Clothed in the Resurrection

Session 2: A New Glorified Body

I.Capacities of Our Resurrected Bodies:

In the first session we learned about the reality that we get a new body in the resurrection. This session aims to give us insight into what that body is like and hopefully to help us begin to understand it’s capacities. There are many things that our new body will be able to do that far surpass our current mortal body.

  1. Sown into Death:

As an introduction we will take a look at just one portion of First Corinthians 15; our key chapter. Specifically we will be paying attention to the differences in how our bodies transition from what is to what will be. Paul refers to the process of the resurrection in agricultural terms speaking of it as a death to the current one in order that a far more glorious reality may come forth, referring to the resurrection as our current body being sown into death in order for that seed to mature into fullness.

“with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body (1Co. 15:42-44).”

  1. Raised into Life:

When we receive our new body it is raised from the dead, whether we previously experienced physical death or not there is a moment where the weakness if this frame passes away. It’s a second of transition at His coming where our old flesh dies so that it may be raised to the newness of the life in the age to come.

  1. It is raised imperishable.
  2. It is raised in glory.
  3. It is raised in power.
  4. It is raised a spiritual body.
  1. Contrasting Realities:

Even with only the above short list of resurrection characteristics we can know that the way that we experience life will be very different from the one that we accustomed to. Each one of the points of contrast that Paul makes here is meant to paint a picture for us about how things will be impacted in our daily life. We have been used to living with death in our frames, weakness and limitations and a real struggle within our flesh but what is coming is raised as something very different.

  1. New Dynamics:

The way that things look now and the way things will be then will have enough measure of similarity that we will be able to identify it but there will be so many new dynamics that we can not yet grasp.

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him (1Co. 2:9).”

II.Differences From Our Current One:

Our bodies are seeds with the promise of a far greater future reality if we endure to the end. As different as a seed is from what it grows into later so is the difference between this current frame and our future glorified one.

  1. Forever Changed:

Some phrases give us more information about what is coming than others but every single phrase is helpful for painting the overall picture. At first glance when we are told that we will all be changed this may not seem like much but it tells us that we can count on being different from what we are now; that a an actual shift in our being will take place.

“We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised…and we will be changed(1Co. 15:51-52).”

  1. Raised Imperishable:

We will be raised indestructible, imperishable and immune to decay. Our new bodies will not carry a capacity for death any longer. Like all the realities of perishing are experienced now and mark this life there is coming a whole new experience where we will be intrinsically immune to weakness and never fading.

“The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable (1Co. 15:42)”

“For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable (1Co. 15:52).”

  1. Clothed with the Imperishable:

Paul changes language slightly and now says that we are clothed with the imperishable, as though we also were it like a garment somehow.

“For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable...When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable…then the saying that is written will come true(1Co. 15:53-54).”

  1. Clothed with Immortality:

Like the concept of imperishability we are told that we will be clothed immortality. The limitations that we know as mortals will no longer apply, this means far more than simply that we will not die. It’s a new realm, which we will enter into, and which will define us; we will become immortal like our God.

“the mortal (must clothe itself)with immortality…When the...mortal (has been clothed)with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true (1Co. 15:53-54).”

  1. Raised in Glory:

All of us well know the pains of our weakness that cause dishonor, cause us to struggle and keep us from our potential. The new body is raised in glory. This is not metaphorical jargon, it’s a promise that the glory that raised Christ from the dead and so transformed His physical frame and appearance will also raise and change us in the same real ways.

“it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory (1Co. 15:43)”

  1. Raised in Power:

Right now there are significant restrictions and limitations that are put on our bodies; our physical strength is limited and we experience fatigue. Our new body will not be like our current one, it will be raised forever in power. We will be operating at a far higher capacity with new abilities to help us serve in the new order under Christ’s governance.

“it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power (1Co. 15:43)”

  1. Raised a Spiritual Body:

Our new body is called a spiritual one and a distinction is made between the one we have now and the one we will receive. I think that this is far more than merely a restoration to how things were before the fall of man as if to say that we had a spiritual body before sin entered the picture but that sin caused us to loose our capacities of having a spiritual body. We were told that God made woman out of man’s flesh (Ge. 2:22-23). Us being raised spiritual beings as opposed to natural ones I believe ties into the reason that there will be no procreation in the resurrection (Mt. 22:30); there is no mention or reason to think that any of the Heavenly beings reproduce, they are instead created by God.

“it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body (1Co. 15:44).”

  1. Victorious:

Our being clothed in the resurrection is a real point of victory for the believer. We are told that the one who endures to the end is the one who will be saved (Mt. 24:13; 2Ti. 2:12; Re. 2:11). When we receive the resurrection we are marked with the reward of having made it; our overcoming death is a lasting victory.

“then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1Co. 15:54-57).”

III.Like His Glorified Body:

Perhaps the most telling detail that we are told about our new bodies is that we will be transformed into His likeness. While we cannot know the depth of this mystery, we can begin to get revelation based off of what the scripture says about Christ and what we know about after He was resurrected.

“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit (2Co. 3:18).”

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body (Php. 3:20-21).”

“As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven (1Co. 15:48-49).”

  1. Jesus Cooked and Ate:

After Jesus was raised from the dead He ate food with His friends, further He cooked the food for all of them on at least one occasion. This means that in a resurrected body we will still eat at least in a leisurely way. It is difficult to know what else this means regarding things like providing energy or related to digestive processing.

“On one occasion, while he was eating with them (Ac. 1:4)”

“Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore…the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water…When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread…Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.”…Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead (Jn. 21:4-14).”

  1. He Walked Through Walls:

While His disciples were indoors with the doors locked Jesus was able to miraculously appear before them inside the locked room. This probably points to a far greater reality than merely being able to walk through walls, though I’m sure it at least means that. It probably has more to do with a willful teleportation capacity in an exaggerated way similar to how Phillip was transported from Gaza to Azotus (Ac. 8:39-40).

“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you (Jn. 20:19)!”

“A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you (Jn. 20:26)!”

  1. He Could Fly Back and Forth to Heaven:

In the same realm of this supernatural transportation concept is the apparent ability for Christ to not just teleport from Earth to Heaven but actually fly or atleast travel straight up. The rapture will be our first flight but I do not think it will be our last.

“After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight (Ac. 1:9).”

“Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven (Ac. 1:11).”

  1. He Could Cloak His Identity:

He walked with and talked to people on numerous occasions and cloaked His identify in such a way that people who knew Him well didn’t even know it was Him even at close range. But at other times He was able to be clearly recognized, there seems to be something supernaturally capacity where this ability can be turned on or off at will.

“As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him (Lk. 24:15-16).

“Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus (Jn. 21:4).”

“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord (Jn. 20:19-20).”

  1. Jesus Taught People:

More than just being able to speak, the resurrected Jesus had a teaching ministry where in He taught the disciples new things about the Kingdom of God. This will be a major ministry during the early years of the Millennium as Christ institutes a new kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth. In that time there will be great need for teaching on many new subjects as well as an endless list of ideas of who to do things better than we currently know. There are countless activities and concepts that are common to us but that the currently known way to go about these things is without the purposes and wisdom of the Kingdom of God. There will be much need of teaching ministries that instruct on how to live life according the Kingdom order.

“After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God (Ac. 1:3).”

IV.We will be Like the Angels:

In addition to the detail that we will be raised to be like Jesus we are also told that we will be like the angels. These realities are complimentary and not conflicting; the fullness of our new reality will include elements of both the role and glory of the angels and the brilliance and mission of Jesus. So as we look into what it means to be like the angels let us not loose track of all the details that we just covered about what it will mean to be like Jesus.

“At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven (Mt. 22:30).”

When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven (Mk. 12:25).”

“But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age (the Millennium) and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels (Lk. 20:35-36).”

  1. Vary in Role and Function:

The angels vary in honor, they have different levels of authority, they have unique designations and many different roles from simple acts of service to national deliverance.

“At that time Michael (the arch angel), the great prince who protects your people, will arise…everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered (Da. 12:1).”

“When he hesitated, the men (angels)grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them. 17 As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away (Ge. 19:16-17)!”

  1. Vary in Glory and Splendor:

Not only do we see that the angels have different roles we also see that there are varying measures of glory that they carry.

“And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll (Re. 5:2)?”

  1. Varying Proximity to the Lord:

All of the above somehow relates to their proximity to and interaction with the Lord which also seems to vary from one angel to the next.

“in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back (Re. 4:6).”

“Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders(Re. 5:11).”

  1. Angels Bring Judgment:

There are many accounts in the Word of God where angels are sent to destroy cities and people. God often uses angels to execute His judgments on the Earth. This Church will begin to enter into this reality to some degree even before the resurrection as we partner in intercession to release the judgments during the Great Tribulation.

“The two men(angels)said to Lot, “Do you have anyone else here—sons-in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here, because we are going to destroy this place. The outcry to the LORD against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it(Ge. 19:12-13).”

“And God sent an angel to destroy Jerusalem. But as the angel was doing so, the LORD saw it and was grieved because of the calamity and said to the angel who was destroying the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand (1Ch. 21:15).”

“He unleashedagainst them his hot anger, his wrath, indignation and hostility— a band of destroying angels (Ps. 78:49).”

  1. Angels Can Appear out of Nowhere:

The capacities of angels includes on a number of occasions their ability to suddenly appear or disappear out of nowhere.