One of the ways in which our life in Paradise will be affected is that those who are transformed will possess flesh and bone bodies that have been clothed with a glorified body from the spiritual Heaven. The Lord Jesus Christ at the present time is in Paradise in a flesh and bone body.

One of the great errors of current thinking is that every believer will receive, at the coming of the Lord, a body like that of the Lord Jesus—even though he or she has not lived a victorious Christian life. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The concept is as follows. When we receive the Lord Jesus as our Savior and Lord we begin a struggle. The result of our victory in the struggle is the redemption of our physical body. All the forces of darkness, including those resident in our personality, fight against our wrestling, our effort to grow in eternal life to the point we are competent and eligible for the adoption of our mortal body into the eternal Life of God.

Every day of our discipleship, death and life struggle for the mastery of our personality. Our body remains dead in sin while our born-again inner nature struggles against the darkness. The victorious saint is the one who keeps looking to the Lord for victory in the battle.

The Apostle Paul presents the struggle and its outcome clearly.

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. (Philippians 3:10,11)

The resurrection to eternal life in the body must be attained!

That Paul is thinking of the redemption of his mortal body is shown a few verses later.

Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (Philippians 3:21)

The redemption of his mortal body was Paul's goal.

But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken [make alive] your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. (Romans 8:11)

And not only they, 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)

Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:14)

Paul taught that the resurrection of our physical body is the purpose of our salvation.

If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. (I Corinthians 15:19,20)

The resurrection of our physical body is our entrance into life.

For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (I Corinthians 15:22

To be continued.