July 14, 2017

Transformed! by Gary Rose


To view this picture: first, turn your head horizontally to the left (to view the younger person) and then, turn your head to the right (to view the older person). Same person, just aged.

Whether male or female, we all age. Sooner or later, we all get wrinkles, age spots and all the other things that go along with aging. But, what would it be like if we NEVER AGED?  

In a word- HEAVEN! Consider these two passages from the Bible...


Philippians, Chapter 3 (WEB)
 17 Brothers, be imitators together of me, and note those who walk this way, even as you have us for an example. 18 For many walk, of whom I told you often, and now tell you even weeping, as the enemies of the cross of Christ, 19 whose end is destruction, whose god is the belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who think about earthly things.  20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from where we also wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,  21 who will change the body of our humiliation to be conformed to the body of his glory, according to the working by which he is able even to subject all things to himself. (emp. added vs.21)

AND

1 Corinthians, Chapter 15 (WEB)

  35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised?” and, “With what kind of body do they come?”  36 You foolish one, that which you yourself sow is not made alive unless it dies.  37 That which you sow, you don’t sow the body that will be, but a bare grain, maybe of wheat, or of some other kind.  38 But God gives it a body even as it pleased him, and to each seed a body of its own.  39 All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds.  40 There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial differs from that of the terrestrial.  41 There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory.  42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown perishable; it is raised imperishable.  43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.  44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body and there is also a spiritual body. (emp. added, vss. 41-44)


  45 So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.  46 However that which is spiritual isn’t first, but that which is natural, then that which is spiritual.  47 The first man is of the earth, made of dust. The second man is the Lord from heaven.  48 As is the one made of dust, such are those who are also made of dust; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.  49 As we have borne the image of those made of dust, let’s also bear the image of the heavenly.  50 Now I say this, brothers, that flesh and blood can’t inherit God’s Kingdom; neither does the perishable inherit imperishable. 

  51 Behold, I tell you a mystery. We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,  52 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 will be changed.  53 For this perishable body must become imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.  54 But when this perishable body will have become imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then what is written will happen: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

55 “Death, where is your sting? 
Hades, where is your victory?”

(emp. added, vss. 54f.)


A new body that never ages is one of the perks of being a faithful Christian! We will just have to wait until we get to heaven to see it. I don't know exactly what age we will appear to be, but I feel quite sure that we will be happy about it! 

Beyond the appearance of our existence, there is the blessing of never having to die again, being with others who love God and enjoying the fellowship with God.

What more could one possible hope for???

No comments:

Post a Comment