Resurrection Hope: Not just the idea, but the reality
Yanadi shares with us on how the resurrection has present implications for us, especially as we struggle and face sufferings in life.
Being born into a Christian family and educated in a mission school, the idea of resurrection is something that I hear frequently. My more creedal friends would even regularly recite part of the creed that says "I believe in ... the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen." But being a non-believer back then, that was an idea that was absurd to me.
After becoming a Christian and learning Christian doctrines, however, I somewhat still think that this life is all there is for physical life. Beyond this, I thought, we will turn into floating spirits in a reality where there is no land; the Christians turn into happy floating spirits, while the non-Christians, unhappy ones. It is not that nobody taught me about physical resurrection, but rather, I let my own imagination dictate what I practically believe.
Apparently, quite a number of Christians think like me. I suppose it is because the topic of death is a topic that we generally avoid because it is uncomfortable for us. However, as Christians, we need not be uncomfortable with the topic of death as Apostle Paul says, "What you sow does not come to life unless it dies." (1 Cor 15:36) Indeed, Christ saves us through His death. And the good news is that Christ did not stay dead, but resurrected from the dead. This is the centre of our Christian faith. So, if death and resurrection is central, not only should we understand it well, we should also look forward to it joyfully.
What does the Bible teach about resurrection?
But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
- 1 Corinthians 15:20-23
Christ's resurrection is good news to us because we, His people, will share in His resurrection. That means, as Christ was resurrected physically, those who have been united with Him will also be resurrected physically. In exchange to our earthly bodies that is perishable, the resurrection bodies will be imperishable; from dishonor to glory, from weakness to power, from natural to spiritual, from earth-origin to heaven-origin, from bearing the image of the man of dust to bearing the image of the man of heaven, from mortal to immortal (1 Cor 15:42-49, 53-54).
If we will have physical bodies, will we live in a physical place too? Yes! The new heaven and the new earth will replace the current heaven and the current earth (Rev 21:1). Therein we will live physically but without the presence of death, mourning, crying, and pain (Rev 21:4). Shouldn't we look forward to such future?
So what?
We should stop thinking that there is no physical resurrection. Saying that there is no physical resurrection implies that Christ was not physically resurrected either. Paul strongly insists that if Christ has not been raised, then the preaching of the gospel is in vain and our faith is in vain (1 Cor 15:12-14). So we ought to believe that we will be physically resurrected and live forever with Christ and our fellow Christians.
Other than that, we ought to look forward to the resurrection. But it is too easy to like the idea of resurrection without believing in the reality of resurrection.
I was recently diagnosed with cataract on my left eye. Too young to have a cataract. So when the doctor advised me to go for cataract surgery, I dreaded. The potential for pain is just so uncomfortable for me. Upon reflection, I realized that comfort in this life is a priority for me; that suffering is something that I would push back as much as I can. But, by God's grace, I was reminded that what I ultimately look forward to as a Christian is not anything in this life, but that in the life after. This reminder does not automatically make the potential for pain to go away, but it does rearrange my priorities, even if it requires me going through pain. I guess this is what it means by not just liking the idea of resurrection, but rather having faith in the reality of resurrection, unless I believe in vain (1 Cor 15:2).
But Paul tells us that the resurrection is not just a matter of the future, but it is also our present reality as the people who have been united with Christ, although its reality is not a physical one yet. Paul compares and contrasts the natural person and the spiritual person (1 Cor 2:14-16). We believe in the message of Christ crucified, which is a stumbling block to the natural world who is seeking for signs, wisdom and glory (1 Cor 1:21-25).
So as spiritual people, we trust not in worldly signs, worldly wisdom and worldly glory. Instead, we trust in the power of God and the wisdom of God that can turn what seems to be a defeat into the greatest ever victory, not just for Christ, but for His entire people, as we look forward to the final physical resurrection.
Now we can affirm together with our more creedal brothers and sisters, saying, "We believe in the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen." We will see one another again in our better bodies, as Christ has been resurrected and will resurrect us.
But more than that, let us be a people who do not just like Christian ideas, but also live out the reality of those Christian ideas and their implications in our current lives.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
- James 1:22
While this may be the last blog entry on Resurrection this year, we are currently running an EQUIP series on Growing in Jesus: Christian Doctrines, which will conclude with the doctrines on union with Christ and end times, where we will touch upon what will happen when Christ comes again to consummate the creation. There we will learn about physical resurrection as well as what will happen to believers and non-believers upon being resurrected. Join us every Tuesday evening on Zoom from 8pm to 9.10 pm.