The Amazing Resurrection of the Dead预览

Robes of white

An old gospel song has these lyrics:

I’ve got a robe, you’ve got a robe,
All of God’s children got a robe,
When I get to heaven, goin’ to put on my robe,
Goin’ to shout all over God’s heaven.

I used to think that this meant literally wearing a white gown or something. But actually, the Bible says that white clothing represents our new, righteous human bodies that we will put on when Jesus comes again (Revelation 7:9-10; 19:8).

So Peter the apostle talks about his approaching death as putting off his earthly body (2 Peter 1:13-14) and Paul describes dying as being undressed and left naked, longing to be further clothed (2 Corinthians 5:1-4).

Naturally, being made alive again in our existing bodies will be both impossible and undesirable. Bodies in the grave are partially or totally decomposed. Even the valiant attempts of ancient peoples like the Egyptians could not prevent this. And then there are those whose lives ended with drowning or burning or nuclear disintegration or some other calamity. For them, the only hope is a completely new body which, as we have seen, will be created and donned ‘in the twinkling of an eye’ as ‘this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality (1 Corinthians 15:52-53).

Paul also uses the analogy of living in a perishable tent. It has its limitations. Much of the time, we are full of complaints, and we hope for better things, but there is a much better dwelling—an eternal, heavenly dwelling—waiting for all who are in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:1-2).

These analogies seem to be conflicting, but Paul doesn’t appear to be too troubled about this; he mixes them up easily enough. In reality, this adaptability may suggest that post-resurrection life may be flexible, even variable, and of such a nature that we can’t fully comprehend it. Who knows what wonders await?

One question people often ask is whether we will recognise each other. There is no reason why we shouldn’t. Even though changed, Jesus was recognisable after he rose from the grave, and I assume we will be, too. But it is also obvious that not everyone recognised him straight away—Mary, for example, and the disciples on the Galilean beach—although it was not long before they did. The case of the two disciples on the Emmaus road was different again: they were prevented from recognising him (Luke 24:16, 31).

Our new life will be like a wonderful flower or a beautiful garment or a magnificent temple, or all of them together. And as the last trumpet sounds, the transformation will happen instantaneously, an international worldwide miracle, a bewildering but wonderful makeover. an awe-inspiring introduction to an indescribable never-ending new life.

What next?

Imagine a conversation between you and some friends on that resurrection morning. What sort of things do you think you would talk about? List some words that might describe how you would feel. Perhaps ask a colleague or family member what they think.

Read (aloud), record, repeat, and recall 2 Corinthians 5:8.