Wednesday, May 02, 2007

Resurrection of the Body

Now that the sermon's done, I can focus on doing research for my next paper on the bodily resurrection. I have 2 weeks do research and write my paper. Then I have a week to study for my final exam for Systematic B.

The purpose of writing this paper is to lay out the theology of the physical resurrection, but in particular, to indicate that the physical resurrection points to God's approval of the material world, and in particular, the human body. I believe there will be continuity (as well as discontinuity) to both, the physical world and our physical resurrection bodies.

The new heavens and the new earth do not imply that the "old" earth will be obliterated. It will be made new, yes, but made new does not mean that the old will be "burnt". Transformed, refined, renewed, yes, but not destroyed. Heaven will be "otherworldly", to be sure, but it will still consist of materiality - perfected, imperishable - much like what we see and touch in our world today.

The resurrection of Jesus is the anchor of our hope in not only our own physical resurrection, but also in the perfected physicality of heaven.

I. Corinthians 15 will serve as a good foundation for the paper.

Question/Implication: if we will have a physical body in heaven, and if heaven will consist of matter, does that impact the way we treat our bodies here now? Does it impact the way we treat the earth now? I think there are some serious implications.....

2 comments:

Faith K said...

Wow... I never realized how far back you actually traced your blogs...

cub said...

i'm going to try and catch up .. as best i can. i kept a mini-journal in my calendar so that i could re-trace my steps. :D