Our resurrected bodies will be like Christ's resurrection body — real, flesh and bone, without blood, and Spirit-activated — not invisible spirits or angels.
Scripture says the corruptible body will put on incorruption, and Paul points to Christ as the pattern. Les Feldick regularly directs people to the Lord Jesus in His 40 days after the resurrection as the clearest glimpse of how believers will function in eternity.
1 Corinthians 15:35 — This is the exact question Paul answers: 'With what body do they come?'
Philippians 3:21 — Paul says our vile body will be changed to be fashioned like Christ's glorious body.
Luke 24:39 — The risen Christ showed His disciples His flesh-and-bones body, proving He was not a spirit.
Scripture answers the question, 'How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?' (1 Corinthians 15:35). Paul explains that 'this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality' (1 Corinthians 15:53). So the resurrection is not the discarding of the body but its transformation from corruption to incorruption. Paul describes that transformation with reference to Christ: 'For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body' (Philippians 3:20-21). The risen Lord demonstrated what this body is like when He said, 'Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have' (Luke 24:39). Scripture also says believers who have the firstfruits of the Spirit are 'waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body' (Romans 8:23). The Bible does not fill in every detail, but it clearly shows the resurrected body is a real body that is like Christ's.
Les Feldick teaches that when resurrection happens, believers are not going to be invisible spirit beings or like angels. They will eternally exist in a body. It will not be the same flesh-and-blood body they have now, but it will be on the same order, and the best illustration is the Lord Jesus in His 40 days after resurrection. In that body, Christ appeared, was handled, and even ate; Les describes the resurrected body as a spiritual body without blood — flesh and bone, but no blood — and activated by the Spirit. Les also stresses that this is connected to the imminent coming of Christ for the Church. Paul wrote as though it could happen in his lifetime, and there is no set prophetic program to be fulfilled first. Believers who are alive at that coming will all be changed and will not die physically. This is the 'redemption of our body' for which believers still wait; the soul and spirit are already redeemed, but the body is not complete until the resurrection.
No. Some people wonder if the resurrection means existing as 'invisible spirit beings' or 'like angels.' Les Feldick answers plainly: 'We are going to be eternally existing in a body.' It will not be the same flesh and blood body of the present life, but it will be on the same order. He calls the Lord Jesus in His 40 days after resurrection the best illustration of this.
Les says if you want a glimpse of how we will function in eternity, study Christ's 40 days after His resurrection. In those Gospel accounts you have the perfect picture. He describes the resurrected body as 'a spiritual body without blood' and 'flesh and bone, but no blood,' activated by the Spirit. Christ Himself said a spirit does not have flesh and bones.
Les teaches that believers have the redemption of the soul and spirit already, but they are still waiting for the redemption of the body (Romans 8:23). At the Lord's coming, the corruptible body is going to suddenly become incorruptible when believers go up into His presence. He points to Paul's statement that 'we shall all be changed,' and notes there is coming a group who will not die physically but will be changed at the imminent coming of Christ. For those whose bodies have died and gone into corruption, the body will be resurrected to a new body fashioned after Christ's body. Les also notes that Old Testament saints will be raised at the setting up of the kingdom, and their bodies will be reunited with their soul and spirit.
Les teaches that believers have been planted together in the likeness of Christ's death; if they believe He died their death, they shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection. This is why he calls the resurrection a 'blessed hope.' A believer does not have to live and die with a prospect of eternal doom; the best is yet to come.
Redemption of the Body
Les explains that believers already have redemption of soul and spirit, but they are still waiting for the redemption of the body, when the corruptible body becomes incorruptible.
Spiritual Body Without Blood
He describes the resurrected body as a spiritual body without blood, flesh and bone, activated by the Spirit, and connects the change to the imminent coming of Christ.
Not Invisible Spirits
Les answers the question 'with what body do they come?' by saying believers will eternally exist in a body on the same order as Christ's, not as invisible spirits or angels.
Bodies Like Christ's
He points to Philippians 3 and says believers will be transformed to heavenly bodies like Christ's, and that Christ's 40 days after resurrection show how believers will function.
A New Body Fashioned Like His
Les says that when this old body dies and goes into corruption, it will be resurrected to a new body fashioned after Christ's body.
The Resurrection Completes Redemption
Les teaches that even though believers are redeemed, redemption is not complete until they receive the new resurrected body; Old Testament saints' bodies will be reunited with their souls at their resurrection.
Christ's Resurrection as the Picture
Les says the best way to glimpse the new body is Christ's resurrection experience in the 40 days between His resurrection and ascension, beginning at Luke 24.
Likeness of His Resurrection
Les ties being planted in the likeness of Christ's death to being raised in the likeness of His resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15:35: But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
This is the direct question people ask about the resurrection body, and Paul answers it in the following verses.
1 Corinthians 15:53: For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
This shows the change the present body must undergo at the resurrection.
Philippians 3:20-21: For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
Paul directly says our resurrected body will be made like Christ's glorious body.
Romans 8:23: And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
This shows believers already have redemption of soul and spirit but still await the redemption of the body.
Luke 24:39: Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
The risen Christ showed His disciples His tangible resurrection body to prove He was not a spirit.
Romans 6:5: For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Union with Christ in His death assures the believer of resurrection in His likeness.
Not the same flesh-and-blood body, but on the same order. Les teaches that the corruptible body will suddenly become incorruptible when believers are taken into the Lord's presence, echoing 1 Corinthians 15:53.
Les teaches that the resurrected body is a spiritual body without blood. It is flesh and bone, but no blood, and it is activated by the Spirit.
At the imminent coming of Christ for the Church. Paul writes as though it could happen in his lifetime, and Les explains there is no set prophetic program to be fulfilled first. Believers who are alive will not die physically but will all be changed.
Les repeatedly says the best illustration is the Lord Jesus in His 40 days after His resurrection. Study the Gospel accounts and you have the perfect picture of how believers will function in eternity.
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