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April 13 Daily Devotional

A Spiritual Body

Frans Bakker

It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. —1 Corinthians 15:44

Bible Reading

1 Corinthians 15:42–45

Devotional

The natural body must die because it is too weak, sinful, and corrupt to be glorified with Jesus. Too much happens in the natural body for it to be able to serve God in perfection. The natural flesh is too weak and the physical blood is too polluted. Do the Scriptures not say that sin takes place in the body? Already here on earth the members of the body have to be mortified. We understand this, if we have experienced something of the grace of Christ’s resurrection. But the body will be fully put to death only when it is laid in the grave. People who have received grace experience that flesh and blood do not agree with the new life.

Not only sin, but also all the weaknesses of the body must be put off. When the body may be sown in this manner, the person who is sick will leave his sickness in the grave forever. Neither will there be any more thorns in the flesh. Nothing will defile or corrupt this glorified body and, therefore, it will be able to serve God in perfection. Not the slightest residue of corruption will remain, for Christ did not rise in vain. He lives unto God and to live unto God is eternal life. Therefore there will be a spiritual body, a body entirely devoted to the service of the Lord, a temple of the Holy Spirit.

Dearly beloved, do you think such a body is also laid away for you? For you are either saved body and soul, or both perish together. Have you already become weary of your body? Maybe this is because of sickness or physical weakness, but note especially that it is because of your sin. You see, for such people the risen Christ is so very precious. They learn to need Him to mortify their flesh and blood in principle on this side of the grave. In this way they learn to live through Him who defeated sin on the cross. And such people will obtain their desire.

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.

 

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