Romans 8:18-25; 1 Corinthians 15:50-54, 57; Philippians 3:20-21
Related Sunday School Lesson, Family Bible Series, June 26

 

This week's study is the last of three in which the different aspects of the Christian experience are discussed. The first study examined the theme of justification. That is the completed aspect of the Christian experience in which the Christian, having received full and free forgiveness, stands before God with no guilt. The second study examined that ongoing experience of Christianity known as sanctification, in which the Christian is growing in his relationship with Christ and likeness to Him.

The study for this week looks forward to that aspect of the Christian experience known as glorification. This is the full realization of all the blessings promised to the Christian. It includes the return of Christ, the resurrection and heaven. That is why the best is yet to be for the child of God.

 

Transformation, Phil. 3:20-21

These verses directly connect with 3:17-19 that were part of last week's study. Verse 20 shows a contrast between the Christian and the self-indulgent religious leaders of 3:18,19. Their future is destruction while the Christian's future is glorious.

Verse 20 also forms a continuation in thought from 3:17. The reason Christians should pattern their lives after those who seek Christ is because our citizenship is in heaven, from where we wait for Christ to return. Just as the people of Philippi were citizens of Rome living in a colony away from Rome, Christians are citizens of heaven living in this world. Our real home is in heaven.

Two important truths are found in these two verses. First, our future hope lies in the return of Christ. This is the blessed hope of the Christian (Titus 2:13; Acts 1:11; John 14:1-3). Second, we see that His return will bring about a glorious transformation of our lowly bodies into the image of His glorious body.

We do not know all the details about our resurrection bodies. We do know that we will be like Jesus (1 John 3:2). Nothing could be better than that. That is why we eagerly wait for the Savior. This transformation will be accomplished through the mighty power of God.

Glorious Freedom, Rom. 8:18-25

The glory that awaits the child of God is so great that the sufferings of today are not even worthy to be compared to it (8:18). There will be freedom from the trials and suffering of this life. This glorious freedom that awaits the Christian will also be shared by the creation (8:21). Paul reminds us that God placed the creation under the curse of sin, knowing that one day that curse would be removed (8:20; Gen. 3:14-18).

The Old Testament prophets describe the glorious freedom from the curse of sin that will be enjoyed by the creation. The desert will blossom like a rose (Isa. 35) and glorious fruitfulness will replace the difficult labor that man now experiences in producing food (Amos 9:13; Gen. 3:17,18). Isaiah 11:6-9 informs us that the curse placed on the animal kingdom (Gen. 3:14) will be removed.

How beautiful God's creation will be when all the effects of sin are removed from it! The creation is described as a woman in birth pangs anxiously anticipating the time when pangs will be replaced with indescribable joy. Eager anticipation for that glorious future is described in 8:19, 23 and 25. Christians and creation both share in that eager anticipation.

Paul then describes our future hope in terms of adoption and the redemption of our bodies. Adoption is a legal term and is used to denote our rights and privileges as children of God. Our full rights and privileges will be realized at the redemption of our bodies or the resurrection. Christians now have a redeemed soul in an unredeemed body. When Jesus returns we will have a redeemed body united with our redeemed soul. That is the hope before us that is not yet seen but is eagerly awaited by the Christian.

 

Victorious Resurrection, 1 Cor. 15:50-54, 57

The resurrection of the Christians will be a glorious event indeed. It is a necessary event, for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. At the return of Christ our bodies will either be resurrected or transformed, making them suitable for life in the kingdom of God. Many Christians will be alive at that time. Jesus will return and the trumpet of God will sound.

At that moment the dead in Christ will be resurrected and the living Christians will be transformed. In that instant incorruption and immortality will replace our present corruption and mortality. Comparing this information about our resurrection bodies with what Paul has written in Philippians, we know that our new bodies will be incorruptible, immortal and like the resurrection body of Christ.

Additional details about our new bodies are found in 1 Corinthians 15:38-44, where we find the words "glory" and "power" used to describe them. Paul's description of the return of Christ in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 compliments his statements in this passage. Death has been the enemy of man since sin entered the human race. In the day of Christ's return death will be swallowed up in victory.

Our present experience of justification is wonderful (Rom. 5:1) and our ongoing experience of sanctification is exciting (Phil. 3:13,14). However, as great as these mighty works of God are, the best is yet to be! We should never lose sight of our glorious future in Christ. This will be the full expression of the victory that is given to us through Jesus Christ (15:57). May we look forward to His glorious return and pray with John, "Even so, come Lord Jesus (Rev. 22:20).