I believe in… the resurrection of the body WBC 25/11/01 pm
I Cor 15:35-57
This is a fascinating part of the creed
= not talking about the resurrection of Jesus’ body
- we’ve already conveyed belief in that
- sure, His resurrection is/was the prototype for ours (so linked in that way)
= talking about US being raised. Physically. John Brown’s body no longer lying a mouldering in the grave
- his body beings raised
- his FLESH (lit in earliest versions) being raised
This impacts us in 3 areas:
1- I wonder whether we REALLY believe this. Really
2- It’s something that’s gonna happen to ME. Has impact on ME
- v early church led by a church father called Rufus said “I believe in the resurrection of THIS body”. Just to drive that home!
3- it affects how I see… use… treat my body now.
- in one way or another THJIS is gonna be with me some time!
Facing these issues head on is a bit of a shock, really… as you don’t hear much on OUR resurrection, nowadays.
- maybe we need it included in OUR basics, as much as the early church did
- because we’ve slipped a bit from orthodoxy on it…or into ignorance
Maybe we need to study something like the creed (!) because the issues addressed in it are either
-foundational AND/OR
- contra-heresy, ignorance
That’s certainly the case, here. All kinds of heresies had sprung up
WRONG THOUGHT- heresies
1) Greek thought (around since 3C BC, but grew and developed)
Elevated the soul… downgraded the body
Soul = immortal. Body = mortal… the big failing/mistake… thing they couldn’t wait to get rid of
- body = immaterial, even. Didn’t really matter. Elevating the soul and the mind… that’s what matters as that’s what lives on
- result = do what you like with the body. Worship it. Abuse it. Despise it. Neglect it. Look down on it
Christian thought and creed countered this. But, interestingly enough, many of US are more influenced by Gk thought/philosophy than by Xian thought
- WE often believe more in the immortality of the soul than the resurrection of the body
- (so, we need to study the creed!)
2) Gnosticism
A 1C AD heresy that grew and became a cult by end of that century
Believed in pre-eminence of knowledge (like Gks)… but went beyond that in believing secret knowledge and wisdom could give you eternal life… an eternal life that as spiritual and transcended matter
- in fact MATTER… flesh… was bad… evil. God wouldn’t touch it (and only did through layers of intermediaries).
- The flesh/body certainly wouldn’t be used, touched, saved, redeemed… have a future
- You would not be saved as a whole. Part would be. Part discarded.
3) resurrection had already happened
= a dangerous cult, obviously there in early church life
2 tim 2:17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.
They taught the resurrection happened
- at baptism OR
- at conversion… as it’s all symbolic.
- = a half truth… & distortion of Paul’s teaching on baptism
- (I believe there’s plenty of symbolic stuff in scripture (Revn, particularly). But not in THIS case
- or through THEIR ministry. As a bloke called Menander taught, ‘when you’re baptised into MY name- then you are resurrected)
- there is no literal resurrection.
4) It happens through your children
Illustr: Doug Webdell- “ I live on through my children , Ewen)
- genetically there’s some truth in it. But not true spiritually or physically
In those days there were people who thought these same things as folks today do- and the early church was intent on putting the record straight
JEWISH THOUGHT- our creation
Was different to all this. It believed:
God created us humans- body, soul, spirit. Inseparable. Complex
- each part valued. Not one more than another
- each part good. “behold it was v good” – included the body and physical world
- the physical realm was NOT a mistake
- each part marred by the fall
CHRISTIAN THOUGHT- total salvation
… and Christian thought was that each part was to be redeemed/saved. The whole person. The whole creation, even
God’s final/best plans was not just to save our souls, but to somehow recreate our bodies as well as
- an integral part of us
- part of our personalities
- part of His initial plan
The picture of us living without our bodies (‘unclothed’ as Paul puts it)… or in a physical realm is not God’s BEST or final picture for us
- we may have to do so for a while (in between death and His return)… and all others (except Jesus) so far HAVE
- but God’s plans are to rescue us body, soul and spirit
- 1TH 5:23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This shows the value God places on the physical. It’s not all a big mistake. He:
-loves it, visited it, touched it, became it
He dwells in it!!
- our bodies are the temples of the HS (if we are believers)
- that shows how important they are!
- God doesn’t live inside buildings but inside the tent of YOUR body
It tells the value/care we should place on it
- ie watch what you do with it! God’s in there!
- You’re going to have to live with something based on this for eternity!
time to stop smoking, get exercise, control your body, not offer it to sexual immorality, look after it
FINAL THOUGHT- final destination
So- God’s plan in making people was to make them body, soul and spirit…and for Him to dwell with us (cf walking in the garden)
His plan has not changed.
-Paradise was lost. That blissful, innocent existence was lost. But it will be regained. Restored. Somehow. Probably completely differently from how any of us interpret this, but basically:
- the dead will be brought back to a physical existence (prior to this they are disembodied spirits)…
- and people will be judged and sent/committed (fully clothed: personality, body, mind spirit) to their final destination of
- judgement. For those who haven’t let Jesus save them. Hell. It’s frightening. I hope it’s annihilation- but scripture describes it as ongoing physical and mental anguish
- the new Jerusalem. The new heaven and earth. Much like the first
So- for us believers there’s no sense of us floating around on clouds (drinking Harp Lager- shows my age!)
= new bodies. Resurrected bodies. Physical existence. All the richness of being here and MORE!
- God will be there! With US! It will all shine with His presence. It’ll be filled with wonderful things
1 Cor 2:9 "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" –
- I think there’ll be things to do… angels to judge…nations to rule
- ie we won’t be BORED!
- If you think this world is RICH- wait till then!
- There will be no tears… or ones that are cried will be wiped away
- We will have new bodies with no aches and pains
Lots of the language about what it will be like is symbolic imagery
- because our language fails us… and our minds can’t take it in
- but the bit about us having new bodies isn’t… and we can
Our bodies will be:
- something LIKE the old ones. Continuity with the physical
- THIS is like the seed, Paul says
- DIFFERENT
- They have to be, as the original material isn’t all available!
- Conservation of matter
- I’ve got a bit of Elvis in me! (but you know that!)
- Imperishable. More glorious. Non-sexual (“Like the Angels” Mt 22:30). “Like Him” (1 Jn 3:2, and all re ‘firstborn’)
- LIKE Jesus
- His body disappeared:
- Encouragement to us
- Example of - continuity
- Original material being used as some kind of seed
- Folks recognised Him. Others almost didn’t
- He ate
- He passed through doors
So, somehow, we’ll be even more like Him. Buy one way in which we’ll be different is our bodies will bear no wounds…. But His does. Even now.
“I believe in the resurrection of the body”
- I believe our bodies matter. Now
- We are to offer them as living sacrifices
- I believe Jesus is going to raise me to FULL new life… with some link to this physical body…and the physical realm… at the end of time. At the consummation of all things. When there is a new heaven and a new earth
Q’s?
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