We could never have received the promise to be changed into the likeness of our Savior, had Jesus not intended to rise from the grave!
Our risen Lord has the power to perfect us morally and spiritually, because He loves His Church and gave His life for us. Even as God's Lamb is without spot and blemish, so Jesus perfects His people to be the same, even though we were like sheep who had gone astray.
Not only so, but our garments are made by Christ to be without spot or wrinkle. The robe of His righteousness has none of that, and He bestows that upon His Bride!
Thus, by His love and sacrifice, Jesus changes His people into His likeness as to holiness and righteousness.
Not only that, but Jesus is able to keep us from falling, and to present us faultless in the presence of His glory with exceeding joy. Note Christ's glory is the predicate: He IS risen in Glory, and when He finally brings us into His glory, we will be faultless, and we all, the saints and Christ, will be full of joy!
And all the righteousness or sanctification or wisdom or redemption we possess, we got from Jesus, Paul explained to us. We who were foolish and weak and unrighteous, God made Christ unto us all those beautiful things we lacked.
In ourselves, we are nothing much, but Christ bejewels us with His virtues and His obedience and His glory!
If Jesus had not intended to rise again, there'd be no living likeness of Him we could be made into, but God promised we will one day be changed like unto Christ's glorious, risen body.
We will then have perfect, immortal, loving, obedient, sinless bodies, without sorrow, sickness, or death. That flesh which tempted us to sin will be gone! |
