Another verse used by Dispensationalists is 1 Corinthians 15:52. Let us look carefully at what this verse says: “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.” Paul N. Benware says, “Paul explains that all Christians will receive their resurrection bodies at the rapture.”1 Where does he say this? The Dispensationalists seem to be confused. Let us try and keep this verse in its immediate and surrounding context, shall we, and interpret it correctly by what they say—not by what they do not say.
Now, if we read this verse in its context, the evidence is clear that this passage is speaking in regard to the second coming of Jesus Christ:
Matthew Poole writes of verse 51, “There will be many saints alive in the world at the day when Christ shall come to judge the world, they will have natural bodies, such as they were born with, and grew up with in the world until that time. Saith the apostle, I now tell you a secret thing; for so the term mystery signifieth, Rom. xi. 25; xvi. 25, and in many other texts. We shall not all sleep any long sleep: some think all shall die, but some for a very short time, and then they shall revive. But we shall all be changed, either dying for time, or by some other work of God, their natural, corruptible bodies shall be turned into spiritual bodies, not capable of corruption.”2 This is true, as many passages of Scripture suggest. As soon as Jesus returns at His second coming to judge the world, the dead will be raised incorruptible and the rest of us will be changed into our glorious bodies.
Please note the preceding verse, which Dispensationalists deliberately leave out when they quote this passage: “Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable” (v.50, emphasis supplied). Yet this is precisely what Pre-Millennialists have occurring during the Millennial Kingdom. Miraculously, they have men in corrupted mortal bodies of flesh and blood entering into the kingdom with the saints in their glorified bodies, somehow bypassing the judgment. Regarding the fact that flesh and blood cannot enter the kingdom, Jesus said, “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3, emphasis supplied) and “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5, emphasis supplied).
Simon J. Kistemaker writes, “The writers of the New Testament in the Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Revelation write the expression look repeatedly as an idiom of Semitic speech. But surprisingly, in his epistles Paul only occasionally uses the word; indeed, it appears once in this epistle. He answers an anticipated question: How will the believer be changed to inherit God’s kingdom? Thus he tells his reader a mystery, which is a revelation from God through Paul about the future transformation of the believers. In a similar context about the end times, Paul alludes to this revelation as a word of the Lord (I Thess. 4:15).
“‘In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.’ The Greek term Paul uses for ‘moment’ is atomos, from which we have the derivative atom. The word refers to something so small that it cannot be divided any more. Here atomos applies to time. The phrase in the twinkling of an eye is appositional; it represents a momentary wink of the eyelid. (Our equivalent is “in a split second,” which commonly signifies the shortest possible moment.) In such a brief moment the miracle of transformation will occur both for those who rise from the dead and for those who are alive.”3
On verse 53, Matthew Henry writes, “He assigns the reason of this change (v. 53): For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. How otherwise could the man be a fit inhabitant of the incorruptible regions, or be fitted to possess the eternal inheritance? How can that which is corruptible and mortal enjoy what it incorruptible, permanent, and immortal? This corruptible body must be made incorruptible, this mortal body must be changed into immortal, that the man may be capable of enjoying the happiness designed for him. Note, It is this corruptible that must put on incorruption; the demolished fabric that must be reared again. What is sown must be quickened. Saints will come in their own bodies (v. 38), not in other bodies.
“He lets us know what will follow upon this change of the living and dead in Christ: Then shall be brought to pass that saying, Death is swallowed up in victory; or, He will swallow up death in victory. Isa. 25:8. For mortality shall be then swallowed up of life (2 Cor. 5:4), and death perfectly subdued and conquered, and saints for ever delivered from its power. Such a conquest shall be obtained over it that it shall for ever disappear in those regions to which our Lord will bear his risen saints. And therefore will the saints hereupon sing their epinikion, their song of triumph. Then, when this mortal shall have put on immortality, will death be swallowed up, for ever swallowed up, eis nikos. Christ hinders it from swallowing his saints when they die; but, when they rise again, death shall, as to them, be swallowed for ever. And upon this destruction of death will they break out into a song of triumph.”4
“The fact our new bodies will be ‘imperishable’ means that they will not wear out or grow old or ever be subject to any kind of sickness or disease. They will be completely healthy and strong forever. Moreover, since the gradual process of aging is part of the process by which our bodies now are subject to ‘corruption,’ it is appropriate to think that our resurrection bodies will have no sign of aging, but will have the characteristics of youthful but mature manhood or womanhood forever. There will be no evidence of disease or injury, for all will be made perfect. Our resurrection bodies will show the fulfillment of God’s perfect wisdom in creating us as human beings who are the pinnacle of his creation and the appropriate bearers of his likeness and image. In these resurrection bodies we will clearly see humanity as God intended it to be.”5 Amen!
“Paul draws a comparison between the body we are to have and our present body:
1 Paul N. Benware, Survey of the New Testament, 168.
2 Matthew Poole, A Commentary on the Holy Bible, 3:598.
3 Hendriksen and Kistemaker, New Testament Commentary, 7:581-582.
4 Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary, 6:480.
5 Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, 831.
6 Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology, 1012.
7 Hendriksen and Kistemaker, New Testament Commentary, 7:582.
Now, if we read this verse in its context, the evidence is clear that this passage is speaking in regard to the second coming of Jesus Christ:
Brothers and sisters, notice that it specifically states that believers will be resurrected “at His coming” and that “then comes the end” (emphasis supplied). This is not the Rapture. This is Jesus’ second coming. When the resurrection takes place, death will be defeated. This all takes place at the “end of the age,” on the “last day,” which is “the day of the Lord.” Why make the text say something that it does not? If this does not convince you, please look at Matthew 25:31-46. Who is He separating here? Sheep from goats. Who do you suppose the sheep are? “The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep” (John 10:11), “I lay down My life for the sheep” (10:15), “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand” (10:27-28). How much clearer do we need it to be?For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, then comes the end, when He delivers up the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. … Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory.”(1 Cor. 15:22-26, 50-54, emphasis supplied.)
Matthew Poole writes of verse 51, “There will be many saints alive in the world at the day when Christ shall come to judge the world, they will have natural bodies, such as they were born with, and grew up with in the world until that time. Saith the apostle, I now tell you a secret thing; for so the term mystery signifieth, Rom. xi. 25; xvi. 25, and in many other texts. We shall not all sleep any long sleep: some think all shall die, but some for a very short time, and then they shall revive. But we shall all be changed, either dying for time, or by some other work of God, their natural, corruptible bodies shall be turned into spiritual bodies, not capable of corruption.”2 This is true, as many passages of Scripture suggest. As soon as Jesus returns at His second coming to judge the world, the dead will be raised incorruptible and the rest of us will be changed into our glorious bodies.
Please note the preceding verse, which Dispensationalists deliberately leave out when they quote this passage: “Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable” (v.50, emphasis supplied). Yet this is precisely what Pre-Millennialists have occurring during the Millennial Kingdom. Miraculously, they have men in corrupted mortal bodies of flesh and blood entering into the kingdom with the saints in their glorified bodies, somehow bypassing the judgment. Regarding the fact that flesh and blood cannot enter the kingdom, Jesus said, “Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3, emphasis supplied) and “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5, emphasis supplied).
Simon J. Kistemaker writes, “The writers of the New Testament in the Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Revelation write the expression look repeatedly as an idiom of Semitic speech. But surprisingly, in his epistles Paul only occasionally uses the word; indeed, it appears once in this epistle. He answers an anticipated question: How will the believer be changed to inherit God’s kingdom? Thus he tells his reader a mystery, which is a revelation from God through Paul about the future transformation of the believers. In a similar context about the end times, Paul alludes to this revelation as a word of the Lord (I Thess. 4:15).
“‘In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.’ The Greek term Paul uses for ‘moment’ is atomos, from which we have the derivative atom. The word refers to something so small that it cannot be divided any more. Here atomos applies to time. The phrase in the twinkling of an eye is appositional; it represents a momentary wink of the eyelid. (Our equivalent is “in a split second,” which commonly signifies the shortest possible moment.) In such a brief moment the miracle of transformation will occur both for those who rise from the dead and for those who are alive.”3
On verse 53, Matthew Henry writes, “He assigns the reason of this change (v. 53): For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. How otherwise could the man be a fit inhabitant of the incorruptible regions, or be fitted to possess the eternal inheritance? How can that which is corruptible and mortal enjoy what it incorruptible, permanent, and immortal? This corruptible body must be made incorruptible, this mortal body must be changed into immortal, that the man may be capable of enjoying the happiness designed for him. Note, It is this corruptible that must put on incorruption; the demolished fabric that must be reared again. What is sown must be quickened. Saints will come in their own bodies (v. 38), not in other bodies.
“He lets us know what will follow upon this change of the living and dead in Christ: Then shall be brought to pass that saying, Death is swallowed up in victory; or, He will swallow up death in victory. Isa. 25:8. For mortality shall be then swallowed up of life (2 Cor. 5:4), and death perfectly subdued and conquered, and saints for ever delivered from its power. Such a conquest shall be obtained over it that it shall for ever disappear in those regions to which our Lord will bear his risen saints. And therefore will the saints hereupon sing their epinikion, their song of triumph. Then, when this mortal shall have put on immortality, will death be swallowed up, for ever swallowed up, eis nikos. Christ hinders it from swallowing his saints when they die; but, when they rise again, death shall, as to them, be swallowed for ever. And upon this destruction of death will they break out into a song of triumph.”4
“The fact our new bodies will be ‘imperishable’ means that they will not wear out or grow old or ever be subject to any kind of sickness or disease. They will be completely healthy and strong forever. Moreover, since the gradual process of aging is part of the process by which our bodies now are subject to ‘corruption,’ it is appropriate to think that our resurrection bodies will have no sign of aging, but will have the characteristics of youthful but mature manhood or womanhood forever. There will be no evidence of disease or injury, for all will be made perfect. Our resurrection bodies will show the fulfillment of God’s perfect wisdom in creating us as human beings who are the pinnacle of his creation and the appropriate bearers of his likeness and image. In these resurrection bodies we will clearly see humanity as God intended it to be.”5 Amen!
“Paul draws a comparison between the body we are to have and our present body:
- The present body is perishable, subject to disease and death; the resurrection body is incorruptible, immune to disease and decay.
- The present body is sown in dishonor; the resurrection body will be glorious.
- The present body is weak; the resurrection body is powerful.
- The present body is physical (ψυχικον – psuchikon); the resurrection body will be spiritual.”6
1 Paul N. Benware, Survey of the New Testament, 168.
2 Matthew Poole, A Commentary on the Holy Bible, 3:598.
3 Hendriksen and Kistemaker, New Testament Commentary, 7:581-582.
4 Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary, 6:480.
5 Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, 831.
6 Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology, 1012.
7 Hendriksen and Kistemaker, New Testament Commentary, 7:582.