June 16th, 2024
The Nicene Creed ends in hope, orienting us to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. God’s Word affirms the goodness of the material creation from the divine inspection of creation in Genesis 1: “and God saw that it was good” to the new creation in Revelation 21-22: “adorned as a bride for her husband.”
Between creation and new creation is the climax of history: the incarnation, death, resurrection, and ascension of the Son of God. In case we ever doubted the goodness and sanctity of the human body, there is a man, Jesus Christ, seated at the right hand of God.
The hope of resurrection has its source and surety in the resurrection of Jesus: “We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him” (Rom 6:9). His resurrection is the first fruits of those who have died (1 Cor 15:20). Just as he was raised on the third day, so we will be raised on the last day: “he who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to our mortal bodies” (Rom 8:11).
Our bodies are mortal, perishable, corruptible, decaying – an earthly tent. Resurrection is not the resuscitation of our mortal bodies, the restoration of our earthly tent. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, he was resuscitated. He was not resurrected. Lazarus died again. We still await the fulfillment of Jesus’s promise: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25).
The hope of the resurrection is a metamorphosis into glory. When our Saviour returns from heaven, he “will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body” (Phil 3:21). The Apostle Paul anticipates our question: “But someone will ask, ‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?’” (1 Cor 15:35).
Paul gives us the analogy of the seed and the tree. The mortal body, dead and buried, is like the seed. The resurrected body is like the tree. The analogy gives us a sense of the metamorphosis of the resurrection: “What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonour; 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” (1 Cor 15:42-44).
But the analogy can only take us so far: “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed” (1 Cor 15:51-52). When Christ returns, we will all be resurrected, whether living or dead. The metamorphosis into glory is a mystery.
Analogy assumes comparison, yet Paul declares, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Rom 8:18). The glory to be revealed is the glory of our resurrection. Resurrection is a metamorphosis into an eternal fellowship in glory: “he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence” (2 Cor 4:14). God will raise us with Christ and together bring us into his presence.
In this hope of glory, we groan, waiting patiently to be clothed in glory (2 Cor 5:1-4; Rom 8:23). In this hope of glory, we crucify sinful passions and desires: “everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure” (1 John 3:3). In this hope, we labour and serve: “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labour is not in vain” (1 Cor 15:58).