Dear Fellow Believers in Christ, (Christ in Us as Us is Our Resurrection Life from the Father) 

Resurrection means to stand up again, denoting a bodily resurrection. Did Christ have an immediate exchange of bodies just following His death? Does the scriptures not declare that Christians have an immediate exchange of bodies following death? Why does the scriptures not teach soul sleep? Were not Moses and Elijah seen on the Mount of Transfiguration in their resurrected and glorified bodies with Jesus? Why is resurrection an important part of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ? Let us hear the Holy Spirit today speak the truth of Christ to us. The Holy Spirit is faithful to confirm the Christ in us as us as our resurrection life from the scriptures.

RESURRECTION

"For we already know that if our house of this tent upon the earth should once then be loosed from us, we ever have a building out of God, a house not made by hands, eternal in the heavens" (II Cor. 5:1, from the expanded Greek text).

First, Resurrection in Scripture Always Pertains to a Bodily Resurrection
Paul uses skin or tent to refer to our earthly, physical body in this passage. The Greek word for resurrection is anastasis which literally means a standing up again. Spirits don't stand up or again stand up. Souls don't stand up or again stand up. However, bodies certainly do stand up and can stand up again. Even though, our new heavenly bodies or spiritual bodies are not made by man or substance of this world, God considers our body rising or standing up again – or a bodily resurrection. Resurrection in scripture always pertains to a bodily resurrection (I Cor. 15:35-44). Lazarus was bodily raised by Jesus (John 11:43,44). Christ was bodily raised and seen by many (I Cor. 15:3-6).

Second, Resurrection is an Exchange of the Temporal for an Eternal Body
Paul clearly tells us that our temporal body is corruptible, but it is raised again as an incorruptible body (I Cor. 15:22). Paul also tells us that it is sown as a natural body but is raised as a spiritual body (I Cor. 15:44). There may be dishonor and weakness in these old bodies of flesh out of this earth. However, our heavenly body will be raised incorruptible and exchanged into glory and power (I Cor. 15:42,43). The eternal body comes from God, and is made from eternal and heavenly counterparts (II Cor. 5:1; I Cor. 15:42-44). Paul tells us we desire to be clothed with our eternal body" (II Cor. 5:2). Mortality is swallowed-up or exchanged by life (II Cor. 5:4). One split second following death, we will receive our glorified body. For "to be absent from the body," is "to be present with the Lord" (II Cor. 5:8). The Word of God does not teach soul sleep for man, but an immediate exchange. "That mortality may once then be swallowed up by life," speaks of immediate exchange (II Cor. 5:4, expanded Greek text).

Third, The Resurrection of Christ is an Important Truth of the Gospel
The resurrection of Christ is an important truth of the gospel. The Saducees sect of Jesus' time did not believe in the resurrection of the dead (I Cor. 15:12). Paul was quite clear, "if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen" (I Cor. 15:13). Paul goes on to say, "And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is vain and your faith is also vain" (I Cor.15:14). We would all be considered false witnesses, if Christ was not truly resurrected (I Cor. 15:15). The culminating fact would be that, "if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!" (I Cor. 15:17). Everything would have all been in vain if the Father had not raised Christ from the dead. There would be no resurrection hope for us. Paul even says, "Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished" (I Cor. 15:18). There would be no hope for a resurrection and eternal life in and with Christ without the resurrection of Christ. Paul cries out, if having hope in Christ is for this life only, then mankind would end in a most pitiful state (I Cor. 15:19).

Fourth, Rightly Dividing the Death and Burial of Christ with the Word
Jesus was prepared and put in the tomb, with a large stone rolled against the door of the tomb (Matt. 27:60). When was Jesus actually raised by the Father from the dead? What does the scripture say about the events? Jesus Himself told us, "For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matt. 12:40). Many attempt to shrink the 3 days and 3 nights to logically make them fit between Good Friday afternoon and early Sunday morning. There is no rationale that fulfills this scripture. Jesus most likely died shortly after the ninth hour, or 3:00 P.M. on Wednesday (Matt. 27:45-50). Joseph probably had Jesus wrapped and in the tomb that was sealed before 6 PM that evening. This truly complies with Jesus' own prophecy of 3 days and 3 full nights (Matt. 12:40). Jesus was NOT misleading us with His specifically stated length of time.

Fifth, Jesus Christ was Immediately Resurrected with a Spiritual Body
So, when was Jesus resurrected? The word clearly tells us Jesus yielded up His Spirit, after the eternal spotless sacrifice was complete (Matt. 27:50). "The veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to bottom" by Spirit of the Father. "The earth quaked and the rocks were split" (Matt. 27:51). "And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city appeared to many" (Matt. 27:52,53). The word records, that Jesus Christ was immediately resurrected from the dead by the Father. Christ was first risen from the dead to be the firstfruits of all who have fallen asleep (I Cor. 15:20). Christ went into the heavens to cleanse the things in the heavens (Hebr. 9:23,24). Then, the Father could tear the veil into from top to bottom, for the shadows would no longer be needed. Christ is now our eternal High Priest with the Father. Then, Christ went to hell and preached to the spirits in paradise and led them out (I Pet. 3:19-20). Christ disarmed principalities and power. He presented them now powerless in open speech, triumphing over them in it (Col. 2:15).

Sixth, Salvation is Believing that our Father Raised Christ from the Dead
We are justified by the shed blood of Jesus (Rom. 5:9). We are reconciled to the Father by the death of His Son (Rom. 5:10). However, we are saved by the resurrection life of the Son (Rom. 5:10). It is the Father Who has raised Christ from the dead (Eph. 1:20). It is the same Spirit of the Father who raised Christ from the dead, that quickens our mortal bodies with the rebirthing of His Spirit put in us through Christ (Rom. 8:11). Righteousness is imputed to us when "we believe in the Father who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead" (Rom. 4:24). "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that the Father raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Rom. 10:9,10).

Seventh, The Three Major Exchanges that Take Place with the Believer
There are three (3) major exchanges that take place with the believer. The first is the Spirit rebirithing exchange done immediately with the Spirit being complete in Christ in all things (I Cor. 12:13; Col. 2:10). The second is the soul/mind renewal which takes place continually throughout this earthly life. We need to know Christ, and the power of His resurrection life in us (Phil. 3:10). The third and final exchange takes place a split second after death, when we receive as Christ did, our immediate resurrection in our glorified body.