When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
“Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
1 Corinthians 15:54-58
Scripture Notes
The apostle Paul wraps up this beautiful chapter about the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and our hope for resurrection after our physical death with this timeless exhortation:
“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
1 Corinthians 15:58
What does it mean to be steadfast and immovable? These words bring to mind the image of a strong fortress that endures over the passing of time and numerous attacks. When the pressures of life crash against us, as they will, how will we withstand them?
We all face the temptation to sin, discouragement, loss, heartache, betrayal, health issues, and more in this life. Sometimes, these things shake us and our faith. We wonder where God is in our current circumstances. We all cry out for relief from the suffering we face. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul encourages us that because of Jesus’s resurrection, the pain of sin and death and its effects on us are temporary.
If anyone can relate to the multifaceted challenges in life, Paul can. In multiple letters to churches, he lists some of the hardships he faced, from sleepless nights to being left for dead and everything in between. Even so, Paul exhorts us to be steadfast and immovable in light of the victory that is ours in Jesus’ overcoming of death.
This exhortation in 1 Corinthians 15:58, in conjunction with the hall of faith found in Hebrews 11, has been instrumental in giving me the courage to endure when facing my own variations of life’s difficulties. Scripture passages like these remind us that though following Jesus will be accompanied by trials, doing so is never in vain.
The word vain means empty or without purpose. Earlier in this chapter, Paul used this same word in vain to explain that if the resurrection of Jesus isn’t true, then the preaching of the gospel and faith in Jesus is empty or without purpose (1 Cor 15:14). But, as he concludes, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is indeed true. What good news this is! The power of God has already overcome sin and death in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and when Jesus returns, death and sin will be swallowed up in victory forever (1 Cor 15:54-47). This truth is foundational for our endurance in the face of the trials of life.
Armed with the assurance that we, too, will overcome sin and death through faith in Jesus, we are empowered to be firm and immovable as we carry on in the work of the Lord. In fact, the Bible teaches us that when we face trials and persevere in faith, it will actually produce endurance in us (James 1:3; Rom 5:3).
You and I are called to live with the greater picture in mind as we navigate our own journeys of faith. We follow Jesus’ example, “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Heb 12:2). Like Jesus and the cloud of witnesses from Hebrews 11, we desire a better country, a heavenly one (Heb 11:16). We live today with the confidence of that future reality, where sin and death and sorrow and pain are no more.
The resurrection of Jesus and the hope of our future resurrection is our motivation to endure, abounding in the work of the Lord. May we press on in faith, following the example of Jesus and his disciples throughout the ages, who endured here on earth by keeping their eyes fixed on the promise of eternal life in the Kingdom of God? Jesus’ victory over death means we get to live an abundant life here on earth with the confidence of eternal life. So let us endure, being steadfast and immovable as we serve the Lord, knowing none of this is in vain.
By Vanessa Vannoy
MEMORY VERse
Image: Daniele da Volterra. Study for the Figure of Saint Peter, ca. 1545. The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Related Verses
More verses about standing firm with endurance:
Prayer Invitation
Application Questions
- How can you personally be more “steadfast and dedicated” in your daily life?
- What specific areas of your life need to be more firmly rooted in faith and less susceptible to doubt or discouragement?
- How can we better learn from each other’s experiences and challenges?
- How does this passage encourage you to persevere through difficult times and hardship?
Cover Image: Bartholomeus Ziesenis. Design for a monument for C. Brunings: base of a column on a pillar, 1806-06-12. The Rijksmuseum
MANÁ 
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