Romans 8:17 ¶ And if
children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that
we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this
present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which
shall be revealed in us. 19 For the
earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons
of God. 20 For the creature was made
subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the
same in hope, 21 Because the
creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the
glorious liberty of the children of God. 22
For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain
together until now. 23 And not only they,
but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves
groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption
of our body. 24 For we are saved by
hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet
hope for? 25 But if we hope for that we
see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
As children of God we are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ
of all things visible and invisible. This is our destiny. The question in verse
17 is one of suffering. Must we suffer the physical agony of persecution and
death as Christ did to have that inheritance? This has confused some in the
past.
It is absurd for us to think that every saved Christian has been
martyred or murdered to assure their salvation. Certainly, there were martyrs
in the past who looked at their violent death at the hands of others as a way
to obtain eternal life. In fact, I have read that in some early persecutions
there was altogether too much volunteering to die going on so that pastors had
to tell people that was not necessary or even acceptable to ask to be killed.
Persecution would come to them without them seeking martyrdom.
Still, we must understand the context in which this is said. The
early Christian lived in a world that hated them and hated Christ in a way we
cannot understand with our Constitution’s Bill of Rights which guarantees
religious freedom or even the modern belief in more civilized societies that
all religions should be respected and allowed to practice. See the commands and
expectations to suffer persecution for Christ.
Let’s focus on the word suffer and its derivations when it means,
not to permit or allow something, but to endure affliction, persecution, and
tribulation. One of the cruelest demands made against Christians under torture
was to renounce Christ.
1Corinthians 4:12 And
labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted,
we suffer it:
PhIlippians 1:29 For unto
you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also
to suffer for his sake;
2Thessalonians 1:5 Which is
a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted
worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:
1Timothy 4:10 For therefore
we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is
the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.
2Timothy 1:12 For the which
cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know
whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I
have committed unto him against that day.
2Timothy 2:9 Wherein I
suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not
bound…12 If we suffer, we shall also
reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
2Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all
that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
If you live as a Christian it is sure that at some point in your
life you will endure persecution for it, even if it is mild.
But, the context of verse 18 is the present time that Paul is
living. You not being permitted to put up a scripture verse in your office
cubicle hardly compares to what early Christians had to endure.
We wait selfishly for a good reason earnestly expecting and in the
hope of the receiving of a resurrection body that will not suffer and die. All
of our lives we are subject to the bondage of death.
Hebrews 2:15 And deliver
them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
But we wait expectantly in hope for a new body.
Job 14:14 If a man die,
shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my
change come.
See this verse also on a physical resurrection from Job, written
between 1500 to 2000BC.
Job
19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 26
And though after my skin
worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see
God: 27 Whom I shall see for myself, and
mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though
my reins be consumed within me.
And a thousand years later see this verse on a physical
resurrection from Isaiah.
Isaiah
26:19 Thy dead men shall live, together
with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in
dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and
the earth shall cast out the dead.
And then, a few hundred years later, as Daniel writes under the
reigns of the last Babylonian emperors and the first Persian.
Daniel
12:2 And many of them that sleep in the
dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting
life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Keeping this understanding of the ancient Jew and Gentile before
the Jew came into being (Job) read the “dry bones” prophesy in Ezekiel 37.
Ezekiel
37:12 Therefore prophesy and say unto
them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves,
and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of
Israel.
See the following on the rapture or translation, the Biblical
term, of the church;
1Thessalonians 4:13 ¶ But I
would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep,
that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose
again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the
Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not
prevent them which are asleep. 16 For
the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the
archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the
air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18
Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Our current flesh and blood cannot inherit eternal life. It is
just not possible for it to do so. At this point I think a reading of
1Corinthians 15 is relevant.
1Corinthians 15:1 ¶
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto
you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in
memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that
which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the
scriptures; 4 And that he was buried,
and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the
twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of
above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this
present, but some are fallen asleep. 7
After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of
one born out of due time. 9 For I am the
least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I
persecuted the church of God. 10 But by
the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was
not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the
grace of God which was with me. 11
Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
12 ¶ Now if Christ be preached that he rose from
the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there be no resurrection of
the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14
And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith
is also vain. 15 Yea, and we are found
false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up
Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ
raised: 17 And if Christ be not raised,
your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18
Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ,
we are of all men most miserable.
20 ¶ But now is Christ risen from the dead, and
become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the
dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so
in Christ shall all be made alive. 23
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they
that are Christ’s at his coming. 24 Then
cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the
Fatherwhen he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all
enemies under his feet. 26 The last
enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27
For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things
are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things
under him. 28 And when all things shall
be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that
put all things under him, that God may be all in all. 29 Else what shall they do which are baptized
for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the
dead? 30 And why stand we in jeopardy
every hour? 31 I protest by your
rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. 32 If after the manner of men I have fought with
beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and
drink; for to morrow we die. 33
Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. 34 Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some
have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
35 ¶ But some man will say, How are the dead
raised up? and with what body do they come? 36
Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
37 And that which thou sowest, thou
sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or
of some other grain: 38 But God giveth
it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. 39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is
one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and
another of birds. 40 There are also
celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is
one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 41 Thereis one glory of the sun, and another
glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from
another star in glory. 42 So also is the
resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in
incorruption: 43 It is sown in
dishonour; 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 a spiritual
body. 45 And so it is written, The first
man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is
spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth,
earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are
earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. 49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy,
we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and
blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit
incorruption.
51 ¶ Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not
all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the
trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall
be changed. 53 For this corruptible must
put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on
incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be
brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave,
where is thy victory? 56 The sting of
death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the
victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 ¶ Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye
stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye
know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
So, in order to live forever we must have a body different than
one of mortal flesh and blood. We can be resurrected because inside each of us,
if we have received Christ, the very Spirit of God dwells. Because of that we
will be resurrected and with a different, spiritual body we can enter into
eternity with the LORD who created us.
This is our expectation and hope, the vital understanding of the
meaning of Easter, the resurrection of Christ celebrated, whether it is
worshipped once a year, every Sunday, or every day, as it should be. We will
triumph over death by the One who resides in us. We have that hope.
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