Our Resurrected Bodies

I Corinthians 15:35-50

The New Testament reading from this week’s Lectionary continues with the Apostle Paul’s discussion and teachings on the resurrection. In today’s portion of Scripture, Paul answers the question that some of the Corinthians asked about what the resurrected body would be like.  Some of those in the Corinthian church were still holding to the popular Greek philosophical thinking that the soul would pass into the afterlife, but not the physical body. Contemplating the prospect of the resurrection of the physical body, they wondered what the resurrected body would be like? Let’s look at what Paul answered here in our Scripture passage.

Paul compares the body, when it dies and is then resurrected, to new life, similar to that of seeds which we sow in the ground and which grow into a full plant (vs. 36 - 38).  Seeds can do nothing until they fall off the plant, in a sense “dying”. Then they are buried in the soil, where they come to life. The plant that comes forth looks nothing like the seed that was sown.  The oak looks nothing like the acorn it came from. Neither do beautiful tulips look like the ugly bulbs they came from.

Paul explains that God created different types of bodies for different types of creatures, whether they are people, animals, birds, or fish. There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies. The stars, sun, moon, and planets all differ from each other, as well (vs 39 - 41). There are many different types of bodies that God created in this universe, and each type of body was especially created to suit their particular existence.   God designed the bird’s body to fly, the fish to swim, the polar bear’s for cold weather, and the armadillo’s for the desert. He will design our resurrected body perfect for our resurrected life.

The physical body we have now gets old and weaker.  Parts don’t work like they used to. It is a perishable body.  Our resurrected body will be transformed (vs. 42 - 44). It will be different, more capable than our present, earthly body.  It will not be weak, it will never get sick again, and will never die again.

Paul gives us examples of how the resurrected body will differ from our present body.  He tells how our physical body here on earth is corrupt, meaning that it gets sick and will eventually die (vs. 42). Our resurrected body will never get sick, it will be raised in incorruption. Our physical bodies suffer from “dishonor” because of sin (vs. 43).  Our resurrected body will not have such dishonor. The physical body grows weak with age (vs. 43). We all see how many things we used to be able to do, but now our aging, weaker bodies just can’t anymore.  There is no aging or weakness in heaven. Our natural bodies are limited here by time and space. Our resurrected body will be raised in glory.

As Paul continues on, he describes how our physical body here on earth is patterned after the first man, Adam.  The resurrected body we will have will be after the “last Adam”, which is the Lord Jesus Christ (vs 45 - 49). The resurrection body of Jesus was the prototype.  Adam was created with a natural body. We received our natural bodies through our descent from Adam. Through the “last Adam” we will receive our spiritual bodies in resurrection. Because Jesus rose from the dead He is a life-giving spirit (vs. 45). He is the source of the spiritual life that will result in our resurrection.

When Jesus rose from the dead He had a new, glorified human body that suited His new, glorified life.  This was apparent to all who first saw Him after He rose. Jesus wasn’t just a ghost. He had an actual, physical body.  However, it was a new and glorified one. When our bodies are resurrected God will give us a transformed, eternal body, that will be suited for our eternal life.

Do you wish to have an eternal resurrection body like that?  If you have accepted the Lord Jesus into your heart, confessing your sins and asking Him to be your Lord and Savior, you will one day.  What a blessed hope, a blessed day, to look forward to!