Read: 1 Corinthians 15:35-58
Key Text: When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:54)
Reflection: Somewhere along the way a myth emerged in popular Christianity that when we die our soul escapes our decomposing body and either floats up to heaven or drifts down to hell. In this view, whichever destination our soul escapes to, we survive beyond death in a disembodied state. In no way does such belief stand up to biblical scrutiny. In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul first argues for the historical foundation of Christ’s resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-11), then for the centrality of resurrection to Christian faith and hope (1 Corinthians 15:12-34). Now he spells out how our resurrection bodies will come about and what they will be like.
The resurrection of our bodies will be a gift of God (v.38). God will raise us up. Our resurrection body will have some continuity with our mortal bodies (v.49), but will be different in the way a plant is different from the seed from which it came (v.36). Like a seed ‘dies’ so our physical bodies dies, but to be raised in new form – perishable for imperishable, weak and now powerful, natural and now spiritual. It is important to note that our spiritual bodies will be physical bodies animated by the Spirit of God (God’s resurrection power). Our resurrection bodies will be like a new set of eternal clothes we put on (vv.53-54). NT Wright puts it this way, ‘(Our) present body is a body animated by the ordinary human soul, and the future body will be a body animated by God's spirit and hence not corruptible.’
We can only imagine what our new bodies will be like. This we do know; compared with the physical limitations we encounter now, they will be glorious.
Question: What current physical imitation you currently face are you most looking forward to leaving behind?
Watch: NT Wright speaks about resurrection belief in the early church: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kl4nNiVt2n0
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