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of the resurrection, the first sheaf of the resurrection harvest. Does this mean He was the first person who had been raised to life from the dead? Of course not. Jesus had Himself raised Lazarus. Jesus had also given the pallbearers in a funeral pro cession a holiday by calling to life the dead son of the widow of Nain as he was being carried to the grave. He also “ astonished with a great astonishment” the folks in the home of Jairus when He caused to bloom with life and strength and beauty the little flower cut down by Death’s keen scythe (Mark 5:42). And many years be fore this Elisha had raised to life the dead son of the Shunammite woman. But these risings from the dead were not resurrections as was the resurrection of Jesus — and as will be that of every follower of Jesus in the time of resurrection. Jesus’ natural body had been changed to a spiritual body. His mortal body had put on immortality. That which was sown in humiliation had been raised in glory. So shall all the redeemed be changed in the resurrection. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies ter restrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrec tion of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory; it is sown a natural body; it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body (I Cor. 15:40-44). Thus we see something of the nature of the resurrection body. Being different from the body that now is in that it will be freed from the limitations to which our earthly bodies are subject, yet the resurrection body will have a real identity to the earthly body. Thus do we have assur ance of the permanence of personality and individuality. And this new body will be a wonderfully habitable in strument for the soul under the new conditions of the eternal world. And in the eternal world, I shall remain I and you will remain you. Thus God guarantees us the comfort of recognition and assures us that heaven is not the abiding place of viewless and disembodied spirits, but a place where everyone has his body. By the truth and love of God, we can rest assured that the resurrection body will be a body — not some thing vague, misty, intangible. Though the resurrection body will be a spirtual body — a body designed for the life of the Spirit, a body subject to spiritual rather than natural laws — it will be a real body, no ghostlike body, but a body, as real as that of the Lord Jesus who could be seen, could be handled, could share food with others. And the resurrection body will be a body that can occupy space, and yet pass through natural obstacles such as doors or walls or space without the slightest difficulty. And the resurrection body of every Christian will be immortal — never subject to the touch of death. Forever will it be free from any possibility of sin, of disease, of death, being a replica of the glorified body of the Lord Jesus. There will be none of the taint of Adam’s fall in the resurrection body. The eradication of the carnal nature will then be a reality for every child of God. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is (I John 3:2). In the Bible we find these words; And not only they, but ourselves also, which SEPTEMBER, 1964
OUR
RESURRECTION
BODIES
by Dr. Robert 6. Lee
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