The "change" spoken of here is much more than the healing of our dead body, as in the case of Lazarus or the son of the widow of Nain.

The raising of the dead is the eternalizing and glorifying of our mortal body so we will possess the same powers and abilities that Jesus demonstrated during the month and ten days between His resurrection and His ascension.

How wonderful it will be to be able to live on the earth and yet not be subject to fear, dread, pain or any other physical, emotional, or mental limitation!

Paul groaned for the redemption of his mortal body. Paul desired to be set free from sin, from death. He wanted to be released so he could obey the laws of righteousness and also, no doubt, to continue his service to Christ apart from the chains of the physical body.

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)

How glorious will be the day when we have been set free from the shortcomings and bondages of the physical body, the body of sin and death!

This will be an instantaneous miracle. We will be changed into imperishable life in an incorruptible body. It will take place in a moment, in the "twinkling of an eye."

This is the outer resurrection. It will occur in the future when the Lord Jesus returns to gather us to Himself.

But what about the inner resurrection—that to which we are to be giving our attention today?

The inner resurrection has two dimensions: (1) the forming of Christ in us; and (2) the abiding of Christ in us. In all aspects of our resurrection from the dead, Christ is central.

The forming of Christ in us.

The abiding of Christ in us.

Apart from a successful inner resurrection there can be no successful outer resurrection. The Lord will not place an imperishable body on a sinful, rebellious, self-willed soul who is living and behaving far from the Lord in an ungodly, unchristian manner.

The Scriptures appear to teach that it is possible to be saved from wrath even though the individual has not been successful in overcoming sin and self-will. But no resurrection has taken place in this instance.

If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (I Corinthians 3:15)

To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. (I Corinthians 5:5)

Christ has not risen in the believer mentioned above although he or she has been saved from the Divine wrath.

Adam and Eve were not permitted to partake of the tree of life after they had sinned. Why not? Not only because of their guilt but also because through their sin they had lost faith in God. If God had allowed them to eat of the tree of life they would have been doomed to eternal life in the flesh in a state of rebellion against God.

To be continued.