The Spiritual Body

[toby]

There has been much discussion in the 'Do Spirits have Bodies?' thread in this forum and it only seems right that a term used as proof that Spirits have bodies should be examined separately to determine it's validity.

The term is 'Spiritual Body' and is used in 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 to show how the dead bodies of the Elect (at least) will be raised up: 'It is sown in corruption, it is raised in INCORRUPTION… It is sown a natural body, it is raised a Spiritual Body. There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body'

The process is further outlined in 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 saying, '…We shall not all sleep, but will be changed
– in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
For the corruptible must put on INCORRUPTION, and this mortal must put on immortality.'

I would like to examine these verses in detail (although they are in fact quite straight forward) as it seems not all are able to take them at their face value.

Here are some things to ponder while consider your response:

1) If 'Spiritual Body' means 'Body of a Spirit' then Jesus, God, Angels and the Holy Spirit all have bodies in Heaven because they are all 'SPIRIT'

2) If they do not all have Bodies in Heaven which ones do not and how are they 'Spirit without a Body'?

3) We know that 'Bodies of Animals, Birds, Fish and Man are composed of Flesh and blood and bone (Dust of the Earth – shortened to just 'Flesh') – and Celestial Bodies in the Heavens (Sun, Moon and Stars) are compost of 'dust' so it must then certainly be asked: What is the 'Body of a Spirit' composed of?

4) If you say that Jesus, as a Spirit in Heaven before coming as Man, had a Spiritual Body in heaven, why was he put into the Earthly corrupt Body of flesh in the seed of Mary?

5) Was the Spirit of Jesus that was in the Spiritual Body taken out of the Spiritual Body or was it also put into the flesh body of Jesus on Earth?

6) when Jesus was on the Cross, he cried out to God Almighty and said, 'Into thy hands I commit my Spirit', and died that moment. Was it only his 'Spirit' that was committed as his words say, or was it also his 'Spiritual Body' as well?

7) If it was his Spiritual Body as well as the Spirit within the Spiritual Body (because the Spirit has a Spiritual Body) then Jesus was, in fact, still alive because 'a Spirit in a Living Body' is a 'Living Soul' (and we know that the Spiritual Body cannot die!)

8) Consider further question 7: Do not Trinitarians say that Jesus did not die on the Cross but only his body; that Jesus was still alive in Heaven?

9) When the Spirit of Jesus in the Spiritual Body was out back into the resurrected Earthly Flesh Body, do you say that it was at that point that Earthly body was made Spiritual ('It was Raised a Spiritual Body') or was there some other process involved that was not written in the Scriptures (and therefore suspect!!)?

So, by now you should have worked out that:
 a) There is a problem with what happened to the Spiritual Body of Jesus when he came as man
 b) There is a problem with him dying (or not) on the Cross in an everlasting Body
 c) There is a problem with him being raised from the dead when he was not dead
 d) He now has TWO (2) Spiritual Bodies with a Spirit inside both of them!

Ok, some good posts please on this.

I am hoping for some good positive discussion with genuine material as evidence for or against.

Please suggest adjustments to the numbered points (Remember that it is concerning whether a Spiritual Body is a Flesh Body on Earth or a Body of a Spirit.
And furthermore, 'BODY' does not mean 'SKIN' (Skin is 'The Outer layer of a BODY', it is not, itself, 'The BODY')

[toby]

Hi All,

It would be useful just to get some feedback on this thread.

The purpose is just to show that it is illogical that a Spirit has a 'Body'.

A body that is 'Spiritual' means it cannot die nor sin –  but neither can the Spirit.

So why would a Spirit, in Heaven, in the Spirit realm, where it is not subject to sin nor death, require a clothing of a Spiritual Body to encase it?

What is the purpose of the Earthly Flesh Body?  Is it not to encase the Spirit of Man and limit the actions of the Spirit so that it conforms to the Natural Laws of the physical world?

Man cannot jump tall buildings in a single bound.
Man cannot fly in the air under their own power.
Man cannot move faster than a given speed under his own power.
Man cannot walk through solid material without damaging themself.
Man cannot touch fire for extended times without hurting his flesh.
Man cannot … More…!

But when he is in the Spiritual Body after he is raised from the dead or at the last trumpet, his Spiritual Body will not be subject to the Natural Laws and therefore all the things mentioned above will be possible.

If Man is to become 'a Spirit' as many keep erroneously claiming, then God's purpose for creating Man, was therefore pointless!!!

Remember, please, that God set out to complete a task and he will complete what he has started:

'For the word that goes out of my mouth will certainly not return until it has completed that to which it was sent to do – and it will certainly return'.

In fact, this is reflected in the Angels who are sent by God (His word goes out) and cannot return until they have done, in any way possible in power and holiness, that which they were sent to do, even to kill if required (e.g. Pharoah and the Hebrews; Balaam, the Angel and the Donkey; Jonah; Zacharias; Saul of Tarsus)

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