Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
(1John 3:2)
Our bodies will be similar to that of
the resurrected Jesus.
So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
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. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
(1 Corinthians 15:42-49)
Our bodies will be INCORRUPTIBLE!
- Not capable of being corrupted morally.
- Not subject to decay.
Our bodies will be GLORIOUS!
- Magnificent!
- Resplendent! - Full of Splendor!
Our bodies will be like Jesus'.
We will have physical bodies, with flesh and bones that are tangible. We won't be some kind of disembodied spirits floating around!
We will have physical bodies that require food for sustenance.
In heaven, we will have bodies, but they will be very different than what we have inhabited here on earth! Our new bodies will not be subject to illness, decay and death. Here is a sampling of what the Bible tells us our heavenly bodies will be like:
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
(1 Corinthians 15:51,52)
Our bodies will be changed in the twinkling of an eye!
For now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building of God, an eternal house, not built by human hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
4 For while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed, but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that mortality might be swallowed up by life.
(2 Corinthians 5:1-4)
Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
(2 Corinthians 5:6-8)
While we have grown accustomed to our earthly bodies, we will not miss them!
In addition to having new, incorruptible bodies, we will also have the awesome privilege of being with the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven!
Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise.
(Isaiah 26:19)
Here the apostle Paul described our earthly body as a "tent" - a temporary dwelling, and our heavenly body as a "building", a "house" built by God. Paul makes two points clear:
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
(Phillipians 3:20, 21)
After He rose from the dead, Jesus appeared to the disciples and said:
"Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. 43 And he took it, and did eat before them.(Luke 24:39-43)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
