This question occupied my bath today because in the rewrite of my book “Jesus: God’s Gift of Himself” I am reviewing the chapter on “Perspectives on the Cross” the section on God’s provision of justification. The verse before me is Romans 4:25:
He was betrayed because of our sins and resurrected because we were justified.
Aside from Paul’s obvious chiastic parallelism (because of …because of) the second part of this verse stimulates curiosity. The simple interpretation? “His resurrection,” says John Stott, “was God’s decisive demonstration that he had not died in vain.” Our trespasses slew Him, then, His resurrection to life again vindicated His mission to justify us. Paul explained it this way: “If Christ be not raised, we are yet in our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17).
What kind of “bodies” will our heavenly, incorruptible, immortal bodies be?
“So it is with the resurrection of the dead: Sown in corruption, raised in incorruption … we shall also bear the image of the heavenly … flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption … this corruptible must put on incorruption [not subject to decay], and this mortal must put on immortality [will never die].” – 1 Corinthians 15:42, 49-50, 53
Elsewhere Jesus, after His resurrection, appeared to His disciples with the scars in His hands, side and feet and asked for a piece of fish to eat as proof He was not a ghost (Luke 24:40-43). And we must assume that our glorified bodies will be just as human looking as Jesus’ body was [“the image of the heavenly”].
This we know or think we know.
But now I begin to over think it. Will we have two arms and legs, eyes, nostrils, and ears? The body we have now was designed to function in this life. How will our glorified bodies differ because they will be designed to function in ways, this body didn’t …couldn’t? Ever wonder!
Have you heard about the “golden ratio”? Of course: 1.61803398875. So, if your waist is given a value of 1, your shoulders should be 1.618. This would be considered the “ideal” Adonis Index for a guy. Now, let’s say you’re skinny looking to gain some muscle. If your waist measures 28 inches, then your goal for your shoulders should be just about 45.3 inches. If the length of the hand has the value of 1, then the combined length of hand and forearm has the approximate value of 1.618. Similarly, the proportion of upper arm to hand + forearm is in the same ratio of 1:1.618. Measure your lower body and you’ll find the same: If the foot is 1, then the length of the foot + the shin is 1.618. Our bodies are symmetrical. A person’s arm span is about equal to their height. Artists are avid users of human body ratios, because it helps them draw realistic-looking figures.
Will God maintain these measurements in our glorified bodies? At last I will have the physique my vanity always wanted!
Was Adam perfect? If so, does that mean our glorified bodies will be similarly well dimensioned … and, of course, functional. Two arms to hug you with.. And, of course one beautiful smile that shouts how glorious is our God!!
Something to think about…..
My mind also fills with such unimportant, but interesting questions. So you are in trouble!
If my heavenly body is well dimensioned, nobody will recognize me there!
I think I agree. Who knows. Maybe what God finds as perfection is 500 lbs! But I think we will be recognized, God having taken so much effort to develop our faith in the context of our individuality.