In my last article, I laid out my case for why I believe resurrection is the Scriptural Christian hope. When Jesus returns, our dead bodies will be resurrected. They will rise again from the grave. These bodies will still be our bodies, but they will be different. They will have undergone a “transformation” (Phil. 4:20-21). What kind of “transformation”? What will our resurrection bodies be like? Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, answers those questions in extraordinary and fascinating detail.
Death = Resurrection?
Before we get into Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, we need to establish an important nuance. We do not receive our resurrection bodies when we die. I once attended the funeral of a fellow Christian who died after a long battle with a debilitating disease. The preacher, when speaking of how this man was no longer suffering, said, “Brother _______ has now received his new body.” I understand his motivation for saying what he said. He was trying to bring comfort to the loved ones of the deceased, and his words were probably successful in doing that. But did his statement represent the truth?
He was implying that we receive our resurrection bodies when we die. Do you see the problem with that insinuation? It’s illogical. Resurrection is the coming out of death and back into life. You can’t receive what the resurrection provides while still in the throes of death. Paul, in his second letter to the Corinthians, described death as being “naked” (2 Cor. 5:1-4). James tells us, “the body without the spirit is dead” (James 2:26). When we die, our spirit is “naked” and bodiless. Only upon being resurrected will our spirits be reunited with our bodies (1 Thess. 4:14-16).
What Will Our Resurrection Bodies Be Like?
As referenced at the beginning, Paul tells us that Jesus “will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory.” (Phil. 3:20-21) John, seemingly referring to the resurrection body, says, “We know that when He appears, we will be like Him”. (1 John 3:2) Paul said that Jesus is “the first fruits” (1 Cor. 15:20-23). His resurrection is the first of many.
So, we know our resurrection bodies will be like Jesus’ resurrection body. That alone gives us a lot to think about. But, to go even deeper, we need to go to 1 Cor. 15.
1 Corinthians 15:35 (NASB95)
But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?”
Those seem like pretty decent questions, right? In fact, the latter is the very question we are asking of this text. But, when you read the next verse, you might be a bit confused. Paul responds to these two questions with, “You fool!” (1 Cor. 15:36) Is it foolish to ask questions about our resurrection bodies? No, I don’t think so. It’s important to consider the recipients of this letter. The Corinthians were immersed in Greek culture, philosophy, and religion. And if we know anything about the Greeks, it’s that they considered the idea of resurrection absurd. Remember that many of the Areopagus in Athens began to mock Paul whenever he mentioned resurrection (Acts 17:32). Maybe paraphrasing the questions in verse 35 with a sarcastic tone will help us better understand Paul’s harsh response: “Seriously, Paul? How in the world can the dead come back to life? What kind of body will they have? Don’t you know that bodies decompose?”
Paul responds to these (likely insincere) questions by pointing to the natural “resurrection” that takes place every year in farming and agriculture (1 Cor. 15:36-38). Those who mock the resurrection of the body stake their lives on the “resurrection” of a dead seed into a full-grown plant. Then he points to the different kinds of earthly flesh and heavenly bodies that currently exist, showing that God is capable of creating different kinds of bodies (1 Cor. 15:39-41). The point he is making here is that the bodies which will be raised to everlasting life will be different than the bodies which were laid in the grave. Some of the Corinthians couldn’t imagine how a frail, mortal, decomposing body could come back to life and remain alive forever. They doubted the power of God.
The Imperishable, Glorious, and Powerful Body
Paul continues to use the sowing and reaping illustration to give us wonderful details about our future bodies. That which is “sown” is referring to our present bodies. That which is “raised” is referring to our future bodies.
1 Corinthians 15:42 (NASB95)
So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body;
Paul tells us our present bodies are perishable (or corruptible). They grow old, wear out, break down, deteriorate, and die. But our resurrection bodies will be imperishable (or incorruptible). They will not grow old, wear out, break down, deteriorate, or die.
Our present bodies are characterized by shame, disgrace, and humiliation. Our future bodies will be characterized by honor, respect, and exaltation. They will be bodies fit for the royal family of the Almighty God.
Our present bodies are weak and laden with sickness and disease. Our future bodies will be powerful, strong, healthy, and capable of accomplishing everything we will ever need them to accomplish. As we grow older, we look back on and long for the days of our youth, when our bodies were in their prime. But in the age to come, we will never again look back with longing. All eternity will be lived in the absolute prime of life.
A Spiritual Body?
1 Corinthians 15:44 (NASB95)
it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
Though we are focusing on the resurrection body, this is still a series on renewed eschatology, and this passage is very important to the overall discussion. Why? Because many preachers and commentators have expressed this basic idea: “Renewed eschatology cannot be true because we are going to have spiritual bodies in the resurrection.” They interpret the word “spiritual” to mean non-material and, therefore, “natural” to mean material. Basically, the argument is, “Why would we live in a material place if we ourselves will be non-material beings?” That does seem to create a bit of an issue, doesn’t it? But there are two major problems with that interpretation:
- Out of the 6 times the word “natural” is found in the New Testament it never means material.
- Out of the 26 times the word “spiritual” is found in the New Testament it never means non-material.
“Natural” doesn’t mean material, and “Spiritual” doesn’t mean non-material. I would argue that every time you see “natural” in the New Testament, it is referring to someone or something that is fleshly and worldly (contrary to the Spirit of God).
- In James 3:15, the word “natural” is found sandwiched between the words “earthly” and “demonic” in reference to worldly wisdom that does not come from God.
- Jude describes those who causes divisions as people who are “worldly-minded” (the same word for “natural” in the Greek) and
“devoid of the Spirit” (Jude 19). A “natural” person is someone who does not have the Spirit of God living in them.
Every time you see “spiritual” in the New Testament, it is referring to something from God (or the Spirit) OR someone following the lead of the Spirit.
- 3 times “spiritual” is used in reference to gifts that come from the Spirit (Rom. 1:11; 1 Cor. 12:1; 14:1).
- In Rom. 7:14, Paul calls the Law “spiritual”, meaning that the Law is good and from God, not sinful as some might misconstrue him to mean.
- Twice “spiritual” is used to refer to the gospel message, which is from God (Rom. 15:27; 1 Cor. 9:11). In both of these passages “spiritual” is used in contrast to “material”, but the point that Paul is making is not that the Gospel is non-material. The point is that those who have had the Gospel shared with them ought to, in turn, share their material wealth. One side shares what they received from God, and the other side shares what they’ve received from the world.
- Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthians, spoke of the Israelites in the wilderness, saying, “all ate the same spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ.” (1 Cor. 10:3-4) These were all material things, but they were considered “spiritual” because they came from God.
- The blessings that come from God in Christ are considered “spiritual” blessings (Eph. 1:3).
- The wisdom that comes from God is considered “spiritual” wisdom (Col. 1:9).
- Those who live according to the Spirit (who have the fruit of the Spirit) are considered “spiritual” people (Gal. 6:1).
- Most relevant to 1 Cor. 15:44 is another passage in 1 Corinthians that also uses both “natural” and “spiritual”. In 1 Cor. 2:12-3:3, Paul tells us that “a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God”, but “he who is spiritual” does. Natural men follow after the desires of the flesh. Spiritual men follow after the desires of the Spirit.
Keeping all this information in mind, what do we learn about the “natural” and “spiritual” bodies of
1 Cor. 15:44-49? Our present, “natural” bodies which we inherited from Adam are cursed, fallen, fleshly (temptation-ridden) bodies. They desire things that we, in our redeemed spirits, do not desire and know are wrong. This is what Paul tells us in
Romans 7:14-25, where he says, “Who will set me free from the body of this death?” Though our spirits (inward man) have been redeemed in Christ, we are still awaiting the day when our bodies will be redeemed as well (Rom. 8:23). Those redeemed bodies we are eagerly waiting for are our “spiritual” bodies. They will no longer be tempted by sin. They will be from the Spirit, animated by the Spirit (Rom. 8:11), and live according to the desires of the Spirit. But that does not mean our “spiritual” bodies will be non-material.
According to 1 Cor. 15:47-49, our present bodies are from the earth (like Adam’s), and our future bodies will be from heaven (like Jesus’ resurrection body). But, if they’re from heaven, that must mean they will be non-material, right? Well, was Jesus’ resurrection body non-material? Not at all!
Luke 24:39 (NASB95)
“See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”
Jesus specifically states that He is not a “spirit”. His body could be seen and touched. He had flesh and bones. And He still had the nail-prints in His hands and feet, showing that His resurrection body was His old body but with a heavenly makeover.
Our resurrection bodies will be “spiritual”, but that doesn’t mean non-material. It means they will be animated and transformed by the Spirit of God, and they will no longer have the fleshly weaknesses and desires that our present bodies have.
"Flesh & Blood"
If our resurrection bodies are going to be material, then how are we to interpret 1 Cor. 15:50? There Paul says that “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God”. It sounds like Paul is saying a material body can’t inherit God’s kingdom. But, again, we run into one major problem with that interpretation. Out of the 5 times “Flesh and blood” is found in the New Testament (Matt. 16:17; Gal. 1:16; Eph. 6:12; Heb. 2:14), it is never used to mean “material”. It is always used to refer to humanity as distinct from God (or other heavenly beings). In other words, humanity, in our perishable, dishonorable, weak, natural bodies, cannot inherit the kingdom of God. We can know that’s what Paul meant by “flesh and blood” by simply reading the entire verse:
1 Corinthians 15:50 (NASB95)
Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
“Flesh and blood” (perishable humanity) cannot inherit the eternal kingdom of God. Only after our mortal bodies are transformed into immortal bodies can we fully inherit all that God has in store for us under His eternal reign (1 Cor. 15:51-58).
Conclusion
I love to think, talk, and study about our future resurrection. I can’t wait for the day when our faith in God and hope in the resurrection become sight! On that day, our bodies will be raised and transformed, and we will live together forever in our newly redeemed bodies, in a newly redeemed world, and with our wonderful Savior and Redeemer.
Addendum
Someone might point to 1 Cor. 15:45 and ask, “But what about Paul saying Jesus became ‘a life-giving spirit’? Isn’t Paul saying that Jesus became a spirit after His resurrection?” That’s a good question on a difficult text. In order to understand what Paul is saying in verse 45, we have to get in the weeds a little bit.
The word “natural” in verses 44-46 is the Greek word psychikos. It is an adjective that is related to the noun psychē (meaning “soul” or “life”). You could call our present bodies “soul-ish”. On the other hand, the word “spiritual” in verses 44-46 is the Greek word pneumatikos. It is an adjective that is related to the noun pneuma (meaning “spirit”). This makes sense of why the translators chose the word “spiritual” for our future bodies.
With that information, we can better understand Paul’s words in verse 45.
1 Corinthians 15:45 (NASB95)
So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
When Paul quotes Gen. 2:7 and says that Adam “became a living soul”, he’s making a connection to Adam’s “soul-ish” or “natural” body. And when he says Jesus became “a life-giving spirit”, he’s making a connection to Jesus’ “spiritual” body. Adam was given life in a “natural” body. Jesus gives life in His “spiritual” body. It’s important to keep this verse within its context. In no way is Paul making the claim that Jesus is a non-material spirit.
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