The Bible teaches that the saints will have real flesh and bone bodies after the Resurrection. Jesus showed His disciples, after His own resurrection, that He had a real flesh and bone body when He ate with them.
Luke records, “Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” “And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them.” “And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and … while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven” (Luke 24:36-39, 41-43, 50, 51).
Jesus with His physical body ascended to His Father and will come again in the same manner to earth. The angels said to the disciples who were watching the ascension, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11).
The righteous will be given glorified bodies just like the body of Christ and will be real people with flesh and bones throughout eternity. But their bodies will not be subject to death. The apostle Paul wrote: “…For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 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” (1 Corinthians 15:52-54).
The teaching that the saved in heaven will be ghosts who float on clouds is not Biblical. In heaven, the saints will live “build houses, and inhabit them and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit they shall not plant, and another eat: … mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands” (Isaiah 65:21, 22). The fact that they will plant vineyards and eat the fruit from them clearly indicates that they will have flesh and bone bodies.
Real people will do real things in heaven, and they will thoroughly enjoy it all. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). Not even in their wildest dreams can humans begin to comprehend the amazing things that God has planned for them.
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
