Eternal Life

What would it be like to live forever?  These bodies we live in today would never do.  We would need new and very different bodies, bodies that don’t wear out so quickly, bodies that never wear out.  Also, what would we do with all the time?  What would we do with ourselves that wouldn’t wear very thin, very soon?  

The Resurrection Body

So, with eternal life we will need new bodies.  God tells us something about that in 1 Corinthians, 15:

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.

Here we are told that just as plants are very different from the seeds they come from, so our new bodies will be very different from our present bodies.  The seed dies to give birth to the plant.  Just as God gives new life to seeds, He gives new life to His children. 

.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.

Just as celestial bodies (stars, planets and satellites) differ from terrestrial bodies, so will our resurrected bodies differ from our present bodies.  Just as celestial bodies also differ from each other in glory, so also will we differ from one another in glory.  We die in weaknes and dis-honor and are raised in power and glory.

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.

 The first Adam was given life.  The last Adam (Christ) was a life-giving Spirit.  The natural precedes the spiritual.  We were the image of the earthy but shall be 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.⁵¹ Behold, I shew 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.

Our corrupt flesh-and-blood bodies cannot be made incorruptible and enter God’s Kingdom.  We shall not all die but some will be instantly changed when the last trumpet sounds and the dead are raised.

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.

When this physical transformation has taken place, the victory of death is replaced by the victory over death.  Thank God, the victory of our Lord Jesus Christ is our victory over sin and death. 

This victory is our victory but only if we are in Christ, only if we have truly been born again.  The Apostle Paul is only speaking here to those that have been born again. 

Born Again

Where do we get this notion that one must be born twice?  We get it from God’s Word.  Specifically, from what Jesus told Nicodemus in the Gospel of John, chapter three:

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: ² The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 

³ 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.

⁴ Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?

⁵ Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  ⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  ⁷ Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.

Dear reader, have you been born again?  Can you remember a point in time when your life took a sudden turn, a time when everything changed for you?  Do you remember a time when your interests abruptly changed, when God became important?  If not you probably have not been born again and are not God’s child.

If this is the case with you, don’t give up yet.  Whatever your age, there is still time to repent and ask God for a new heart.  If you do so in true sincerity with all your heart, God will not turn His back but will accept you as His child for all eternity.