What will be raised up, in the resurrection? 

The body says someone. Not so I answer, it is the BEING that God promises to raise up. It once existed, and lost existence and is to be raised up to existence or being again. Men, can resurrect a body from the tomb (that is, bring a body out of a tomb to the surface😉 but only God’s power can resurrect or bring to existence again a being who has died.

We see then that resurrection means the restoring of being. Now, “with what body do they (these beings) come” (into being again?) is a question asked by Paul. (1 Cor 15:35) [We have seen that being is made up of two elements, body, and spirit of life – hence if restored to being they must have some sort of bodies provided them.] Paul proceeds to tell us, that while each must have a body, yet, in the resurrection all beings will not have the same kind of bodies.

He says that there are two general sorts or kinds of bodies – the earthly or natural bodies, and the spiritual – heavenly bodies. There are two, perfect illustrations of these two kinds of bodies: Adam was the head of the earthly, human family and a pattern of the perfect human body. Christ Jesus at His resurrection was the first born from the dead to the perfect new nature, the spiritual, and He, “thus born of the Spirit, is spirit.” (John 3:6.) His is a sample or illustration of a perfect Spiritual body.

All humanity, belongs to one of two classes: either they are natural men – The ADAMIC SEED, or they have been begotten of the Spirit through the word of truth and have given themselves up to Christ (fully consecrated themselves), that the will of God might be done in them. This is the newly begotten man; he belongs to the SPIRITUAL SEED. Now says Paul, “God giveth it a body as it hath pleased Him and to every seed his own body.” That is, those who have, during the present life, become partakers of the divine nature must needs have a divine form – a “spiritual body” “like unto Christ’s glorious body” while those who have not thus changed nature would have no change of body. When again brought into being, they will have natural, human bodies.

The resurrection which some will have, to spiritual conditions of being – with spiritual bodies – is in Scripture designated as special, by calling it “The first resurrection,” first in importance – chief.

It is also frequently designated by the article THE (very noticeable in the Greek text; but less so in our English translations) for illustration – notice the following instances, (Luke 20:35.) “They that shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world and THE resurrection neither marry nor are given in marriage.” Again, Paul always taught that there would be “a resurrection both of the just and the unjust;” yet he says: If by any means I might attain unto THE resurrection. Phil 3:11. The first – to spiritual condition and being.

Again, he designates this resurrection to spiritual being as “His resurrection,” because Jesus was the first one so raised from death to spiritual being. “That I might know Him and the power of HIS resurrection (i.e., that I might be raised as He was raised.) Then follows an account of how he might attain to that glorious resurrection to spiritual being, viz.: “knowing the fellowship of His sufferings and being made conformable unto His death,” (Phil 3:10.)

None will attain to this chief resurrection, except they consecrate themselves entirely to God’s service, “We beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies (and all their powers, talents, reputations – all) a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, your reasonable service.” So shall you be among those who shall be in THE first resurrection for “Blessed and holy are all they that have part in THE FIRST resurrection: on such the second death hath no power; but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and reign with Him a thousand years.” (Rev 20:6.)

We can know little about the perfection and grandeur and powers of those who shall become spiritual beings except that they will be “like unto Christ’s glorious body.” (Phil 3:21.) As the Apostle says: It doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when He shall appear we shall be like Him.” (1 John 3:2.)

What an answer is this to those who claim that nothing is real but a flesh and bone body. Who would insist that Jesus, after His resurrection was the very same flesh and bones, He was before He died.

Was that a glorious body?

No, that was the body he took for the suffering of death – but being put to death in the flesh He was quickened by the Spirit, “a life-giving spirit.” (1 Cor 15:45) Now He is the express image of the Father’s person.

Is the Father and Creator of all things simply a great Man?

Nay, verily, “God is a Spirit.” “It doth not yet appear, what…but we shall be like Him.”

Away with that grossness of materialism, which can realize nothing higher than the natural, human plane. Let us take Paul’s account. There are human natural bodies and there are spiritual bodies. Both will be glorious, but the glory of the human, earthly, (terrestrial) is one thing and the glory of the spiritual, heavenly, celestial, is quite another and quite a different thing. See (1 Cor 15:40.)

The restored world of mankind shall be indeed glorious men like the perfect head of the human race, but that glory will not compare with “the glory that shall be revealed in us,” who have given up the human nature and become partakers of the divine nature, into the perfection of which we hope soon to be ushered. Like the earthly one (Adam) such will they be also that are earthly (human) – Like the heavenly one (Christ when “born from the dead“) – such will they be also that are heavenly, (now begotten to the heavenly nature by the word of God through the Spirit, then to be born into the perfection of that being). Verse 48.

Paul gives us a slight account of the great change from natural to spiritual which awaits those who have part in THE first resurrection: Verse 42 informs us “Thus is THE resurrection of THE dead: It 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 an animal body, it is raised a spiritual body.” [Diaglott].

ORDER IN RESURRECTION.

All of God’s works and plans are full of order: It has well been said – order is the first law of heaven. While, there shall be a resurrection both of the just and unjust and all shall be made alive, and while some shall be made alive as perfect spiritual beings, and others in the likeness of the earthly one, Adam, yet there are times and seasons and orders for all this, as Paul says: “But every man in his own order, Christ the first fruits – (Jesus the head and we the “members of his body” – yet “all ONE body” – The head raised over 2000 years ago, the body very soon we trust,) afterward they that are Christ’s at his (Parousia) presence – the “great company.”

These are the first orders and include all of those who are of the spiritual family, but there are others – every man in his own order – and when all of these orders are complete (Paul mentions only those in which the church’s interest centered) when all have been brought to life and perfection either on the human or spiritual plane (except those who die the “second death“) “then (at the end of the 1000 years reign of Christ and the saints,) cometh the end,” “when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.” For he must reign until he hath put all enemies under his feet – The last enemy that shall be destroyed (during that 1000 years reign) is death” (Adamic) in all its forms; sickness, and pain, as well as the tomb – “Then the end“ will have come – the end of sin on earth, the end of the great work of ransoming mankind and bringing them into full harmony with their Creator. Then – the Son shall deliver up the kingdom – dominion of earth to God even the Father; that God may be all – and his will done in all. See Verses 23-28. R205