OUR HOUSE FROM HEAVEN

"For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven; inasmuch as we, having put it on, shall not be found naked. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed, but to be clothed, in order that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord--for we walk by faith, not by sight--we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:1-8).

Devotion 5 of 12

CRITICAL TO LIVING BY FAITH

The Spirit apprizes us in Scripture of the criticality of living by faith in a wicked world. Every
advantage is given to the believer to enable him to "keep the faith," fighting the "good fight of faith" until "the end." A confident persuasion of the raising of the dead is essential in this fight!

Of old time, false teachers nullified the faith of many by teaching the resurrection had already taken place. Paul warned Timothy about these teachers. "Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some" (2 Tim 2:17-18). If you suppose for one moment that we are addressing an inconsequential doctrine, think again! If the faith of those in the first century was "destroyed" because the hope of the resurrection was taken from them, what will be the lot of those that have no settled persuasion about it today? It is significant to note there has been a resurgence of this false doctrine in our time. No small number of professed believers affirm the resurrection with has already taken place, or is taking place every day, on a one-by-one basis.

The end of death's reign

The resurrection will announce the demise of the natural order. For the believer, everything that has been tainted by sin will then be changed, and death will be "swallowed up" by life. It will be a glad day when nothing about us is corruptible! "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" (1 Cor 15:54).

Everything about the believer's personal habitat will be altered by the resurrection. All of the
liabilities will be taken away! What was corrupted by sin will be altered by glory. Total newness will characterize our new bodies. This is in keeping with life in Christ Jesus. Thus it is written, "So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body" (1 Cor 15:42-44).

Salvation demands our resurrection

Our resurrection is necessitated by the very nature of salvation. If God did not raise us, the Gospel would not be Gospel! Our resurrection will complete our identity with the Lord Jesus Christ. How frequently the Spirit appeals to our hearts on this matter. "And God hath both raised up he Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power" (1 Cor 6:14). "Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you" (2 Cor 4:14).

Saints of old lived and died in the hope of being raised from the dead. The thought of resurrection was so prominent that some refused earthly deliverance in order that they might be blessed in the resurrection. "Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection" (Heb 11:35). How strange the words sound to an earthly church! No wonder they do not speak about it.

Prominent in preaching

Wherever he preached, Paul mentioned the resurrection of the dead. It caused the Athenians and Stoics, immersed in the wisdom of this world, to scoff (Acts 17:32). Paul challenged unbelieving Agrippa with the heart of his message; "Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?" (Acts 26:8).

Not a novel doctrine

When, therefore, we speak of the resurrection, we are not speaking of novelties! The resurrection is something for which we long--faith compels us to do so! Then we will be made complete. Then, the final vestiges of sin will be removed from us, praise the Lord! The fact that it is so rarely taught today indicates the nature of the times. We are living in "perilous times," where religious people "deny the power" of spiritual life (2 Tim 3:5). The bodily resurrection is on the "powerful" side of things. It will be accomplished by the power of God, and will result in our bodies being raised "in power," or with robust capacities. The reason the resurrection is mentioned infrequently in our time, is that it does not fit in with current religious emphases! It does not appear relevant to the contemporary religious mind. However, it is extremely relevant to the spiritual mind.

PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank You for revealing we will be raised from the dead, incorruptible, and with every trace of death destroyed. I long for the day when I will no longer dwell in a frail house of clay, and be subject to the weakness of mortality. In the name of Jesus, strengthen me for the day of the resurrection!

-- TOMORROW: THE RESURRECTION BODY --