When Do Believers Get Their New Bodies?
Paul tells us to expect a new body,
once we leave our current bodies.
And that once we leave our current bodies
we will be present with the Lord.
This is all spelled out in
2nd Corinthians chapter 5 verses 1 - 8.
we read
For we know that if our earthly house,
this tent, is destroyed,
we have a building from God,
a house not made with hands,
eternal in the heavens.
For in this we groan,
earnestly desiring to be clothed
with our habitation which is from heaven,
if indeed, having been clothed,
we shall not be found naked.
For we who are in this tent groan,
being burdened,
not because we want to be unclothed,
but further clothed,
that mortality may be swallowed up by life.
Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God,
who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
So we are always confident, knowing
that while we are at home in the body
we are absent from the Lord.
For we walk by faith, not by sight.
We are confident,
yes, well pleased
rather to be absent from the body
and to be present with the Lord.
Many would say this passage is teaching
that the moment a believer dies,
that they go to heaven
to be with the Lord.
And if this was the only passage
talking about our New Bodies,
I think I would be inclined to agree.
HOWEVER, this same Paul
had previous explained to the Corinthians
WHEN
the dead should expect to receive
their new incorruptible bodies.
At the time of Jesus's return.
The passages in
1st Corinthians chapter 15 verses 35-58
are very clear on this subject.
With verses 50 - 53 telling us the when,
what and who gets these new bodies.
we read,
Now this I say, brethren,
that flesh and blood cannot inherit
the kingdom of God;
nor does corruption inherit incorruption.
Behold, I tell you a mystery:
We shall not all sleep,
but we shall all be changed—
in a moment,
in the twinkling of an eye,
at the last trumpet.
For the trumpet will sound,
and the dead will be raised incorruptible,
and we shall be changed.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption,
and this mortal must put on immortality.
And this all ties in with
the most famous RAPTURE passage,
1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verses 13 - 18
Where Paul wrote,
But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren,
concerning those who have fallen asleep,
lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again,
even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord,
that we who are alive and remain
until the coming of the Lord
will by no means precede those who are asleep.
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven
with a shout,
with the voice of an archangel,
and with the trumpet of God.
And the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds
to meet the Lord in the air.
And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Therefore comfort one another with these words.
From these passages,
one could conclude that we get our new bodies
when Jesus returns to earth.
And it is at that time
we would be in the presence of the Lord.
This is why some teach that
when we die,
that we are asleep,
and not conscious of the passage of time,
until the Last Trumpet referenced in these and other passages.
Please let me know in the comments section
if there are other passages on this topic
you would like to see discussed on this channel.
Until next time,
Maranatha.
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