Christ was resurrected with a spiritual body

Paul states several times in his writings that Jesus was raised with a spiritual body. This can be misunderstood by itself so I think more needs to be said to avoid that misunderstanding. When Paul mentions that the resurrected body will be spiritual, he undoubtedly uses this terminology to include a flesh and bones body like ours but greatly improved to the point of being imperishable, powerful and glorious. Looking at 1 Corinthians 15:42 – 46 we see that he did explain it as showing a great difference in the body we are to have at the resurrection as compared with the one we experience now.

THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF BODIES

1 Corinthians 15:44 says that there are two kinds of bodies for human beings. We are now in physical soul bodies that are mortal and will eventually die and decompose. But we are promised that Christ will return one day to resurrect us giving us immortality. It is at this time that we will be given immortal spiritual bodies of flesh and bones like the glory of Christ’s body after his resurrection and at his ascension. In Lk. 24:39, Jesus before the eleven disciples says “Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” Jesus’ resurrected body was still one of flesh and bones but with the new dimension of being a spiritual body of power and glory.

TO HAVE BODIES LIKE CHRIST’S RESURRECTION BODY

1 John 3:2 says: 2 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

Philippians 3:20 − 21 further says that he will transform our bodies to be like his glorious body. And 1 Corinthians 15:45 says Christ was raised from the grave as a life giving spirit.

All of these passages must include the idea that the spiritual body includes flesh and bones, just in a more power glorified dimension.

THE CHANGE TO BE MADE AT THE RESURRECTION

2 Corinthians 5:1 − 10 is about Paul’s desire to exchange his old earthly body for a new heavenly body at the resurrection so he could live with the Lord. Verse 8 in this portion of scripture says he desired to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. Some misquote this to say that to be away from the body is to be present with the Lord. The word “and” means that there are two thoughts and that they can refer to two different times. Paul later says in Colossians 3:4 that he knows he will be with the Lord at his appearing, which is at the Second Coming when the resurrection takes place.

Paul further explained what will happen at the resurrection that confirms this. In 1 Corinthians 15:53 − 54 he said that the perishable must cloth themselves with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality. To be imperishable or immortalone’s present body must be changed to a spiritual body like the one in which Christ was raised from the grave. Paul, again, has something to say about this too. He says in 1 Corinthians 15:50 − 58 that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable, speaking of the fully realized kingdom of the future at the Second Coming of Christ. It will necessitate an act of Christ and a change in our bodies at his return. We are presently a part of Christ’s kingdom now in a spiritual sense, for he said during his ministry that the kingdom was near and at the door. This kingdom was not to be of this world but a spiritual kingdom that we as born again saints and believers in Christ are now participating with our spiritual gifts.

CONCLUSION

Since we are told that there are two kinds of bodies that humans can possess and that at the resurrection there is to be a change from mortal to immortal, which necessitates a change of the body make up, then we must realize that this body of ours presently is only temporary. It has to be changed to a new body like that of Christ when he returns. From the texts above and Luke 24:39 – 43, it should be clear that Christ did have a spiritual body with flesh and bones. How else could we explainhow John saw the linen strips that once wrapped the body of Jesus at his burial no longer contained his body (John 20:3 – 10)? His physical body of flesh and bones was transformed into a new spiritual body with new abilities to penetrate through solids. Other passages described him appearing in rooms with the doors closed. When he told Thomas that he was not a spirit, he meant he was not a ghost but real, while appearing in a spiritual body of flesh and bones. It was in this body that he ascended to the Father in heaven, and it is in this body that he will return to change us so we can be with him where he is then, in the kingdom of heaven on the restored earth.