So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body...
54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."
55 "Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?" 1Corinthians15:42-57
Will we float around in the clouds and play harps in heaven? Or is it more like merging into the "cosmic consciousness?" Will we be disembodied spirits floating around?
These are all opinions that people have about heaven and eternal life, but they are opinions that are not based on God's Word.
The Bible teaches us a few things about Eternal Life:
1.We will have bodies, but they will be whole and free of frailty. (Note Paul's interplay: perishable-imperishable, dishonour-glory, weakness-power, natural-spiritual.
2."Ah" you might say "see - it says a 'spiritual' body - we are going to float around!" But we also need to remember that Jesus was the "first-fruit" of the resurrection - our resurrection will be like His. He had a physical body that people could touch - he could eat with his disciples and walk on the beach with them (and I'm sure He left footprints in the sand!) But there was power about that body, He could disappear from sight and appear behind locked doors and ascend into heaven - it is a body free of the many limitations we now have.
3. The renewing of our bodies implies continuity. Saints throughout the ages realised that all of life is sacred - it is not only the "spiritual" activities (praying, going to church, reading the Bible) that are important but all of life: looking after our bodies; making food; looking after the sick and the frail and even playing sport should be done with God's honour in mind. Paul is at pains the say there is natural BODY and a spiritual BODY. His point is that this kind of all-round-honouring-God-with-your-whole life is part of heaven. In Revelation we see the saints dressed in white robes, BOWING and CASTING DOWN their crowns before Him. All of life is sacred.
4. The renewing of our physical bodies means victory. God doesn't toss aside our earthly life - He RAISES it. He overcomes the power of sin. It's a subtle difference, but an important one: God doesn't start all over again - He transforms.
"Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?"
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Theo Groeneveld theo@emmanuel.org.za
You can see past EmmDevs at http://emmdev.blogspot.com/
