Page 15 - Prophetic Word Newsletter Archive 2010

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IS A PROGRESSIVE ACTION

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TTHHEE SSPPIIRRIITT TTHHEE SSOOUULL TTHHEE BBOODDYY

Sadly, you won’t find many teachers espousing salvation to be such a progressive action as I have
described. However, it is what the Scriptures teach as the examples on the previous page illustrate.
We err to state that salvation is a completed act for the believer as long as death still has power over
the believer. Study these passages carefully for they contain the reason why God calls “death” His last
enemy that is yet to be destroyed. Clearly the Scriptures state that the redemption of the physical body
of the believer is a future hope of the act of salvation:

“…WE ALSO WHO HAVE THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THE SPIRIT, EVEN WE OURSELVES GROAN WITHIN
OURSELVES, EAGERLY WAITING FOR THE ADOPTION, THE REDEMPTION OF OUR BODY.

FOR WE ARE SAVED IN THIS HOPE, BUT HOPE THAT IS SEEN IS NOT HOPE; FOR WHY DOES ONE
STILL HOPE FOR WHAT HE SEES? BUT IF WE HOPE FOR WHAT WE DO NOT SEE,
THEN WE EAGERLY WAIT FOR IT WITH PERSEVERANCE.”
Rom. 8:23-25

It is a solemn fact that we as believers in Christ face physical death along with all unbelievers.
However, it is plainly stated that God has a future plan for the salvation of our physical body even
though it is subject to death. Look carefully at these passages from Corinthians, for they reveal God’s
intention to complete the yet future and final act of progressive salvation for the body of the believer:

“FOR THIS CORRUPTIBLE (BODY) MUST PUT ON INCORRUPTION, AND THIS MORTAL (BODY)
MUST PUT ON IMMORTALITY, SO WHEN THIS CORRUPTIBLE (BODY) HAS PUT ON IMMORTALITY,

THEN SHALL BE BROUGHT TO PASS THE SAYING THAT IS WRITTEN:
‘DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP IN VICTORY. O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?

O HADES, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY?’ ”
1 Cor. 15:53-55

Notice well that it is the physical body of the believer that is destined to put on immortality. There is no
difference between the meaning of the word “immortality” and “eternal life.” Immortality is eternal life!
God plans for the physical body of the believer to eventually put on eternal life! The spirit and soul of
man are created in the image of God. That means the spirit and the soul cannot ever be eradicated!
The believer will spend eternity (spirit, soul and body) in eternal ecstasy, but the spirit and soul of the
unbeliever will spent eternity in eternal agony. Why so? Because the spirit and soul cannot perish any
more than God can ever perish! For the believer, the body is the last area of this sanctifying process
God calls “salvation.” Multitudes of believers in Christ have died physically. They are in heaven in spirit
and soul, but their body remains in the ground. This includes the apostle Paul. As wonderful as Heaven
may be, these believers are incomplete as long as their physical bodies remain in a state of corruption
in the grave. God is not finished with His plan of salvation until “…this mortal puts on immortality…” as
stated above. It is then that God will totally defeat, for the believer, His last enemy, which is death. Note
the verse above states that very thing, “Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death
is swallowed up in victory.” Notice too the victorious mocking of Death and Hades with the words, “O
Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” Many Christians are surprised when I tell
them God is going to raise their physical bodies from the grave. Many have been taught that they will
be given a “new body” in heaven. No, it is the same body that was planted in the ground that God is
going to make into an immortal body:

“…THE BODY WAS 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…”
1 Cor. 15:42-44

The body of a believer may go into the grave with cancer, but it will be raised cancer free! Often,
believers are tormented that a loved one in Christ has died without God healing their body of disease.
Is God unfaithful to His Word? As Paul would say, “Certainly not!” The problem we have as Christians
is that we want God to fulfill all His stated promises in this vaporous temporary life! The body of every
believer in Christ will be healed! However, many will have to wait for the appointed time of the glorious
resurrection of the body from the grave!