Ghostly Resurrection?

[jwithnell]

The floating around on the cloud with a harp perspective is prevalent even among those who do not consider themselves to be Christians. I was surprise, though, to see a much more ethereal view of the resurrected existence given in the old Princeton professors. A modern fellow I respect greatly suggested that a pendulum swing is observable and that most current reformed theologians place a much greater emphasis on the physical reality of the new heavens and the new earth.

 

[Jerusalem Blade]

Vern Poythress has also written on this topic in his article, Currents within Amillennialism.

 

[KMK]

In an attempt to rectify that I began a series yesterday entitled "What Happened To Resurrection?".

About to listen now...oh wait...wow, you all are behind on the audio!

Sorry, my "webmaster's" hard drive crashed and we are behind on audio. I posted the transcript of my sermon on my blog: What Happened To Resurrection?

Vern Poythress has also written on this topic in his article, Currents within Amillennialism.

Polythress blames Platonism and a misguided hope in the intermediate state. I agree.

 

[py3ak]

I would think the influence of premillenialism may also be significant, as people fixing the current of their thoughts on a carnal millennium where there are chastened unbelievers to be ruled over, likely tends to obscure clarity about the resurrection and what things are like there.

At the same time, some ideas about the eternal state which emphasize its physicality are not very much better. The eternal state is quite different: it is staple Christian teaching that resurrection bodies are not dependent on continual supplies of nourishment, are immensely agile and can move with tremendous speed, that the population is fixed and stable, and that sin is entirely done away. Imagine a typical mayor's job and take away all the responsibilities that involve restraining sin, or have to do with basic needs and infrastructure, and you're mostly left with useless ceremonies (unless you remembered to include those under the "necessary because of sin" category): not exactly a helpful analogy for conceiving of the eternal state. When the body has become a thoroughly adequate vehicle for the perfected spirit, and we are perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God to all eternity, even a glorified board meeting will probably not be allowed to consume very much of our time.

 

[KMK]

Imagine a typical mayor's job and take away all the responsibilities that involve restraining sin, or have to do with basic needs and infrastructure, and you're mostly left with useless ceremonies

Does the absence of sin abolish servanthood? Is there no conceivable way an act of service can be performed in Christ's consummated kingdom?

Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. *26But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; *27And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: *28Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Matt 20:26-28

The 'city' and 'judging' references in the Bible seem to point to some kind of activity that involves the ministry of government. I agree, however, that it is hard to conceive of since our own ministers seem to be wholly preoccupied by those things arising from sinful human nature and a cursed world.

 

[Unoriginalname]

Imagine a typical mayor's job and take away all the responsibilities that involve restraining sin, or have to do with basic needs and infrastructure, and you're mostly left with useless ceremonies (unless you remembered to include those under the "necessary because of sin" category): not exactly a helpful analogy for conceiving of the eternal state. When the body has become a thoroughly adequate vehicle for the perfected spirit, and we are perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God to all eternity, even a glorified board meeting will probably not be allowed to consume very much of our time.

I am sure you are using a mayor as a synecdoche and my point may be unnecessary but it is hard to think of a society with out the need for farming, military, healthcare, business (assume that businesses meet needs), and law enforcement. Come to think of it, one of the only industries I can see remaining necessary is construction.

 

[KMK]

I found this quote from Spurgeon. Apparently, this problem is not unique to the 21st century.

Reflecting the other day upon the sad state of the churches at the present moment, I was led to look back to apostolic times, and to consider wherein the preaching of the present day differed from the preaching of the apostles. I remarked the vast difference in their style from the set and formal oratory of the present age. I remarked that the apostles did not take a text when they preached, nor did they confine themselves to one subject, much less to any place of worship, but I find that they stood up in any place and declared from the fulness of their heart what they knew of Jesus Christ. But the main difference I observed was in the subjects of their preaching. Surprised I was when I discovered that the very staple of the preaching of the apostles was the resurrection of the dead. I found myself to have been preaching the doctrine of the grace of God, to have been upholding free election, to have been leading the people of God as well as I was enabled into the deep things of his word; but I was surprised to find that I had not been copying the apostolic fashion half as nearly as I might have done. The apostles when they preached always testified concerning the resurrection of Jesus, and the consequent resurrection of the dead. It appears that the Alpha and the Omega of their gospel was the testimony that Jesus Christ died and rose again from the dead according to the Scriptures. The Resurrection of the Dead; Sermon #66 in Park Street Pulpit