A Holy Body One Day
God will give to all Christians a perfect and sinless body one day. It will happen on the day of resurrection. This blessed hope of the believer was taught by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:51- 53 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
Resurrection of Jesus Christ
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the basis for the resurrection of the saints. In 1 Corinthians 15:20-23, Paul wrote, “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.” Christ is the Prototype of the resurrection. His resurrection ensures the resurrection of all who belong to His kingdom. Adam was man’s representative head in the very beginning. In the garden, Adam fell into sin, and all of mankind fell with him and came under the judgement of death on account of his sin (Gen 2:16–17, 3:1– 7). But God was gracious, and promised a Saviour in Jesus Christ (Gen 3:15). Christ, the greater Adam, was man’s Representative Substitute, and all believers, on account of His death on the cross shall receive the gift of eternal life and live forevermore (Rom 5:12–21). “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
Resurrection of the Saints
All believers, like Christ their Saviour, shall be resurrected one day.“For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 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. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 15:53–57).
Before the wrath of God befalls this wicked world, not only will there be a resurrection of believers who have already died in Christ, but also a rapture of believers who are still alive on earth when Jesus returns in the clouds. The word “rapture” is the Latin translation of the Greek word harpazo, “caught up,” in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 (cf Acts 8:39, 2 Cor 12:2, 4).
The catching up of the saints to heaven while they are still alive is not something that has not happened before. In the Old Testament, we have the examples of Enoch and Elijah who were taken up while they were still alive (Gen 5:24 and 2 Kgs 2:11). Both Enoch and Elijah did not experience death, and in the last days when Jesus returns, there will be believers who will not taste death, but will be caught up suddenly to meet the Lord in the air. This is the blessed hope of New Testament believers.
Paul calls the rapture a “mystery” (1 Cor 15:51). Now, the word “mystery” (Greek musterion) is used 27 times in the New Testament to refer to truths that were not explicitly known in the Old Testament but now clearly revealed in the New Testament. It is now clearly revealed that when the last trumpet is blown, the saints will all be changed in a micro-second (1 Cor 15:52). What does the trumpet sound here mean? The trumpet sound means two things: (1) it is a call to worship (Rev 11:15–17), and (2) it is a call to war (Rev 11:18). The saints are called to worship God in heaven, and the angels are called to pour out God’s wrath on the earth.
When the last trumpet is blown, “we shall all be changed. … For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Cor 15:52). In other words, the mighty hand of the Lord will resurrect the bodies of the departed saints, and the living believers will be raptured, and all will receive their glorified bodies that will last forever.
A Glorified Body
What will the resurrection body be like? The answer is found in the resurrection of Christ who is “the firstborn among many brethren” (Rom 8:29). When the Lord Jesus rose from the grave, His resurrected body was a physical one. He was not a ghost, phantom, or spirit. He had flesh and bones (Luke 24:36–43). He could be touched (John 20:20). He had the ability to consume food (John 21:12–15).
The resurrection body of Christ had all the above physical or natural characteristics, yet at the same time it had the following metaphysical or supernatural abilities: being able to enter into a room which was completely locked and bolted (John 20:19, 26), and being able to appear and disappear all of a sudden and be transported to another place in a moment (Luke 24:31).
Such a resurrected body is described in several ways in the classic chapter on the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15. The resurrected body is described as (1) incorruptible (1 Cor 15:42), (2) glorified (1 Cor 15:43), (3) powerful (1 Cor 15:43), (4)spiritual (1 Cor 15:44), and (5) heavenly (1 Cor 15:47). This body cannot be plagued by disease, will never get sick, does not age or decay, feels no pain, never gets hungry or thirsty, or become tired or weary. More significantly is the fact that sin will be completely and finally removed from this body once and for all. It will no longer sin or be tempted with sin. It is truly a super and a sinless body.
What a glorious day it will be when we finally enter into glory with our glorified bodies! JK
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Filipino Gospel Rally
A Report by Dr Jose Lagapa
Praise the Lord for the opportunity given to the Filipino Fellowship of Calvary Pandan B-P Church and the Filipino Bible Study in True Life B-P Church to hold a Combined Filipino Gospel Rally. This event was held on the Lord’s Day, July 15, 2012 at 3 pm in the AV Room of Calvary Pandan BPC.
The noticeable increase in number of Filipino workers in Singapore and the reality that most of them are still unreached by the Gospel compelled us to hold this meeting. For as Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:16, “necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” Although majority of Filipinos claim to be “Christians,” they are still like the Athenians in Acts 17 who were superstitious and idolatrous. It is our desire that our fellow countrymen may know also the truth of the saving knowledge by grace through faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ alone!
With over 20 visitors, the Gospel Rally started off with a singspiration of Tagalog hymns. Then a testimony by Ms Narcita Talorete revealed the abounding grace of God in her life. By God’s higher appointment unknown to her, she came to Singapore to work under a Christian employer. At first, she felt obligated to go with them to church since she had to take care of the children. But God is merciful to open her eyes to the truth and saved her. Today, even though she is with another employer, she is still zealously attending the Sunday services of Calvary Pandan BPC and the Filipino Fellowship.
Pastor Jeffrey Khoo expounded God’s Word from Acts 17:22-31. It is from this passage that the theme of the Gospel Rally was taken, “Prepare for that Appointment.” Pastor Khoo emphasised the inescapable day appointed for all men, the time when they must stand before God. “Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead” (Acts 17:31). He challenged the audience to make sure they will face God as their Father and Saviour and not as their Judge and Executioner for God will cast all unbelievers into the lake of fire on that final day.
The Gospel Rally ended with a time of fellowship and refreshments. Indeed, “God is no respecter of person” (Acts 10:34). The seed of the Gospel has been sown. Let us pray that in God’s perfect timing we will see the fruits. It is our prayer that the believers might become missionaries to their own families and relatives back in the Philippines to tell them the Good News of the free and perfect gift of salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ alone.
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LBPC v FEBC Update
On April 11, 2012, the Court of Appeal directed Life Bible-Presbyterian Church (LBPC) and Far Eastern Bible College (FEBC) to submit their respective terms of reference (TOR) for the joint sharing and usage of the premises with the purpose of preventing further or future disputes.
On July 25, 2012, the Court of Appeal, having considered submissions from both parties, issued the TOR in a Supplementary Judgment ([2012] SGCA 37) which by and large mirrored FEBC’s proposal. A High Court judge would be appointed to draw up a scheme “setting out the respective rights and obligations of LBPC and FEBC in relation to the use/occupation and maintenance of the Premises … to equitably cater to the present and foreseeable future needs of LBPC and FEBC without unfairly subordinating the interests of one institution to the interests of the other.”
Do pray for God’s wisdom to be upon the High Court judge, and the settling of an equitable and workable scheme for both sides.
“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. … For he is a minister of God to thee for good.” (Rom 13:1, 2, 4).
