1 Corinthians 15:32–54

Celestial, Terrestrial, and Telestial Bodies

Why is it worth it to follow Jesus Christ even if others appear to find happiness in sin? Paul explained one of the reasons by teaching the Corinthians about different degrees of glory in the Resurrection. This lesson can help you strive to be worthy of a celestial resurrection through Jesus Christ.

Encouraging student contributions. Help students understand that their contributions are essential to the class learning experience. Try encouraging their comments by thanking them, by complimenting them, or by asking other students what they learned from the comments.

Student preparation: Invite students to read Alma 40:23 to see what all resurrected bodies have in common, then to read 1 Corinthians 15:40–42 to see differences that will exist among resurrected beings.

Possible Learning Activities

Future blessings in God’s plan

Consider giving a treat to all students who happen to be wearing a certain color. Ask students who were not wearing that color if they would have wanted to know about this reward and how to earn it before they came to class.

• If you knew that your teacher was going to reward everyone who wore a certain color today, would that have affected your choice of clothing?

• Would you be upset if you learned about it after it was too late? Why or why not?

Because Heavenly Father loves us, He has told us what happens after this life and which choices will lead to happiness or regret. As you study the scriptures today, look for truths that can motivate you to make choices that lead to eternal happiness.

Draw a simple illustration or diagram of what you already know about God’s plan of salvation. Include where we were before birth, life on earth, and what happens after death. As you draw, be sure to reflect on the role of Jesus Christ throughout our Father’s plan.

Consider inviting at least two students to draw their representations on the board. Knowing students’ current understanding of life after death could provide insight on how to adjust the lesson to meet their needs.

• How can understanding Heavenly Father’s plan for us after death affect decisions you make in mortality?

• How is Jesus Christ central to the plan?

In 1 Corinthians 15:1–29, the Apostle Paul corrected the false belief that “there [would] be no resurrection of the dead” (1 Corinthians 15:13). He then warned the Corinthians not to be deceived by the attitude of people who say, “Let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die” (1 Corinthians 15:32), which expresses the false belief that there is no life after death and, therefore, what we do in this life doesn’t matter.

To help students visualize this false belief, consider erasing everything after mortal life from one of the students’ drawings on the board.

Another false belief is that, regardless of our choices, God will grant everyone the blessings of eternal life (see 2 Nephi 28:8; Alma 1:4).

Consider altering another student’s drawing on the board by adding an arrow from earth straight to the celestial kingdom and erasing the terrestrial and telestial kingdoms.

• How might the false beliefs that there is no life after death or that God will grant everyone the blessings of eternal life affect our decisions and attitudes? Why?

1 Corinthians 15:40–42 is a doctrinal mastery passage. Consider marking doctrinal mastery passages in a distinctive way so you can locate them easily. You will learn more about this doctrinal mastery passage in the next lesson.

Read 1 Corinthians 15:40–42, looking for Paul’s teachings about resurrection in Heavenly Father’s plan. It is helpful to know that the Joseph Smith Translation of 1 Corinthians 15:40 also refers to telestial bodies.

If students did the student preparation activity, consider inviting them to share what all resurrected bodies have in common, and what differences will exist.

• Why is it important to know the truth that in Heavenly Father’s plan, there are different degrees of glory for resurrected bodies?

Degrees of glory

For the following activity, consider displaying the three questions that are listed after President Monson’s statement for students to refer to during their study. Students could also be directed to Gospel Topics, “Kingdoms of Glory,” (topics.ChurchofJesusChrist.org) to learn more about the degrees of glory and what is required to receive celestial glory.

After sufficient time, invite students to share their answers and any questions they might have with the class.

Revelation through modern prophets provides additional insights into Paul’s teachings. Study Doctrine and Covenants 76:50–52, 62–64, 69–70, 71–76, 81–85; 88:21–24 and read the following statement by President Thomas S. Monson (1927–2018). Look for answers to the three questions that follow the statement.

As the result of Christ’s victory over the grave, we shall all be resurrected. This is the redemption of the soul. Paul wrote: “There are … celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another” (1 Corinthians 15:40).

It is the celestial glory which we seek. It is in the presence of God we desire to dwell. It is a forever family in which we want membership. Such blessings are earned through a lifetime of striving, seeking, repenting, and finally succeeding.

(Thomas S. Monson, “The Race of Life,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2012, 93)

• What is the Savior’s role in our journey toward celestial glory?

• What do we need to do to receive celestial glory?

• Why is receiving celestial glory rather than terrestrial or telestial glory worth the effort?

Ponder where you see yourself on the path to the celestial kingdom. Are you relying on the Savior to help you live in such a way that you can receive these blessings?

Can we really achieve celestial glory?

Some people feel discouraged when they realize how far they are from living celestial lives on earth. Read what Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught about our eternal progress, or watch the video “God among Us,” from time code 5:01 to 6:58, available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

My heart overflows with gratitude for my Heavenly Father. I realize that He has not doomed His children to stumble through mortality without hope for a bright and eternal future. He has provided instructions that reveal the way back to Him. And at the center of it all is His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, and His sacrifice for us. …

We are all infants compared to the beings of glory and grandeur we are designed to become. No mortal being advances from crawling to walking to running without frequent stumbles, bumps, and bruises. That is how we learn.

(Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “God among Us,” Liahona, May 2021, 8–9)

• What does Elder Uchtdorf’s statement help you understand about Heavenly Father?

• How does that influence your feelings toward Him and your relationship with Him?

Consider inviting students to silently ponder the following question.

• What do you feel prompted to do because of what you learned today?

Testify that it is worth the effort to prepare to receive a celestial body through Jesus Christ. Invite students to share what they learned with loved ones who need these truths.

Commentary and Background Information

What if we strive to live faithfully in this life but are still imperfect when we die?

The Prophet Joseph Smith (1805–44) explained:

When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the gospel—you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while after you have passed through the veil before you will have learned them. It is not all to be comprehended in this world; it will be a great work to learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the grave.

(Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 268)

What does “It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption” (1 Corinthians 15:42) mean?

Paul compared the mortal body to a seed that is imperfect, or corrupt (see 1 Corinthians 15:37–38, 42). After we die and are buried (sown or planted), we will one day rise from the grave like a plant growing out of the earth. Our resurrected bodies will no longer be corrupt, but will be perfected through the power of God.

Who will receive celestial glory?

The celestial kingdom is the place prepared for those who have “received the testimony of Jesus” and been “made perfect through Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this perfect atonement through the shedding of his own blood” (Doctrine and Covenants 76:51, 69). To inherit this gift, we must receive the ordinances of salvation, keep the commandments, and repent of our sins. For a detailed explanation of those who will inherit celestial glory, see Doctrine and Covenants 76:50–70; 76:92–96.

(Gospel Topics, “Kingdoms of Glory,” topics.ChurchofJesusChrist.org)

Supplemental Learning Activity

Comparing our mortal bodies to our resurrected bodies

Invite students to come up with their own object lessons that they could use to help someone understand the Resurrection. Consider giving them an example such as comparing a caterpillar to a butterfly, or comparing the demolition of an older building to the construction of a new building in its place.

Explain to students that Paul used the example of planting a seed to help the Corinthians understand the Resurrection (see 1 Corinthians 15:35–38). Our mortal bodies can be compared to a seed. Our death and burial can be compared to the seed being planted (sown). Our resurrected bodies can be compared to the plant that grows.

Invite students to study 1 Corinthians 15:43–54, to mark the words that Paul used to describe our mortal bodies, and to mark (in a different way) the words that Paul used to describe our resurrected bodies.

Invite students to write on the board a physical difficulty that a loved one has. Examples could include sickness, poor eyesight, a bad back, or joint problems. Invite students to close their eyes and picture their loved ones in a resurrected body, healed by the power of God from all of those difficulties. Erase each of the physical difficulties from the board, and testify of the love of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, who made those difficulties temporary, and who will give each of us a resurrected body for eternity.