Glorified Body
Pastors Rodney & Adonica Howard-BrownePublish date: 08/04/2024
Foundation Scriptures:
For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 23 Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. Romans 8:22-23 NKJV
1. New Heavens; New Earth.
a. Isaiah 65:17 KJV –– For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.
b. God has promised to create a new heaven and a new earth.
c. Isaiah 34:4 AMPC –– All the host of the heavens shall be dissolved and crumble away, and the skies shall be rolled together like a scroll; and all their host [the stars and the planets] shall drop like a faded leaf from the vine, and like a withered fig from the fig tree.
d. The old universe will be burned up, destroyed, and forgotten, and a new universe will be created.
e. 2 Peter 3:10 NKJV –– But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
f. Pass away (Greek parerchomai) - pass away; pass from one condition to another.
g. It never means annihilation.
h. Just like a woman in labor, the whole of creation is longing and groaning for this change, this re-creation, to come to pass (Rom. 8:22).
i. 2 Peter 3:13 NKJV –– Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.
2. Redemption of the Body.
a. We, who are born again, have the first fruits of the Spirit—a recreated spirit.
b. Just as creation longs for completed redemption, so we also eagerly wait for the adoption—the redemption—of our body.
c. This adoption is in reference to the transformation of our bodies from mortality to immortality.
d. Like a child adopted into a new family, we will be physically adopted into our heavenly family—receiving our heavenly body.
e. Philippians 3:20-21 NKJV –– For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
f. Change (Greek metaschēmatizō) - transform; change the figure of; refashion.
g. We will be fully changed and transformed, spirit, soul, and body.
3. Image of the Heavenly.
a. 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 AMPC –– So it is with the resurrection of the dead. [The body] that is sown is perishable and decays, but [the body] that is resurrected is imperishable (immune to decay, immortal). 43 It is sown in dishonor and humiliation; it is raised in honor and glory. It is sown in infirmity and weakness; it is resurrected in strength and endued with power. 44 It is sown a natural (physical) body; it is raised a supernatural (a spiritual) body. [As surely as] there is a physical body, there is also a spiritual body.
b. Our physical body will give way to a spiritual, eternal body—recreated in the image of Jesus Christ.
c. 1 Corinthians 15:49 AMPC –– And just as we have borne the image [of the man] of dust, so shall we and so let us also bear the image [of the Man] of heaven.
4. Glorified, Celestial Body.
a. 2 Corinthians 5:1-4 AMPC –– For we know that if the tent which is our earthly home is destroyed (dissolved), we have from God a building, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 Here indeed, in this [present abode, body], we sigh and groan inwardly, because we yearn to be clothed over [we yearn to put on our celestial body like a garment, to be fitted out] with our heavenly dwelling, 3 So that by putting it on we may not be found naked (without a body). 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan under the burden and sigh deeply (weighed down, depressed, oppressed) — not that we want to put off the body (the clothing of the spirit), but rather that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal (our dying body) may be swallowed up by life [after the resurrection].
b. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption (1 Cor. 5:50).
c. God will give our body an upgrade—to a glorified, celestial, heavenly body.
5. Immortal and Incorruptible.
a. 1 Corinthians 15:51-52a NKJV –– Behold, I tell 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 trumpet.
b. We will not all sleep (die physically), but we will all be changed.
c. Moment (Greek atomos) - uncut moment; that cannot be cut in two or divided; indivisible.
d. In a moment—in an atom of time—the dead will be raised to immortality.
e. 1 Corinthians 15:52b NKJV –– For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
f. Incorruptible (Greek aphthartos) - not liable to corruption or decay; imperishable.
g. 1 Corinthians 15:53 NKJV –– For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
h. Immortality (Greek athanasia) - undying; everlasting.
i. 1 Corinthians 15:54 NKJV –– So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
j. Thank God, at the time appointed, we will never again face death, but we will live forever in His presence in our resurrected, glorified body.