Has the keeper of the flock been told not
to bother the Master when storms fill cities
in many nations with pain and hunger?
Choose Life or Death continued...

Why do some professing Christians put so much emphasis on Life in a body when Christ tried to explain that seeking to save “self” is a mistake? Trying to preserve flesh in any form is not what we are supposed to be doing.

"And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it."  Matthew 10:38&39

We need to emphasize sacrificial living for the sake of serving the Master in a Spiritual way. All of our thoughts, desires and actions should be focused upon the things of God rather than the things of this world.

"That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things
of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace."  Romans 8:4-6 

Will fleshly bodies made from the dust of the Earth be taken at the coming of Christ?  Before answering this question, remember what you just read: “...to be carnally minded is death...”

Will the souls of those who are alive in Christ be taken at His coming? Before answering this question, remember what you just read:
“...to be spiritually minded is life and peace..."

Spiritually minded Christians do not care what happens to the fleshly body they inhabit when they are taken. They already died to self when they became alive in Christ. It doesn’t matter if their earthly body stays behind, disappears, instantaneously decomposes, or is used as fertilizer when they are gone. God will be giving redeemed souls new bodies!

One thing we should understand about God is that He is not an instigator of pandemonium!

The simultaneous disappearance of millions of people would result in an instantaneous destruction of civilizations for those who are left behind. When we contemplate the miraculous, harmonious blend of elements that made Life possible because of God, it is impossible to believe the chaotic conditions imposed by a “rapture of saints” would be intentionally caused by Him. Therefore, we must remain hopeful that only good souls will be taken at the last trump, and their worthless bodies will remain behind. 

There are many kinds of bodies and many kinds of flesh!

"But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for
one star differeth from another star in glory." 1 Corinthians 15:38-41

There will be many kinds of new bodies with new flesh to be revealed!

“So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it
is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:” 1 Corinthians 15:42&43

There are many lessons to be learned from the experiences of Job, but his questions about Life and death are concluded by a statement of faith about restoration.. Through it all, he is willing to wait until his “change” comes.

"But man dieth, and wasteth away: yea, man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up: So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me! If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come."  Job 14:10-14

Job knew in his heart that even after his body had decayed, he would still be “changed” and would see God as a new, fleshly creature!

"For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me."  Job 19:25-27

Just as we humans have visible, earthly bodies, we have invisible, spirit-made heavenly soul bodies that are an integral, precisely formed part of our flesh. Souls are the “mind” that regulate all functions of biological human bodies on both a conscious and subconscious level. Human “brains” serve as conduits between souls and bodies. Bodily functions are a result of spiritual stimuli regulating all neurological and biological systems.

(1) “It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.”  1 Corinthians 15:44

(2) "Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the FATHER of SPIRITS, and live?"  Hebrews 12:9

The primary difference between "fleshly human bodies" made from dust
and the “breath of God spirit-made souls" can best be understood when we contemplate differences between the first Adam and the last Adam – Jesus.

(1) “And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.”  1 Corinthians 15:45 

(2) “Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.” 
1 Corinthians 15:46&47

Just like Adam and Eve, we earthly descendants have similar, yet distinctly different fleshly bodies. After resurrection, our appearance as new creatures will be dramatically changed during transformation.

“As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne
the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.”
1 Corinthians 15:48&49