A Body of Humiliation—A Glorified Body

A Body of Humiliation—A Glorified Body

All of us have received a body of humiliation, but not everyone will receive a glorified body. As the years go by, this body of humiliation is broken down because of sin that dwells in it. Rom. 8:9-14.

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

From the above we can see that we need to be led by the Spirit of God to be children of God. The one who lives according to the flesh does not have these promises. We have these promises only if we put to death the deeds of the body by the Spirit.

Jesus also had a body of humiliation. A work had to be done in Him so that He could be the author of eternal salvation “to all who obey Him.” Heb. 5:7-10, 7:28. He had a flesh in which sin had to be condemned. Rom. 8:3-4. The work which God did in the days of His flesh made it possible for us to fulfill the requirements of the law. It was impossible for the law to lead us to that because of the flesh. What is the requirement of the law? It is: “You shall not covet.” Rom. 7:7.

Jesus had to partake of flesh and blood in order to destroy the power of the devil. He had to be tempted so He could “aid those who are tempted.” Heb. 2:10-18. We have such a great High Priest. Therefore we can come to the throne of grace boldly and find help at the right time so we can be without sin just as He was. Heb. 4:14-16. Thereby we have the possibility to be sanctified by Him so that He is not ashamed to call us His “brethren.”

It is obvious that this work could not go on in Jesus unless He suffered in the flesh. By dying to sin in the flesh, He was able to “destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.” By being endued with power from on high, we can also, like Jesus, suffer in the flesh and cease from sin so that we no longer need to live the rest of our time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 1 Pet. 4:1-2. Then we can also be Jesus’ witnesses. Acts 1:8.

We can ask ourselves this question: Do we understand the possibility we have of gaining eternal glory in this body of humiliation? It is quite possible that we understand it in part. However, Paul prayed for the Ephesians without ceasing that God might grant them enlightened eyes of the heart that they might “know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe.” Eph. 1:17-20.

We have a time of sowing in this body of humiliation. It is sown in corruption, dishonor, and weakness, but is raised in incorruption, in glory, and in power. “It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.” 1 Cor. 15:41-58.

Paul expresses his longing with these words: “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” “But one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 3.

He was apprehended of the life of Christ, and he pressed on toward the same fullness; he also preached that we could be filled with all the fullness of God. Eph. 3:19-21. He was totally absorbed by it. He pursued only this one thing. Because of it, all his sufferings in this body of humiliation were light and but for a moment, working in him a far more exceeding weight of glory. 2 Cor. 4:16-18.