“There are celestial bodies and
there are terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and
the glory of the terrestrial is another” (1 Corinthians 15:40 RSV).
In 1 Corinthians 15:35-55, Paul explains
how everything has a body: fish, birds, animals, the sun, moon and stars; and
of course, humans. He also explains how
each body has a glory, some terrestrial (earthly) and others celestial
(heavenly). Then he says—implying
resurrection—“What you sow does not come to life unless it dies.” In other words, death can’t be swallowed up
in victory except through the process of death to our physical body, and only
then, does is a spiritual body emerge.
But—according to Jesus—passing
from death to life occurs irrespective of the body’s participation: “I assure
you [Jesus speaking] and most solemnly say to you, the person
who hears My word [the one who heeds My message], and believes and trusts
in Him who sent Me, has (possesses now) eternal life [that is, eternal
life actually begins—the believer is transformed], and does not come into
judgment and condemnation, but has
passed [over] from death into life” (John 5:24 AMP). Nonetheless—just as the children of Israel
owned the Promised Land but had to dispossess nations in order to possess it—so
we owned eternal life as soon as believed but are still obligated to wait for the
redemption of our body before we fully possess salvation. Yes, “We Christians, although we have the
Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory...groan to be released
from pain and suffering. We...wait anxiously for that day when God will give us
our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised
us—bodies that will never be sick again and will never die” (Romans 8:23
TLB).
The Law and the ministration of
condemnation had a glory that faded out when Jesus Christ fulfilled that Law
and instituted Grace and the ministration of righteousness. Indeed, “If that which fades away was with
glory [Moses and Law], much more that which remains is in
glory [Jesus and Grace and Truth]” (2 Corinthians 3:11 NASB). Moreover, our terrestrial body, having its
own despoiled glory, is sown in weakness and dishonor; it decays therefore it
is intrinsically evil in its fallen state (the Hebrew meaning of the word “evil”
is that which “breaks down, that which decays, that which decomposes, or that
which falls down and off from its original design”). Shame, which means “down disfigurement,” is
nothing more than the imploded glory of fallen man. The Law and the ministration of condemnation
did nothing but confirm the down disfigurement posture of man before the good
news of the gospel came to lift man up from shame. It is therefore quite a shame to continue in
shame. Paul bemoaned those who glory in
their shame, citing their avoidance of the cross [death to self and the means to
break up their disfigured life] as the reason they cannot break their down
disfigurement posture. Paul tells us
that our conversation is in heaven, but they, with heads frozen down in shame,
mind earthly things (see Philippians 3:18-20).
“But thou, O Lord, art a
shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head” (Psalm 3:3 KJV). Here in this Old Testament verse is the
gospel glory and its effect on the down disfigurement of man. The psalmist calls the Lord his glory;
consequently, God lifts his head up. His
shame is erased and his noble/regal posture restored. “Christ in you, the hope of glory”
(Colossians 1:27 RSV) is actualized in advance of its full realization; as
already stated, “We have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future
glory” (Romans 8:23).
In summation, our
terrestrial/earthly body has a fading glory called shame; it is better not to
shine in that state of humiliation. But
also, our celestial/heavenly body has a permanent glory which will shine bright
and true in due course. In the meantime,
as we wait in hope, let us glory in His glory and be a light shining out of
darkness. Our earthen jar is earthly,
weak and for common (not honorable) duty; nonetheless, a bright, beautiful and
honorable treasure resides inside our hearts.
Somehow, until our own glory is perfected in its celestial body
expression, we must unleash His glory from out of our hearts and through our
terrestrial body. As scripture says, “We
have this precious treasure [the good news about salvation] in [unworthy]
earthen vessels [of human frailty], so that the grandeur and surpassing
greatness of the power will be [shown to be] from God [His sufficiency] and not
from ourselves” (2 Corinthians 4:7 AMP).
Someday, Christ in us, our hope of glory, “will transform and fashion
anew the body of our humiliation to conform to and be like the body of His
glory and majesty” (Philippians 3:21 AMPC).
