The Resurrection Body (pt. 2)

If you have your Bibles with you, would you open them up to 1 Corinthians chapter 15?

1 Corinthians 15 · chapter mention

We've been working through this chapter.

Paul has been talking about resurrection.

He's been talking about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

He's been talking about the resurrection of those who belong to the Lord Jesus in the future,

the day when they will be raised from the dead.

Last Sunday, we heard about how some have been kind of challenging the idea of resurrection.

Well, how is that even possible?

What kind of body will we have at the resurrection?

And Paul has been giving his answer to those objections.

He has said very clearly that we will be given a new body at the resurrection.

The body that goes into the ground will not be the same as the body that comes out of the ground.

God will give each of us a body according to his good plan and design,

just as he has done at the beginning for us and for every creature that he has made.

We heard last Sunday about some of the big differences between the body that we have now

and the body that we will have at the resurrection.

The body that we have now is perishable.

But the body that we will be given to us at the resurrection will be imperishable.

The body that we have now is a body characterized by dishonor.

That we die is evidence and consequence of having lived a dishonorable life.

But the body that we will be given at the resurrection will be a glorious body.

The body that we have now is a body characterized by weakness, frailty.

But the body that we will receive from the Lord when he comes is a body that will be described with power.

And now today, this morning, we come to verse 44.

Paul says,

It is sown a natural body.

It is raised a spiritual body.

I'm going to read from 44 down to verse 50.

Paul says,

It is sown a natural body.

It is raised a spiritual body.

If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

So it is written,

The first man, Adam, became a living being.

The last, Adam, a life-giving spirit.

The spiritual did not come first, but the natural.

And after that, the spiritual.

The first man was of the dust of the earth.

The second man is of heaven.

As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth.

And as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven.

And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man,

so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man.

I declare to you, brothers and sisters,

that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God,

nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.

The question that we're going to be focused on today

is what does Paul mean when he says that it is sown a natural body,

it is raised a spiritual body.

What does that mean?

There's been a lot of discussion throughout the centuries

on these very words throughout church history.

And many have, some have come anyway to the reading

that natural versus spiritual

means essentially physical versus non-physical.

that our bodies will be, that we have now are material bodies,

but the bodies that we will have at the resurrection

will be immaterial.

Along with that idea,

many have kind of come to this line of thinking

that heaven is kind of this spiritual realm

where when we die,

our bodies, our souls, our spirits

will depart from our bodies

and we'll go to the spiritual realm of heaven

where we will kind of be

in kind of a cloud of spirits before the Lord

in a never-ending worship service

for the rest of eternity.

And I think part of the reason for that

is owing to this idea

that some have taken from this passage

that natural versus spiritual

is really pointing to physical versus non-physical.

And I think this is partly how we come to understand it

just simply because of the word spiritual.

The way that that word is commonly used in our culture today,

it's to refer to things that are non-tangible,

things that you can't detect or observe with your senses,

things that you can't detect with scientific instruments.

That's what we typically mean

when we use the word spiritual.

But I and others don't think

that that's what Paul is referring to here.

And I'm going to explain why in a moment here.

But there's some implications to this.

There was a whole,

throughout the centuries,

there have been philosophies

that have said things like,

our bodies are evil.

And the spirit or the soul inside of us

is what's pure.

Our bodies are the thing

that are holding us back from our full potential.

Our bodies, they're like a prison.

And when we die,

our soul, our spirit will be set free.

Our bodies are evil.

And they're actually the thing that causes us to sin.

These are some of the ideas

that have been expressed throughout the centuries

and are still held in some places today

about the human body.

And if we're not careful,

how we interpret this

can lead us towards that kind of a view

of who we are as people,

of the human body.

But we must ask the question,

if Paul is setting up a contrast

between the physical and the non-physical,

then why do we even need a new body

in the first place?

If our future existence in heaven

is just to be in a cloud of spirits

for all eternity,

worshiping before the Lord,

why do we need a new body?

I would like to suggest this morning

that perhaps we have misread this passage.

It is sown a natural body.

It is raised a spiritual body.

I think the first clue is that word natural.

The word that Paul has chosen there

is the Greek word for soul

or life or person.

And he actually uses this word again

in the next verse.

He says,

So it is written,

the first man, Adam,

became a living being or soul.

That word is the same word as natural.

Paul points us back to the creation story

where Adam was formed from the dust

and God breathed into his nostrils

the breath of life

and it says he became a living soul

or a person or being.

And so I think that's the first clue

that natural doesn't just refer to physical.

Adam, Paul's referring to him

becoming a person,

becoming a living being,

the whole person.

And so that word that he uses there

is not limited to just the physical.

But I think the more telling clue

comes earlier in Paul's letter

to the Corinthians.

He's already introduced this idea

of natural versus spiritual.

Back in chapter 2, verse 14,

he says,

The natural person does not accept

the things that come from the Spirit of God,

but considers them foolishness

and cannot understand them

because they are discerned

only through the Spirit.

The spiritual person

makes judgments about all things.

My Bible actually goes one step further

in this translation

to kind of clarify,

well, what does that mean,

the natural person?

What is the natural person?

My Bible translates it

as the person without the Spirit.

And so there's another clue

that we get that

when Paul says natural,

probably what he's referring to

is not the physical,

but just the ordinary human level.

In this case,

the ordinary human being

doesn't accept

the things that come from the Spirit.

And so when we come back

to chapter 15,

what is the natural body?

It's the ordinary human body

that we all have.

It is sewn into the ground,

an ordinary human body,

just like we all have.

And then we come to the word spiritual.

What does Paul mean by that?

Some have believed

that it refers to the composition

of the body,

that the body is not made

of physical, material,

flesh, kind of flesh and blood

kind of thing,

but that it's going to be composed

of spiritual stuff,

for lack of a better term.

But if we go back to chapter 2,

we see how Paul uses

that word spiritual.

In verse 15, he says,

the spiritual person

makes judgments about all things.

The spiritual person

is the person who does accept

the things that come

from the Spirit of God.

In chapter 3, verse 1,

he says,

I could not address you

as spiritual,

but as people

who are still worldly.

The idea here,

the way that Paul uses this word

is not so much to refer

to spirituality in general,

as in a spiritual person

as a person who's religious.

the way he uses it

is with specific

kind of orientation

to the Holy Spirit.

A spiritual person

is a person

whose thoughts

and discernment

is guided by the Holy Spirit,

a person who accepts

the teaching

of the Holy Spirit.

My Bible in chapter 3,

the translation I have,

says,

I could not address you

as people who live

by the Spirit.

That's what a spiritual person is,

the way Paul describes it.

And so when we bring that back

into 1 Corinthians 15,

I think that leads us

to conclude

that Paul is not talking about

how our new bodies

will be

like metaphysically different,

some kind of spiritual stuff

as opposed to physical bodies,

but that our bodies

themselves

will be

the life that is in them

when we are raised

from the dead.

The power of life

in us

will be

coming from

the Holy Spirit

of God himself.

He will be

the life force

that works

and causes us

to thrive

and live

in our new bodies.

It is sown

a natural body.

It is raised

a spiritual body.

Paul goes on

from there

to talk about

how there are two men.

Verse 45,

so it is written,

the first man,

Adam,

became a living being,

the last Adam,

a life-giving spirit.

he sets up a contrast

between Adam,

the first man,

and Christ,

which he refers to

as the last Adam,

but there is a big difference

between these two men.

The first Adam,

he became

a living being

when God

breathed into his nostrils

the breath of life,

but the last man,

the last Adam,

Christ,

is not someone

who became

a living being

but someone

who gives life.

He is a life-giving spirit.

And I think Paul

brings that in

to underscore

his point.

When Jesus

comes back

at the resurrection,

we will be raised

from the dead

by the life-giving

power of Christ

and his spirit

at work in us.

He goes on

to contrast

the first Adam

and Christ,

the last Adam

in verse 47.

He says,

the first man

was of the dust

of the earth.

The second man

is of heaven.

As was the earthly man,

so are those

who are of the earth.

And as is

the heavenly man,

so also

are those

who are of heaven.

And just as we have

borne the image

of the earthly man,

so shall we bear

the image

of the heavenly man.

We all

bear

the image

of the natural man,

our great ancestor,

Adam.

We have bodies

like his

because he sinned,

he died,

and so do we.

But there's a difference

between the first Adam

and the last Adam.

The first Adam

comes from

the dust

of the earth,

but the last Adam,

Christ,

he comes

from heaven

and from glory.

Adam

made a decision

that affected us

all in the garden.

He brought sin

and death

into this world

on behalf

of all of us.

But there is

another Adam

who has done

something

on behalf

of all of us,

the Lord Jesus,

and he is

representative

of all

who belong

to him.

He is the one

by his

life-giving power

who enables us

to,

as it says

in verse 49,

have a future

where we shall

bear the image

of the heavenly man.

Just as surely

as we have

borne the image

of the earthly man,

we have a body

like his,

so also,

says Paul,

we,

those of us

who belong to Christ,

shall bear the image

of the heavenly man.

In other words,

we will come

to have

a body

like his.

And just to confirm

that we're thinking

down the right track

with Paul,

let's remember

what he said

to the Philippians.

He said in

Philippians 3,

Philippians 3:20

verse 20,

but our citizenship

is in heaven

from where

we eagerly

await a Savior,

the Lord Jesus,

who by his power

will transform

our lowly bodies

so that they

will be like

his glorious body.

That's the hope

that we have.

We,

this,

will be made

like Christ's

glorious body

at the resurrection.

That's the difference

between the natural body

and the spiritual body.

Verse 50,

Paul says this,

I declare to you,

brothers and sisters,

that flesh and blood

cannot inherit

the kingdom of God,

nor does the perishable

inherit

the imperishable.

Paul comes again

to this point.

There is

a kingdom

of God

that is coming.

Jesus,

he's already told us,

is going to bring

that kingdom

in its fullness

to this earth

and it's a forever kingdom.

And this

flesh and blood

that we have right now

is not fit

to participate

in that forever kingdom.

This body

that we have now

is perishable.

it's not fit

for the imperishable

kingdom of God.

We have to be careful

here too.

Some have seen

in these words

flesh and blood.

Flesh and blood

cannot inherit

the kingdom of God

and have taken that

to say,

well,

see,

we won't have

physical bodies.

We'll have

spiritual bodies

or we'll be like

the angels.

We'll be spirits.

But Paul

has used this phrase

in other places,

flesh and blood,

just to refer

to humanity

in general.

It's been used

in the Old Testament

to refer to

just the frailty

of humanity.

And so what I think

he's saying here

is simply this.

The kingdom

that's coming

is forever.

It's glorious.

It's perfect.

But this flesh

and blood

is perishable.

This body

that I have

is subject

to decay.

It breaks down.

It wears out.

It dies.

It's not fit

for the kingdom

that Christ

will bring.

And so

I need

a radical

transformation

of this.

And that's

exactly

what Christ

is going to do

when he returns.

for all those

who belong to him.

He's going to

transform this.

And we're going to

hear more about that

next week

as Paul goes on

to talk about

the resurrection

moment

and what will happen

in that moment.

But as we

draw to a

close this morning

I want to go to

one final passage.

Acts

sorry

Luke chapter 24

Luke 24 · chapter mention

one thing

that has come

through clearly

from this passage

and from Philippians

is that

our bodies

will be like

Christ's

body.

Now I think

we have to be

careful here.

I don't think

we can press

this too far.

You know

we can look

at

what was

Jesus'

body like

after he was

raised from

the dead.

But I do

think we have

to be careful.

There are some

things that

Jesus did

after he was

raised from

the dead

that are

amazing.

Right here

in verse 36

it says

while he was

still

while they were

still talking

about this

he himself

stood among

them

and said

to them

peace be

with you.

He just

kind of

appeared

in the

room

it seems.

Some

have

even

thought

based on

that

that oh

in our

resurrection

bodies

maybe we'll

have the

ability to

teleport

or to

walk

through

walls.

I think

that that

kind of

thinking

is fit

for the

realm of

speculation

and imagination

and that we

need to be

careful to draw

lines of

connection like

that.

But one

thing that I

think we

can be

confident of

from this

passage is

that the

new body

that we

will receive

will be

a physical

body.

Let's

just read

this quickly

and see

if you

see that

here.

Verse

36

While

they were

still

talking

about

this

Jesus

himself

stood

among

them

and said

to them

peace

be with

you.

They

were

startled

and

frightened

thinking

they saw

a ghost.

He

said

to them

why

are you

troubled

and why

do

doubts

rise

in your

minds?

Look

at me

look

at my

hands

and my

feet

it is

I

myself

touch

me

and

see

a ghost

does not

have

flesh

and bones

as you

see

I

have.

When

he had

said

this

he

showed

them

his

hands

and

his

feet

and

while

they

still

did

not

believe

it

because

of

joy

and

amazement

he

asked

them

do you

have

anything

here

to

eat?

they

gave

him

a

piece

of

broiled

fish

and

he

took

it

and

ate

it

in

their

presence

he

said

to

them

this

is

what

I

told

you

while

I

was

still

with

you

verse

46

the

Messiah

will

suffer

and

rise

from

the

dead

on

the

third

day

Jesus

had

a

physical

body

and

he

seemed

to

take

great

pains

to

communicate

that

to

his

disciples

look

at

my

hands

look

at

my

feet

touch

me

and

see

we

can

embrace

one

another

you're

not

just

going

to

pass

right

through

me

I'm

not

a

ghost

I'm

not

a

spirit

the

word

is

the

same

word

for

spirit

as

for

ghost

in

the

original

language

a

ghost

doesn't

have

flesh

and

bones

as

you

see

I

have

what

you

see

in

front

of

you

and

with

you

this

is

what

I

told

you

was

going

to

happen

the

Messiah

will

suffer

and

rise

from

the

dead

this

is

the

resurrection

of the

dead

right

here

I'm

with

you

I

have

a

physical

body

and

if

there's

any

last

doubts

do

you

guys

have

anything

to

eat

I

got

teeth

that

can

chew

this

body

is

real

and

I

think

that

we

should

carry

what

Jesus

says

and

teaches

to

his

disciples

back

over

into

our

reading

of

what

Paul

says

in

Corinthians

it

is

sown

a

natural

body

it

is

raised

a

spiritual

body

it

doesn't

mean

that

we

won't

have

physical

bodies

we

will

heaven

is

not

just

going

to

be

those

of

us

who

belong

to

Christ

are

disembodied

spirits

floating

in a

spiritual

cloud

in a

never

ending

worship

service

God

when

he

made

us

at

the

beginning

he

gave

us

bodies

for

a

reason

they

were

part

of

his

good

and

perfect

design

and

even

though

there

are

some

who

have

pointed

to

the

bodies

and

said

they're

evil

they have

problems

God

said

when he

first

made us

that

it

was

good

even

before

sin

entered

the

world

to

have

a

body

is

part

of

what

it

means

to

be

human

Paul

talks

in

his

letter

to

the

Corinthians

his

second

letter

and

talks

about

how

to

not

have

a

body

to

be

in

that

temporary

state

where

after

we

die

and

go

to

heaven

we're

with

the

Lord

Jesus

before

the

resurrection

is like

being

naked

it's like

being

unclothed

and we

long to

get back

into

our

clothing

we were

created

to have

a body

right from

the beginning

to be a

beautiful

mixture

and unity

of

physical

flesh

and blood

and bone

but also

a spirit

and a soul

integrated

into one

and it's

amazing

how

connected

they

are

what we

think

up here

if we

get

too much

into

anxious

thoughts

affects

even

our

bodies

we have

physical

symptoms

of

anxiety

and what

we

experience

in the

world

that we

live

in

with

our

bodies

shapes

who

we

are

in

here

at

the

deepest

levels

in

our

soul

that's

the way

God

made us

as human

beings

a beautiful

unity

of

physical

and

spiritual

or soul

God

gave us

an amazing

body

he gave

us ears

with which

to hear

the beautiful

sounds

and music

he gave

us eyes

to see

the beautiful

sunsets

on the

prairies

he gave

us

these

little

hairs

on our

arms

so that

we could

feel

the breeze

he gave

us

noses

so that

we could

smell

sweet

fragrances

he gave

us

hands

so that

we could

touch

and feel

and take

in the

world

that he

created

us

to live

in

so that

we could

truly

know

things

and

people

that's

a part

of what

it means

to be

human

and the

resurrection

body

that we

will have

will be

this

perfected

it won't

be less

it will

be more

all of

those

senses

and capacities

and abilities

perfected

so that

we can

enjoy God

and enjoy

one another

and enjoy

the world

that he

is going

to create

a new

for us

forever

and all

to his

glory

I don't

want to say

too much

about this

this morning

this is a

whole nother

topic

but

if

God is

going to

give us

a new

and better

body

then

doesn't

it also

follow

that

we're

going to

need it

for

a new

earth

to walk

on

to take

in with

our

senses

a renewed

creation

Paul talks

about this

a little

bit in his

letter to

the Romans

how the

creation

waits in

eager

expectation

for the

children

of God

to be

revealed

because it

was subjected

in frustration

and it

waits for

the day

when it

will be

liberated

from its

bondage

to decay

and brought

into the

freedom

and glory

of the

children

of God

we're not

just looking

forward to

a new

body

but a

new

world

to live

in

heaven

is not

just

some

spiritual

realm

up there

that we're

hoping to

go into

and live

in

this

vapor

like

spiritual

cloud

the

message

of

Christ

the

message

of

the

apostles

is that

God

will

bring

heaven

to

earth

that's

what we

pray

may your

kingdom

come

where

on earth

as it

is in

heaven

as John

said in

revelation

and I

saw the

new

Jerusalem

coming

down

from

heaven

to

where

to

earth

to the

new

earth

earth

that

God

will

make

new

and we

have

all of

this

to look

forward

to

a new

body

and a

new

world

a new

earth

to live

in

because

our

God

and

Savior

loves

us

dearly

and wants

to give

it to

us

as a

gift

as

undeserving

as we

are

isn't

that

amazing

let's

pray

Father

in

heaven

we

thank

you

for

your

word

we

thank

you

for

the

glorious

hope

that

we

have

we

long

for

the

day

when

these

bodies

which

are

winding

down

will

be

made

new

and

oh

will

we

praise

you

on

that

day

will

we

sing

on

that

day

when

we

come

out

of

our

graves

by

your

life

giving

power

Jesus

and

by

the

power

of

your

spirit

amen

turn