Question submitted at the 12.6 worship gathering.

Vine Message team member Celie Moore's response...

Presbyterians believe in the resurrection of the body as God’s act of raising us up, after our physical death, and giving us a spiritual body that enables us to live eternal life in God’s presence.  We who die physically after Christ are raised with a “spiritual body” (1 Cor. 15:44), or resurrection body, which is imperishable and immortal (1 Cor. 15:52-55) and in which the joys of eternal life are experienced.  In life and in death we belong to God. This is our ultimate assurance and security.  Death holds no ultimate terror because we are secure in God’s electing and gracious love in Jesus Christ.  I  believe this spiritual resurrection occurs immediately at the time of our physical death. 

As we affirm in the  Apostles Creed, however, we believe that Christ will come again to judge the living and the dead.  This is the next event on the divine timetable.  Jesus Christ will return to earth.   This “end of the world” event will initiate certain events that belong to God’s ultimate reign or kingdom.  The Scriptures describe a last judgment (Matt. 25:31-46), a resurrection of the body (1 Cor. 15) and eternal life  lived in the presence of God, when God is “all in all” (Eph. 1:23). We do not fear that judgment knowing that Christ has already submitted himself to the judgment of God for us.  This is a word of comfort for us. Our judge has already been judged in our place.  For us, Jesus Christ has died. 

We will be resurrected, we will come to judgment, and we will enter into the fullness of eternal life.  “And this is what he has promised us, eternal life” (1 John 2;25)In this “new heaven and new earth”  (Rev. 21:1) God will wipe every tear from our eyes.  Death will be no more.  Eternity will be spent in the everlasting praise of God.  As to what our ultimate resurrection bodies will be like,  we cannot know or comprehend.  We know from Jesus appearance after his resurrection that he was capable of going through locked doors (John 20:19) as well as cooking breakfast for his disciples (John 21:12).  We will, presumably, recognize others in heaven.  Our bodies will not be  the limitation they are now to experiencing the fullness of fellowship and love which finds its ultimate fulfillment in our praise of the eternal God.