Topical Bible: Redemption: Subjects of The Body

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In the Christian theological framework, redemption is a multifaceted concept that encompasses the deliverance from sin and its consequences through the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. While redemption primarily addresses the spiritual state of humanity, it also extends to the physical realm, including the redemption of the body. This entry explores the biblical basis for the redemption of the body, its implications, and its significance within the broader narrative of salvation.

Biblical Foundation

The concept of the redemption of the body is rooted in several key passages of Scripture. In Romans 8:23, the Apostle Paul writes, "And not only this, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." This verse highlights the future aspect of redemption, where believers anticipate the transformation and glorification of their physical bodies.

Similarly, in Philippians 3:20-21, Paul states, "But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body." This transformation is a key component of the redemption process, signifying the ultimate victory over sin and death.

Theological Implications

The redemption of the body is intrinsically linked to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, "So will it be with the resurrection of the dead: What is sown is perishable; it is raised imperishable. 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." The resurrection of Christ serves as the firstfruits and guarantee of the future resurrection and redemption of believers' bodies.

This redemption signifies the reversal of the curse of sin that affects the physical world. In Genesis 3, the fall of humanity brought about not only spiritual death but also physical decay and mortality. The redemption of the body, therefore, represents the restoration of God's original design for creation, where the physical and spiritual are harmoniously united.

Practical Significance

The promise of bodily redemption offers hope and assurance to believers as they navigate the challenges of life in a fallen world. It affirms the inherent value and dignity of the human body, countering any dualistic tendencies that might devalue the physical in favor of the spiritual. The anticipation of a glorified body encourages believers to honor God with their bodies in the present, as Paul exhorts in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: "Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies."

Furthermore, the redemption of the body underscores the holistic nature of salvation. It is not merely an escape from the physical realm but a comprehensive renewal that encompasses both the spiritual and the physical. This holistic redemption is part of the broader eschatological hope, where God will make all things new, as described in Revelation 21:4: "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away."

Conclusion

The redemption of the body is a vital aspect of the Christian doctrine of salvation, offering a future hope that transcends the present realities of suffering and mortality. It is a testament to the transformative power of Christ's resurrection and the ultimate fulfillment of God's redemptive plan for creation.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Romans 8:23
And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Plenteous Redemption
... You ask, then, in what way redemption operates upon the ... to find his empire all bereft
of its subjects, to find ... in its tomb"yes, that selfsame body, made like ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 7 1861/plenteous redemption.htm

Full Redemption
... possess the whole spirit, and soul, and body of the ... you know this morning whether
you are subjects of that ... The redemption shall be complete; "not a hoof shall ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 6 1860/full redemption.htm

Miscellaneous Subjects.
... dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they ... serve as a schoolmaster
to lead its subjects to Christ ... The redemption which we have in Jesus not only ...
/.../orr/the gospel day /chapter xvi miscellaneous subjects.htm

Index i. Of Subjects
... Abtalion, saying of, i.128. Academics, subjects of study in, i.232; ... His circumcision
and redemption, 193-197; ... gives Joseph Christ's body, 615, 616. Pollio, i.128. ...
/.../edersheim/the life and times of jesus the messiah/index i of subjects.htm

Subjects of Study. Home Education in Israel; Female Education. ...
... use was only to sustain the body, so as ... the case may be, "attained this redemption"),
"so may ... in other directions, partly because the subjects were necessarily ...
/.../edersheim/sketches of jewish social life/chapter 8 subjects of study.htm

Index of Subjects. Abel, 124, 136, 193, 414.
... INDEX OF SUBJECTS. ... Body, man's, mysteries of, [180]356; effect of sin on, [181]19;
effect of, on soul, [182]147, [183]163; the body of this death, [184]142 ...
/.../augustine/anti-pelagian writings/index of subjects abel 124.htm

Index of Subjects.
... INDEX OF SUBJECTS. Abraham, his ... 31]557. Adoption, spirit of, [32]442; incomplete
until the redemption of the body, [33]446. Advent, first ...
/.../chrysostom/homilies on acts and romans/index of subjects.htm

Fourth Sunday after Trinity Redemption of the Creatures.
... wicked world"for the sake of God alone, who subjects, yet leaves ... within ourselves,
waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." We pray ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/fourth sunday after trinity redemption.htm

The City of God. Index of Subjects.
... INDEX OF SUBJECTS. ... Body of Christ, the Church the, [222]496. ... power of the name of,
in the sack of Rome, 1, etc., 5, etc.; the mystery of the redemption of, at ...
/.../augustine/on christian doctrine in four books /the city of god index.htm

Confession of the Free-Will Baptists. AD 1834, 1868.
... man, consisting of a material body and a ... all dependent for salvation upon the redemption
effected through ... creatures that have been the subjects of revelation ...
/.../confession of the free-will baptists.htm