+ Steadfast faith:
Our church believe that Jesus Christ rose from the dead having the same sinless body he took from our queen, Saint Mary, the mother of God, the same body he lived on earth and suffered on the cross with, with it he was buried for three days after carrying our sin; defeating sin, and on the third day he rose abolishing the pains of death, and so he rose having the same body but with glory, restoring the possibility of human resurrection in a glorified body” who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself. ( Philippians 3:21).
+ Some qualities and characteristics of the body of resurrection:
We should realize that the body of resurrection Is the real body and not a spirit nor an illusion, when Christ appeared to his disciples after his resurrection and they thought He was a spirit, he corrected this idea that swept their minds and said to them “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” ( Luke 24:38,39). Therefore, the body of resurrection has the capability to reveal itself to others being subject to the laws of eternal life not death which rules our earthly limited bodies” There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body…….. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. ( 1Corinthians 15:44,47). A body that is not limited by time or place, nor is it attracted to earth’s gravity, It is not subjected to the laws of nature. Jesus got out of the coffin without it being unwrapped, he came out of the tomb that was closed with a huge stone and the soldiers guarding it, no one felt anything until Angel Michael rolled the stone announcing to the Marys and to the whole world that Jesus has risen from the dead.” Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. ( Matthew 28:1-6). The coffin was left the way it was wrapped around Jesus’s body making Peter and John marvel” But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.( Luke 24:12)….” Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.( John 20:6-8), he walked in through closed doors” Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled,for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” ( John 20:19)….. And with this same body He ascended up to heaven” Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. ( Acts 1:9)…… And He will also come in his second coming with the same resurrection body, and the believers will have a glorified body like His, enabling us to meet him in the clouds” For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.( 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17), Saint John says in Revelation:” Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. ( Revelation 1:7). The resurrected body does not eat, drink nor get married; for it is an eternal life body where no death is found. Our Saviour says “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. ( Luke 20:34-36), Saint Paul also says:” for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. ( Romans 14:17)….. Although He ate in front of his disciples after resurrection when he appeared to them to assure them of his person, for these are the qualities of the body of resurrection, to act without boundaries, and not because it is in need of food and drink. The body of resurrection does not decay, it does not change because it is heavenly, it is not attacked by disease or decaying factors which are signs of death which will be defeated, Saint Paul says” There are also celestial bodies and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another…….So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is 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. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. ( 1 Corinthians 15:42-44). With the resurrected body we can see God, it was Moses’ wish to see God and he asked Him” “Please, show me Your glory.” ( Exodus 33:18), then the Lord replied“You cannot see My face; for no man shall see Me, and live.” ( Exodus 33:20), and when Moses asked him again, the Lord replied” So it shall be, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand while I pass by. Then I will take away My hand, and you shall see My back; but My face shall not be seen.” ( Exodus 33:2223)….. Our resurrection in the glorified body will give us the ability to see God ” but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.( 1 John 3:2) These are some of the glories of the resurrected body, announced through the Holy Bible, but there are still lots and lots , which we can not comprehend now with our earthly body, Apostle Paul cried wanting to get rid of it saying” O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? ( Romans 7:24). How magnificent is the resurrection of the Lord Almightly, the strong and powerful, who offered us his resurrected Body so we can share his glory ! Christos Anesti, Alithos Anesti ….. Christ is Risen, truly He is Risen.
Written by Fr. Antonios Zikry on May 2013