Monday, December 04, 2006

Making up for lost time.

My readership here has doubled. This means there is one more person reading. I think I will follow the example of another Blog I like, and contribute more when I can.

WoW6: A community defined by an event

In the apostles' creed is the line "I believe in ... ... the resurrection of the body." In my mind, I have never doubted this statement of faith. However, recently, with the numerous revisiting of 1 Cor 15 (because of teachings and other stuff), I have begun to re-wrestle with the topic. What does the resurrection mean? What is its impact on the individual? What is its implication on the Christian community?

The resurrection is a bodily one. Many translations use the word "spiritual body" as opposed to a fleshly body, but it is largely misleading, because it strays from the emphasis of Paul that there is a physical body form. The contrast with our former body, is that it is eternal instead of decaying, it is honored instead of humiliated, and it is Spirit animated instead of earthly-desires-driven. It has impact on the individual because it speaks of a transformation which we all eagerly anticipate, especially so when we are in sickness. It has implication on the Christian community because we hope for an eternal reunion as a family justified.

This re-wrestling is hence an important one even though my faith has never doubted. Because believing is never just believing until the full weight of the belief is manifested in your life. The resurrection of the body is founded on the resurrection of Jesus. One event that changed the inevitable route to death. Let that be your badge of pride in your daily living. "O Death, where is your sting?"

Courage to live. That's real believing.

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