What Happens to Your Body After the Resurrection?

We're going to continue right on where we just left off in our last program in Philippians chapter 3, and we're down to about verse 10. Again, we are real proud of the fact, I guess that's the way they put it in Oklahoma. I don't like that word proud, but I guess I should say thrilled with our visitors from out of state today. And we just trust that maybe you can find your way back. In fact, Paul's already said you're coming back in December, aren't you? Paul's coming back in December. Shirley? Well anyway, we're just glad to have everybody as well as all of those of you from around eastern Oklahoma. For those of you out in television, if you'd ever like to join us for a taping session, we usually tape the first Wednesday or the Wednesday of the first full week of the month. So if you happen to be coming through Tulsa, why you call us and we'll give you instructions how to get here. One of these days they're going to have our new studio ready here at Channel 47. They're working on it out there, so for those of you in television, if all of a sudden someday you see us in new facilities, it's not mine, it's not Less Celtic Ministries, it's Channel 47. But hopefully we'll be able to go back there before too much longer, and we can have our tables again as we had years back. Remember all of our past programs are available in videotape. We put 12 programs on one six-hour video, and then that's been dubbed over onto six hours of audio cassette, and it's been transcribed in by Jerry and his good wife Lorna into a 12-lesson little booklet, and you can have your choice or take all three. A lot of people do, they have various ways of using them. So if you're interested in any of those materials, you call us or write to us and we'll get the information to you. Okay, I think that's all of our announcements so far as this is concerned, and we'll jump right back to where we left off, Philippians chapter 3. And I didn't finish my thoughts on verse 10, that I may know Him. Now that's the joy and the hope and the security of every believer, that we can know Him. He's not just some strange God way out there someplace, but we know Him. You know whenever I read this verse, I have to think of a little anecdote I read years and years ago, and I'm sure most of you have probably heard it or read it, of the young lady who was attending a university, and somebody gave her a book to read, and she tried and tried to get interested in it, and never could. She'd read the first chapter and put it up, and a few weeks later she'd try again, and she could never get in, so finally she just put it up on her bookshelf and forgot about it. But by the time she was a senior at the university, she had fallen in love with one of her professors, and it turned out that he was the author of this book. And then all of a sudden she just couldn't devour it enough, and her roommate who had been with her from her early freshman days says, well what in the world? I thought that was the book you could never get interested in. She says, it is. She says, then why are you reading it now? Because she says, I've fallen in love with the author. Well you see, that's the secret. When you fall in love with Christ, you cannot exhaust this book. It is just unfathomable, and you'll just keep seeing new things pop up all the time, and you think, well now why didn't I see this before? You see God, just like He told Israel when they went into the land of milk and honey, or they could have gone in, He says, I won't drive them all out at once. I'll drive the Canaanites out just fast enough so that you can absorb it, and you can take over the land. Well that's what He does with the Scripture. See He doesn't unload it all on us at once. It just keeps coming and coming, and I could just go for another half hour showing you verses that I never saw until maybe the last year or two. I know there's going to be more coming, I just know it. So anyway, we get to the place where we know Him. He's personal, He's close to us, He knows all about us, and of course when we come into that kind of a relationship with Christ, we're also going to suffer with Him. Now again I've said so often, we in America know very little of suffering for our faith. It could happen yet, we hope it won't, but it could. But remember that during 90% of Christendom's history, believers suffered for their faith. They were persecuted, they were driven from valley to valley, and their homes and their villages just utterly uprooted and destroyed simply because they were Christians. And this of course is what Paul said. In fact another verse comes to mind, go all the way back to Romans chapter 8. We were just talking about what's going to be our lot for eternity. Well the Bible doesn't tell us an awful lot, it really doesn't. About the only verse we've got is that Paul writes in Corinthians 2 verse 9. I'll never forget when Louann held it up for me, and I didn't see it. Romans 8.8 We know there's a glorious situation, but just how we're going to function, what we're going to do. But these verses at least give us a little hint, and Romans chapter 8, beginning at verse 14. Romans 8.8 Now that relationship again, we're in Christ, He's dear to us, and we're dear to Him. Then in verse 16. Romans 8.9 Now here it comes. If we're children, then we're heirs. Heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ. Now that's as far as we can go, that's going to be something. That everything that He has prepared or is preparing for eternity, that's His, is going to be ours. That's what joint heirship is about. Now that's beyond human understanding isn't it? That's part of again the unsearchable riches of Christ. Well keep going. If so be that we suffer with Him. Now a lot of people say, I'll take the good stuff, but I don't want that bad. Well no, that all goes in the same program. We may have some suffering to do. And so we're joint heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with Him. Now if we suffer with Him, that we may also be what? Glorified with Him, or together. And so this is our prospect, and the world may think we're crazy. They may think we're a bunch of kooks, but I got news for them. It's just like when the philosophers of Athens thought that Paul was nothing but a babbler. They had all the real stuff, and he was just a babbler. But history has proven, and when you go to Mars Hill, there's a huge bronze plaque in memory of the apostle Paul. Not a single philosopher is mentioned. And so in reality who were the babblers? Well the philosophers. So the fellowship of his sufferings being made conformable unto his death. Now we don't like the word death, do we? I don't. We all hate it. A pet can die, and it tears us up. A loved one, and it just tears us up. And we are programmed to just literally despise death. But the bright side of the coin is that out of death for us as believers comes what? Life. And that's the process. There has to be death in order for life to appear. It shows in every seed that's planted. It has to die for a new blade of grass to appear. Now the same way here, we have to be made conformable to his death before we can partake of his life. Now again, go back to Romans. We're going to compare Scripture with Scripture whenever possible. Romans chapter 6. See all of these basic doctrines that flow from the pen of this apostle will always dovetail together. It's the best word I can find for it. They all fit. Romans chapter 6, starting at verse 5. Romans 6. Romans 6. Now where do you plant things? In the ground. Now I'm going to be right up front. I get letter after letter asking me about cremation. Well I can't quote a Scripture that absolutely forbids it, but I think that in language it flies in the face of Scripture. Because the whole idea, at least for the believer, the whole idea of placing our loved one in the earth, is that they're only there waiting for resurrection day. And here again the concept is of a seed planted in the earth. Not burned, not reduced to ashes, but it's planted. And as soon as it's planted, the seeds of resurrection begin. Now Paul uses that same analogy, that if we have been planted, literally put to death together in the likeness of his death. Now you see Philippians uses the word conformable. Here the word is likeness. But I can't see a nickel's worth of difference between the two, because it's still identifying us with His death. And there can be no life until there is death. Alright, reading on in Romans 6. Romans 6. Knowing this, that our old man, our old Adamic nature, that part of us that came by virtue of our physical birth, that our old man is crucified, and what does crucifixion do? It kills. And so we've been put to death by our faith being identified with Him. So read it again in the Scripture. Romans 6. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified, that the body of sin might be destroyed, or put out of commission, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is free. Now we've got another analogy, right across the page in Romans chapter 7. And this is a Pauline doctrine, that death brings new life. But we can't have new life until we've died to the old nature. Romans 7. I guess I'll take time to read them all, starting at verse 1. Romans 7. Romans 7. the law, the civil law, hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth, for the woman who hath a husband is bound by the law, but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law. Naturally we have no problem with that. If a spouse dies, then there is no law to forbid the living partner to remarry. Scripture doesn't forbid it, because death ends that relationship. So then if while her husband liveth, she be married to another, she shall be called an adulteress, because it was not ended by death. But if her husband is dead, she is free from that law. And if she remarries, she is not an adulteress, though she be married to another man. Now why does Paul put this in here? To show us a doctrinal statement, and here it is. Romans 7. Wherefore brethren, ye also are become dead to the law, by the body of Christ. Well what happened to the Body of Christ? It died. Death is what broke that stranglehold of legalism on the human being. So you are become dead to the law by the Body of Christ, that you should be married to another. Well not to another man, not to another woman, but to whom? Even to Christ, to Him who is raised from the dead. And why are we united to Christ in resurrection power? That we should bring forth fruit. Now in a marriage relationship what is fruit? Children. In this spiritual relationship what is to be our fruit? Soul winning. We�re to win the loss, that�s why God left us here. We�re to be a testimony of His grace. Now not everybody can be one like someone else, we�re not robots, we�re not all identically alike. But there should be that desire on the part of every believer to see lost people saved. Because the mind of God has now been imparted to us, and the mind of God is that He�s not willing that any should perish. So this should be our driving desire, that we might see lost people saved. I�ll never forget when we were in Charlotte this summer, a whole black family, and I just shared this with some black folk again the other night, and I know we have a tremendous black audience across America. Well this black family comprised a husband and a wife, and two grown sons, and their wives and their kids. And we got out there and the first thing they shared was that that whole family had been saved through our program. Well I�ll tell you what, that just makes your day, because that�s why we�re here. And when we left, my Steve came to the car and tears were running down his cheek, and he said, �Now Les don�t you forget, you have changed this whole world for my whole family.� Well that�s why we�re here, so that we can bring forth fruit unto God. Well back to Philippians chapter 3. So we were made conformable unto death, in other words we have died with Him, we�ve been crucified with Him, we�ve been resurrected with Him in resurrection power. Now remember resurrection power is what gave Him victory over everything that could ever oppose. Resurrection power gave Christ victory over all the satanic forces, over all the power of hell and death. Everything that was ever created, now becomes under His authority by virtue of His resurrection power. And that�s where we walk, that�s where we live and breathe and move, is in that resurrection power. Now this is not a verse that throws doubt on working our way into salvation or anything like that, but what he�s driving home is that his whole heart�s desire is to attain unto that resurrection body. Now it�s going to be coming up later in the chapter isn�t it? But let�s go ahead and drop down to it in Philippians chapter 3, verses 20-21. to it later in the afternoon, and if not, we�ll pick it up next month. But here in this same chapter, verses 20 -21, our citizenship is in heaven. Even though we�re walking here on terra firma, our citizenship is already settled in heaven. Ephesians 2, verse 21, "...from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned, or made, like unto his glorious body." Not his body in humiliation. I was reading again just the other night, a lot of people just don�t realize that in his earthly ministry, Jesus, used alone, was the name of his humiliation. It was not the name that attached itself to his power and his glory, it was the name of humiliation. And as he went then in that name of Jesus, as a man, and suffered the horrors of the cross, and the death of it, then in resurrection power we now know him more as the Christ, or the Lord Jesus Christ. And it is not totally appropriate to simply refer to him now in resurrection terms, as simply Jesus. In fact I think I put it on the program some time ago, and a gentleman called and he thought he had me. And he said, I found some verses, because I had made the statement that never that I knew of, did the disciples ever refer to the Lord as Jesus. They never did. They called him Master, they called him Lord, but they never called him Jesus. Well he called and said, I�ve got you. And I said, well show me the verse. Well now wait a minute, that was using the term in the third person, not in the first. Oh, well then here�s one in John�s Gospel. And I said, now there again, that�s just simply referring to him in the third person. And he said, you win. So he hung up. But always remember that the Lord Jesus Christ is his appropriate term as a result of that resurrection power. He is no longer the man of Nazareth, or the man of Galilee as the songwriters have put it, but he is the Lord Jesus Christ, and he shall change this vile body, that it may be fashioned unto his glorious body, his resurrected body, which could go right through the wall, could go right through the ceilings, it could go from here to Pluto in a second or less. And you know what, that�s what we�re going to have some day. And so we�ll be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself. Now let�s see how Paul puts that again, and you�ll remember we covered this way back in I Corinthians chapter 15. Almost the same kind of language again, and this just confirms that this is what the apostle was talking about, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. I Corinthians 15, beginning at verse 51. I Corinthians 15, dropping down to verse 51. I�ve got it? I Corinthians 15, verse 51, �Behold, I show you a mystery, or a secret, or something that�s never been revealed before in Scripture. We shall not all sleep or die physically, but since we can�t go to glory in this old body, we�re going to have to be changed.� And that�s exactly what he�s talking about in Philippians, that this vile body will be made like unto his glorious body. So here it is, we shall be changed in a moment, in the twinkling or the blink of an eye, at the last trump, for the trumpets shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we living believers, if the Lord should come today, we shall be changed. We can�t go to glory in this old body of corruptible flesh, but if the Lord changes it, we can, and He will. I Corinthians 15, verse 53, �For this corruptible body that is prone to corruption, must put on incorruption.� It has to become an eternal body that will never die, and never corrupt. And this mortal must put on immortality. In other words, we�re going to live and rule and reign with Him forever. And then verse 54, �So when this corruptible body will have put on incorruption, by virtue of a sudden instant change, providing the Lord comes while we�re living, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, �Death is swallowed up in victory.� What kind of victory? Resurrection. And we will no longer deal with this old body of flesh, but we will be transformed and translated in that split second of time. Back to Philippians once again, still in chapter 3. And so if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection out from among the dead, is really a better translation than of the dead. And what do you suppose he�s talking about? Well when the believers are going to experience what I teach as the Rapture, and the living ones are the ones we just talked about in I Corinthians chapter 15, and then I Thessalonians chapter 4 tells us so clearly that the dead in Christ will rise first, and in the next split second we follow them in that resurrection. Now this is what Paul is alluding to, that I might attain to the resurrection out from among the dead. And I checked several Greek dictionaries and so forth last night, and that�s exactly what it says. Not just the resurrection of the dead, but a resurrection from among the dead. In other words, not everyone is going to be resurrected at the same time. Now let�s go back to John�s Gospel again, so that you�ll know what I�m talking about when I say, not everybody will be resurrected at the same time. John�s Gospel chapter 5. I�m repeating them a little more than usual today, because I had a couple of letters just last week that said I don�t give the reference often enough. So I�ll be repeating them. John�s Gospel chapter 5, verse 28. The Lord Jesus in His earthly ministry is speaking. And He says, "...and marvel not at this, for the hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth." But now here we have a separation. They�re not all going to come forth at once, but they who have done good, or have been believers. There�s only one way of doing good in Scripture, and that�s faith. So people of faith will come forth unto the resurrection of life, eternal life. Then a thousand and some years later, according to Revelation 20, then we have the resurrection of condemnation to those who have done evil, or were destitute of faith. So you�re separated. And then if you remember how I taught I Corinthians 15, I think even the New Testament Saints will be divided into three groups. The First Fruits in Matthew 27, and then I think the major resurrection will be the Church Age in the Rapture in I Corinthians 15. And then we�ve got a third group, which will be the Tribulation Saints in Revelation. And so you have those three categories of New Testament believers that will come forth at that last resurrection day. And then of course the dead will be resurrected to go to the Great White Throne at the end of the thousand years, and before we go into eternity. So always remember the resurrection of the just and the resurrection of the lost is separated by one title. Thank you for watching Through the Bible with Les Feldick. 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