42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
I love the contrasts of these verses. They spell out the distinction between life in this present age and life in eternity after death. This life is dominated by perishability, dishonor, weakness, and earthly desires. Heaven is about imperishability, glory, power and the spiritual desires. And there is a clear distinction between the two. And there is a death that separates the two realms. You can’t enter the second realm until death happens. And yet the Scriptures teach that we who are Jesus-followers begin to enjoy a taste of that imperishable, glory, and power right now because of what Jesus did on the cross. When we become Jesus-followers we are transformed. We become new creatures in Christ. The old life is gone; the new life is already working in our lives. But the full benefits of the resurrection will not be evident in our lives until our physical death. We must be released from this earthly body before we can experience the fullness that awaits us in heaven. Life in this body will always be limited by the consequences of sin, both our personal sin and the consequences of the sins of others. The world is falling apart as a result of sin, and no matter how much we want to avoid those consequences, there is always some spillover that takes place. We can’t live this life without experiencing some perishability, dishonor and weakness. But as a believer we also get to experience a taste of imperishability, glory and power. And I like the taste of the latter!
The Arnold Journey 