Heaven's Hope

But someone will ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?’ How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.

-1 Corinthians 15:35-38

What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.

-1 Corinthians 15:36-38

Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another.

-1 Corinthians 15:39

  

God is not restricted to one kind of flesh in creation so why should he be restricted to one kind of flesh in the resurrection?

  

..and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.

-1 Corinthians 15:38

We will be given a new BODY that is conducive to the new heaven and the new earth.

There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor. So will it be with the resurrection of the dead.

-1 Corinthians 15:40-42

The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor. So will it be with the resurrection of the dead.

-1 Corinthians 15:41-42

Our human personality is forever preserved with all its distinction and uniqueness in absolute and eternal perfection.

The graveyards of men become the seed plots of the resurrection and the cemeteries become, through the heavenly due, the resurrection fields of the promised perfection.

  

What will these bodies be like?

The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. 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. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

-1 Corinthians 15:42b-45

First: Incorruptible! Again the seed analogy.

1 - Sown in corruption, raised in incorruption.

Phthora: corruption: not the word for sin but.. tainted.

For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

-Romans 8:20-21

Ha-phtharsia: absolute negative of corruption.

2 - Sown in dishonour and raised in glory.

Atimia: Dishonour: what is shameful

Doxa: Glory: what is honourable.

  

A willing spirit is incarcerated in the flesh!

  

O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

-Romans 7:24-25

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

-1 Corinthians 13:12

  

How important is holiness to you?

O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

-Romans 7:24-25

  

3 - Sown in weakness, raised in power.

Weakness: Asthenia: Infirmity, illness, sickness. But in this form and context: a reference to humility.

For though He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in Him, but we shall live with Him by the power of God toward you.

-2 Corinthians 13:4-5

Humility: Giving up control and submitting to the purposes of God! But raised in power—the power of God toward you.

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,...

-Philippians 2:9-10

‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

-Matthew 25:23

What will we be like in heaven?

  • We will have bodies.
  • We will know each other.
  • We will be distinct from one another.
  • We will be able and willing to please God and one another.
  • We will no longer be tainted by sin and death.
  • We will possess an unending joy and thirst for life.
  • The creation will be liberated from bondage and brought into the freedom of the children of God.

No longer fearing the created order-we will be in harmony with all that God has made!

  

4 - Sown a natural body, raised a spiritual body.

Natural: Pseuchikos: physics: subject to the laws of physics.

Spiritual bodies: pneumatikos: suited to the laws of the new heaven and the new earth.

And so it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.

-1 Corinthians 15:45-49

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

-Philippians 3:20-21

Transform: Schematic: the internal design of something.

  

What was His body like?

Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you.’ But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. And He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.’ When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, ‘Have you any food here?’ So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. And He took it and ate in their presence.

-Luke 24:36-43

Jesus after the resurrection is the best picture of what we will be like:

A body fit for the full life of God to dwell and fully express itself forever. It can eat but does not need to, it can fly through space and go through walls with no time limit or age limit. It is exalted to all that God has in mind from the creation potential and is ultimately satisfied. It knows no pain, tears, sorrow, no sickness, no death. A body of splendor that shines like the moon and stars.

  

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