Turning then to Philippians chapter
3 and reading verses 20 and 21. For our conversation is in heaven,
from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ,
who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like
unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is
able even to subdue all things unto himself. And I want us to
consider the words that we have here in verse 21. As I say, over
the last few occasions we have considered the end of this chapter
from verse 17. But turning now to the very last
verse, verse 21, who shall change? The reference is to the Lord
Jesus Christ, the Savior, who shall change our vile body. that
it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to
the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto
himself. And lastly of course we were
looking more particularly at that 20th verse where the Apostle
speaks of the believers conversation being in heaven and we said then
that The word that we have here, conversation, is not one that
in other places is used in our authorized version in reference
to the believer's behavior or manner of conduct. But it's a
word that's derived from the word for a city. It really refers
to citizenship and that is the alternative reading that we find
in the margin. citizenship is in heaven and
so we we thought about that last Thursday and in that citizenship
we considered something of the believers relationship to the
Lord Jesus Christ his union with Christ, his communion with the
Lord Jesus Christ that one who is in heaven and our believers
are made to sit together in those heavenly places in the Lord Jesus
Christ. Well, moving on now to consider
what he says in the following 21st verse. Clearly, as those
whose citizenship is in heaven, the believer is then one who
is a stranger and a sojourner here upon the earth. here he
has no continuing sitter and of course the Apostle when he's
speaking in Hebrews 11 of those men, those women of faith from
the Old Testament dispensation makes mention of the fact that
they were strangers and they were pilgrims here upon the earth,
their citizenship also was in heaven. And he goes on in Hebrews
chapter 12 to speak of Christian believers as those who are come
unto Mount Zion, the city of the living God, the heavenly
Jerusalem, an innumerable company of angels, the spirit of just
men made perfect. There is that union then with
those who are in heaven. And so, surely, those whose citizenship
is in that blessed abode, they will have a desire to be in heaven. And that was certainly the case
with regards to the Apostle himself. Remember what he says here in
the opening chapter of the Epistle. Verse 23 of chapter 1, I am in
a strife between two, he says, having a desire to depart. and
to be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless, to abide
in the flesh, he says, is more needful to you. All believers
are those then who would be looking to heaven, that place where Christ
is, at God's right hand, the language of Colossians 3, if
she then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above
where Christ sit us on the right hand of God set your affection
on things above not on things on the earth for your debt and
your life is hid with Christ in God and that's what he's going on
to speak of here at Ultima that is the destination for all those
who are the children of God, or they are looking for the Saviour,
who at His coming will change our vile body, that it may be
fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working
whereby He is able even to subdue all things unto Himself. And we know that when the believer
comes to die, There is a time appointed, a time to be born,
a time to die, says King Solomon in Ecclesiastes. Well, when that
appointed time comes, the believer's soul goes immediately to heaven. The Scripture doesn't teach anything
of soul sleep. When the Lord Jesus speaks to
the dying thief upon his cross, As that man seeks the pardon
of his sins, what does Christ say? Verily today shalt thou
be with me in paradise. There was an immediacy then with
regards to that great promise of the Saviour. It is absent
from the body. It is present with the Lord. That's where the soul goes, to
heaven. But the body is then laid in
the grave. There's a game we read in the
language of Ecclesiastes. Then shall the dust turn to dust
again, and the Spirit to God who gave it. All go unto one
place, all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. And we read those words in that
15th chapter of 1 Corinthians, the end of that chapter, how
the Apostle is speaking of the resurrection of the body. He's spoken of the resurrection
of Christ. It's a great chapter that doesn't just deal with Christ's
resurrection, but also the general resurrection. And what does the
Apostle say there concerning the body? It is sown in corruption.
It is raised in incorruption, it is sown in dishonour, it is
raised in glory. For the body laid in the grave,
and yet awaiting that blessed time of the resurrection, that
it might be fashioned like unto the glorious body of the Lord
Jesus Christ. And wasn't that the faith of
Job? Though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my
flesh He says, shall I see God, whom I shall see for myself,
and not another, though worms destroy this body? What faith
had the ancient patriarchy with regards to that resurrection? But now, in this present world,
the believer does feel something of the corruption of his old
nature. Paul speaks of that. He speaks of it, for example,
there in chapter 5 of 2 Corinthians. He speaks of the earthly house
of this tabernacle, the body that we have to live our lives
in. We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were
dissolved, says Paul, we have a building of God and house not
made with hands eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan
earnestly, desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is
from heaven. If so be that, being clothed,
we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle
do groan, being burdened. Not for that we would be unclothed,
but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Yes, there is that for the soul
absent from the body present with the Lord but when the Lord
God created man he created in body and soul and there in heaven
of course it's the spirits of just men made perfect but awaiting
that glorious resurrection but here and now how the believer
feels his wretched condition Paul says I'm a wretched man
and I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death? This body associated with the
fall of our first parents, associated with death, dying bodies. But
then we need to be careful because it is God's creation. And there's
nothing wrong with what God has created. He pronounces all His
creation to be good, very good. and when the Lord God formed
man he formed his body of the dust of the earth and breathed
into his nostrils the breath of life he became a living soul
and with regards to the believer Paul says what know you not that
your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit we're not to despise
the body we're not to despise the body we should have a certain
respect for our own bodies even though we feel and mortality
because of sin. Coming to the words that we have
here in this 21st verse tonight. In this particular verse, there's
much to comfort us because we see the Lord Jesus Christ as
that one who takes an interest in our bodies. We look for the
Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body,
that it's may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according
to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things
unto himself." This word that we have here, our vile body,
we're not to interpret it in such a way that we despise the
body. The word that's used literally
means abasement, humiliation, the body of our humiliation.
But let us consider the content of this particular verse and
I want to consider it in terms of that resurrection that is
in the Lord Jesus Christ and three things in particular with
regards to that resurrection in the Lord Jesus Christ we see
that one who is the efficient cause of the resurrection of
the mother The one who does it then here is the Lord Jesus Christ,
who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like
unto his glorious body. And we see how he is the efficient
cause of it all from what he said at the end of the verse,
according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all
things unto himself. When we come to John's Gospel
and we have those great I am statements, remember amongst
them he declares I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth
in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever
liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believeth so this. Do we really believe that? That
Christ himself is the efficient cause of the resurrection, the
general resurrection. or we read of some that through
fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. But Christ is that one who will
destroy him that had the power of death and deliver them who
were in fear of death all their lifetime. The resurrection of
the body is that that really is the completion of the work
of the Lord Jesus Christ and again here in the opening chapter
we have that tremendous statement in verse 6 of chapter 1 being
confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good
work he hath begun a good work in
you he will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ he will
finish it the margin says in the day of Jesus Christ. What is the day of Jesus Christ?
Well that is upcoming again which will usher in the general resurrection
when glorified bodies are to be reunited with the spirit of
those just men made perfect in heaven. What is it that the Lord
Jesus Christ is said to do here? He changes our vile body, the
body of our humiliation and our abasement and fashions it, it
says, like unto his glorious body. And it's the same word,
fashioned, that we find previously in chapter 2. There at verse
8 where we read of Christ being found in the fashion as a man. And then he humbled himself and
became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. And the word that's used, fashioned,
here in verse 21 and there in that 8th verse of chapter 2,
has a basic idea of that that is external and accidental. There's a contrast. There's a
contrast that's being drawn in that second chapter. And of course
what we have there is a tremendous passage with regards to the doctrine
of the Lord Jesus Christ and the person of the Lord Jesus
Christ. And there's this contrast. And we see it in two particular
words. This word fashion, there in verse 8, and the word form,
in verse 6. Verse 6 of chapter 2, "...who
being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with
God. Now the word there, form, literally
means the inner, the essential, and the abiding nature. He's in the form of God, he thinks
it not robbery to be equal with God, what is Paul saying? Well,
simply that he is God, he is equal to the Father. That is
his essential nature. But when we come to verse 8,
and this word that's translated fashion, it has the idea of that
that is not essential, and not abiding, but that that is external
and accidental. He was, he always will be, and
can never cease to be God. But, in the fullness of the time,
he also took upon himself that human nature and that nature was the one in
which he lived and died and rose again from the dead and of course
in the resurrection it becomes a glorified body a spiritual
body the words that we were reading just now in that 15th chapter
1 Corinthians, verse 42. So also is the resurrection of
the dead. It is sown in corruption. It is raised in incorruption.
It is sown in dishonor. It is raised in glory. It is
sown in weakness. It is raised in spirit. It is
sown a natural body. It is raised a spiritual body.
There is a natural body and there is a spiritual body. And that
body of the Lord Jesus Christ, it was truly a real body that
resurrection body and it was evident that it was a body and
that he was able to receive food he could partake of food with
his disciples as he did on the day of his resurrection and he
could assimilate that food into his body And yet, in that body,
he could pass through doors that were barred and bolted. There's
a mystery here. It's a real body, it's his human
body, but it's glorified. And this is the promise that
we have here in this text tonight. He shall change our vile body,
the body of our humiliation, that it may be fashioned like
unto his glorious body. The bodies of those who are to
partake of that glorious resurrection all Paul says there in that 15th
chapter behold I show you a mystery we shall not all sleep but we
shall all be changed we will not all necessarily die Christ
will come and there will be those of his people living upon the
earth and they shall be changed even as others are raised again
from the dead and the heaven will be peopled by those who
live their lives in glorified bodies and the spirits of just
men made perfect. Christ himself then is that one
who is clearly the efficient cause of that resurrection. He
does it. He changes. have our bodies,
and he fashions them, makes them, like unto his own glorious body."
But then, in the second place here, we also are to observe
that he is what we might term the energizing cause of that
same resurrection, because it's according to the working whereby
he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. And the
word that we have, the verb that's rendered working, the working,
whereby he is able, this is the word from which is derived our
English word energy. It suggests power in action. is the energizing cause of this
resurrection. Remember how we have a statement
there at the beginning of the epistle to the Romans how he
is declared to be the son of God with power according to the
resurrection from the dead. Now the word power there is another
interesting word because it's that from which our English word
dynamo is derived. So it's also speaking
of power. It's, as it were, a sister word
to what we have here. Here we have the working whereby
he is able to subdue all things, And there, in Romans 1.4, he's
declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the
resurrection from the dead. And of course, in that resurrection,
we see the Lord Jesus Christ as that One who is altogether
vindicated. The Father raises Him from the
dead. It's the seal of the Father's
approval of that work that He has accomplished. Elias defeated
all the powers of darkness, vanquished sin, vanquished Satan, triumphed
over death and over the grave. And again, of course, we have
it there, don't we, at the end of that 15th chapter in 1 Corinthians. Death is swallowed up in victory,
he says. O death, where is thy sting?
O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin. The
strength of sin is the law. but thanks be to God which giveth
us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. It is in the Lord Jesus Christ
that we have the demonstration that active power of God And that same power is to be
demonstrated in the general resurrection of the dead. We see this power,
this energizing power, in two ways. Previous to that general resurrection
we might say it is also there in the great work of regeneration,
when the sinner is born again by the Spirit of God, when the
sinner, that person dead in trespasses and sins, is born again and able then to
exercise faith, that saving faith, from whence does all that power
come? Well remember how we're reminded of these things there
at the end of Ephesians 1. We refer to the passage many
a time. Verse 19, the exceeding greatness says Paul, of his power
to us would who believe according to the working of his mighty
power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead
and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places. Those who believe, how do they
come to that saving faith? Well there must be something
wrought in their souls, mighty and it's God's power to us who
do believe. And as we've said, it's typical
Pauline language. It's not just power. It's not
just great power. It's the exceeding greatness
of his power. And it's the same as was there
when Christ himself was raised again from the dead. and when
the Father set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places. All the energizing causing is
that that is to be seen in Christ's resurrection. And as in the new
birth, so also at the end of time in the general resurrection
from the dead. We have the language of the Lord
Jesus himself in John. There in John chapter 5 verse
21 he says, As the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them,
even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father judgeth
no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you,
the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the
voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. 26
For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to
the Son to have life in himself, and hath given him authority
to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of Man. 27 For
there, at the end of time, then Christ is that one who will put
forth that power, that energy whereby there will be a general
resurrection from the dead. And then, thirdly here, Christ
is also the exemplary cause of resurrection. He is the efficient
cause, He is the energizing cause, and
He is the exemplary cause. who shall change our vile body,
says Paul, that it might be fashioned like unto his glorious body. There is the pattern. There is
the pattern. Christ's body is the pattern
and the example. Now is Christ risen from the
dead and become the first fruits of them that slept. Paul says in that 15th chapter
that we read, previous to the portion we were reading, yes,
verse 20, he utters those words, now is Christ risen, and Christ
is the firstfruits. And the firstfruits, of course,
is that that is the harbinger, if it were, of the full harvest
that is going to be brought in in the fullness of the appointed
time. And so, as we bore the image
of the first Adam in corruption, so we must also bear the image
of the second Adam in glory. As in Adam all die, even so in
Christ shall all be made alive. Well, Christ is the pattern. The last Adam, he was made a
quickening spirit. And what does he say in prophecy?
Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they
arise. Isaiah 26,19. And again in the gospel he says,
because I live, ye shall live also. Here we have the pattern,
the example, then it's in the Lord Jesus Christ himself. And so in the language of John
writing there in his first general epistle in 1 John chapter 3 and
there at verses 2 and 3 Beloved now are we the sons of God and
it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when
he shall appear We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as
He is. And every man that hath this
hope in Him purifies himself, even as he is pure. Well, there
is the pattern, you see. And there is the implication.
This is our blessed hope that we will yet be conformed to the
image of the glorified Christ. And isn't that motivation to
us that we should seek to live our lives to His glory, that
we should follow that example of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.
All the promising that we have here. Yes, the believer's conversation,
his citizenship is in heaven. The believer longs to be in that
place. And he will be in that place in the appointed time, the time
to die, but he will also be looking and longing and yearning for
that glorious day, the end of time, the general resurrection,
looking for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall
change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his
glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able, even
to subdue all things unto himself." At every stage of the salvation
of the sinner, the glory belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ. Or
be it their new birth, be it the exercise of faith as a consequence
of that birth, but ultimately, even when he comes to that last
day, and the general resurrection and those bodies will be glorious
spiritual bodies for a never-ending eternity. Oh the Lord then be
pleased to bless this truth to us. Now before we pray again
let us sing the hymn 488 The tune is Remington 395 Uprising
from the darksome tomb See the victorious Jesus come The almighty
prisoner quits the prison And angels tell the Lord is risen
The hymn 488, the tune 395 Uprighting from the darkness
to see the victorious Jesus Christ, the Almighty Prince, the Queen,
the Son, and Resurrected is risen. Ye guilty souls that
mourn and grieve, fill the glad tidings here and now. and justice now is on your side. Lord, should he thus release
thy foe, O give us the glory in thanks,
but mercy, thou triumphant race. The first begotten from the dead,
Your resurrection shone through His.