1 Corinthians 15:42-44 So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is 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. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.
There are some similarities and differences between the body we have on earth and our resurrected body. The essence of who we are remains but the type of existence we will Iive will be different. Paul continues the analogy of the seed with the word “sown.” Just like a dead seed is put into the ground and out sprouts something wonderfully different, so the human body will be transformed into something different. Paul gives a series of comparisons in these verses to show this:
Earthly Body Resurrected Body
Perishable Imperishable
Dishonor Glory
Weakness Power
Natural body Spiritual body
We can easily understand the left column. The human body is temporary, prone to sickness and fatigue, hunger, and many other ailments. It can be ravished by sinful actions and lead us to dishonoring activities. It is weak and gives in to temptations and exhaustion. It is made of things of this world. Although Paul did not know about cells, molecules, and atoms, like we do today, what he says here is consistent with modern science. The body we have today is bound to this earth and will return to the dust and various elements form which it was made.
The items in the right columns are the more challenging for us. The new body will not be bound by anything in this world because it will not be made of earthly matter. It will be raised into a new type of existence. It will be able to be in the presence of God. It will be the culmination of God’s plan for the human race. This earth was always only a temporary situation for humanity as God moved history along to a new form of existence for us. The new body will not be prone to death. So much of what we do now fights off the affects of death: eating, sleeping, exercising, medicine, and so forth. Our whole life somehow attempts to ward off death and its sadness. The new resurrected body will be free from all of this. We cannot imagine this in our present situation. Finally, this new body will be spiritual and not made of earthly matter. This is perhaps the greatest mystery for us. We will have a body but a different type of body. It will not be made of flesh and blood but of spirit. It will be recognizable as a body yet fundamentally different. This is a wonderful hope for us, especially for those who suffer from disease or disabilities. This is our hope.
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