The Daily Word of Righteousness

When a Christian Dies, #22

For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body [the body of our humbling], that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:21)

The Lord does not change our body when we die but at His appearing from Heaven. What kind of a body (if any) we shall have in the spirit realm after we die is not set forth in the Old or New Testament.

In the Day of resurrection our flesh and bones will be raised from the dead. Then we shall be clothed with a "house" from Heaven which is the direct result of our being cast down by persecutions and tribulations and raised up by the Life of Jesus. Those who have not entered the sufferings of the cross, who have not died in Jesus, who have not borne the reproach of the Gospel but have nourished their self-will, will be found naked in the Day of Christ.

Today we are dragging around a body of dead flesh. Our body constantly is attempting to persuade us to indulge its appetite for fornication, murder, drunkenness, lying, stealing, and every other practice contrary to the law of God. We have to fight without ceasing to insure that the Spirit of God is directing what we think, say, and do.

In the Day that is coming we shall be delivered from this body of death. Our body will be raised from the dead and then clothed with a body fashioned from the substance of resurrection life. Our new body will possess the same love for righteousness and hatred of sin that have been created in our spirit and soul. Our imprisonment will be over.

Those Christians who have chosen to live in the flesh are not eligible for the transformation of their body into the image of Jesus' body. They will be clothed in the body that is suitable for their untransformed spirit and soul.

The victorious saints will be changed into the image of Jesus when He appears.

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (I John 3:2)

Here is the desire of the righteous. Here is the hope of the patient saint. Here is the object of the "groaning" of the Apostle Paul. We shall be delivered from the prison of this present body. We shall be the eternal Temple of the Father and the Son. We shall be one with the Spirit of God. This is the salvation that is to come with the appearing of Christ.

To be continued.