IN THIS LIFE, WE HAVE BEEN WOUNDED. Often the wounds heal, but the scars remain. We have scars that have been inflicted because of what we have done. And we have scars because of what others have done to us. Will those scars remain forever? Will we keep these scars once we are raised from the dead at Jesus’ return?

This series addresses the concerns we all have: the concern for sin, evil, death, dying, and what happens after we die. Is there hope after death? When God created us, humans, he intended for us to live forever in a loving, peaceful relationship with him. But this relationship has been broken by sin.

Here, we address the origin of sin and look more closely at death and dying.

But, instead of looking at death negatively, we look at it in the context of hope, the promised hope based on what Jesus did for us when he died and came back to life again.

From the Sabbath School Adult Bible Study Guide 2022 Quarter 4: Sabbath.School (See also Hope Sabbath School and 3ABN Sabbath School)

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Inviting God’s Presence

Father, we have scars that are the results of our rebellion and disobedience. Let them remind us how vulnerable we are when we are not walking in agreement with your divine will. In Jesus’ Name Amen

The righteous dead have been assured that when Jesus returns the second time, they will be raised with immortal bodies. Our bodies will be like Jesus’ body when he woke up from the dead. When we are raised from the dead, will our immortal bodies still have the scars acquired from this world?

Jesus was raised immortal.

In I Corinthians 15:20, Paul talks about Jesus being the first fruit.

“Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (Corinthians 15:20 NKJV)

What did Paul mean when he said Jesus was the first fruit?

The offering of “the first fruits” was an ancient Israelite agricultural practice. It had profound religious importance. Through this practice, the people admitted that God had entrusted them to be stewards of the land.

Their offering of the first fruit ready to be harvested was a sacred recognition of God as their gracious Provider.

For a better understanding of this practice, see Exodus 23:19, Exodus 34:26, Leviticus 2:11–16, and Deuteronomy. 26:1–11.

The first fruit also acknowledged that the land was ready for harvesting and it showed the quality of what had been produced.

Jesus rose from the grave as the first fruit of those who sleep in the grave. He came out of the grave with a glorified human body, an immortal body.

The Wave sheaf present to God in ancient Israel represented Him.

His resurrection occurred on the day when the wave sheaf was to be presented before the Lord. For more than a thousand years, this symbolic ceremony had been performed. From the harvest fields, the first heads of ripened grain were gathered, and when the people went up to Jerusalem to the Passover, the sheaf of first fruits was waved as a thank offering before the Lord. Not until this was presented could the sickle be put to the grain, and it be gathered into sheaves. The sheaf dedicated to God represented the harvest. So Christ the first fruits represented the great spiritual harvest to be gathered for the kingdom of God. His resurrection is the type and pledge of the resurrection of all the righteous dead.—The Faith I Live By, p. 180.

So when Paul says that Jesus is “proof” that God will wake up the dead, this is significant information.

What Paul is telling us is that we will be the same as Jesus. How Jesus woke up, lets us know how our bodies will look when God wakes us up from the dead. (Split)

Jesus woke up from the dead with a glorified body, a new human body. His human body was immortal. But Jesus’ body still carried the nail scars from the cross on His hands and feet. He still had the scars from the spear where he was stabbed in his side as indicated in John 20:20, 27.

20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” (John 20:20, 27)

This leads to the question, does this mean that when we wake up from the dead, our bodies also will be marked by the scars from the hurt and pain we suffered in the past?

For instance, will the apostle Paul, still carry in his glorified body the “thorn in the flesh” talked about in 2 Corinthians 12:7 and “the marks of the Lord Jesus”  spoken of in Galatians? 6:17. 

II Corinthians 12:7

7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. (II Corinthians 12:7)

Galatians 6:17

17 From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. (Galatians 6:17)

Until his death, Paul “was ever to carry about with him in the body the marks of Christ’s glory, in his eyes, which had been blinded by the heavenly light [see Acts 9:1–9].”— Ellen G. White, The Story of Redemption, p. 275.

You can read about the entire account of Paul’s encounter with God and what happened to his vision in Acts 9:1-9

8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus.

9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. (Acts 9:8–9)

Will we wake up from the dead with bodies that have marks and scars from our suffering?

Here is what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:50–54

50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.

51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—

52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” (I Corinthians 15:50-54) (Split)

What do you think?

No. We will have new bodies without scars. But Jesus’s case is different from ours. It is said that.

 “the marks of this cruelty He will ever bear. Every print of the nails will tell the story of man’s wonderful redemption and the dear price by which it was purchased.”—Ellen G. White, Early Writings, p. 179.

So as “The voice that cried from the cross, ‘It is finished,’ was heard among the dead. It pierced the walls of sepulchers, and summoned the sleepers to arise. Thus will it be when the voice of Christ shall be heard from heaven. That voice will penetrate the graves and unbar the tombs, and the dead in Christ shall arise. At the Saviour’s resurrection a few graves were opened, but at His second coming all the precious dead shall hear His voice, and shall come forth to glorious, immortal life. The same power that raised Christ from the dead will raise His church, and glorify it with Him, above all principalities, above all powers, above every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in the world to come.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 787.

Jesus’ scars are our guarantee that we won’t have any scars when we wake up from the dead. Our scars will be gone forever.

But Jesus always will have the scars from the cross. His scars are a reminder of God’s love for us.  His scars are an ever reminder of what it cost God to save us. How much did God “spend” to save us? He gave His only Son to save you!

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