By this corruptible Paul meant himself. By this mortal Paul likewise meant himself. He intended that we should substitute our own names there whenever we read his words. Far from being impersonal, he was being very personal. I am corruptible. I am decaying in body; my behaviour all my life long has been decadent in the sight of God. However viewed, corruptible is my name. I am likewise mortal. Due to die and of limited lifespan. Mortal is my name.
There is to be a mighty change. We have all had the experience of coming home drenched through. We dry off and change our clothes. How differently we feel! In a similar but much more wonderful way we are to put on two new heavenly uniforms. The one is the uniform of incorruption. Every aspect of being that could be said to be corruptible is to be changed and become incorruptible. That is, to put on such a form as will never be capable of decaying in any part. The other is the uniform of immortality. Instead of a limited lifespan, our new bodies will be clothed in such a way as never will be capable of dying any more.
There is a necessity about it. It is a must. God has commanded it. To dwell with God for ever, such a change must of necessity occur. It is not an experience to be dreaded however, but a change to look forward to. It is also very personal. This corruptible; this mortal. We are not to be second-class citizens in heaven in the sense that such a grand thing will have happened to everybody except us. It will happen to us as certainly as it has happened to any other citizen of heaven.
And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep (Acts 7:59-60).
Though Stephen's was a martyr's death, it was an exemplary death. It may not be required of us to be put to death like Stephen and the Saviour; nor may ours be a public spectacle. We may just have a friend or two with us; or be, humanly speaking, totally alone.
It is an example to us because Stephen called upon Jesus the Saviour as God to receive his spirit. His last words were directed to the Saviour; not to friend or foe, but to Him. His last words were, firstly, a prayer for himself; in final acknowledgment of what, for many years past, he had not ceased to believe and act upon, that Jesus is God and, as Saviour, is the One in Whose hands finally our whole life's endeavours should be placed. It was a prayer, calling upon the Saviour to fulfil His promise, 'I will receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.'
Secondly, he called upon the Saviour to forgive those who, at that very time, had been responsible for bringing him from being a fit and healthy man to a dying state in the space of a few, brief minutes. Do be sure, dear friends, that we have pardoned all who have offended us. We have had more time than Stephen to desire God's pardon for all who have given us offence. There is still time. Let us forgive, that we might be forgiven.
Michael Faraday