New body, changed life

Many years ago it was thought that the cellular structure of man and animals was basically the same. Now, with DNA and other testing, not only has this been proven wrong, a scientist can tell the breed of dog or the approximate age of a person by examining hair, skin and so on.

God knew this long before we figured it out. He uses this fact to illustrate that when someone is raised from the dead, their body will be something like it was before, yet also different.

For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is 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. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. (1 Corinthians 15:39–49)

Thoughts of heaven and having a body like that of the risen Christ come to mind when my body aches or when life is tough. However, that which God has promised me is not supposed to be mere escapism from this world. Instead, future rewards are an encouragement to press on, something like rest (or a paycheck) at the end of the day keeps some people diligent for the tasks at hand.

This passage speaks of future glory by comparing the various glories already visible to my eyes. I marveled at the sunrise this morning and now the warm glow of sunlight streaming in my window. Natural beauty has a glory and even the human body is glorious in its natural state, for we are truly marvelously made. Yet God wants me to know that my spiritual body will be even more amazing and like the raised body of Jesus Christ.

His body is difficult to imagine. We know that Jesus could instantly appear and somehow go through locked doors. But He was not a phantom; He cooked and ate with His disciples. They could touch His body, feel His scars. He was not recognized by some, yet the disciples knew it was Him. Whatever happened to His body, He was no longer like it was before.

God’s promise to me is that I will no longer be as I am now. Today my body is perishable, dishonorable and weak compared to that day when He will change it to imperishable, honorable and powerful. I cannot understand exactly what that means, but I know that I will someday be like Jesus, even in my body.

The grand reality of this goes farther; being like Him is far beyond merely what my body will look like. That final change involves being like Him in values, character, thinking and more. Jesus is sinless and my full redemption means I will also be without sin. What a glory!

A changed body does mean no more aches or illness, perfect vision, and perhaps the ability to walk through walls, but a totally transformed heart and mind has much greater appeal. Part of that appeal is that this change began the moment He saved me. As for my body, I cannot do much with it (only eat right and keep in shape), yet by obedience I can cooperate with Him in that heart-shaping process.

Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. (1 John 3:2–3)

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Lord, Your promises for eternity fill me with hope and a great sense of anticipation. The prospect of being sinless makes me want to be far more ready than I am. Thank You for working to change my life. Help me always want those changes, and to not be dismayed as You show me what needs overhauling in my life. Help me cooperate with Your Spirit as You use all things for my good, to transform me into the image of Your dear Son.

This old world is not my home

Every time we fly outside this country, I am asked to state my citizenship. I wonder what would happen if I wrote “heaven” instead of “Canada”?

The New Testament is clear; all those who belong to the family of God have their names written down in God’s book of life and belong to His country, not our own, not even this earth. Paul wrote:

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)

Apparently this word for “citizenship” is actually about a colony of foreigners, but one secular source uses the same word to describe a city that kept the names of its citizens on a register, much like God does with His citizens.

Another example is when the Israelites were taken into captivity in Babylon. They considered the Promised Land was still their home and longed to return. However, they were in Babylon for seventy years. By the time they were finally able to go back to Israel, many of them were not ready to leave. Being there was bondage, but they developed an attachment for the place.

Sometimes that happens to Christians. At least one that I know struggled with death. She knew that her time was coming but fought it as if dying was the worst thing that could happen to her. I don’t know if this world had become too comfortable like Babylon was to some of the Israelites, but thinking of her makes me wonder if I will be ready to go home when the time comes.

Leaving earth for heaven will mean leaving family and friends, all activities and things that I enjoy, but it will also mean being with God forever, with no more sorrow or pain.

Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. (Revelation 21:3-4)

Being in heaven also means having a new body. Philippians 3 says my body will be transformed to be like the body of Jesus Christ. After His resurrection, Jesus ate and drank, but He also could appear in locked rooms, apparently able to go through walls.

I wondered about that for a long time, but a science major told me that there is no reason why the molecules of one solid cannot pass through the molecules of another; there is more than enough space between the molecules. He said that some force keeps them from doing so, otherwise we could not sit on a chair or stand on anything. We would just fall through it.

In His new body, Jesus was unaffected by gravity. He rose to heaven in full view of those who reported His ascension. I’ve had fun thinking about this. Will I be able to travel the universe without any restraint?

I’ve also wondered if heaven will be a place of creativity. If my body is like Christ’s body, does that mean I can also speak worlds into existence as He did with this world? Or if not that, will I be able to paint pictures and make quilts?

It is good to think about heaven. I can have fanciful thoughts, but need to remember that my imagination is so limited; I really have little idea of what God has in store. Nevertheless, thinking about my real home puts the puny things of this earth into perspective, and that alone produces peace and anticipation.