Philippians 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like to his glorious body… I. OUR SINFUL CONDITION. Our body is a humble one. 1. Because of its sin, which brought all evil into the world. 2. Because of the immense labour that is necessary to supply its wants, abridging the time for intellectual and religious pursuits, and that only to feed that which will die. 3. As a hindrance to the richest feelings of which the heart is capable. 4. As doomed to die, and to inflict the keenest pain on beloved survivors. II. THE GLORIOUS SCENE WHICH IS PECULIAR TO CHRISTIANITY. 1. The fact of the resurrection. This identical body shall rise. We cannot say in what that identity consists. The body often changes its substance, but its identity abides. If only a similar body there were no resurrection, only a new creation. We depend, however, on scriptural proof. (1) The resurrection of Christ. "Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept."(2) The extent of redemption, which includes the body. "Ye are not your own," etc. "We wait for the adoption, to wit the redemption of the body." Christ cannot lose His own. (3) Both body and soul have sinned or wrought righteousness, hence both body and soul must be rewarded or punished. (4) The application of the term "sleep" to death — which cannot refer to the soul; hence, death is the body collecting new vigour for the morning of the resurrection. (5) The great designation of Christ. "He must reign...the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." 2. At the resurrection there shall be a transformation of the bodies of the saints. What does it imply. (1) That there shall be no more death, Christ dieth no more, nor His. (2) Conformity to the body of Christ means no more deformity. Deformity in the countenance is sometimes the effect of sin, sometimes of accident: but there will be no more of either. (3) Excessive care, necessary for the support of the body, shall then exist no more. (4) The body will no more be a hindrance, but an assistant to the operations of the spirit. III. THE MEANS BY WHICH THIS IS TO BE EFFECTED. Doubtless the apostle introduced this to answer all objections. The whole is a miracle, but God makes miracles as great every day. (R. Watson.) Parallel Verses KJV: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. |
    |