I was reading the Bible and seen a scripture in a new light.
2Cor 5:1-4 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an 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.
I love the play on words in this scripture. Paul is talking about our bodies as a house/clothes, and the inner man being naked without them. Paul puts the focus on the fact that the inner man is the true self. The outward body is simply clothes that we wear on earth. (Why can't people see that you don't have to double clothe what God has already covered.)We will one day trade this battered suit for one that is eternal! This body is our covering, who needs cotton! A human wearing clothes is like someone putting a tent over their house.
happy2beadam
I've seen this verse before, and come across with the same reasoning. I think it's funny how a clothing compulsive Christian can see this verse and take it as an anti-nudity comandment. It boggles my mind.
There are songs about "white robes" in heaven, and white robes are mentioned in Revelation chapters 6 and 7. I've often wondered if those "robes" are real or figurative. We are "clothed in the righteousness of Christ", and I've often believed that that is the "robe" that is mentioned--although I could be wrong, and it could just be wishful thinking hoping that we won't be forced to be clothed for eternity. Since all sin, shame, and lust will be gone, what need will there be for clothing of any kind--other than for us to be "clothed in the righteousness of Christ". There also will be no hazards to the body where clothing will be needed for protection. The "white robes" could be nothing more than His righteousness reflecting from us.
I think we'll either be naked, clothed in Christ, or not have the same bodily feelings that make us really like to go naked. Don't think anything in Revelation can be taken at "face" value or exactly what it says in words. The whole book seems to be filled with figurative language.
Its written that way because its written in an Apocolypse style. Full of imagery, angels, demons, very poetic.
Its actually a Revelation of Jesus Christ...that is OF Jesus or about Jesus and his eternal relationship with his people. In the end, we all win.
If we took it too literal, then Jesus actually looks like a lamb...literally, or there really would be characters riding around on special colored horses caring balances and such. We know better.
That sounds great! But also keep in mind, we are not spiritual beings "trapped" in this body that we need to get rid of. Even Jesus resurrected with the same body he grew up with as a man.
He was still flesh, yet eternal. He even still had his wounds to show off.
But our bodies are just an external of who we are inside and the inside is what counts the most. That is why God does not look at the outward man, or worry over how someone looks, old or young, healthy or diseased and battered.
I have heard it put that when God clothed us, he clothed with skin. So our nude bodies as we see it were already clothed. But that is a long shot theory I don't want to worry about let alone try to prove. (after all, he clothed us with skin...but again, he made tunics of skin...big difference).
Boyd Allen "May the Lord protect our nudity from the sight of those who will not benefit, and may he allow us to be seen by those who will."
In my resurrection body in the future kingdom of God
There will be no poverty in the kingdom of heaven. If we will be nude in those days, there is no shame of poverty linked to it.
There will be no danger of chill nor sunburn in the renewed Earth.
I will have no unhealed wounds that need binding.
No one will be staring lustfully at me.
No one will be mocking my resurrection body.
Sin and guilt will be a thing of the past.
The renewed world will have pure water, gentle breezes and warm light; why would I want to wear any clothes, since they would only serve to impede my contact with this delightful world?
I agree with Boyd and others who contend that being "clothed with the righteousness of Christ" has nothing to do with whether my skin is covered by cloth.
It is counter-intuitive to suggest that God would create a body that is inherently indecent . Why can't we assume that what God created (our nude body) is enough?
Our resurrected bodies were first modeled by Jesus.
He ate fish and honeycomb, but apparently could materialize at will (Upper Room, road to Emaeus, etc)
He could be touched (inviting the apostle Thomas to do so).
It is a body that exists in a material world, but we will have power over matter in ways that are not presently possible.
As for no marriage, God would not take something away. He would add to it.
By that I mean that the communion that two souls have in holy matrimony is wonderful, but is presently a transitory thing, interrupted by countless cares and worries.
In the resurrection, all souls of redeemed humanity will be in similar yet constant fellowship with one another and in constant communion with God. We will collectively be the Bride of Christ.
Earthly marriage will be superceded by a higher marriage. The new heaven and earth is not a place of loneliness nor isolation.
As for sexual relations, while the language is not definitive, it would seem that it will not happen in the resurrection. That does not mean that we will lose the power to enjoy gentle breezes, warmth, the delight of walking on soft grass. The resurrection will be a place of sensual delight even though not one of sexual delight.
I do not believe that we will be eunuchs or without genitals. Our sexual differences do more than allow us to procreate, they reflect the image of God in human flesh. Our genitals are a testimony to the creative and regenerative power of God. In the resurrection, men will be glorified men. Women will be glorified women in the resurrection. Jesus even kept the marks of his crucifixion in his resurrection body.
In other words, we will look like who we are now, yet perfect.
Even Jesus still had the wounds in his hands. If we took Pauls words seriously that "we will be like him for we will see him as he is," then we will all look like a bunch of 33 year old Jewish men!
But you are right, Jesus set the example by showing us what "after life" looks like.
Afterlife looks just the beginning of life! We are seeds right now, and will get planted soon.
Has anyone hidden a seed in shame or fear? Does anyone clothe seeds to keep them from seeing each other?
"If we took Pauls words seriously that "we will be like him for we will see him as he is," then we will all look like a bunch of 33 year old Jewish men!"
That was actually John who wrote that, in I John 3:2.
The Afterlife begins before the Resurrection for most
March 27 2007, 6:38 PM
Those who die in Christ depart to be with him right away as spirit beings awaiting their new bodies.
The resurrection of our bodies (translated into their glorified state) is an event that is yet to come.
When we discuss our new bodies and debate whether they will be nude or clothed, it is in the context of a restored physical universe that God establishes when this present age has ended.
Jesus was described as the firstborn of this resurrection. We can look to his appearance as a general guideline as to the nature of that resurrected body.
The body I now inhabit is not a metaphor. It is a literal body. This same literal body now wears robes of righteousness, thanks to my Savior. I can be nude while wearing these robes and I often am. The body I will inhabit in the resurrection will be a literal body as well. The robes of righteousness will envelope me to the resurrection and beyond. They will remain a metaphorical description of a spiritual blessing.
My church is really relaxed. Last week, during our Wednesday night Bible study, the church asked me about the rapture. One guy made the comment about in the left behind movies, the clothes was one of the things LEFT BEHIND. The church has no idea of our naturism, but asked if that was the way it would happen. I told them the Bible doesn't say anything about naked rapture or not, just a writers assumption. Then I said, "according to the movies we all go as nudists." The whole church roared with laugher. Eve just smiled and cut me a look that said, your so crazy. I believe in the rapture. I think we will be naked at least at first, after that it's hard to say. We started naked, with Adam and Eve, I think we will finish that way. God will bring all things back to where they are supposed to be. I see God recreating bodies from the dust of christians long dead, but not the rags they were wrapped in. When Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead the first thing he did was have them loose him from his wrappings. Sometimes when I second guess myself about naturism, I remember that God started it! It was His idea to have us nude in the first place. As the Bible says, "He changes not!"
