Sanctification – Impartation of perfection
“Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed (I Corinthians 15:51).”
The Apostle Paul is speaking here of the “catching out” of Christians from the world. More pointedly however he is speaking of the righteous dead that shall raised and be made incorruptible, housed in a new “glorious body,” identical to the one in which Jesus was raised when He came out of the sealed tomb after His crucifixion. It was that same kind of body which was able to enter, through locked doors, into the “upper room“
where his disciples had hidden themselves after the crucifixion and burial. The resurrection had not been made clear to them yet.
“Of him are you in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glories, let him glory in the Lord. (I Corinthians 1: 30-31).”
“I [Paul] am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1: 25-27)
“For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren (Romans 8:29).”
The “new life” that is imparted to make a “new creature“ will enter a “glorified body upon being resurrected;” [God] shall change our vile body [of flesh and blood
], that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body [of flesh and bone
], according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself (Philippians 3:21).”
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (II Corinthians 5:17).”
It is error to reach a conclusion that Christianity is learning to parrot Christ or even that God has promised to make us as rubber stamp copies of His Son. Following the deeds of Christ is not a prescription for grace, or salvation. Just as well, the Christian – if anything – is not a reformed person; rather he is an entirely “new creature.” Jesus Christ did not come to die on the cross in order to reform the world; He came to make the dead live by imparting a new spirit, which in turn creates an entirely new creature! He came from God the father to form new creations!
Sanctification is an impartation, not an imitation. The perfection of everything is in Jesus Christ, and the mystery of sanctification is that all the perfect qualities of Jesus are imparted (imputed, transferred) to the “new creature.” The Spirit of God then enters into the heart, and subsequently the mind, of the Christian in order to mold the new creature into the “thing” they are to become. The Holy Spirit of God indwells the Christian and slowly, but surely, begins to give instruction to the “new” life, a life of an inexpressible order, soundness, and holiness—“… kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time [final judgment] (I Peter 1: 5).”
[Sound strange? When was the last time, or for that matter, the first time you heard this from a church pulpit or in a bible study session? In modern churches the love of God is preached strongly, almost to the exclusion of the justice of God. Those that doubt, search the scriptures for yourself! ]
But, what is it that we are being prepared for? Most don’t consider the life we will live after this one. Some picture the classic image of sitting on clouds, playing a harp, or perhaps bowing eternally at the throne, singing God’s praises. While some of that may be true, I am certain that there is something a little more important to be done.
“Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?” (I Corinthians 6:3)
This life is preparation for eternity, the starting point for a life of eternal service to God. We are made in God’s image. We have the ability to understand consequence, to think for ourselves, to make decisions autonomously (based upon the law) and we are able to have and understand emotions and act empathetically. But, this “mortal frame” cannot, and will not be the creature we carry forward into eternity.
There is no mention of “retirement” in the Word of God. There is only eternal worship and service to the One God. There is no mention to an end of the admonition “wait upon the Lord.” Since this body grows weary and “wears out” not to mention the human mind stretched beyond its limits; neither could survive in the world to come.
If the body in which one is “born in the flesh” is only “cleansed” then why suffer death? The “new creature” to serve God in the next life must have a new body in which to do it. Why? The present body which we inhabit now can not operate under water, in the stratosphere, or in space without a “life support system.” There must be a space craft filled with the “necessities of life” such as oxygen, food, waste storage facilities and etc. Science fiction productions in television and the cinema talk of impulse engines, warp drive, worm holes, black holes, magical windows through which people are propelled into other galaxies and etc. but those are still figments of somewhat foolish but very fertile imaginations that are still in the thinking stage and on the “drawing board.”
Even moving at the speed of light (299 792 458 m / s in deep space) is too slow for efficient space travel. Time is critical for space travel since it will take years to reach even the closest galaxy (Alpha Centauri) to this one. It would take several human generations to reach deep space.
The body described by the Bible shows us in Acts the ability to be in one place and suddenly appear in another. The concept of instantaneous travel is shown by Christ and by one of his disciples (see Acts 8: 27-39). In verse 39 Philip is caught away and is moved to a location approximately 600 miles away at a town named Azotus.
The capacity for us to move about this universe in an instant seems to be a part of what Christians will be enabled to do. While tied to this universe and it’s constraints, mankind will not be constricted to this particular environment. In fact, it is expressly stated that this environment will be changed in the end as well (Revelations 21: 1).
This is what Christians are preparing for. This is the new life that they will be given. These are the rewards Christians are preparing for by piling up treasures in heaven. God has a plan for each of Christian, and each need to remember that this plan goes far beyond this earth, this life, and this time.”…if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2)
This is “the hope of glory.” Search the scripture references here and prove it for yourself whether it be true or false. “Thus says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command me (Isaiah 45:11).”
Be careful not to tempt God, i.e., put Him to the test… that is in essence… “dare” God in arrogance spirit to show you. Rather, ask humbly in faith believing Him to prove Himself. He is faithful to show you the hidden things of God through Christ Jesus (Logos; the word made flesh) by His Spirit and His word (Bible; the Holy Scriptures).
- Mark 14: 15; Luke 22: 12; Acts I: 13
- It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
- The life of Adam’s body was in the blood (Leviticus 17: 11). The body of flesh and blood, like the body of Adam and Eve, was corrupted by sin. That body will “return to the dust from whence it came.” The body in which Christ was raised from the dead in the tomb was a body of “flesh and bone” (luke 24: 39). The life of that body was the Spirit of God; therefore, it was able to miraculously enter the upper room and later ascend up into heaven.
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