The bodily resurrection and the fellowship of believers
During our Sunday morning gatherings, we are studying 1 Corinthians. For the last few weeks, we have been in chapter 15, one of the major biblical passages concerning the resurrection. Paul argues forcefully for the bodily resurrection of the dead. Last week, as one of the brothers was teaching 1 Corinthians 15:35-49, he stated that the new body that we will be given in the resurrection will be a body that is perfectly capable of bringing glory to God.
I started thinking about this new body and the resurrection. It reminded me of 1 John 1, where the apostle reminds his readers that he had seen, heard, and handled “that which was from the beginning”. Then, in verse 3 John writes, “That you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.”
Those who are indwelled by the Spirit currently have fellowship with God. It is a spiritual fellowship through the Spirit of God. However, after the resurrection, we will have bodily fellowship with God, in His presence! Like John, we will see, hear, and handle our Lord!
In the meantime, we have spiritual fellowship with God, and physical fellowship with one another. Could it be that this physical fellowship that we have with one another is a manifestation (a representation) of the eternal fellowship we will have with God and with one another after the resurrection?