The Firstfruits of Redemption
125
Is there healing in this? What would the earnest of resurrection be? Think about it. We’re talking
about the earnest of physical resurrection. We get the earnest of other things, too, but what would
the earnest of your physical resurrection be? It would be a taste of resurrection power to come. It
wouldn’t be the whole thing; it would be a taste.
A person might say, “I’m just going to believe to get my whole self resurrected right now.” No,
you’re not. If you go back and read 1 Corinthians 15:54, it says, “…then shall be brought to pass
the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” It gives a focus of a time when it is
going to happen. You and I cannot claim resurrection of our flesh today. There are people who
have tried over the centuries, who said, “I’m going to believe God to never die physically.” Do
you know where they all are? They died.
No, you are not going to believe to live down here 1,000 years or however long it takes until
Jesus comes. The days of man, the Bible says, will be 120 years. (Genesis 6:3) That’s the
approximate maximum that a man or woman can stand to expect to live. You can also have the
word that you can live until you’re satisfied. I don’t want to be down here 500 years. No, I want
to finish my job, finish my race, and not leave early—and not leave stuff undone so that other
people have to take up the slack. But the fullness of the resurrection is going to happen.
Is it true that we have an earnest? Is it true we have a part, like an engagement gift, that we can
enjoy right here and now?
Second Corinthians 4:10-11 says we are “always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord
Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.” Don’t try to spiritualize
that some other way. He’s talking about the life of Jesus being made manifest in your body. “For
we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be
made manifest in our mortal flesh.”
It can’t say it any plainer than that. Once your flesh is glorified, it won’t be mortal anymore. It
will be immortal. If it’s going to happen to your mortal flesh, it’s got to happen now.
Can the life of Jesus be manifested in your mortal flesh? Yes!
A lot of people read 1 Corinthians 5:1-2 at funerals, but they stop a verse or two short. I want
you to see what verse I’m talking about. It says, “For we know that, if our earthly house of this
tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a 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.”
Sometimes people say, “Why do we even need a body?” You need a house. God gave you a
house. It’s good to have a house. Your body is your house.
Verses 4 and 5 say, “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. Now he that
hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the
Spirit.” Now, why did He talk about that in connection with your body? Why talk about that?
