Saturday in Pentecost Week
“In this Christian church He daily and richly forgives all my sins and the sins of all believers. On the Last Day He will raise me and all the dead, and give eternal life to me and all believers in Christ. This is most certainly true.” (Explanation to the Third Article of the Apostle’s Creed)
In the Name of Christ. Amen. Forgiveness. Resurrection from the dead. Everlasting Life. These three things are inseparable in the Christian faith because with forgiveness the other two must follow.
The interesting thing about the Creed, and even Scripture, is that neither really says what happens to unbelievers on the Last Day. Sure, we know they go to Hell where unquenchable fire burns and worms eat and do not die. But what happens to the unbelievers at the Resurrection? What is the state of their bodies? Are they restored like the bodies of believers? We don’t know, and it is probably best that we don’t know.
What we do know about the Last Day is this: all believers in Christ are forgiven sinners. We are those who are made whole by the sacrifice of Christ and can stand before Him washed clean and declared righteous in the eyes of God.
Because we have been forgiven on account of the work of Christ Jesus, we will be raised from the dead and given a glorified body. Just what that body will look like is unclear. Certainly no limps, glasses, or artificial joints will be in evidence, just perfect bodies the way God intended them to be.
The Small Catechism explains that on the Last Day, we will begin the full enjoyment of being with Christ forever, in body and soul. Our bodies will be raised, our souls will be joined to to those glorious bodies, and we will enjoy Christ’s presence for eternity.
What will it be like? No one knows, but it will be better than anything we can think of on earth. Take your best example of pure bliss and joy and multiply it innumerable times. Life Everlasting will be better and more exciting than that.
All this is ours because of faith in Christ. Faith given to us through the Word of God by the Holy Spirit who made His unmistakeable entrance on Pentecost. Faith sustained by that same Holy Spirit through the free forgiveness of our confessed sins. Faith anchored in the sacrifice of Christ Jesus on Calvary’s cross. Amen.
Daily lectionary
Ezekiel 47:1-12 1 John 3:11-18 Matthew 10:34-42