The Glorified Body 1 Cor. 15:35-58 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
In this lesson we are going to look at some of the things that the word of God says in regards to the glorified body. This is the body that church age saints will get when they are resurrected or changed at the rapture of the church. This study will not answer every question that you probably have concerning the glorified body but hopefully it will give you some information that will encourage you to be stedfast, unmoveable and help you to abound in the work of the Lord as the last verse in Chapter 15 says.
The entire chapter is about the resurrection and starts with the gospel. This passage is aimed doctrinally at church age saints. So the glorified body is something unique to the church age. Anyone that is resurrected will definitely have a body of some sort, but the glorified body is unique to church age saints.
Basic things said about the body in the passage :
In verse 35 the question is asked “with what body do they come?” The first thing that Paul does is give the illustration of a seed going into the ground and dying. Then when it comes forth it looks nothing like what it did when it went into the ground. Therefore the glorified body will definitely be different than the one we have right now.
In verse 38 we see that God gives it a body that pleases him. The purpose of creating man was for God’s pleasure (Revelation 4:11). One great thing about the glorified body that we receive is that it will be a body that pleases God. We will finally be able to accomplish in full the purpose for which we were created.
Simple characteristics of this body:
- It will be incorruptible (verse 42)
- It will be glorious (verse 43)
- It will be a powerful body (verse 43)
- It will be a spiritual body (verse 44)
Two ways to receive the glorified body :
The glorified body will be given to the church age saints who are resurrected at the rapture (verse 36). This is why the illustration is made between the first and the last Adam. Cross reference with 1 Corinthians 15:22 and compare the genealogies of Genesis chapter 5 with Matthew chapter one.
The other way to get this body is to be saved and alive at the rapture of the church. At the rapture your body will be changed into this glorious body (verses 51-53).
This body will be like the resurrected body of Jesus Christ :
In verse 49 it says that as we have born the image of the earthy (first Adam), we will also bear the image of the heavenly (last Adam which is Jesus Christ). Therefore this body will be like the one that Jesus had when we was resurrected from the dead. (Philippians 3:20,21 & 1 John 3:1-2).
Characteristic of Jesus’ resurrected body :
When we look at the passage where Jesus appeared unto his disciples after his resurrection from the dead we can learn some things about this glorified body.
1) It is a flesh and bone body (Luke 24:39)
2) As a flesh and bone body it can eat and drink (Luke 24:40-43)
3) Cover great distances in a short period of time (Mark 16:9 ; John 20:16-17 ; Matthew 28:9)
4) It can enter closed doors (John 20:26-29)
What a wonderful promise this glorified body one day we will have a body that will never die and never sin and be capable of all the things listed above. With that in our minds let us be stedfast and unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord.