The Heavenly Body
Many Christians are uncertain as to what kind of body they will have in heaven. Some seem to think we will have the same kind of body as we have now. Others think we will have wings and bodies like angels but what does God say? Does He say anything at all? Yes, He does in 1 Corinthians 15:35-57:
35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? 36 Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: 37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: 38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
The Apostle deals here with the resurrection of the dead. The question is the nature of the resurrection body. He begins by pointing out that the thing that comes from a seed is very different from the seed itself. The acorn dies and gives life to the tree that grows from it. The acorn is very different from the oak tree.
He adds that God governs the growth of all seeds as He wills and seems to be saying that our resurrected bodies will be very different from what they are today.
40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 41 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. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 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. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
He compares here the differences between stars and planets with the differences between our resurrected bodies and today’s bodies. The resurrected body will be incorruptible and far more glorious than our present corruptible bodies. We now have natural, corruptible bodies. We will have spiritual, incorruptible bodies..
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
The natural precedes the spiritual and our earthy bodies precede our heavenly bodies. We are now like Adam, earthy. We will be like Christ, heavenly. That which is corruptible cannot become incorruptible. Likewise, flesh and blood, our present bodies, cannot go to heaven.
51 Behold, I show 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 trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:35-57)
When the final trumpet sounds, the dead are raised and everyone is changed. All God’s people are given new, incorruptible and immortal bodies. Death is ended and all go to their eternal destinations, some to glory and others to perdition. To which destination will you go? God is very clear; you must be born again to enter the kingdom of God.
Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. (John 3:3)