LEARNING DAILY

1 Corinthians 15:43-44, “Our bodies now disappoint us, but when they are raised, they will be full of glory. They are weak now, but when they are raised, they will be full of power. They are natural human bodies now, but when they are raised, they will be spiritual bodies. For just as they are natural bodies, so also there are spiritual bodies.” (New Living Translation)

Your resurrected body is going to be different from the body you now have. Paul wrote in verse 42, “So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable”. There is a transformation that takes place – the body that enters heaven is different from the body Believers have while on earth. The body Believers have on earth wears out and eventually dies. The resurrected body does not do so; it does not die and is both a physical body and an eternal body.

“Our bodies now disappoint us, but when they are raised, they will be full of glory.” The glorified body will be free from sin and shame. When I consider what this means, I think of reading in The Revelation of the saints being clothed in white garments (The Revelation 3:4-5), purified, not polluted or stained. There will be none of the weaknesses experienced in the earthly body. Cartoons picture the saints as angels with wings and harps riding on the clouds. Or, I have heard of disembodied (ghost like bodies). No angels with wings! No ghosts! Luke wrote the words of the risen Christ, “See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." He had a physical body. So will Believers. His body was healed, excepts for the wounds on His hands and feet (marking His sacrifice). The Believer’s body will be totally healed. Jesus ate with the disciples, several times (Luke 24:41). Believers will be able to eat, although it will not be a driving force. When Jesus appeared to them, He did not enter through the door; He was just there. Will Believers be able to do that or even need to do that?

I am going to close with a rather sobering thought. In Daniel 12:2, it is written, “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” The point being made here is ALL people will be resurrected to eternal life – “some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” The only two destinies are an eternity in God’s kingdom, or an eternity separated from Him. All people will have a spiritual body. John 3:36 clearly states this, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him”. Believers, having placed their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, will walk into His kingdom for eternity. Those who have not will face eternal judgment. No one is neutral!

As a Believer, you will be resurrected. You will receive a spiritual body! You will spend eternity in God’s kingdom. That is worth the walk on the narrow way!