What Happens After Death Part 3
Continued from page 2
Somebody came up with the question 'Why raise the body?' They said, 'If the saved soul is so happy at going to be with Jesus at death, why bother with a resurrection of the body? What's your answer to that?'
It's surprising to note that evil spirits and demons crave to possess a body. That's why it is so dangerous to meddle with the occult or with mediums. Those deceiving spirits will imitate past relatives or make other deceptions in order to gain possession of you if you let them. Remember how the devils in the possessed man of Gadera wanted to possess the bodies of pigs when they were cast out. They'd rather do that than go into the abyss.
The human soul may have a sense of incompleteness until his resurrection body is available.
But there is another reason why body and soul must be reunited. What did the Lord Jesus do when he arose from the grave? He was able to have fellowship with earthlings. He ate a meal with them and yet he was able to pass through rock, through doors and through walls. He was able to appear and disappear. Scientifically we know that if a body was changed to neutrons, this could happen. Neutron atoms can replace the proton and electron atoms and look like similar material.
The resurrection body may be similar in appearance. The extraordinary thing is that in 1 Corinthians 15:52 you are told that the sudden change of your body at the resurrection will be a change in the atom. 'Atom' is the word used there in the original Greek.
Now why would the saved believer need such a body when he comes with Christ to judge the world? This only makes sense to those who take the Bible millennium literally. 'Shall not the saved judge men?' asks Paul. Yes, during that 1,000 years reign on earth they will be able to mix with the inhabitants. Like the Lord Jesus they will be able to inhabit heaven and inhabit earth.
'See,' said Jesus, 'a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see I have,' and he ate a meal in front of them.
Paul certainly took our part in the millennium literally. He said, 'Shall not you saved Christians judge the world.' Scripture says in many places that Jesus will come with all the resurrected people to judge and establish his kingdom on earth. What a fascinating time that will be if you're saved!
First published in Miracles & Angels, Dr E K Victor
Pearce. ![]()
Dr Victor Pearce became an honours graduate of London University in anthropology, through University College, and specialised at Oxford in prehistoric archaeology. He travelled to archaeological digs and conducted research around the Mediterranean including Turkey and the Levant and also in the USA. He read theology at the London College of Divinity; is a Prebendary of Lichfield Cathedral; was Rector of one of the largest Anglican parishes in England; has had 25 curates, built two churches and several halls (one by voluntary labour). He was a member of the Diocesan Synod; was chairman of an ad hoc committee of the Education Council for a new religious syllabus and a visiting lecturer in two Bible colleges.
