Wednesday 4th December
Read 1 Corinthians 15:42-44
“So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 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. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.” (NIVUK)
Part of our confusion regarding the resurrection revolves around the phrase ‘spiritual body’. We tend to associate ‘spiritual’ with ‘non-physical’ today. That is where we go astray. If we consider that a ‘spiritual body’ is one that is transformed by the life-giving Spirit of God suddenly many of our misconceptions fall away. This is part of the reason that Bishop Tom Wright uses the phrase ‘transphysical’ to describe resurrection bodies. They are transformed by the Spirit, the first-fruits of which, or downpayment, has already been realised (see below).
And what a transformation Paul envisages! Bodies that are bound to decay, dishonour and a disturbing tendency towards selfishness become eternal, glorious and powerfully renewed by a willingness to honour and serve God. Ironically enough, it is our ‘natural’ bodies that are truly insubstantial, and our ‘spiritual’ bodies that have a weightiness to them that is to be yearned for in every way. Consider Paul’s second letter (third actually) to these believers and we immediately grasp the ‘weightiness’ of our new bodies. They are as different as a tent is to a house!
“For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, 3 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4 For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” (2 Corinthians 5:1-5) (NIVUK)
