Our generation thinks man can define his nature. I do not think so. However, in the sense that man shapes the state of his spirit, a man prepares his nature for the life to come. It depends on him how to build virtues or vices. And according to the last state before his death, God will judge and grant salvation or condemnation. And then, when Christ Jesus comes again at the end of the world, man will receive his body according to his judgment. The saved ones will receive a glorified body like Christ’s. The damned will also receive a body. But what would it be?
When God created Adam and Eve, they did not know any sin. Their souls were not tainted with sin. Therefore, their body did not have to bear the consequence of sin, namely death. But when they sinned by disobedience, they disfigured their spirits. The original sin severed the relationship with God, and thus, it deformed their souls. As a result, as God had warned, their body had to bear the ultimate consequence, death. In a sense, Adam and Eve defined their nature – into a degenerated one. The body no longer enjoyed eternal life. Human nature without God’s grace resulted in death.
Jesus did not have to die. He was like us in all respect except sin. His body before his death did not have to bear the consequence of sin. However, Jesus chose to accept his heavenly Father’s will to sacrifice for the sin of all men. Through his death, Jesus opened the way of salvation by the forgiveness of sin. But he defeated death by His resurrection. He demonstrated how the saved would be like by his resurrection. They will be reunited with their body. But this time, thanks to the purified and sanctified spirit and soul, the body does not have to suffer, not alone death!
Then, we might speculate how the damned will be like at the resurrection of the body. One of the properties of the glorified body is its radiant beauty. Then, the damned body will suffer the exact opposite. If we disfigure our spirit and soul with sins and vices, we will receive an indescribably horrific body. Many contemporaries attempt to define human nature in sinful ways against Christ’s teachings, against God’s will. Saints who had visions of hell say they would rather die than see it again.
The risen Jesus shows his wounds to his disciples, who still doubt. But why does he still bear those scars in his glorified body? They are not only the remedy to his disciples’ disbelief. But they are also the hiding places for the faithful, who desire his mercy. His wounds are for his glory and mercy. We will recognize Jesus in heaven by those wounds!
In this life, we will build either virtues or vices. Virtues demand sacrifice and suffering. We may also bear marks of sacrifice and suffering at our resurrection like Jesus. But by them, we would recognize each other. Perfect beauty in the resurrection would be the perfection of sacrifice.
