THE SALVATION OF THE BODY

It was the Lord’s practice to speak in parables when He was in public, however, in private He revealed the mysteries of His teachings to His disciples. Consider the following prayer that John was privy to.

John 17:1

These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:

Once again the Lord presents the reality that He would soon be glorified. However, in this instance, Jesus will not explain with a parable, but with plainness of speech.

John 17:2

As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

The parable of the corn of wheat (John 12:24) caused us to perceive that Christ would indeed multiply, however, the 17th chapter takes it even further; explaining why and how the mystery will be achieved.

As thou hast given him power over all flesh…Jesus would be glorified by being given the power over all flesh. The word “power” here speaks to delegated influence: — authority, jurisdiction, liberty, right, or strength. This authority, at that time belonged to Satan. Adam had sold himself under sin through disobedience. The spirit of iniquity brought his soul and spirit into captivity. But it also entered his body, creating a law in the flesh - one of sin and death. However, by Jesus’ death on the cross he purchased the right to ownership of all flesh - thus destroying the works of Satan.

Romans 7:22-24

22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Here we are finally given a clear understanding of death. When God told Adam his disobedience would cause him to die, He wasn’t only referring to the body going back to the dust, but a more sinister operation. The seed of the serpent (the spirit of iniquity, the same spirit that was found in Satan), would come to live in man. Though the law of God was in the mind of man, his body (flesh), was controlled by the spirit of iniquity. This evil spirit working in the flesh was powerful enough to bring the mind into captivity as well. It (the spirit of iniquity), gave power to the flesh over the power of the mind and will. This captivity ended all resistance to sin.

Ephesians 2:2-3

2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

This was the death mankind experienced due to disobedience. The spirit of iniquity produced and worked wrath in Cain causing him to slay his brother Abel. Just as this law of sin and death worked evil in Cain’s body, so it did in all mankind.

Jesus also bore witness to this death of mankind and its meaning, in His conversation with the Elders in Israel.

John 8:44

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Satan was able to create evil desires in the flesh of those without the Spirit of God, and as long as he had possession of the body of man, he would use it. The works of Satan in our flesh separated us from God. But the writer asks a question, O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death (Romans 7:24)? In layman’s terms, this verse is saying, “I need someone to deliver me out of this body of death, for as long as I am here, I will be separated from God. I will continue to do the things I know to be wrong. But I can’t help myself. This sin living in me is too strong for me. He is a strong man, and I am a wretch indeed.” These words are the cry of the lost that do not have the Holy Ghost.

It was not only the soul that was sold under sin, but the flesh also. It was corrupted by the law of sin and death. This was the condition of all mankind. The human body was a body of sin and death. Thus, if Jesus was to take this authority from the devil, He would have to come in righteousness.

Romans 5:17

For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ

Herein lies the problem. My colleagues in the gospel have not discerned this passage for its true meaning. If by one man’s offense, (Adam’s disobedience), death was able to reign in man’s body, creating lusts and all manner of evil concupiscence. By one’s obedience, they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.

Grace is the gift of righteousness, not to cover our wrong doings, but to give us the power to reign or rule over our own flesh, and present it as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God.

Why is that so hard to believe? If Satan was able to change the nature of man into that of wrath and evil concupiscence, how much more is God able to change the nature of His creation to that of divinity?

The scriptures declare this to be true. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (2 Peter 1:4).

This great grace bestowed upon us has caused us to escape the corruption caused by lust and sin. Paul goes even further to say, And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23). This preservation of the flesh and the spirit is due to the indwelling of the Spirit of Grace. It has given us power over all the power of the enemy. His power in our flesh has been destroyed by the resurrection power of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, Peter is able to encourage us on this wise;

1 Peter 1:15-16

15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy