Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man.
1 Corinthians 15:49
Jewish scholars taught that as descendants of Adam we are all created like him, subject to death and sin because of his rebellion against God in the Garden of Eden. Many pointed out, however, that before his sin, Adam possessed incredible glory and power, and this would be restored in the Age to Come.
In today’s reading, Paul reminds us again of our relationship and connection with Adam. In the same way he is from the dust, in our present humanity, we are also tied to the dust. We are all “from the earth, earthy.” (v47)
Jesus – the “last Adam” (v45) or the “second man” (v47) – is from heaven. But the significant thing he explains is that everyone who has put their faith in Jesus will ultimately be given a resurrection body just like His! (verses 48-49).
John, the Beloved Disciple echoed this thought when he wrote,
“It has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him.” (1 John 3:2)
If our resurrected bodies will be the same as His, does the Bible have anything to say about what this body will be like?
Here are some clues:
- Our resurrected bodies will have physical characteristics. In Luke 24:36-39, the risen Jesus invites His disciples to touch Him to prove His body is physical and not the immaterial body of a ghost, as they feared.
- We will be able to recognize each other in our resurrected bodies. Jesus points out His scars and the wound in His side to Thomas in John 20:26-29 and this alone was enough for him to fall at the feet of Jesus, in recognition of Him as his Lord and God.
- Our resurrected bodies will be able to eat. Luke 24:41-43 tells us Jesus ate some fish in front of His disciples as another proof His resurrected body was a physical one. (This is great news for a foodie like me!)
- Our resurrected bodies will have definite spiritual characteristics. On Easter Sunday, the stone to Jesus’ tomb was not rolled away to let Him out. This was done to show the tomb was already empty! Which means Jesus’ body passed through the stone of the tomb when He was raised! (Matthew 28:1-7)
Our resurrected bodies will be amazing! No wonder Paul wrote elsewhere, “Eye has not seen…all that God has prepared for those who love Him.”
For further encouragement: read 1 Corinthians 2:6-10.
Jewish scholars taught that as descendants of Adam we are all created like him, subject to death and sin because of his rebellion against God in the Garden of Eden. Many pointed out, however, that before his sin, Adam possessed incredible glory and power, and this would be restored in the Age to Come.
In today’s reading, Paul reminds us again of our relationship and connection with Adam. In the same way he is from the dust, in our present humanity, we are also tied to the dust. We are all “from the earth, earthy.” (v47)
Jesus – the “last Adam” (v45) or the “second man” (v47) – is from heaven. But the significant thing he explains is that everyone who has put their faith in Jesus will ultimately be given a resurrection body just like His! (verses 48-49).
John, the Beloved Disciple echoed this thought when he wrote,
“It has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him.” (1 John 3:2)
If our resurrected bodies will be the same as His, does the Bible have anything to say about what this body will be like?
Here are some clues:
- Our resurrected bodies will have physical characteristics. In Luke 24:36-39, the risen Jesus invites His disciples to touch Him to prove His body is physical and not the immaterial body of a ghost, as they feared.
- We will be able to recognize each other in our resurrected bodies. Jesus points out His scars and the wound in His side to Thomas in John 20:26-29 and this alone was enough for him to fall at the feet of Jesus, in recognition of Him as his Lord and God.
- Our resurrected bodies will be able to eat. Luke 24:41-43 tells us Jesus ate some fish in front of His disciples as another proof His resurrected body was a physical one. (This is great news for a foodie like me!)
- Our resurrected bodies will have definite spiritual characteristics. On Easter Sunday, the stone to Jesus’ tomb was not rolled away to let Him out. This was done to show the tomb was already empty! Which means Jesus’ body passed through the stone of the tomb when He was raised! (Matthew 28:1-7)
Our resurrected bodies will be amazing! No wonder Paul wrote elsewhere, “Eye has not seen…all that God has prepared for those who love Him.”
For further encouragement: read 1 Corinthians 2:6-10.