For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (II Corinthians 5:10)

The Scriptures make it plain that the body and its behavior are the focal point of Christian service, of judgment, and of rewards and punishment.

It can be seen, therefore, that the spiritual and material realms will coexist in the Kingdom of God. Our bodies will be raised and then will be invested with a degree of life that corresponds to the manner in which we have conducted ourselves as a Christian. Our reward can range from the crown of life all the way down to nakedness in the Day of Christ or to tormenting burnings—all in the body.

The Kingdom of God is the making alive of the material realm by filling it with spirits that are righteous, holy, and obedient to God.

The current errors (the overemphasis on grace, the pre-tribulation evacuation of the believers to Heaven, the concept that the spirit paradise in the heavens is the eternal home of the saints, the teaching that the Lord Jesus will return to "steal His waiting Bride and carry her to Heaven") have arisen in whole or in part from our applications of the concept that matter is evil and spirit is good.

The concept appears to be that the devil and the wicked may inherit the earth if they so desire. It does not matter what takes place in the material realm as long as the believers are in the spirit realm. This is not the position of the Scriptures. The Scriptures do not offer the material creation to the wicked.

We need to begin to emphasize the need for the saints to conquer the accuser, to develop spiritual strength, to cast down Satan from the heavenlies, to install the Kingdom of God on the earth, to crown the greater Son of David in Jerusalem.

If it is true that a major objective of our salvation is to gain eternal life in our body, then we should find many passages of the New Testament that point toward a hope of redemption in the future—not a hope of our going to Heaven but a hope of redemption coming to us from Heaven.

This hope is precisely what we do find. The New Testament text points toward the coming from Heaven of our redemption, our salvation, our eternal life; and the redemption of all that is worthy in the material creation.

Because the creature [creation] itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. (Romans 8:21)

And not only they [the material creation], but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. (Romans 8:23)

And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. (Luke 21:28)

Notice that our redemption is drawing near, as something coming to us from Heaven. It is eternal life that is coming to our physical bodies.

To be continued.