The Battle for the Body, 2...

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Second Corinthians 4:7 through Second Corinthians 5:10 should be one chapter, titled, "The Battle for the Body." (November 3, 2010). "The Battle for the Body." What do we mean by this?

When we die we can see deceased loved ones that we recognize. How can we recognize their faces when they have no skin? We recognize them for we are seeing them as they really are. Their speech and mannerisms identify them. This is true even if their face should look different.

It sometimes is true that a wicked, conniving, grasping individual has a kindly face. Conversely, someone with plain features may have a lovely personality. We do not see the individual as he or she actually is. But this is not true in the spirit world. We see the real person, no longer hidden behind facial skin.

A common saying is, "Beauty is only skin deep." The Apostle Peter spoke of the "unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."

And so it will be after the resurrection. The skin of the restored face no longer will hide what the person is. We will see the real person. The wicked, conniving, grasping individual will look like a wicked, conniving, grasping person, unless God has granted a change of personality. The loving, generous person will be seen as just that. The truly righteous will shine with the Glory of Christ.

Regarding Second Corinthians 4:7 through Second Corinthians 5:10, the subject is the battle for the body, that is the pursuit of an immortality that is filled with the Glory of God.

There is, and always has been, the Tree of Life in the midst of Paradise. That Tree is the Lord Jesus Christ. Whoever overcomes his own sins and self-will has access to the Tree of Life. He is qualified to feed continually on Christ. In this way he gains the Resurrection, who is Christ. He passes from death to life.

Now, what does it mean to pass from death to life? Does it mean that he or she now will have eternal spiritual existence? This cannot be the meaning, because Adam and Eve died, in accordance with God's Word. But Adam and Eve no doubt still exist in the spirit world.

Yet they "died." God told them that when they ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil they would die. And they did—physically.

When the Scriptures tell us that whoever believes in Christ will not perish but have eternal life, it is referring to bodily immortality. Bodily immortality is victory over the final enemy, physical death. Paul's goal was to attain to the redemption of his body, his adoption as a son of God.

Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. (Romans 8:23)

The verses we are considering are telling us about the path to immortality. Immortality means our body will never be separated from the Life of Christ—unless, of course, after having attained to the resurrection to eternal life we choose to disobey God, as did Satan.

Following is the pattern:

II Corinthians 4:7-12 announce the fact that our tribulations are accomplishing two Divine operations. First, our troubles crucify our adamic personality. The resurrection Life of Christ that lifts us up from our crucifixion brings that same Life to those to whom we minister.

Second, the crucifixion of our adamic personality destroys our sinful nature. As our sinful nature is destroyed, in particular our self-will, our robe, our house, from Heaven experiences a corresponding enlargement. The enlarging of our house from heaven is set forth in II Corinthians 4:17 as "an eternal glory that far outweighs them all" (all of our tribulations).

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. (II Corinthians 4:17)

The house from Heaven is discussed in Second Corinthians 5:1-5.

The conclusion of the entire discussion is summed up in the following verse:

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (II Corinthians 5:10)

I prefer the American Standard Version (below):

For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (II Corinthians 5:10)

Let us consider what we have expressed thus far.

We are in a battle for our body. Physical death is an enemy, according to Paul. God did not create mankind with physical bodies (which is not true of the other creatures of God) so that the body would last for a few years and then return to the dust. This is not the way of the Kingdom of God.

Through the Lord Jesus Christ, God has made a way for us to undo the calamity that occurred in the Garden of Eden. We are in a battle for our body. This is what the Gospel is all about, not people dying physically and going to Heaven, but people gaining immortality in their body.

To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.(Romans 2:7) The last enemy to be destroyed is death. (I Corinthians 15:26)

For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. ((I Corinthians 15:53)

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." (I Corinthians 15:54)

But it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. ((II Timothy 1:10)

Now we can see the relevance of the following:

For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (II Corinthians 5:10)

If we have reckoned ourselves dead with Christ, the above verse is taking place in us now; because death is followed by judgment. If we really are a disciple of the Lord Jesus, our personality is being revealed before Christ.

Our love for the world, the lusts of our flesh and spirit, and our rebellious nature are coming up before Christ for judgment. As the several aspects of these major areas are shown to us, we are to confess each one clearly and specifically. Then we are to call on Jesus to help us renounce each one with all the determination we can summon.

As our various sufferings bring us down to the death of the cross, the spiritual darkness of our personality rises to the surface and is to be skimmed off.

If we thus confess and renounce our sins, Christ is faithful and righteous to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This process is forming our house from Heaven in righteousness, holiness, and stern obedience to God.

This is the meaning of "each one may receive the things done in the body." When Christ appears, if we have ignored and not confessed and renounced our sinful actions, they will be displayed in the body that clothes our resurrected flesh and bones. In this manner we reap precisely what we have sown.

This is exceedingly good news for the faithful disciple who has borne patiently with God as he continually is struck down and raised; struck down and raised; struck down and raised again. He is building an exceedingly surpassing weight of glory in the form of a body from Heaven.

But for the careless or rebellious person, it is the most terrifying, most horrible, most dreadful of all prospects.

In the Day of Resurrection the person who has yielded to sexual lust will appear as the personification of sexual lust. You can imagine what he will look like. He will be demonic in appearance. (Maybe this is where the demons come from, the leprechauns, the elves, and other creatures that we have assumed are mythological. These creatures certainly never were angels; and Satan cannot create life. So where did they come from? Just a thought.)

How about the hate-filled, unmerciful, unforgiving individual. How will he or she look when he or she receives what has been done in the body? Will this person be the picture of hate and meanness? The Lord spoke to me one time about an unmerciful person. The Lord said, "He has not shown mercy and no mercy shall be shown to him!" Can you imagine what a spiteful, envious, stubborn person will look like?

How about the person who has practiced witchcraft; the believer who continually has brought division and dissension; the stingy person; the liar; the one who keeps on disobeying God? Each one shall be raised to shame and everlasting contempt.

I did not make up all this. What I have said is stated in the inerrant Word of God. Just because the American churches are filled with a humanistic spirit does not change one word of the Bible. I think the pastors often compromise the Gospel as they endeavor to please carnal Christians in order to draw them to the assembly.

So we are in a battle for our physical body, our outward appearance. The Book of Second Corinthians informs us that we will experience the sufferings of Christ. As we do, two operations occur. First, we are able to minister eternal life to those whom we seek to help. Second, we are putting "weight" on the house, or robe, that will clothe our resurrected flesh and bones.

Paul states that God has prepared us with a view to receiving a body of glory. No doubt God is thinking of preparing our body for Himself as an eternal dwelling place.

Perhaps when the Lord Jesus said, "I go to prepare a place for you," He was speaking not only of cleansing the defiled sanctuary in Heaven with His own blood, but also of working with us so we can be a living stone in God's eternal Tabernacle. Thus He is at once preparing a place for us in Himself and a place for Himself in us. The Holy Spirit is our guarantee that this is what is happening to us.

Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (II Corinthians 5:5)

You can hear the morning sermon at morning. http://www.wor.org/audio/audio.htm

You can hear the evening sermon at evening. http://www.wor.org/audio/audio.htm

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