WHAT HAPPENS AFTER DEATH? PART SIX
TRANSFORMATION OF THE BODY:
2 Corinthians 5:1-9: Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
Paul speaks of our having an eternal house in heaven that is not built by human hands. He contrasts this eternal house with the earthly tent we live in. This appears to be a contrast between our physical or natural body and a spiritual body. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul writes of there being a natural body and a spiritual body and he sees resurrection as the natural body being transformed into a spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15: 42-44: So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised 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.
In this passage Paul writes that what is perishable will be raised imperishable which corresponds to his saying in his second letter to the Corinthians that “what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.” In his second letter he compares this transformation to receiving a heavenly dwelling. The focus is on our change from mortal to immortal. The spotlight is on our change in composition. Paul contrasts a tent with a house. A tent is usually a temporary dwelling whereas a house is generally seen as a permanent structure. Paul is contrasting our having a temporary structure with our having a permanent structure. Paul goes on to say that we would prefer to be away from our earthly body which he compares to the temporary structure of a tent and instead be clothed with a heavenly body which Paul sees as equivalent to the permanent structure of a house and equates this with being at home with the Lord.
When Paul speaks of having a natural body versus a spiritual body, he does not appear to be speaking about a biological body versus a spirit body but is speaking of the natural body in terms of it being the human natured body of death versus the new divine natured body of life that was made possible through the Christ event.
Apostle Peter recognized that God’s purpose for us humans was that we participate in the divine nature which is a nature of life as opposed to our human nature of death.
2 Peter 1:3-4: His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
In Romans, chapter seven, Paul writes a lengthy discourse about his human nature and concludes with:
Romans 7:24-25: What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord!
For Paul the body of death was his sinful nature from which he new he would be rescued because of what Christ accomplished through His death and resurrection.
When reading Paul’s letters, it is this contrast between the human natured body of death versus the new divine natured body of life that is his focus. Paul is well aware the physical body will die. His concern, however, is not resurrection of the biological body but a transformation of our nature from being one that leads to eternal death to one that leads to eternal life. Paul sees resurrection as this transformation. When does this resurrection take place? Is it yet future to us or did it take place in the first century in conjunction with the expected return of Christ.
As covered in a number of essays on this website, it is absolutely certain that the leadership of the first century church believed and taught that Jesus would return during their lifetime and that resurrection would take place at that time which was a passing from death unto life. This return of Christ was viewed as the consummation of a process that began at the cross and was now completed when Christ came in judgement upon first century
Hebrews 10:36-37: You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very (Greek: mikron hoson hoson) little while, "He who is coming will come and will not delay.
The Greek here is very emphatic. The Greek phrase mikron hoson hoson means, “in just a very, very little while.” This statement was made nearly 2000 years ago to Jewish Christians who are being told to persevere so they will receive what was promised at a near to occur coming of Christ. The return of Christ is viewed as an event that will take place in a very, very little while and without delay. The writer had already told these first century Christians in verse 25 not to abandon meeting together as they saw the day approaching.
Hebrew 10:25: Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Remember, this statement was made to first century Christians who are being told that some are failing to meet together and this is not a good thing. The writer encourages his readers to continue meeting together and encourage one another and to do so all the more as they saw the Day approaching. What Day? As is seen from many other NT passages, this is virtual code language that refers to the appearing of Christ.
This passage in Hebrews is just one of dozens of scriptural passages that shows the first century church fully expected Christ to return during there lifetime and it would be then they would receive eternal life. It must be understood that when Paul and others write a letter to a first century church they are not writing to us. They are writing letters to first century Christians and such letters reflect the theological perspective extant in the first century church. We are in essence reading someone else’s mail when we read the letters found in the NT. The whole task of scriptural exegesis is to determine what discussion found in the letters addressed to first century Christians is limited to those Christians and what has application to Christians of all ages.
We see Paul addressing first century Christian congregations with the clear perspective that a great transformation was going to occur in their lifetime. We see Paul addressing the first century Corinthian Christians by writing that the perishable must be clothe with the imperishable and the mortal must be clothe with immortality. This is seen as accomplished through resurrection. Paul says “We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed.” Paul is writing from the perspective this is going to happen in their life time. So the "we" being addressed are first century Christians including Paul. Some of the “we” he is addressing will have died but will experience a change at the time of resurrection. Others of the “we” he is addressing will be alive and also experience a change.
1 Corinthians 15: 51-54: Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."
Paul writes something very similar to the Thessalonian Christians of the first century.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17: Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
The manner in which Paul addresses these Thessalonian brothers should make it clear that He fully expected these events to occur in his and their lifetime. In reading through this entire letter, and Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians, it is abundantly clear Paul was anticipating an imminent occurrence of resurrection in association with the return of Christ.
Over the centuries, a variety of philosophers, theologians and other thinkers have concluded Paul and the first century church must have been in error as to their belief regarding the timing of these events as it is believed nothing of the sort happened. Since it is believed nothing happened to justify this first century belief, some question the very credibility of the NT authors. It is felt that if they were wrong on this issue what else were they wrong on? How can we be sure of any of their theological teachings if they were so mistaken as to the timing of the return of Christ and all related events?
I remember while still in college I read a book entitled, “Why I am Not a Christian” by the renowned philosopher and mathematician Bertram Russell. While Russell gave a variety of reasons for his position, a major reason was that he plainly saw that the NT authors believed and taught an imminent to them coming of Christ and resurrection. Since Russell saw no evidence of such events occurring in the first century, he concluded these men were frauds.
If Russell would have examined this matter in greater depth, he may have seen there are reasonable answers to the “imminency problem” found in the NT narrative and he may have been forced on the basis of the evidence to draw a different conclusion. I again refer the reader to the series on this website entitled, “When Does Christ Return,” at www.theologicalperspectives.com/RETURN.html.
It is apparent from a careful reading of the NT narrative that the first century Christians fully expected a resurrection to immortal life to occur during their physical lifetime. Some theologians, who have clearly recognized the first century expectations of the Christian community, believe an actual “rapture” occurred in the first century wherein the dead in Christ were raised and given immortal bodies whereby they passed on into the heavenly realm. The alive in Christ were changed by also being given immortal bodies and they too passed on (were raptured) into the heavenly realm.
Other theologians believe the dead in Christ were raised and given immortality and passed on into the heavenly realm while the alive in Christ were granted resident immortality and passed into the heavenly realm upon their physical death. This second perspective involves seeing the passing from death unto life as tied to the covenantal change that was occurring in the first century. Both these perspectives see the expectations of the early church being clearly fulfilled in the first century and tied to the destruction of the temple and the city of
WHEN DID PAUL EXPECT TO BE WITH CHRIST?
Philippians 1:21-24: For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
Here we see Paul presenting a contrast between being in the body and departing the body to be with Christ. Yet, in another passage, Paul appears to believe his being with Christ will be at the time of Christ’s appearing which Paul clearly is seen to believe was an event about to occur.
2 Timothy 4:7-8: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
Here again we see Paul alluding to “that day,” which as seen above, was a day the first century church fully expected to occur in their lifetime and was seen as an event that was about to occur as many scriptures attest to.
It is interesting that there are few references in the NT to our going to a heavenly dwelling at some point after physical death. The emphasis is on resurrection to life, a moving from mortal to immortal. The emphasis is not on our location after physical death but on a change in our nature. Only a few passages of scripture allude to heaven as our location after physical death but these scriptures don’t explicitly say we go to heaven.
Matthew 5:11: Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven
Matthew 6:19-20: Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Is Jesus speaking of heaven as our destination or is He speaking of heaven as a place where reward and treasure is being stored for us? Is Jesus simply using metaphoric language here to signify that we will be recognized and rewarded for doing good? What about John 14:1-4:
John 14: 1-4: Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
Many Christians look at this passage and conclude since Jesus has gone to be with the Father and the Father is in heaven, Jesus must be speaking about preparing a place for us in heaven where we go when we die if we are among the saved.
Others believe Jesus is preparing a place for us that we will be given at the time of a yet future resurrection and that place is believed to be on this earth where it is believed Christ will set up a physical/spiritual kingdom. After a millennial period of 1000 years, a New Jerusalem will come down from heaven to this earth. This perspective is based on a very literal interpretation of certain passages in the Revelation. Others believe these passages to be figurative of the establishment of the New Covenant and being born into the spiritual
In contrast to the idea of having to wait for a yet future to us resurrection, we again return to Paul who indicates in his letter to the Philippian brethren that being absent in the body is to be present with the lord.
Philippians 1:21-24: For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.
Here we see Paul presenting a contrast between remaining in the physical body and departing the body to be with Christ. Yet, in another passage, Paul appears to believe his being with Christ will be at the time of Christ’s appearing.
2 Timothy 4:7-8: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
The expression “on that day,” is an allusion to the appearing of Christ which is commonly understood as His second coming or parousia. Parousia is a Greek word that means presence. This word is translated as “coming” 18 times in the NT in reference to the anticipated appearing/presence of Christ. Most believe Christ’s appearing is a yet future event at which time resurrection to life will take place and Christians receive their crown of righteousness. If this is the case, Paul has not yet received his crown of righteousness.
Yet in Philippians 1:21-24, it appears Paul believes he will be present with Christ upon leaving his physical body. He says, “I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Did Paul believe that at the moment of his physical death he would be with Christ or is he anticipating being with Christ at the time of resurrection? In 1 Corinthians 15 we saw that Paul understands mortality will change to immortality at the time of the resurrection which Paul believed would happen at a soon to occur parousia of Christ.
In 2 Corinthians 5:4, Paul writes about being clothed with a heavenly dwelling “so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.” In verse five he says, “Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Apostle Peter wrote of being born again of imperishable seed which is congruent with having immortality which is imperishable.
1 Peter 1:23: For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.
These statements by Paul and Peter are in total harmony with what Jesus repeatedly said as recorded in the gospel of John about us moving from death unto life by placing faith in God and the one He sent.
John 5:24. "I tell you the truth; whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.
John 8:51. I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death."
John 11:26: Whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
All these statements appear to show that resurrection to life is not about biological bodies coming out of the ground but rather a spiritual transformation that takes place when we are reconciled to the Father through the Son. It’s believed that upon physical death this transformation becomes a complete reality and we move to a new dimension of existence. Resurrection is viewed as a spiritual event that reflects fill establishment of the New Covenant system of life in replacement of the Old Covenant system of death which is believed to have been eliminated with the destruction of the temple in the AD 70 event.
All indications are Christ returned in the first century as was expected. He returned to facilitate resurrection and thus consummate the Covenantal transition that began with His death and resurrection. This transition was calumniated with His second appearing which brought salvation (eternal life) to those who were waiting for Him.
Hebrews 9:28: So Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
If we are still waiting for Christ to appear a second time, then salvation has not yet been granted as the removal of sin and the granting of salvation is seen as tied to two separate events; the first coming of Christ and the second coming of Christ. Many scriptures show salvation to be a present reality for the Christian which shows the second appearing of Christ was indeed a first century event that indeed brought salvation.
Paul wrote that "Death has been swallowed up in victory" when “the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.”
Has death been swallowed up in victory? Do we now have victory over death? Do we already have immortality resident within us because of the Christ event? Have we already moved from death unto life as Jesus indicated or must we wait for it to happen at the time of a future appearing of Christ and a future resurrection? Paul sees this happening in his time. We have two basic choices here. Either this is a process that began in the first century and continues to this very day, or we must wait for a future resurrection for it to happen which means we lay dead in the grave, not yet having received salvation.
All scriptural passages that deal with this issue indicate resurrection began in the first century and continues to this present day as the passing from death unto life which is salvation. As already discussed in this series, all humanity is reconciled to God through the Christ event. This reconciliation was accomplished through the death, resurrection and return of Christ. Death has been swallowed up in victory. In 2 Corinthians 5:5 Paul said God has made us for the very purpose of becoming immortal. Upon our physical death the immortality we have been granted because of the Christ event will be realized as we enter into a new dimension of existence that will last forever.
This concludes this series on “What Happens After Death.” I welcome constructive, evidence based response to this series.