A Biblical Perspective on Race (part 4)

I Corinthians 15:35–45

Up to this point, we have discussed the origin of man. We were made in God's image and have a common ancestry in Adam. We also looked at our common salvation in Christ. He is legally able to redeem us because He is our relative through that same common ancestry, and He is both willing and able to save us. If that was as far as the scriptures took us, it would be enough. BUT THERE'S MORE!

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But someone will say, “How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?” Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain—perhaps wheat or some other grain. But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body. All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.

I Corinthians 15:35–45

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Paul gives us this strange passage about different types of bodies. He tells us that there are different kinds of bodies, or flesh, for different animals, people, and even heavenly beings. He then uses this same idea to tell us that there is also a difference in the mortal body and the body that will be prepared for us in Heaven. This body he calls the "spiritual body", and it is the one we will receive in the resurrection.

Not only does Paul tell us about different types of flesh, but he also talks about different types of glory. In this he talks about the difference in the brilliance of the sun, moon, and stars. This comparison is also related to our new bodies we receive in the resurrection. We do not know exactly what these bodies will be like, but apparently there will be some kind of glow, or glory to them.

I skipped over the first part of this passage for a reason. I want us to see what ties all this together. Paul's other lesson taught here is that of planting a seed. A seed dies, is buried, and then after some time new life springs forth. Paul uses this same idea to teach us about our resurrection bodies. When we die, we are buried. After some time, just like that seed, we will spring forth into new life with our resurrected bodies. The first body, which is planted, we receive because of our common ancestry with Adam. The second body we receive because of the new life we received in Christ at our salvation. Paul calls them the "First Adam" and the "Last Adam".

When we make these arbitrary distinctions among ourselves, we miss the beauty of the unity we have in Christ. We miss out on the opportunity to worship and pray with so many fellow believers because we see divisions that God does not see. There will come a day when all of this division will be put away permanently. When we receive those new bodies, no believer will be concerned with the pigment of their own or anyone else's skin. We will be too excited about seeing our Savior and our loved ones who went ahead of us to Heaven.

If you are a Christian reading this, isn't it good to know that we will not have to deal with pain or suffering in Eternity! That also includes the relief from all the racial tensions we have endured here on earth. We will no longer be concerned with being verbally attacked because of our race, nor will we be afraid to speak with anyone in heaven because of the division this world teaches us to have among ourselves.

Father, we long for those resurrection bodies we will have one day. While we do not know exactly what You have in store for us, we know that it has to be better than this sin-cursed body we live in now. I pray that we would not wait for our new bodies to try and live in unity with other believers, but rather that we would do our best to walk in Your love while we are in these bodies and in this life.