Desiring The Redemption of The Body And To Be With Christ

Article aD 1989

This article was written after the writer heard a Christian who seemed to possibly fear

and dread death, excuse his fear and dread of death saying that even Apostle Paul indicated death must have a sting.

The Christian all his earth life must strive against his corrupt nature and must die to his natural inclinations daily, often even involving his desire for such things that are proper. The Christian all his earth life must suffer and accept that which is contrary to the natural man, must bear persecution, hate and lose what would otherwise be his natural life in this present world, and give himself to God in total and unreserved service as a living sacrifice to God. Yet when ones faith is alive in God, His salvation, His promises, and the eternal reward to come, one can suffer as such gladly. Paul properly practicing self denial, suffering the above afflictions, and being properly assured of heaven said, "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you" (Philippians 1:21-24). Clearly Paul's personal desire, with the exception of helping others be saved, was to depart and be with Christ rather than to remain with his corrupted nature in this dangerous and sorrowful battlefield of earth. aD-1

Paul in awareness of his corrupt and sin prone body wherein he must dwell while on earth said, "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not". O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?'' (Romans 7:18&24). This body of death and corruption was acquired through the sin and disobedience of our first parents in the Garden of Eden. Apostle Paul reveals that at the last trump when Christ returns to earth, man's corruption will put on incorruption and mortal will put on immortality. Paul reveals that in this transformation, death such as is come upon all man through Adam and Eve's sin, will be swallowed up in victory, and that the sting of this death will then be totally removed from those who experience this change. Paul reveals this in 1 Cor 15 verses 25-26 & 52-55 saying, "For he [Christ] must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death". "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 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 gave, where is thy victory". As Paul spoke so much of desiring to be with Christ is he here now saying physical death must have a sting? Note it is possible that Paul here speaking of the sting of death is speaking of the pain of the general death that is come upon all man because of sin and which pain the Christian must daily live with, rather than advocating that physical death of necessity must have a sting. Paul in verse 56 after saying the above says, "The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law". Paul here may be simply saying that the sting of death has it's basis in sin, or may be revealing that sin is what causes a sting in physical death. Yet Paul in the next verse 57 indicates that physical death need not have much or any sting for the Christian saying, "But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ". aD-2

The Christian throughout life must bear with this sting of death. Paul keenly aware of his corrupt inclinations and abhorring and striving against them and knowing the common striving he and his brethren shared in this said the following to his brethren at Rome, "And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body" (Romans 8:23). Paul again teaches how the true faith and Spirit causes one to desire to depart from his body of corruption and earth and be with Christ in that he tells his Corinthian brethren, "For we know that if our earthly house this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which" is from heaven" (2 Cor 5:1-2). Paul in his continuing verses 4-8 of this chapter basically repeats the above and again reveals as he did in Romans 8:23 that mans desire to depart and be with Christ is because they have the firstfruits of the spirit. He says, "For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the spirit. Therefore we are always confident knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith and not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord" (2 Cor 5:6-8). aD-3

An article near the beginning of the Martyrs Mirror concerning this subject reads, "We walk no longer upon earth with our thoughts, nevertheless, we are still encompassed by a cloud of earth, a body of clay, a heavy load of the soul. O, that we were free from it, and that our soul, liberated from this load, might return to God in heaven, her true origin! like a freed dove which has been confined in a strange place, returns to her nest and abode. But we must wait for this until the time which God has appointed, comes. Let us be patient together, then, most beloved in the Lord, till the day come, which, if we remain faithful unto the end, will assuredly bring us that which we here wait for in hope". aD-4

Likely this doctrine is one of the most misunderstood and disbelieved doctrines in our day. Yet likely it is because we are in those days of which Jesus said "...Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8). The writer heard one sincerely say concerning his faith in heaven, that he had been told it exists but had never there, thus it was not so real. One's faith and assurance in the heavenly home of the soul is only genuine, able to save, and able to cause one to be home sick for heaven when it has the anchor as had Apostle Peter's faith, which faith Jesus sanctioned saying, "flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven". It is unspeakably sad that the faith of many has no deeper anchor than only believing what they have been taught by others, for such faith is dead and possessors of such will never be able to enter heaven's infinite joys but rather will be cast into hell. The revelation from God upon which Peter's faith was anchored is one with receiving the earnest of the spirit. It is this true faith and the earnest of the spirit which when received and possessed, that saves, firmly assures one of heaven, reveals to one his corruption and responsibility toward God, and is the source which makes the true Christian home sick for heaven. Jesus said that upon Peter's faith in Christ and it's anchor, He would build His church and the gates of hell would not prevail against it. aD-5

Jesus said, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth... But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven..." (Matt 6:19-20). Paul said, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above... Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth" (Col 3:1-2). A Spirit inspired faith and a proper adherence to these teachings of Christ and Paul are the foundational links of having a proper desire to depart and be with Christ. Paul after that he had said that he had kept the faith said, "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing" (2 Tim 4:8). In conclusion may every reader soberly consider in which world their treasures lie, of which world they are a citizen, and whether or not they are home sick for heaven and awaiting Christ's return with anticipation. aD-6

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