BACKGROUND for the BIBLE PASSAGES Session 57: Glorified
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BACKGROUND FOR THE BIBLE PASSAGES Session 57: Glorified When our family moved to Tennessee, we spent Paul began writing about our future resurrection 15 months living in a small apartment before by responding to a hypothetical questioner who purchasing our home. Our children were very raised objections to the idea of a bodily resurrection. young, and so the apartment was the only home they One possible objection Paul may have been remembered ever living in. attacking was Greek dualism. This belief taught that When it came time to move into a house, they all matter, including the body, is evil. Only the soul didn’t want to leave the apartment. It was their is good. Therefore, matter, which is inherently evil, home! They didn’t understand that in the new house would not be resurrected. they would have a yard to play in, larger bedrooms, Paul might also have been addressing a false and a playroom. teaching about the nature of the resurrected body. When they finally entered the new home, their Many Corinthians believed that the resurrection reservations vanished. Once they saw their new would not involve new bodies. Rather, their earthly yard and playroom, the apartment became a distant bodies would be resurrected “as is.” memory, and they never once asked to go back. Paul described our future bodily resurrection with C. S. Lewis once said, “Has this world been so clarity, so that any arguments attempting to twist kind to you that you should leave with regret? There and manipulate the Christian teaching of a bodily are better things ahead than any we leave behind.” resurrection would be answered. Our current bodies, now ravaged by sin, feel the The idea of a new body was a confusing one for effects of disease, temptation, and old age. Our earth many, so Paul started his explanation of resurrection itself groans under the curse of sin. Insects eat crops. by describing what happens to a seed when it’s Vegetation shrivels and dies. Drought. Pestilence. planted. The seed, literally buried, dies. It no longer Famine. Uncomfortable heat in the summer. exists in the form of a seed. After the seed’s death, Unbearable cold in the winter. Death and sin are a plant begins to grow from the seed. The plant is visible all around us, from our sinus infections to the uniquely tied to the seed. It could not exist without dead plants in our pots. the seed—specifically, without the seed’s death. The These uncomfortable quarters, however, are not seed itself is no more, yet the elements from the seed our permanent dwelling place. Ever since we were are found in the plant that grew from it. justified through salvation, we’ve been anticipating God has a specific plant prepared for each seed our new body and home. Jesus began immediately to become. A mustard seed grows a mustard plant. working in us to sanctify us, or make us more like A sunflower seed grows a sunflower. Each seed has Himself. Our salvation will be complete at the end been designed by God to become a certain type of of all things when our bodies, the very vessels that plant. God also has a new body planned for each of remain under the curse of sin, will be transformed us, which cannot come about until after our earthly into glorified bodies, to live on a new earth, with body dies. God Himself. Although Paul did not tell his readers what our new bodies will look like, he directed his readers 1 Corinthians 15:35-58 to the different kinds of bodies in nature, pointing • Our salvation will be complete when God out how vastly different heavenly bodies, such as transforms our bodies. the sun and moon, are from earthly bodies, such as It is important to note that the physical resurrection birds or fish. of our bodies and the immortality of our souls are Paul then listed contrasts between our earthly not the same thing. This entire section of Scripture bodies and our future heavenly bodies. The first is not merely speaking of the immortal nature of our contrast is that our earthly bodies are sinful and souls. Paul very specifically argued for a physical, corrupt, but our heavenly bodies will be without bodily resurrection. sin, disease, and corruption. In addition, our current © 2007 LifeWay Press®. Fuel2: Owning Your Faith, Volume 5. Permission granted to reproduce this item for church use only. Published in the United States of America. bodies are subject to inevitable death, but our future that still suffer under sin’s curse. When we are bodies will never die. resurrected, however, our spiritual bodies will be The second contrast is that our earthly bodies heavenly in nature, like Christ’s. We will look like were sown in dishonor, but our heavenly bodies will Jesus, act like Jesus, and will be able to understand be raised in power. Some scholars believe this is a Jesus in a more complete way. reference to humanity’s original task of domination Our current, perishable bodies cannot inherit the over creation. This peaceful domination turned imperishable kingdom of God. Only new, glorified sour at the fall, but our new bodies will be raised to bodies can do that. Our current bodies were not humanity’s original place of honor within creation. made to live forever. Our glorified bodies will be This contrast might also be a reference to the created to do just that. physical weaknesses within our bodies. Even the Paul also addressed what would happen to most physically fit bodies eventually succumb to believers who remain alive at the resurrection. Their weakness with old age. On the contrary, our new current, physical bodies will be transformed into bodies will be equipped with a strength and power new ones. To point out how quickly our physical from God that far surpasses any strength found in bodies will be changed, Paul said it would be in our earthly bodies. the twinkling of an eye. The eye is the part of the The last contrast, “sown a natural body, raised a body with the fastest movement. As quickly as a spiritual body,” can easily be taken out of context sudden eye movement, perhaps even smaller than to argue against a physical resurrection. That is a blink, our bodies will be transformed. It will be not, however, what Paul was saying. If it was, this instantaneous! entire passage, written specifically about a physical This will all occur at the last trumpet. Paul’s resurrection, wouldn’t make sense. Rather, Paul readers would have understood the significance of was pointing out that our earthly bodies are natural, the trumpet blast. In Jewish culture, the blowing suited for life on earth. Perhaps he even meant that of trumpets signaled the beginning of festivals and they’re incapable of a completely spiritual nature other big events. The trumpet also signaled the or essence. Our resurrected bodies, however, will appearance of God. This will be the last trumpet be like the body Christ had after His resurrection. because it will never again be needed to signal the This body was different from ours, yet similar. It appearance of God. God’s appearance will never was definitely physical. Jesus ate food and touched end. people. It also had a spiritual element. Jesus could Some people perhaps might wonder what will enter a locked room without going through the door become of our current bodies at the resurrection. and seemed to vanish and appear suddenly. Paul is clear on this point. They will be transformed, Paul also illustrated the difference between our not discarded. The mortal, corruptible nature of our natural body and spiritual body by contrasting current bodies will be clothed with the immortal, Adam and Jesus. Adam, the first man, became a incorruptible nature of our glorified bodies. When living being. The human race originated in him. this happens, the victory that Jesus accomplished Our natural body came about because of Adam. through His death and resurrection will be fully Jesus, on the other hand, not only lived, but became realized. Death will literally be completely defeated a life-giving Spirit. He was the firstborn of those when we receive glorified bodies, no longer subject resurrected from the dead. Through Him, we receive to death. eternal life. First, we were born into the human race. Finally, Paul urged his readers, in light of the Then, we were born into Christ’s kingdom. information they had just received, to do more Adam was made of dust, but Jesus came from than simply wait for the resurrection in expectant heaven. Although He was born as a baby, Jesus did awe. Instead, Paul urged them to continue the not originate on this earth. Jesus is God Himself and Lord’s work. Knowing what lies ahead, Christians came from heaven, where He always existed, to this everywhere can be motivated to serve the Lord earth. gladly, knowing that their efforts are not in vain. As natural human beings, we resemble Adam. We originated on this earth and live in human bodies © 2007 LifeWay Press®. Fuel2: Owning Your Faith, Volume 5. Permission granted to reproduce this item for church use only. Published in the United States of America. Revelation 21:1-3 Scholars disagree on John’s intention in describing • Our salvation will be complete when we are with this city as a bride adorned for her husband. This God. comparison is well-known in Scripture, with the While John was exiled on the Island of Patmos, he church as the bride and Christ as the groom.