and then, all of a sudden, He was gone. With our resurrection bodies, we’ll not travel at the slow speed of light, some 186,000 miles a second. We’ll travel at the speed of mind, in stantaneously. You can think your self on the North Star just as easily as you can think yourself in the next room. The starry universe will be the Christian’s fu tu r e heritage. Ephesians 5:27 reminds us that Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for it, that He might present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish. We’re going to be perfect, for we shall have bodies fashioned like unto His glorious body. We’re going to be with the Lord in the air. That’s a magnificent fact! Titus 2:13 reminds us that this is “a blessed hope.” I John 3:3 tells us that it’s a purify ing hope. This is what the Church has to look forward to. While we’re in the midst of tribulation, troubles and difficulties, we haven’t entered into our inheritance as yet, and won’t until we get “home.” That time is coming. We’ll be with the Lord Jesus Christ throughout the ages of the ages. He’ll show us the exceed ing riches of His grace. Pleasure pleases . . . joy satisfies Pleasure knows only today . . . joy has a tomorrow. Pleasure often cripples . . . joy strength ens. Joy serves, while pleasure must be served. Pleasure is empty when full; joy is full even when empty. Pleasure passes . . . joy stays Pleasure is the silver of the here and now . . . joy is the gold of the here and hereafter.
THE GLORIFIED CHR IST IAN by Dr. Samuel H. Sutherland T here ’ s a great body of truth found in the Word of God, in both Old Testament and New, which has to do with the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. His return again is significant for three groups of peo ple: the unsaved Gentile world; the Jew; and the Church (made up of all believers who trust in the Sa viour). The Bible tells us that the world is going to “wax worse and worse.” In II Timothy three we find a list of the signs of the perilous times which shall precede Christ’s return. Study each of those words and phrases characterizing His com ing again. I Thessalonians 4:13-18 pictures the Rapture in the Lord’s return for all believers of this age. The Saviour is coming. The dead in Christ are going to rise first. Then, we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. We see the same truth in I Corinthians 15:51-58. This goes into a little more detail as to what is going to take place. We also find out what the change will consist of in Philippians 3 :21. To understand what our bodies will be like we need to understand what the resurrection body of Jesus Christ was like. He wasn’t subject to the laws of time or space. He didn’t have to travel anywhere; He was there. When Christ was walk ing with the disciples on the road to Emmaus, He spoke a word to them 12
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