Quote:
Originally Posted by awareness
Then a important question to ask is: Does the outcome of our understanding of 15:45, however it turns out, have any affect on our present experiences of God?
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While I understand the idea of the "present experience of God," I often wonder if we are often talking about getting a feeling due to following a particular practice rather than trying to be the image bearers of God exercising Godly love and righteousness in all of our living.
In other words, we have become conditioned to think of experiencing God as an activity in and for itself when I'm not sure that is what it is about. I'm not saying that there is no experience of God. But much of what people point to as the "experiencing" stuff seems to be stated as facts that we should be appreciating and that should be encouraging us to live as we are commanded rather than feeling like we have been "touched by an angel" or something like that.
So, at some level, the outcome of our analysis of 1 Cor 15:45 should have no real effect on us. Just on the elimination of a distraction from the task of living rather than just thinking about and claiming to know it all.
Besides, even if we accept that the verse is in the middle of a discussion about the nature of the body we will receive in resurrection, how much better do you understand it after reading it all? In my case, not much. In fact, there are still a lot of questions — if I thought they were important to raise. I think Paul is just saying enough to focus the Corinthians on the truth of the resurrection and that there is an example of what is to come (even if we really don't have a complete understanding of what that example tells us). Then get back to something more important. I wouldn't call the Corinthians' question irrelevant or unimportant. The resurrection is important. But whether we can do a Star Trek-like transport from one place to another, or fly like an angel with wings, or carry harps, or there are actual streets of gold just isn't really something to expend a lot of time and brain-power on. It is a promise of something much better and it will be what it will be. Appreciate it in its vagueness.