The Hope of Resurrection

12th April 2021

The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.  For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope  that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.  We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.  Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.  For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?  But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.  Rom 8:19-25

Death , destruction and decay entered the world as a consequence Adam’s rejection of God as the supreme authority, which resulted in God’s judgment. The judgement not just  affected mankind but the creation as well. The effects of this judgement are and will be in force till the end of this present evil age.

The above scripture portion tell us that the creation was “subject to frustration” by the will of the creator.  The earth was supposed to yield its fruit in season, the winds were supposed to blow as God ordained, the rain was supposed to fall in the right amount in the right season, but – the earth produces thorns and thistles, the wind blows as hurricanes and tornadoes, either there is lack of rain resulting in deserts or there is too much rain resulting in floods. Then we have earth quakes, volcanoes and tsunamis. Add to this man made destruction of environment and what we see around us is destruction , death and decay . Thus we understand that the whole of creation is groaning and is in pain . All of man’s effort to save the environment can never reverse the judgment of God. But there is hope – one day “creation itself will be liberated from its bondage” . But this hope is in the future – in the coming Age.

One of the judgement on mankind was “for dust you are and to dust you will return” . From that day onwards man became prone to sickness and disease. The microbes, bacteria and virus which were created to be beneficial to mankind now became enemies of man. From the day of man’s birth, the process of death sets in.  Cells die faster than new cells can be formed, eyesight grows weaker, muscles start losing their strength, arteries get clogged, immune system weakens , the body becomes more and more prone to sickness and disease till one day the heart stops beating. No man born can escape the disease of aging and finally death. We may escape Covid 19 virus today but ultimately we cannot escape death.  The above scripture portion tells us that even those who are born again including the apostles who were the first fruit of the work of the Holy Spirit groaned inwardly.

But there is hope –  hope for those who are redeemed and are  eagerly waiting for the redemption of their bodies – because “we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body” Phil 3:20-21 And there is hope for those who are dead in Christ. “So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 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. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, For this perishable body must put on the imperishable” 1 Cor 15:42-53

       This is the hope of every one who is redeemed . It is not yet a reality “Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have , we wait for it patiently” So we will grow old, we will be prone to sickness and disease, our eyesight will grow dim, we will wear spectacles, our back will pain, our knees will grow weak and our perishable bodies will be subject to the attack of bacteria and viruses but we wait patiently – “For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened–not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.” 2 Cor 5:4 And then one day “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Rev 21:14

And all this was made possible because Jesus bore our sins on the Cross , defeated death and the third day He rose again. Oh! What a Saviour.