The Redemption of the Body...

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Two expressions refer to the making alive of the mortal body. The first expression is, "the resurrection of the body." The second expression is, "the redemption of the body."

The "resurrection" of the body refers to the making alive of the body, the raising up of that which lies helpless. The "redemption" of the body refers to the rescuing of the body from the power of death and Satan. When we refer to "resurrection" in this present essay we are speaking of the making alive of the body; of the resurrection of the body; and of the redemption of the body.

(January 23, 2010). In the following two passages the Apostle Paul points out that the resurrection of his body is his goal:

I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10,11)

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. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (Romans 8:22-25)

Why do you think Paul would want to attain to the resurrection (literally out-resurrection) from the dead? It is because this is the first resurrection. Those who attain to the first resurrection from the dead will rule with Christ during the thousand-year Kingdom Age.

Anyone who understands that the resurrection of the dead will be in two stages, and is aware of the glory and honour associated with the first resurrection, and the opportunity to install with Christ the Kingdom of God on the earth, likely will desire fervently to attain to the first resurrection.

Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

In view of the glory which is part of the first resurrection it is readily understandable why Paul was laying aside all else that he might attain to such fellowship with the Lord.

I do not believe I ever have heard anyone teach about the first resurrection. Have you? This is surprising, isn't it, in that attaining to the first resurrection should be our goal, according to Paul

Perhaps because of the general viewpoint of Christian people that Satan will never be defeated, and that as long as we are in the world we have to sin, Christian teachers and preachers have made eternal residence in Heaven the goal of our salvation. They assume that our physical death and entrance into Heaven will deliver us from sin. But there is not a whiff of such a goal or such deliverance in the Old Testament or the New Testament.

However, both the Old Testament and the New Testament teach clearly that sin finally shall be driven from the creation of God and Satan shall be crushed under the feet of the saints.

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. (Romans 16:20)

The Good News of the Kingdom of God is that Satan shall be overthrown and sin shall be brought to an end. This Good News is infinitely better than the "Good News" that God's people shall be moved from earth to Heaven so that Satan can inherit the earth.

"Seventy sevens" are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish[ transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the Most Holy Place. (Daniel 9:24)

But the court will sit, and his power will be taken away and completely destroyed forever. Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of all the kingdoms under heaven will be handed over to the holy people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him. (Daniel 7:26,27)

Physical death itself shall be destroyed under the powerful hand of the Lord Jesus Christ. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. (I Corinthians 15:25,26)

In light of the above we can see how we have been deceived. The purpose of the Divine redemption is not to bring God's people to Heaven to reside forever. The purpose of redemption, or salvation, is to destroy Satan and all of his works and followers from God's creation.

We are to be pressing toward the redeeming of our body from the power of death and sin. This is our hope. Not to go to Heaven but to live by the Life of Jesus Christ as the Father puts all of Christ's enemies under His feet. We are to work with Him as He installs the Kingdom of God upon the earth.

Such is the original Gospel of the Kingdom of God. The myths about mansions in Heaven have been developed throughout the centuries of the Christian Era until the idea of the coming of the Kingdom of God has been buried under the rubble of tradition. The original Gospel is being restored in our day.

I said at the beginning of this present essay that the making alive of the physical body, the resurrection of the body, and the redemption of the body, all refer to the same Divine salvation. I have just been discussing the resurrection of the body. Now I wish to treat the concept of redemption.

The redemption of the human body is the deliverance of the body from the authority and power of Satan and death. Notice Paul's hope in the following passage:

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. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. (Romans 8:22-25)

We already have mentioned why Paul would desire attaining to the "resurrection" of his body. But why would he hope for the "redemption" of his body. Both "resurrection" and "redemption" are referring to the making alive of the body, its change into immortality, its being clothed with the "house from Heaven." The following passage is the reason for Paul's hope:

So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? (Romans 7:21-24)

The Apostle Paul desired the redemption of his body, its release from the bondage of Satan and sin, so he could live righteously.

Because we Christians have the tradition of going to Heaven and living there forever, we find some of Paul's writings to be difficult to understand. Paul at one time told of his desire to be with the Lord. But he never spoke of wanting to go to Heaven to live forever.

Paul's goal was the redeeming of his physical body so he could serve God in righteousness. This should be our goal also.

It appears to me that we are due for a reformation of Christian thinking. Much good has been accomplished by the Christian religion throughout the Christian Era. Now we are beginning to understand what the Gospel of the Kingdom really is all about.

We always have prayed "Your Kingdom come. Your will be done in the earth as it is in Heaven." But we have not believed our own prayer. We have assumed, it seems to me, that Satan and sin never could actually be banished from the earth, and so our best hope is to go to Heaven to live.

But this is not what the Bible teaches, is it? The Bible teaches that the Lord Jesus Christ shall return with His saints and holy angels and establish His Kingdom on the earth—just as the Christians have prayed for so many centuries.

The Kingdom of God is coming. It is at hand! When the Lord returns He will bring with Him those who have died while abiding in Him. Then they shall be raised to immortality. Also at this time we, the living, shall be changed so that we also have an immortal body.

After a time of fellowship, all of us who have immortal bodies will be raised up from the earth, in the sight of the people of the world, to meet the Lord Jesus in the air. Then we shall be mounted on the white war stallions. The vials of wrath will be poured out on the earth. Then we shall descend with the Lord Jesus. Antichrist and the False Prophet shall be hurled into the Lake of Fire. One mighty angel will bind Satan and throw him into the Bottomless Pit. Now the Lord Jesus and His saints will govern the earth with a rod of iron. They shall rule from Jerusalem on the earth, as I understand it.

If we desire to be associated with our Lord in these epochal events, we must press forward in Christ each day, gaining victory over the world, our flesh, and our self-will. Many Christians will not deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Christ. If my understanding is correct, even though they profess faith in Christ they will not pass from mortality to immortality when the Lord appears.

If I am correct in this, we are well advised, I believe, to emulate the Apostle Paul by laying aside all else that we might attain to the resurrection from the dead.

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. (I Corinthians 15:52,53)

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