My hands are upon the afflicted and my eyes
are upon the weak who are in need of strength from on high, Jesus says to His children.
Choose Life or Death continued...

Jesus voluntarily released Himself from His own body!

"Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost."  Matthew 27:50

Just as the body of Christ was no longer of use for the Spirit after death, all humans will suffer the same fate. Just as the Spirit of Jesus was released and returned to God, so shall all souls return to their Maker.

"Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it."  Ecclesiastes 12:7

It is the miracle of resurrection that promises Life after death for followers of Jesus Christ!

Whether mortal bodies are renewed like that of the widow’s son, the Shunammite’s son, the widow’s son from Nain, the daughter of Jairus, Lazarus, or the saints raised when our Master died on the cross, God is the only reason for hope. Although each of us will need to wait our turn to see what kind of new bodies He will be passing around, it was His sacrificial death on the cross, and resurrection that put everything into perspective.

"Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 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. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power."  1 Corinthians 15:12-24

As we see, we all die because of Adam, and because of what Christ did on the cross, we all can be made alive again!

Interpretation of Holy Scripture varies from one person to another, depending upon a particular state of mind. We should always remain skeptical about the many contradictory opinions concerning ideas from the Bible. Do they come from reasoning dominated by carnality or Spirituality? Should we be intrigued by how Mary behaved when encountering the Master outside of the empty tomb? It seems that she didn’t realize the person standing nearby was Jesus, and even assumed that He was the gardener when He was talking to her – apparently not recognizing His voice.

"And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me
where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away."  John 20:14&15

As we know, God has never explained the process by which the body of Jesus was removed or changed after death. Apparently the face of Jesus was not recognizable to those He encountered later. Even though Jesus was in His new body, and was able to mysteriously enter a room with closed doors, it was necessary for Thomas to be reassured by examining the evidence.

"And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas , Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it
into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God."  John 20:26-28

Wouldn’t it make sense for God to totally restore the body of His Son if that’s what He wanted to do – including the removal of scars from His wounded hands, feet and side?

We must assume that the resurrection of Christ was done in a unique way, and for unique reasons that are not entirely clear. Whatever the purpose might be for the retention of crucifixion evidence, it is doubtful that God
will create new bodies for most good souls in a way that retains scars to commemorate their manner of death.

Also, we have been told that the body of Jesus was not found in the tomb. Therefore, instead of jumping to erroneous conclusions, believing that it was moved by angels, stolen, or restored in some way, we might want to consider that the Father took care of the old body before He created a new body.

We Christians should be wondering if it was important for Jesus to sustain certain parts of His original body as a testimony among those who knew Him to prove that His death on the cross and resurrection really happened? The “coming” again of a recognizable Christ is our hope of Life after death!

"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and
took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." 
Matthew 24:36-39

If we are doing our thinking from a carnal perspective, we might believe that bodies will leave this planet when Christ comes. If we anticipate His arrival from a Spiritual perspective, we might expect souls to be taken.

"Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come."  Matthew 24:40-42

When reading “one shall be taken,” we need to wonder if one body or one soul will be taken? Some who profess to be Christians think of themselves
as a soul in a body while others think of themselves as a body with a soul. When reading, “one shall be taken,” some understand it to mean that one soul will be taken – while others believe it means one human will disappear.

As most Christians understand, “two” humans have two bodies with two souls. Depending upon our reasoning, after “one” is taken, the “other” that
is “left” behind might be either a soul or a body. To think that both a body and soul will be taken might not make sense unless an instant transformation occurs. Ordinary humans flying faster than the”twinkling of an eye” at the speed of light to meet Christ in a high altitude location might seem unrealistic from a carnal point of view. Therefore, only a Spiritual interpretation of Scripture should be regarded as the most valid way to determine the
actual meaning of Truth.