of division, immorality, and doctrinal confusion.

3. Adam
Referred to as the "earthly man," representing humanity's fallen nature and the physical body subject to sin and death.

4. Jesus Christ
The "heavenly man," representing the resurrected and glorified state that believers will share, embodying the hope of eternal life and transformation.

5. Resurrection
The event and doctrine central to this passage, emphasizing the future transformation of believers into a glorified state like that of Christ.
Teaching Points
The Reality of Transformation
Believers are assured of a future transformation where they will bear the likeness of Christ, moving from mortality to immortality.

Identity in Christ
Our identity is not solely tied to our earthly existence but is rooted in the promise of becoming like the heavenly man, Jesus Christ.

Hope in Resurrection
The resurrection is not just a future event but a present hope that shapes how we live, encouraging us to live in light of eternity.

Victory Over Sin and Death
Through Christ, believers have victory over sin and death, as the promise of bearing His likeness assures us of eternal life.

Living as New Creations
As we anticipate our future transformation, we are called to live as new creations, reflecting Christ's character in our daily lives.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding our future transformation into the likeness of the heavenly man impact our daily lives and decisions?

2. In what ways can we live out our identity in Christ now, knowing that we will one day fully bear His likeness?

3. How does the promise of resurrection and transformation provide comfort and hope in times of suffering or loss?

4. What practical steps can we take to reflect the character of Christ, the heavenly man, in our interactions with others?

5. How do the themes of 1 Corinthians 15:49 connect with the broader account of redemption and restoration found throughout Scripture?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Genesis 2-3
Discusses the creation and fall of Adam, highlighting the origin of the "earthly man" and the introduction of sin and death into the world.

Philippians 3:20-21
Speaks of the transformation of our lowly bodies to be like Christ's glorious body, reinforcing the hope of bearing the likeness of the heavenly man.

Romans 5:12-21
Contrasts Adam and Christ, explaining how death came through Adam and life through Christ, paralleling the themes of earthly and heavenly likeness.

1 John 3:2
Affirms that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is, echoing the promise of transformation.
The Image of the Earthly and the HeavenlyCharles Kingsley1 Corinthians 15:49
The Image of the HeavenlyJ.R. Thomson 1 Corinthians 15:49
The Exposition and Defence of the ResurrectionJ.R. Thomson 1 Corinthians 15:1-58
Objections to the Resurrection; Replies Thereto; Conclusions InvolvedC. Lipscomb 1 Corinthians 15:35-50
The Resurrection BodyE. Hurndall 1 Corinthians 15:42-53
Adam and ChristJ. Lyth, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:45-50
Christ the Archetype of AdamW. Anot, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:45-50
Natural and Spiritual LifeJ, Lyth, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:45-50
The First and the Last Adam S. Cox, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:45-50
The Last AdamA. Gray.1 Corinthians 15:45-50
The Second Adam A Quickening SpiritW. Dodsworth, M.A.1 Corinthians 15:45-50
The Two AdamsD. Thomas, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:45-50
The Wonderful ContrastHomiletic Monthly1 Corinthians 15:45-50
Man's Present and FutureT. Spencer.1 Corinthians 15:47-49
Of the Earth, EarthyPrincipal Edwards.1 Corinthians 15:47-49
On Heavenly-MindednessJ. Grant, M.A.1 Corinthians 15:47-49
Perfection in HeavenD. Whittey.1 Corinthians 15:47-49
The Assimilation of Christians to the RedeemerT. Swan.1 Corinthians 15:47-49
The Attainment of the Image of the HeavenlyE. L. Hull, B.A.1 Corinthians 15:47-49
The Believer's Assimilation to ChristJ. Scott.1 Corinthians 15:47-49
The Believer's PedigreeJ. Lyth, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:47-49
The Earthy and the HeavenlyJ. Lyth, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:47-49
The First and Second ManJ. Lyth, D.D.1 Corinthians 15:47-49
The Image of the Earthy and of the HeavenlyF. A. Cox, LL.D.1 Corinthians 15:47-49
The Second ManR. Winterbotham, M.A.1 Corinthians 15:47-49
People
Adam, Cephas, Corinthians, James, Paul, Peter
Places
Corinth, Ephesus
Topics
Bear, Borne, Dust, Earthly, Earthy, Heaven, Heavenly, Image, Let's, Likeness, Resemblance
Dictionary of Bible Themes
1 Corinthians 15:49

     2024   Christ, glory of
     2339   Christ, example of
     5013   heart, divine
     6214   participation, in Christ
     8117   discipleship, benefits
     9315   resurrection, of believers
     9410   heaven
     9414   heaven, community of redeemed

1 Corinthians 15:35-54

     5136   body

1 Corinthians 15:42-49

     2421   gospel, historical foundation

1 Corinthians 15:42-50

     6139   deadness, spiritual

1 Corinthians 15:42-54

     4010   creation, renewal

1 Corinthians 15:42-55

     9110   after-life

1 Corinthians 15:45-49

     5023   image of God
     5082   Adam, significance
     5492   restitution

1 Corinthians 15:47-49

     1194   glory, divine and human
     5005   human race, and redemption

1 Corinthians 15:48-49

     6213   participation, in sin

1 Corinthians 15:48-57

     5467   promises, divine

1 Corinthians 15:49-53

     8206   Christlikeness

Library
The Image of the Earthly and the Heavenly
Eversley, Easter Day, 1871. 1 Cor. xv. 49. "As we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." This season of Easter is the most joyful of all the year. It is the most comfortable time, in the true old sense of that word; for it is the season which ought to comfort us most--that is, it gives us strength; strength to live like men, and strength to die like men, when our time comes. Strength to live like men. Strength to fight against the temptation which
Charles Kingsley—All Saints' Day and Other Sermons

Third Sunday after Easter Second Sermon.
Text: First Corinthians 15, 20-28. 20 But now hath Christ been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them that are asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; then they that are Christ's, at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall deliver up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have abolished all rule and
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II

Fourth Sunday after Easter
Text: First Corinthians 15, 35-50. 35 But some one will say, How are the dead raised? and with what manner of body do they come? 36 Thou foolish one, that which thou thyself sowest is not quickened except it die: 37 and that which thou sowest, thou sowest not the body that shall be, but a bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other kind; 38 but God giveth it a body even as it pleased him, and to each seed a body of its own. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh; but there is one flesh of men,
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II

Fifth Sunday after Easter
Text: First Corinthians 15, 51-58. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We all shall not sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II

Eleventh Sunday after Trinity Paul's Witness to Christ's Resurrection.
Text: 1 Corinthians 15, 1-10. 1 Now I make known unto you, brethren, the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye received, wherein also ye stand, 2 by which also ye are saved, if ye hold fast the word which I preached unto you, except ye believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which also I received: that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 and that he was buried; and that he hath been raised on the third day according to the scriptures; 5 and that
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Small Duties and the Great Hope
'But as touching brotherly love, ye need not that I write unto you; for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. 10. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; 11. And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 12. That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing. 13. But I would not have
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Christian and the Scientific Estimate of Sin
"Christ died for our sins."--I COR. XV. 3. Nothing is more characteristic of Christianity than its estimate of human sin. Historically, no doubt, this is due to the fact that the Lord and Master of Christians died "on account of sins." His death was due, as we have seen, both to the actual, definite sins of His contemporaries, and also to the irreconcilable opposition between His sinless life and the universal presence of sin in the world into which He came. But it is with the Christian estimate
J. H. Beibitz—Gloria Crucis

Outward and Inward Morality
OUTWARD AND INWARD MORALITY I Cor. xv. 10.--"The Grace of God." Grace is from God, and works in the depth of the soul whose powers it employs. It is a light which issues forth to do service under the guidance of the Spirit. The Divine Light permeates the soul, and lifts it above the turmoil of temporal things to rest in God. The soul cannot progress except with the light which God has given it as a nuptial gift; love works the likeness of God into the soul. The peace, freedom and blessedness of all
Johannes Eckhart—Meister Eckhart's Sermons

April the Sixth First-Hand Knowledge of Christ
"Last of all He was seen of me also." --1 CORINTHIANS xv. 1-11. And by that vision Saul of Tarsus was transformed. And so, by the ministry of a risen Lord we have received the gift of a transfigured Paul. The resurrection glory fell upon him, and he was glorified. In that superlative light he discovered his sin, his error, his need, but he also found the dynamic of the immortal hope. "Seen of me also!" Can I, too, calmly and confidently claim the experience? Or am I altogether depending upon another
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

April the Seventh if Christ were Dead!
1 CORINTHIANS xv. 12-26. "If Christ be not risen!" That is the most appalling "if" which can be flung into the human mind. If it obtains lodging and entertainment, all the fairest hopes of the soul wither away like tender buds which have been nipped by sharp frost! See how they fade! "Your faith is vain." It has no more strength and permanency than Jonah's gourd. Nay, it has really never been a living thing! It has been a pathetic delusion, beautiful, but empty as a bubble, and collapsing at
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

Sudden Conversions.
"By the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain."--1 Cor. xv. 10. We can hardly conceive that grace, such as that given to the great Apostle who speaks in the text, would have been given in vain; that is, we should not expect that it would have been given, had it been foreseen and designed by the Almighty Giver that it would have been in vain. By which I do not mean, of course, to deny that God's gifts are oftentimes abused and wasted by man, which
John Henry Newman—Parochial and Plain Sermons, Vol. VIII

Paul's Estimate of Himself
'By the grace of God I am what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain.'--1 COR. xv. 10. The Apostle was, all his life, under the hateful necessity of vindicating his character and Apostleship. Thus here, though his main purpose in the context is simply to declare the Gospel which he preached, he is obliged to turn aside in order to assert, and to back up his assertion, that there was no sort of difference between him and the other recognised teachers of Christian truth. He
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

The Unity of Apostolic Teaching
Whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.'--1 COR. xv. 11. Party spirit and faction were the curses of Greek civic life, and they had crept into at least one of the Greek churches--that in the luxurious and powerful city of Corinth. We know that there was a very considerable body of antagonists to Paul, who ranked themselves under the banner of Apollos or of Cephas i.e. Peter. Therefore, Paul, keenly conscious that he was speaking to some unfriendly critics, hastens in the
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

The Certainty and Joy of the Resurrection
'But now is Christ risen from the dead ... the first fruits of them that slept.'--1 COR. xv. 20. The Apostle has been contemplating the long train of dismal consequences which he sees would arise if we only had a dead Christ. He thinks that he, the Apostle, would have nothing to preach, and we, nothing to believe. He thinks that all hope of deliverance from sin would fade away. He thinks that the one fact which gives assurance of immortality having vanished, the dead who had nurtured the assurance
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

Remaining and Falling Asleep
'After that He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.'--1 COR. xv. 6. There were, then, some five-and-twenty years after the Resurrection, several hundred disciples who were known amongst the churches as having been eyewitnesses of the risen Saviour. The greater part survived; some, evidently a very few, had died. The proportion of the living to the dead, after five-and-twenty years, is generally the opposite.
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

The Death of Death
'But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept. 21. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.... 50. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, (for the trumpet shall sound;) and the dead shall
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

The Power of the Resurrection
'I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; 4. And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.'--1 COR. xv. 3, 4. Christmas day is probably not the true anniversary of the Nativity, but Easter is certainly that of the Resurrection. The season is appropriate. In the climate of Palestine the first fruits of the harvest were ready at the Passover for presentation in the Temple.
Alexander Maclaren—Romans, Corinthians (To II Corinthians, Chap. V)

On the Atonement.
"How that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures."-1 Cor. xv. 3. "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."-2 Cor. v. 21. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."-Rom. v. 8. "The Lord is well pleased for his Righteousness' sake: he will magnify the law and make it honorable."-Isa. xlii. 21. "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood,
Charles G. Finney—Sermons on Gospel Themes

Victory Over Death.
Preached May 16, 1852. VICTORY OVER DEATH. "The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."--1 Cor. xv. 56, 57. On Sunday last I endeavoured to bring before you the subject of that which Scripture calls the glorious liberty of the Sons of God. The two points on which we were trying to get clear notions were these: what is meant by being under the law, and what is meant by being free from the law? When
Frederick W. Robertson—Sermons Preached at Brighton

Thoughts on the Last Battle
When I select such a text as this, I feel that I cannot preach from it. The thought o'ermasters me; my words do stagger; there are no utterances that are great enough to convey the mighty meaning of this wondrous text. If I had the eloquence of all men united in one, if I could speak as never man spake (with the exception of that one godlike man of Nazareth), I could not compass so vast a subject as this. I will not therefore pretend to do so, but offer you such thoughts as my mind is capable of
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 1: 1855

"Alas for Us, if Thou Wert All, and Nought Beyond, O Earth"
We will try and handle our text this morning in this way. First, we are not of all men most miserable; but secondly, without the hope of another life we should be--that we are prepared to confess--because thirdly, our chief joy lies in the hope of a life to come; and thus, fourthly, the future influences the present; and so, in the last place, we may to-day judge what our future is to be. I. First then, WE ARE NOT OF ALL MEN MOST MISERABLE. Who ventures to say we are? He who will have the hardihood
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 10: 1864

A Leap Year Sermon *
"One born out of due time."--1 Corinthians 15:8. PAUL THUS DESCRIBES himself. It was necessary that Paul, as an apostle, should have seen the Lord. He was not converted at the time of Christ's ascension; yet he was made an apostle, for the Lord Jesus appeared to him in the way, as he was going to Damascus, to persecute the saints of God. When he looked upon himself as thus put in, as it were, at the end of the apostles, he spoke of himself in the most depreciating terms, calling himself "one born
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 46: 1900

Resurgam
I propose this morning, as God shall enable, to listen to that voice of spring, proclaiming the doctrine of the resurrection, a meditation all the more appropriate from the fact, that the Sabbath before last we considered the subject of Death, and I hope that then very solemn impressions were made upon our minds. May the like impressions now return, accompanied with more joyous ones, when we shall look beyond the grave, through the valley of the shadow of death, to that bright light in the distance--the
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 6: 1860

28TH DAY. A Joyful Resurrection.
"He is Faithful that Promised." "This corruptible must put on incorruption."--1 COR. xv. 53. A Joyful Resurrection. Marvel of marvels? The sleeping ashes of the sepulchre starting at the tones of the archangel's trumpet!--the dishonoured dust, rising a glorified body, like its risen Lord's? At death, the soul's bliss is perfect in kind; but this bliss is not complete in degree, until reunited to the tabernacle it has left behind to mingle with the sods of the valley. But tread lightly on that grave,
John Ross Macduff—The Faithful Promiser

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