To whom did Jesus pay the ransom for us?

[bling]

[SIZE=medium]Part of the reason for the cross being a stumbling block to the nonbeliever is the poor answer we give to this question.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Is the reason preachers do not preach more on the cross have to do with a lack of understanding of the answer to this question?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Is the analogy for what Christ did on the cross best explained with a ransom and if so, does that mean the ransom theory of atonement is correct?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]The ransom analogy is used in:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Matthew 20:28 even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (RSV Christ talking)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium] 1 Timothy 2:6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, the testimony to which was borne at the proper time. (RSV Paul talking)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]1 Peter 1:18 You know that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your fathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, (RSV Peter talking)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]Revelation 5:9 and they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy art thou to take the scroll and to open its seals, for thou wast slain and by thy blood didst ransom men for God from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, (RSV John talking)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]Hebrews 9:15 For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. (NIV Hebrew writer) [/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Whatever “Theory of Atonement” we agree on it will have to fit the analogy of a ransom.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Since “ransom” is used; the context is all important for understanding the meaning of the word for the people being addressed, since that is whom the authors are trying to communicate with (not with us directly). How was the word being used in the first century Palestine area? [/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Julius Caesar in his younger years was captured by pirates and a ransom was paid for his release. Other similar examples around the first century are given of wealthy people being held for a ransom. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]“Although during the period of internecine Greek wars the ransoming of prisoners was not uncommon…” From Oxford Companion to Military History.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Ransom seems to mean: “payment made to an undeserving party (kidnapper) in exchange for release and return of family members or freinds.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]All the popular theories of atonement seem to agree on the following:[/SIZE]

1. [SIZE=medium]The ransom was paid by God and/or Christ.[/SIZE]
2. [SIZE=medium]Christ cruel torture, humiliation and death (murder) on the cross is the payment.[/SIZE]
3. [SIZE=medium]God’s children are the ones being ransomed and released (this may include all humans or just the “elect”). [/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]What the different theories of atonement do not agree on is who is being paid:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]The Ransom Theory of Atonement has satan receiving the payment: [/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]This would fit the idea of being an “unworthy” but there is no “legal” obligation for God to have to pay satan, even if that was the “common practice” of the first and second century. It is not, just nor fair to pay a kidnapper if you do not have to, in order to safely release your children and God could certainly see to the safe release of his children without paying satan. If God is paying satan it elevates satan or degrades God to be on equal level with satan. Most significantly Jesus is not portrayed as going to the cross for satan and if his going to the cross is a ransom payment to satan it should be described just that way. Christ going to the cross is described as being because of us and for us and not because of satan.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]The Penal Substitution Theory of atonement and some other theories have the payment being made to God:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]This makes what Christ did on the cross out to be a payment like a fine, punishment for the crime or judgment, which is just/fair retribution for an offence and not really a “ransom” payment. Why would God need to pay Himself and why with Christ’s blood? (This makes God out to be almost blood thirty.) This is often explained as being something God needs in order to forgive man, but why would a Father have satisfy a “need” to forgive His children? What value or benefit would Christ torturous death on the cross have for God? This also leaves man out of the cause for Christ going to the cross and puts the responsibility for Christ going to the cross on God, to resolve a “problem” God is having. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Some theories have the payment being made to death, sin, evil, the grave or hell:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]This personifies an intangible to the point of needing to be paid off? Christ is victorious over evil, death, sin and hell, but is that more with Christ’s resurrection and not with Christ’s death? What value or benefit do these “things” get out of Christ’s torturous death? Why make such a payment?[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]The moral influence theory of atonement presents Christ’s “ransom” payment as more an example for us and along with other theories does not have the ransom being paid to anyone. The use of the word “ransom” is more just a figure of speech:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Christ going to the cross is a huge example of Love and obedience, but scripture says it is much more than just a good example. Being a ransom would communicate more to those of the first century than just a nice figure of speech. The Bible does not present Christ’s going to the cross as just an example.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Tell me this: Who is the kidnapper that snuck in on the younger son, dragged him away from his loving father and held him from the Love of his father in a pigsty (Luke 15: 11-32)? Does the blame for this “kidnapping” go on satan, sin, God or do we blame the young son himself? [/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Again, who holds the unbeliever in his unbelieving state? Who keeps the unbeliever away from the showering of gifts His father wants to pore upon him? [/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Whoever this person is, would be our kidnapper. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]What “value or benefit” would the cruel torture and murder of Christ have for the unbeliever that would help that unbeliever to become a believer?[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]Look at Acts 2, beginning with verse 41 and the result of 3000 unbelievers becoming believers in response to Peter’s call of Acts 2: 38. Tell me this would Peter have gotten the response to Acts 2:38 without first getting the response of Acts 2: 37?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]In Acts 2 :37 the people had a death blow to their heart and with their last breath asked “what can we do?”, so what caused them to have this death blow? [/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]If Christ had died of heatstroke while entering Jerusalem and still rose three days later would the people have had that death blow to their hearts on Pentecost? [/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Peter tells them: “…you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men” and “…this Jesus whom you crucified.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium] So did the previous actions of torturing, humiliating and murdering of Christ help in the conversion of those three thousand on the day of Pentecost? [/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Would Christ have gone through this murder for just their benefit (to help in their conversion)?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]What about me today, do I get any benefit from Christ’s torture, humiliation and murder? [/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]If there is any substitution involved does the crowd yelling: “crucify him” stand in for me?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]How personal should it be for me and what was said to make it very personal? [/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]I will stop there for now. [/SIZE]
t

 

[Giver]

[SIZE=16pt]Jesus died to defeat Satan/sin. Those who hear his Word and live that Word are the ones he died for.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=16pt](1 John 3:8) “[/SIZE][SIZE=16pt]He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=16pt](Matthew 7:21-23) “It is not those who say to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, who will enter the kingdom of Heaven but the person who does the will of My Father in Heaven.[/SIZE] When the day comes many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, work many miracles in your name?’ Then I shall tell them to their faces: I have never known you; away from me, you evil men!”

 

[bling]

[SIZE=16pt]Jesus died to defeat Satan/sin. Those who hear his Word and live that Word are the ones he died for.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=16pt](1 John 3:8) “[/SIZE][SIZE=16pt]He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=16pt](Matthew 7:21-23) “It is not those who say to me, ‘Lord, Lord’, who will enter the kingdom of Heaven but the person who does the will of My Father in Heaven.[/SIZE] When the day comes many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, cast out demons in your name, work many miracles in your name?’ Then I shall tell them to their faces: I have never known you; away from me, you evil men!”

Are you suggest the ransom was paid to satan?

 

[Giver]

Are you suggest the ransom was paid to satan?

[SIZE=16pt]Are you starting a straw man’s argument? Explain your question.[/SIZE]

 

[bling]

[SIZE=16pt]Are you starting a straw man’s argument? Explain your question.[/SIZE]

Who do you say the ransom was paid to?

 

[Quantrill]

Who do you say the ransom was paid to?

The ransom was paid to God.

Quantrill

 

[Giver]

Who do you say the ransom was paid to?

[SIZE=16pt](1 Timothy 2:5-6) “[/SIZE] [SIZE=16pt]For there is one God[/SIZE] [SIZE=16pt]and one mediator[/SIZE] [SIZE=16pt]between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,[/SIZE] [SIZE=16pt]who gave himself as a ransom[/SIZE] [SIZE=16pt]for all people.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=16pt]Jesus Christ, the man gave his life up to God to ransom us from the domination of Satan.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=16pt]Man now has a way to defeat Satan/sin. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=16pt](1 John 3:8) “[/SIZE][SIZE=16pt]He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work”[/SIZE]

 

[williemac]

[SIZE=16pt](1 Timothy 2:5-6) “[/SIZE] [SIZE=16pt]For there is one God[/SIZE] [SIZE=16pt]and one mediator[/SIZE] [SIZE=16pt]between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,[/SIZE] [SIZE=16pt]who gave himself as a ransom[/SIZE] [SIZE=16pt]for all people.”[/SIZE]

[SIZE=16pt]Jesus Christ, the man gave his life up to God to ransom us from the domination of Satan.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=16pt]Man now has a way to defeat Satan/sin. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=16pt](1 John 3:8) “[/SIZE][SIZE=16pt]He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work”[/SIZE]

Then let Him destroy it.
The bible says all have sinned and fall short of God's glory. And what that passage is saying is that the devil is the 'originator' of sin. Therefore, sin is the devil's work.
This could be why God was so eager to send His Son to reconcile the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them. There would be no sin had it not been for the devil. Eve was deceived. Adam was seduced by his wife. God's work in this is to rescue us from the devil's work. He is in the business of saving those who are "of the devil"
It is vital to remember it was one man that brought us into our sinful state. And his disobedience was the result of the influence of the devil. Therefore, all who sin are "of" the devil. The word "of" can be used in different ways. The most probable, is "from out of".

One thing we must be careful not to do is assume the passage means that he who sins is deliberately serving the devil. A phrase that comes to mind is.."forgive them for they know not what they do". God examines our motives.

In general, sinful activity is very rarely the result of deliberate opposition to God or deliberate alliance with the devil. It is usually merely part of a person's attempt to get something he perceives he is lacking. Lack, and the perception of it, is from the devil, not from God. Let's not go about demonizing the weak just because of a contrived viewpoint of a passage. You don't free those in bondage by condemning them. You do it by forgiving them, for starters.

 

[logabe]

Good question... it's paid to God's Law. Jesus Christ satisfied the Law's demand... Exodus 21:23 says,

23 But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty
life for life.

We all know that Adam disobeyed the direct command from God. Gen. 2:17 says,

17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shall not eat
of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shall surely die.

In other words, that established what the Son of Man (the Last Adam) was going to do in order for God's
Kingdom to be restored. A perfect man had to be born from the blood of the Father. That's why Mary was
with child without ever being with a man. Jesus... just as the 1st Adam was sinless when they were created,
but the 1st Adam disobeyed and plunged mankind into death.

Notice, God didn't curse Adam, but He cursed the ground that Adam was made from. What does that mean?
What we were made from was dust and that dust was cursed by God in the form of carnality. We now have
sin in our members and it has dominion over us since Adam sinned.

Now... what does the serpent eat? Dust... he has dominion over the carnality (death) in mankind. To be
carnally minded is death ( Rom. 8:6). So God has given the serpent power over death or carnality until the
restoration of all things become a reality (Acts 3:21).

But in the mean time... we can walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lust of the flesh (carnality/dust) as we wait
for the second coming of the Messiah where He will replace mortal with immortality and the cursed ground
will have to give up it's dead. Then it will come to pass in 1st Cor. 15:55,

55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory?

Mankind has been locked up for the last 6 thousands years, but things are fixing to change, because a perfect
man died, was buried, and was resurrected, and He lives forever more. But that's not the end of the story... for
the day is coming when ALL SHALL HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD AND COME FORTH.

What a God! What a Plan!

Logabe

 

[Webers_Home]

.
I haven't the patience to read the OP in it's entirety so if the things I have
to say are redundant please bear with me.

Webster's defines a ransom as a consideration paid or demanded for the
release of someone or something from captivity. The nature of the
"captivity" isn't specified; so then we have some latitude.

In my opinion, a ransom can serve to release someone from an obligation
just as effectively as releasing someone from custody. In other words: say
John Doe and his wife lost their cushy white collar jobs due to the Wall
Street collapse back in 2008. All of a sudden they have a mortgage and no
jobs. Well, the worst part is: the crash popped the housing bubble and left
their home under water. In other words; it's now worth less than what they
borrowed to pay for it; so even if they sell their home to escape the mortgage
payments, they'll still owe Countrywide the balance of the loan; which
they can't pay because they have no savings and they're unemployed along
with thousands of other desperate people. At this point; John Doe and his
wife are in grave danger of losing their home and every dime they put into it
plus incurring a wrecked credit rating to boot.

But then one day, out of the blue, John gets a letter from a long-lost nephew
who struck it rich by fracking shale for oil and when the nephew hears tell of
his uncle's plight offers to take care of everything until he gets back on his
feet-- no strings attached. In other words; the nephew doesn't loan his uncle
the money: he gives it to him outright and neither expects, nor will he accept,
anything in return. Some gratitude would be nice; but not essential. The
Nephew is just glad to be of help. Thus John Doe's nephew bails him out of
his debt obligations and in doing so, literally becomes John's savior.

Well; we all owe a massive debt to the laws of God; and He's intent upon
settling that debt by taking it out of our hides in the reservoir of flaming
sulfur depicted at Rev 20:10-15 unless somebody steps up and satisfies that
debt for us; just as John Doe's nephew did for him. In other words; the
reservoir is a sort of debtor's prison.

†. Matt 5:25-26 . . Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking
you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand
you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and
you may be thrown into prison. I tell you the truth, you will not get out until
you have paid the last penny.

Well; the only means at my disposal for settling matters quickly with the
laws of God is Christ's crucifixion. In other words: I can escape that debt by
authorizing God to take it out of Jesus' hide in lieu of mine (Don't ask me
how that's legal because I don't know how it's legal; I only know that it's
possible). Other that that; I have no means so I'd never get out of that
cotton picking reservoir.

Buen Camino
/

 

[Arnie Manitoba]

bling

I find your opening post thought provoking , I have read it , I will think about it for a while and try to respond later. Thank you

Never mind the clutter from Mr giver ... I think he is gone now (good)

 

[logabe]

Weber... that was a very good observation on how God deals with our sin debt. Adam owed a debt
he couldn't pay, but he also left his children (you & I) with that same debt that we couldn't pay. Matt.
18:25 says,

25 But since he did not have the means to pay, his lord commanded him
to be sold, along with his wife and his children and all that he had, and
repayment to be made.

The Judge (God) commanded Adam to be sold, along with his wife and children, and all that he had.
Jesus came as the redeemer of Adam's estate. In other words, he qualified as a kinsmen redeemer,
by becoming flesh and blood like you and I. That's why John said we must believe that Jesus came
in the flesh. Jesus was not only the Son of God, but he was also the Son of Man in order to qualify as
a kinsmen redeemer.

Rom. 3:23 says, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, so that means we all need a
redeemer. Therefore, we are debtors in the eyes of the Law. The Law puts us into slavery because
of our sin.

Jesus could have put the Law away and not used it and we could have sinned without being charged,
but Jesus upheld the Law by keeping it and therefore qualifying to be our redeemer. The Law says, the
wages of sin is death. Jesus didn't sin in the flesh, which gave him the ability to satisfy the Law, when
He died as a perfect sacrifice for the sin of the world.

What a God! What a Plan!

Logabe

 

[Webers_Home]

Matt.18:25 says,

25 But since he did not have the means to pay, his lord commanded him
to be sold, along with his wife and his children and all that he had, and
repayment to be made.

Ouch; talk about collateral damage!

Buen Camino
/

 

[ScottAU]

It was Origen who emphasised that the ransom was paid to Satan. yet this was not the prevalent view. It is unfortunate that many historians tie the ransom view exclusively to Origen's view.

The ransom was not paid to anyone in a technical sense. Rather it was an act done on behalf of those who had sold themselves into enslavement to sin.

There is no mention in the Bible of the ransom being paid to anyone. Rather the term of ransom is applied within the context of a "setting free from sin" which is a "state" to which sinners are in bondage to. Ransom and slavery were similes which were easy to relate to in the Roman world and thus the New Testament writers alluded to them.

Paul clearly describes that the enslavement to sin is broken via the death of the old man when we die with Christ and that the result of this death is the cessation of "serving sin." Thus an individual who lives a life of serving their innate passions and desires in disobedience to God is set free from such an addiction via a death and rebirth. That death and rebirth is found through dying with Christ and partaking in His sufferings.

It is interesting that Paul uses the term "body of death" and how it compells an individual to sin in Romans 7 (being that it holds one in bondage) and many Greek linguists describe how this is a tie into the Roman practice of chaining a corpse to conquered enemies. Paul is descrbing the enslavement of sin being likened to being chained to a rotting corpse and thus to be set free from such a sin is to be released from this corpse. In Romans 6 we see Paul describe how the "body of death" is done away with through the "crucifixion of the old man" whereby one is "set free from sin."

The whole point of the death of Christ was to effect a release from "serving sin" whereby God can then forgive the deeds of serving sin. God cannot forgive a sinner while they persist in their rebellion for that would undermine His justice and undermine His grace by implying that grace is a license to sin, something which Paul vehemently contends that grace is not.

When we view the death of Christ in this manner the Bible comes into perfect harmony and many of the rejected scriptures like Hebrews 10:26-29 make perfect contextual sense.

If we look at Romans 3 we see that Jesus offered Himself as a propitiatory sacrifice (a sacrifice where sin is expiated ie. mercy seat in the OT) where the justice of God is demonstrated to all. The death of Christ was the very public sin offering made on behalf of all humankind whereby people could be reconciled to God via the cross. Basically sinners die to the old man (found in Adam) and are raised anew to life (found in Christ) and henceforth walk according to the leading of the Spirit. It is by the Spirit that the deeds of the body are mortified (held in subservience) wherefore the children of God are led by the Spirit, it is these whom are the son's of God.




Many of the "theories of atonement" twist Christ's death into being a provisional abstraction which negates the actual crucifixion of the flesh. Thus the words of Jesus, where He taught that we must die in order to find life, are completely negated.

Remember the Bible specifically says...

Rom 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Rom 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

The purpose of Christ's sacrifice was to effect a redemption from ALL INIQUITY and to bring about HEART PURITY where the righteousness of the law is fulfilled IN us.

Hence...

Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Heris what I consider a very important passage penned by Paul.

In it Paul makes mention how Christ is a quickening spirit. We are all born in Adam in the sense that we are in corruptible bodies prone to disease and death. Out corruptible bodies tempt us to sin via the natural passions and desires. It is through Jesus Christ that we crucify these passions and desires and therefore submit outselves to the quickening Spirit and are therefore made truly alive. Thus we cut ourselves off from the inhertance of the natural (which is death) and are grafted into the inheritance of the spiritual which is eternal life.

Jesus Christ came to this earth and demonstrated His power over sin, disease and even physical death (often termed Christis Victor) and laid a plain path for all men to follow.

It is sin which brings spiritual death (see Jam 1:14-15) and it was sin which brought physical death (for Adam was denied access to the Tree of Life). All human beings are born subject naturally to physical death (due to Adam) and later subject themselves to spiritual death, ie. through violating the law of conscience (the strength of sin is the law for sin requires knowledge to kill (ie. willful sin kills not innocent mistakes).

1Co 15:12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
1Co 15:13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
1Co 15:14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
1Co 15:15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
1Co 15:16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
1Co 15:17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
1Co 15:18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
1Co 15:19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
1Co 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
1Co 15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1Co 15:23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
1Co 15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
1Co 15:25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
1Co 15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
1Co 15:27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
1Co 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
1Co 15:29 Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead?
1Co 15:30 And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?
1Co 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
1Co 15:32 If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.
1Co 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.
1Co 15:34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
1Co 15:35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
1Co 15:36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
1Co 15:37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:
1Co 15:38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
1Co 15:39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
1Co 15:40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
1Co 15:41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
1Co 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
1Co 15:43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
1Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1Co 15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
1Co 15:46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
1Co 15:47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
1Co 15:48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
1Co 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
1Co 15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1Co 15:52 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.
1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 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.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.


The children of God are those who have died to the old man who was found in Adam (a servant of natural passions) and have therefore been risen up being found in Christ (servants of righteousness through the Spirit).