“For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God … And not only they, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, that is, the redemption of our body” (Rom. 8: 19+23).

According to Gen. 1: 27, “God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him.” This creation was in the spiritual body. Later the Lord God made man from the earth. “And the Lord formed man of the dust of the ground…” (Gen. 2: 7). It was in this body of flesh that man fell. Therefore God who is Spirit had to become man in the Son to redeem us from this body of death and restore us back to be sons of God into divine fellowship with Him. Finally we shall be in His image, in the spiritual body. “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Rom. 8: 29).

“The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly” (I Cor. 15: 47-49).

Those who truly believe are longing to have part in the first resurrection, the changing of the body, and the taking away from this earth to glory.

“For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is not hope; for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?” (Rom. 8: 24). Through the once and for all accomplished work of redemption on the Cross of Calvary we are actually placed back into the same state we were before the fall. We are totally redeemed and are just waiting for the translation of this body.

Paul expresses his desire to participate in this privileged resurrection in the following verse: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead” (Phil. 3: 10-11).

Just as it is certain that an earthly body is taken to the grave, in the same way we can be sure that a spiritual body will be resurrected. The true believers living at the time of the return of Jesus Christ will be changed and receive the resurrection body. “Be-loved, now are we the children of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (I Jn. 3: 2).

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was crucified and buried, rose bodily on the third day. After this He was with His disciples forty days, teaching them the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. He ate with them and had fellowship with them (Lk. 24: 36-49; Acts 1: 3). “And he led them out as far as to Bethany; and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven” (Lk. 24: 50-51). “And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; who also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1: 9-11).

As already mentioned, the return of Jesus Christ will be a reality, not a religious fantasy, but an undisputable fact with visible marks which will accompany that great event at the end of the time of grace. That which we read in Lk. 17: 34-36 will become a bitter reality to many: “I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.”

“For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God … And not only they, but ourselves also, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, that is, the redemption of our body” (Rom. 8: 19+23).

According to Gen. 1: 27, “God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him.” This creation was in the spiritual body. Later the Lord God made man from the earth. “And the Lord formed man of the dust of the ground…” (Gen. 2: 7). It was in this body of flesh that man fell. Therefore God who is Spirit had to become man in the Son to redeem us from this body of death and restore us back to be sons of God into divine fellowship with Him. Finally we shall be in His image, in the spiritual body. “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Rom. 8: 29).

“The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly” (I Cor. 15: 47-49).

Those who truly believe are longing to have part in the first resurrection, the changing of the body, and the taking away from this earth to glory.

“For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is not hope; for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?” (Rom. 8: 24). Through the once and for all accomplished work of redemption on the Cross of Calvary we are actually placed back into the same state we were before the fall. We are totally redeemed and are just waiting for the translation of this body.

Paul expresses his desire to participate in this privileged resurrection in the following verse: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death, if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead” (Phil. 3: 10-11).

Just as it is certain that an earthly body is taken to the grave, in the same way we can be sure that a spiritual body will be resurrected. The true believers living at the time of the return of Jesus Christ will be changed and receive the resurrection body. “Be-loved, now are we the children of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (I Jn. 3: 2).

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was crucified and buried, rose bodily on the third day. After this He was with His disciples forty days, teaching them the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. He ate with them and had fellowship with them (Lk. 24: 36-49; Acts 1: 3). “And he led them out as far as to Bethany; and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven” (Lk. 24: 50-51). “And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; who also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1: 9-11).

As already mentioned, the return of Jesus Christ will be a reality, not a religious fantasy, but an undisputable fact with visible marks which will accompany that great event at the end of the time of grace. That which we read in Lk. 17: 34-36 will become a bitter reality to many: “I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.”