(17) В¶ Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (18) (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: (19) Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) (20) For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: (21) Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
We have a very awful account of the many, whom the Apostle here describes, as enemies to the cross of Christ. He could not mean the openly profane, neither the openly despisers of Christ; for in the case of either, distressing as the view is, Paul needed not to have cautioned the Church against them. It appears very plainly, that as their sin is marked by the Apostle as against the cross of Christ; it was the doctrine of redemption solely by Christ; blood and righteousness, against which their enmity was shown. And well might Paul weep, in beholding such characters. Their end, he said, was destruction. Carnal confidence, naturally producing such an end. And what possible hope can there be of salvation, where the only means of obtaining it is rejected?
Reader! observe, how sweetly the Apostle relieves the minds of the Church, in reminding them of their confidence in Jesus. Our conversation (saith he) is in heaven. Not only a citizenship there; but their affections already gone before, to take possession, and to carry on correspondence with the inhabitants. We live below. But we breathe the atmosphere above. And He, who is the Lord of the country, even our dear Lord Jesus Christ, we are always on the look-out for, who is shortly expected to come, to take us to himself; that where he is, there we may be also.
And, what I yet more particularly beg the Reader to observe, Paul saith, that when he comes, he will change the vile bodies of his people, that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious body. By which, it should seem, the Apostle meant, that the saints of God, which are alive in the body, at Christ's coming, shall be instantly changed, without passing by death through the grave. While those that are asleep in Jesus, shall be also raised by the same Almighty power, from the dust, with glorified bodies. And this vast change, in both instances, is the special, and personal privilege, of Christ's redeemed ones, from their union with him. Not so the Christless dead. Jesus solemnly declares, how they are to be risen: John 5:28-29. And the Holy Ghost as sweetly speaks, how the dead in Christ shall arise, by the Spirit dwelling in them. Romans 8:11; Revelation 14:13
And Reader, suffer me, on this most interesting subject to add one word more. When God the Holy Ghost, in this scripture, by his servant the Apostle, saith, that Christ shall change our vile bodies; and this is said of the saints of God; nothing can be more evident, than that the bodies of regenerated believers, notwithstanding the holiness of the spirit, in being born again, whether in the grave, or alive, at the coming of Christ, are not changed by grace. If they were changed, they could not be said to be vile. If a perfection in part, even in the smallest part on the body, had taken place, at the regeneration of the spirit; that part, even in the thousandth degree, could no longer be said to be vile: neither could it be capable, as we see, and know it is, in every instance of corruption. Acts 13:36-37. I conceive this to be so important a point of doctrine, and involves in it so many interesting consequences, that I pray the Reader not to pass away from it too hastily. It certainly is not very generally, if at all, attended to, or considered. The commonly received opinion, even by the godly, on this point is, that at regeneration, we are sanctified in part, both in body, and spirit. Whereas, if, as Paul saith here, Christ at his coming, will change our vile bodies; most certain it is, that no change whatever is made on the body at the new-birth, but the vast work is on the spirit only. And this is most plainly the case. The spirit at regeneration, is made as holy as it ever will be, being made a partaker of the divine nature; and having had given unto it, all things that pertain to life and godliness. 2 Peter 1:3-4. And the body remains the same, unchanged by grace, but vile, and full of sin. And hence, when it drops to its original dust, it is expressly said to be sown in corruption, to be sown in weakness, to be sown a natural body. And hence, as Christ will change the vile bodies of his saints, which are alive at his coming: so, by his resurrection, he will raise up the bodies of his saints, which sleep in the dust, and which were sown in corruption. Jesus will raise them in incorruption, that they may be all fashioned like to his glorious body, whereby he is able, even to subdue all things unto himself. Oh precious Jesus! thou who art the resurrection and the life! May my flesh rest in hope of this assured blessedness!