What will the resurrected body be like?

 Last week, we considered what happens after death. Scripture indicates that those Christians who die before the return of Christ will exist in a state where the body goes into the grave and the soul goes on to be with the Lord in a temporary state of existence until the resurrection. But what happens when Christ returns? What will our bodies be like after the resurrection?

Paul addresses this very topic in 1 Corinthians 15:35-54. In verses 42-44, he compares our earthly bodies to our heavenly bodies by explaining, “What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable.  It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

According to these verses, Paul explains that our heavenly bodies will differ from our earthly bodies in that they will be: 1) raised imperishable, 2) raised in glory and power, 3) and raised as a spiritual body. Just as our natural bodies are suited for life here on earth, our heavenly bodies will be suited for life in the new heavens and new earth.

Raised Imperishable

Through Adam, we receive our natural bodies. When Adam was created, God took the dust of the earth (physical component) and breathed into him the breath of life (spiritual component). As image bearers of God, one of the ways in which man images God is that he has given man the ability to create life.

The Bible teaches us that Adam was made in the image of God. After the fall however, when Adam and Eve had Seth, the Bible says that Adam “fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image” (Gen. 5:3). It is true that man still images God even after the fall, but the Bible seems to specifically highlight that Adam’s progeny is made after Adam’s own likeness. That is, due to Adam’s disobedience in the garden, man receives from Adam a mortal body. A body that is susceptible to aging, sickness, and deterioration. “From dust we came, and to dust we shall return” (Gen. 3:19). Through the second Adam (which is Christ), Paul tells us that our resurrection bodies will be raised imperishable. Our bodies, in their heavenly state, will not be susceptible to aging, sickness, or deterioration.

Raised in Glory and Power

In 1 Corinthians 15:43, Paul says that the natural body is sown in dishonor. Though man was made in the image of God, sin (both original and active) has brought dishonor to our bodies. The promise of the resurrection body is that one day, our bodies will be raised in glory. As Christians, though we are freed from sins penalty and sins dominion, there will always be indwelling sin that remains until the day that we die. When we receive the resurrected body, we will be freed completely from sin. Our resurrected bodies will be honorable and perfectly suited to praise our Creator and Redeemer for all eternity.

Raised a Spiritual Body

Paul also says that our natural body will be raised a spiritual body. In 1 Corinthians 15:50, Paul says that “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God.” The resurrection body will provide us with a spiritual body prepared to inhabit the new heavens and new earth.

There is a great deal of mystery concerning what this body will be like. However, since Christ is the first-fruits of what is yet to come for us, we do get glimpses of what this might look like. Through Christ’s resurrection appearances, we see that he still had the visible wounds from the cross, yet something about his appearance made it hard to discern that it was him at first sight. Thomas could actually touch the nail scarred hands in a physical way, yet Christ also seemed to just appear in the room with the disciples and disappear at will. Christ could go through walls and doors yet he could also eat, drink, and talk.

Philippians 3:21 tells us that our “lowly bodies” will be just like “His glorious body.” Though we don’t know exactly what this will be like…we know that it will be wonderful.