THE SPLENDOR OF OUR RESURRECTION

GREETINGS IN THE NAME OF JESUS:


In 1 Corinthians 15:19-20 leads to a discussion of the first fruits of the Spiritual resurrection of Jesus Christ as the first model of what we can expect in our glorified bodies.

    In verses 21-24 he begins talking about the comparisons between Adam and Jesus Christ, and later in verse 35, he explains that we simply cannot imagine the splendor of what God has in store for those who love Him.  We will recognize one another and have the same personalities and be as individualized as we are right now, but at the same time perfected through Jesus Christ.  Paul mentions something that before I had not studied much which is the process of building our dwelling place.  He likens our lives as seeds planted and then we must die in order to be transformed.  I want to make a note here that for most of my life when I think of building something I think of housing like the mansion we so often hear about, but I can't help but wonder if that dwelling place we are helping to build is our glorified body that we will dwell in.  Jesus told us that in His father's house there are many rooms, and when He speaks of His dwelling place it is always within us.  That is our temple too...it is the place we actually dwell.  When I go back to look again at the personal loss of the individual that builds with hay and stubble I find that although they may lose much of what they have built they will themselves be saved.  As we look back at some scriptures now it may make more sense to think about our dwelling place as the glorified bodies we are sending fruit of the Spirit off to help build.

  In truth, we don't know much about this process from God's point of view.  The question must come up then " What do we think perfection is?"  Paul writes about the different kinds of flesh there is; people, animals, birds, and fish all have different kinds of flesh. Even the Angels have different kinds of bodies.  Paul also writes that the seed that is planted will look much different than the plant that grows from that seed.  Our bodies right now are perishable.  They are prone to disease and decay, but when we are resurrected we will be like Christ. We won't necessarily be super-human, but there is no doubt that our bodies will be different.  I wonder what it will be like to have no pain? The last Adam refers to Christ because He was the first one raised from the dead never to die again. It was Jesus who brought into existence a new form of life.  (2 Corinthians 3:17)  This new glorified body will suit our new eternal life and will fit into the Kingdom of Heaven.

   Most of us never think about our limitations, but we all have them. Some are physical, mental, emotional disabilities. Some may be blind, and others deaf, but we can all hear and see God through the power of His Holy Spirit even now.  I wonder when we pray for someone's healing if we ever think about the need for their spirit to be healed first?  That seems to be Jesus's first concern for everyone that was healed from whatever problem they had. I think we may have been so fooled by this world about what reality is that we can't even think as God thinks. When Jesus was crucified Satan thought that he had won until Jesus was resurrected and destroyed the hold that death had on us.  In the garden of Eden, the enemy thought that he had separated us from God forever because of sin (Genesis 3:)  When Christ rose from the dead (Colossians 2:15 - Hebrews 2:14-15) He defeated the power of sin and death so it is no more a source of fear and dread to the Child of God. The law can no more make sinners of those who cannot keep it.  What does that statement mean to you?  May you richly bless God through your life in Him.



THE UNWORTHY SERVANT