Our Glorified Bodies
1)It will be like Christ’s glorified body
1Co 15:49 And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.
-image (eikon/1504): likeness
-Rom. 8:29; 2 Cor. 3:18
As we have borne the characteristics of Adam as to our natural birth, we shallalso bear the image of Christ in our resurrection bodies (William MacDonald. The Believer’s Bible Commentary).
Rom 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to beconformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Rom 8:30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified
-conformed (sunmorphos/4832): having the same form as another, conformed to
That ungodly sinners should one day be transformed into the image of Christ by a miracle of grace is one of the most astounding truths of divine revelation. The point is not, of course, that we will ever have the attributes of deity, or even that we will have Christ's facial resemblance, but that we will be morally like Him, absolutely free from sin, and will have glorified bodies like His (The Believer’s Bible Commentary).
Between the start and finish of God’s plan are three steps: being called (cf. Rom_1:6; Rom_8:28), being justified (cf. Rom_3:24, Rom_3:28; Rom_4:2; Rom_5:1, Rom_5:9), and being glorified (cf. Rom_8:17; Col_1:27; Col_3:4), and in the process not a single person is lost. God completes His plan without slippage. “Glorified” is in the past tense because this final step is so certain that in God’s eyes it is as good as done. To be glorified is another way of saying that God’s children will be “conformed” to His Son; and that is God’s ultimate “purpose.” No longer will they “fall short of the glory of God” (Rom_3:23) (Bible Knowledge Commentary).
Php 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Php 3:21 who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
-transform (metaschematizo/3345); to change the figure of
-may be (ginomai/1096): to come into existence
-conformed (sunmorphos/4832): having the same form as another, conformed to
-Rom. 8:29
At the Rapture of the church, Christ will transform (metaschēmatisei, “change the outward form of”) our lowly bodies so that they will be like (symmorphon, “identical in essential character”; cf. the participle symmorphizomenos in Php_3:10) His glorious body. Then every child of God will be made like the Son of God (1Jn_3:2), that is, all Christians will receive glorified bodies like His. No more will they have the limitations they now experience in their “lowly” bodies, which are humbled by disease and sin. Their resurrected bodies will be like Christ’s, and their sanctification will be completed (BKC).
The Lord will transform it into a body of glory. The full extent of the meaning of this we do not know. It will no longer be subject to decay or death, to the limitations of time or of natural barriers. It will be a real body, yet perfectly suited to conditions in heaven. It will be like the resurrection body of the Lord Jesus (BBC)
The word “change” is the translation of the Greek word which speaks of an expression which is assumed from the outside, which brings about a change of outward expression. It is the change which occurs in our physical bodies at the Rapture of the Church. These mortal bodies become immortal…this transformation of our bodies of the Rapture of the Church results in our bodies being made like our Lord’s body of His glory, but only made like it in substance and nature, but made so that they will become a perfect medium through which our inner spiritual lives can express themselves (Wuest, Word Studies in the Greek NT).
1Jn 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
-like (homoios/3664): similar, resembling
2)It will shine
Dan 12:1 "At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book.
Dan 12:2 And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Dan 12:3 Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever.
Mat 17:1 Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves;
Mat 17:2 and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.
3)It has physical form
Joh 20:24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
Joh 20:25 The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord." So he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."
Joh 20:26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!"
Joh 20:27 Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing."
Joh 20:28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"
Joh 20:29 Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
4)It is incorruptible
1Co 15:40 There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
1Co 15:41 There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.
1Co 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption.
-corruption (phthora/5356): perishing, destruction
-incorruption (aphtharsia/861): perpetuity, purity
5)It eats
Luk 24:39 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have."
Luk 24:40 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.
Luk 24:41 But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, "Have you any food here?"
Luk 24:42 So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb.
Luk 24:43 And He took it and ate in their presence.
6)It has glory and power
1Co 15:43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power.
-glory (doxa/1391): splendor, brightness, excellence, most glorious condition
-Rom. 8:18; Phil. 3:21; Col. 3:4
-power (dunamis/1411): strength, ability
The present body is sown in dishonor. There is nothing very majestic or glorious about a dead body. However, this same body will be raised in glory. It will be free from wrinkles, scars, the marks of age, overweight, and the traces of sin.
It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. With the coming of old age, weakness increases until death itself strips a man of all strength whatever. In eternity, the body will not be subject to these sad limitations, but will be possessed of powers that it does not have at the present time. For instance, the Lord Jesus Christ in resurrection was able to enter a room where the doors were locked (BBC) .
7)It is a spiritual body
1Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
-spiritual: in contrast to our natural or soulish body
Here we must be very careful to emphasize that spiritual does not mean nonmaterial. Some people have the idea that in resurrection we will be disembodied spirits. That is not at all the meaning of this passage, nor is it true. We know that the resurrection body of the Lord Jesus was composed of flesh and bones because He said, “A spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have” (Luk_24:39). The difference between a natural body and a spiritual body is that the former is suited to life here on earth whereas the latter will be suited to life in heaven. The former is usually soul-controlled whereas the latter is spirit-controlled. A spiritual body is one that will be truly the servant of the spirit (BBC).
8)It can pass through physical objects like doors
Joh 20:19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you."