Chapter 9. “Flesh and Blood Cannot Inherit the Kingdom of God” (1 Cor 15:50).
Chapter 9
1. The following, among others, is what was said by the Apostle, Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. This is adduced by all the heretics in their madness. From it they try to show that God’s handiwork is not saved. They do not take note that there are three elements, as we have shown, of which the whole man consists—flesh, soul, and spirit. The one saves and fashions, which is the spirit; the other is united and is fashioned, which is the flesh; but what is between these two, the soul, is at times raised up by him, namely, when it follows the spirit; but at times it falls into earthly lusts, namely, when it consents to the flesh. Whoever, therefore, do not possess what saves and fashions unto life will rightly be flesh and blood, and will be called such, inasmuch as they do not have God’s Spirit in themselves. For that reason such were also spoken of by the Lord as dead. He said, Let the dead bury their dead, since they do not have the Spirit who gives life to man.
2. On the other hand, whoever fears God and believes in the coming of his Son, and who through faith establish God’s Spirit in their hearts, such are rightly called men, pure, spiritual, and living for God, because they have the Father’s Spirit, who purifies man and elevates him unto God’s life.
For the willing spirit received testimony from the Lord just as the weak flesh did: that is, whatever he is willing to do that he is powerful to accomplish. So if anyone adds this willingness of the spirit to the weakness of the flesh as an impetus, it is necessary, by all means, that the weak will be overcome by the powerful, so that the weakness of the flesh be absorbed by the strength of the spirit, and that such a one be no longer carnal but spiritual on account of communion in the Spirit. In this way, therefore, the martyrs give their witness and despise death, not according to the weakness of the flesh but according to the willingness of the spirit. For when the weakness of the flesh is [so] absorbed, it shows forth the spirit as powerful; moreover, when the spirit absorbs the weakness, he possesses the flesh in himself as an inheritance. Then out of both a living man has been formed—“living” on account of the communion in the Spirit, but “man” on account of the substance of the flesh.
3. So the flesh without God’s Spirit is dead, since it has no life; it has no power to inherit the kingdom of God. It is irrational blood; it is as water poured out on earth. With that in mind, Paul said, As was the earthly man, such also are the earthly. But where the Father’s Spirit is, there is a living man: rational blood preserved by God to be avenged; and flesh, which was inherited by the spirit and which, forgetful of itself, assumes the property of the Spirit and becomes conformed to the Word of God. And so he says, Just as we have borne the image of the earthly, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
What, then, is “the earthly”? It is the handiwork. What is “the heavenly”? It is the Spirit. So he says, just as at one time we lived in the flesh without the heavenly Spirit, inasmuch as we did not obey God, so now we have received the Spirit and we walk in a new life, inasmuch as we obey God. Since, therefore, we cannot be saved without God’s Spirit, the Apostle admonished us to preserve God’s Spirit through faith and a chaste manner of living, in order that we might not be without the communion of the Holy Spirit and lose the kingdom of heaven; and he cried out that flesh and blood by themselves cannot inherit the kingdom of God.
4. If we must speak the truth, flesh does not inherit but is inherited; as the Lord said, Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth, as if the earth, whence also the substance of our flesh is taken, would be inherited in the kingdom. That is why he wills that the temple be clean, so that God’s Spirit may delight in it, as the bridegroom delights in the bride. By way of illustration, the bride cannot take to herself the spouse, but she can be taken by the spouse when he comes to take her. In like manner, this flesh by itself, that is, all alone, cannot inherit the kingdom of God; but it can be inherited in the kingdom by the Spirit. For one who is alive can inherit the things of a dead person. And it is one thing to inherit, and another to be inherited. For the one has dominion and rules, and disposes the things he inherits just as it pleases him; but those things are subject to him who inherits, and obey him and are ruled by him, and are under his dominion.
What then is it that lives? It is God’s Spirit. And what are the things of the dead person? They are a man’s members, which will also perish in the earth. These are the things that will be inherited by the Spirit when they have been transferred to the kingdom of heaven. That is why Christ died, in order that, when the covenant of the Gospel had been opened and read to the entire world, he might first free his servants, and then make them heirs of the things that belong to him, inasmuch as the Spirit possesses them as an inheritance, as we have shown. For one who is alive inherits, but the flesh is inherited. In order that we might not lose life by losing the Spirit who inherits us, the Apostle admonished us to communion in the Spirit. With reason he said, what has been quoted before, Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. That is the same as saying: Do not err: for if the Word of God does not dwell in you, and the Spirit of God is not in you, and if you have lived without purpose or foresight, as if you were only flesh and blood, you cannot inherit the kingdom of God.