The Resurrection of the Body and Life Everlasting
Minister: | Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: | 7/9/2017 AM |
Text: | II Corinthians 5; Lord's Day 22 |
Psalters: | 353, 331, 202, 32 |
- The soul resurrection.
- Faith in the resurrection of the body includes faith in the resurrection of the soul.
- The Bible teaches an immediate experience of glory for the soul (intermediate state - the state of the believer’s soul after death till Jesus’ returns and raises the body).
- Death is the terrifying separation of the body and the soul - without the body, the soul cannot function in this world.
- Thus Scripture speaks of deceased saints as “asleep” (Matt. 27:52; I Cor. 15:6; I Thess. 4:13; Mark 5:39).
- The believer’s communion with Christ is not broken by death, but intensified.
- While the intermediate state is increased communion with Christ, it is not perfect for three reasons.
- The resurrection of the body will take place when Jesus returns (John 5:28,29; I Thess. 4:16,17).
- Scripture concerning the resurrection of the body.
- We need our bodies in heaven as much as we need them on the earth.
- God miraculously and graciously calls our bodies out of the dust and makes them like the glorious body of Christ (I Jn. 3:1).
- Jesus’ bodily resurrection is the cause of the resurrection of the bodies of those who are in Christ (I Cor. 15).
- Faith in the risen Christ is a faith which believes in the glorious bodily resurrection (Rom. 8:23b).
- We are raised to “life everlasting.”
- This is the blessedness of perfect, unending life of joy and praise!
- In this life, we know only a little of this glorious life, because it is other worldly.
- Promised to us is a future which is the future of Christ and of all who share in His benefits.
- Death is made a servant which brings us to God and to this glory.