The discussion in this post will be inspired by searching the scriptures and using the guidance found in the book "Surprised by Hope - Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church" by N.T. Wright (NTW).
Key scripture references:
- 1 Corinthians 15 (resurrection)
- Philippians 3:20-21 (citizens of heaven)
- Psalm 8
- Romans 8
Citizen of Heaven (NTW, p.100)
Read Philippians 3:20-21
Philippi was a Roman colony. The purpose of creating colonies was to extend Roman influence around the Mediterranean world and to avoid overcrowding the capital Rome itself.
- Comparing with "Roman citizenship", what could Paul mean when he uses the term "citizenship"?
- What is the main direction of movement between heaven and earth in this text? What could this mean for the often quoted idea "to go to heaven when we die?"
- The key word in this text is "transform". What are our "lowly bodies" going to be transformed into?
- How is the transformation Paul described in the Philippians text above a different way of saying what Paul writes in Ephesians 1:19-20, 1 Corinthians 15:13-17 and 51-54, and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17?
Jesus' Ascension
- Discuss how the ascension of Jesus and the claim of his Lordship is another way of stating "the fact that there is already a human being at the helm of this world" (NTW, p.114)
Jesus' second coming (NTW, pp.117)
- What were you taught about it: Jesus as a "spaceman" invading this world? Jesus as a "general hope" for world renewal? In which other ways can we think about this?
- The early church expected Jesus to return very soon, and he didn't: how can we interpret their hope in a way that makes sense two thousand years later?
- Jesus' second coming is his "appearance" in our world, his becoming visible to us (1 John 2:28, 3:2). This is part of the transformation happening when heaven and earth are joined together at the "end of time".
- Easter foreshadows Jesus' second coming
- God's space
- Not somewhere within the space of our world but closely related, intersecting with it in many ways, for example in the inner lives of Christians
- Will be joined together with earth in a new way "when he appears" (1 John 2:28, 3:2)
The Redemption of our Bodies (NTW, Chapter 10)
- God's people are promised a new type of bodily existence, the fulfillment and redemption of our present bodily life (Romans 8:23)
- Our "lowly" bodies will be transformed by our Lord Jesus Christ when he comes back ... to be like his "glorious" body (Ephesians 3:21)
- When the Messiah appears ... you too will appear with him in glory (Colossians 3:1-4)
- The spirit of God will give life to your mortal bodies (Romans 8:9-11): God will give life, not to a disembodied spirit ... not to a nonphysical spiritual body ... but "to your mortal bodies"
- Jesus affirms bodily resurrection of all: John 5:25-29, see also Daniel 12, Isaiah 26, Ezekiel 37
- Resurrection is "life after life after death". Jesus refers to the state immediately after death as "Paradise", not resurrection (Luke 23:43). His resurrection happens after Paradise. The early Christian hope for bodily resurrection points to "resurrection life" after "Paradise life" after "death of our corruptible bodies" here on this earth.
- The resurrection body we are expecting according to Paul, will be substantial, touchable, but incorruptible. It will be animated by the spirit of God (spiritual body) and no longer be animated by the human psyche, the life force we all possess here and now ... "heaving treasure in jars of clay", corruptible (2 Corinthians 4:7 - 5:10).
- What does this mean for me today? What is done in the present body, by the power of the Spirit, will be reaffirmed in the eventual future. Let us live by the Spirit!
Question for reflection:
- What have I done last week that will last into the world to come (gold, precious stone, ...)? Really! We need to be thinking in these terms.
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