I just read an interesting set of comments to this blog post at On Faith with the Washington Post. Michael Otterson wrote about the resurrection of Christ, and the comments to the blog post included praise and hope, and contention about whether or not Christ rose from the dead with a body or as a spirit.
Here is my comment I placed on that blog:
The question whether the resurrection of Christ was as a spirit or with a physical body might be perplexing. What does it matter? It certainly matters to others who have commented on this blog in different ways. Perhaps one view is easier to believe than the other. I'm not sure that is it. But I am also not sure as to why individual people feel answering this question is so important. Whatever your reasons, why not set aside the squabbles as to who is right? Why not share to help each other rather than argue over differences?
For myself, believing in a physical resurrection makes the whole idea more real. Maybe it does seem like science fiction to some. I say it’s true. I don’t have empirical evidence, but I believe it enough to live as if I did have that empirical evidence. This is why I find family history important, if we are going to be together in our life after death, then why not get to know those who have gone before—since we will one day meet them.
FamilyHistoryGeek
http://www.familyhistorygeek.com/
Consider Paul’s preaching of the resurrection of Christ:
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you,
which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye
are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have
believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which
I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he arose again the third day
according to the scriptures:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then
of the twelve:
6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred
brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some
are fallen asleep.
7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all
the apostles.
8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one
born out of due time.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am
not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was
bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all:
yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
11 Therefore
whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
12 Now
if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that
there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there be no
resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14 And if Christ
be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have
testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that
the dead rise not.
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ
raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are
yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ
are perished.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are
of all men most miserable.
20 But now is Christ risen from the dead,
and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
21 For since by man
came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
22 For as
in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1 Corinthians 15:1-23
I believe in the literal, physical resurrection of Christ. I believe we will all take up our physical bodies again, on some day. I do genealogy to prepare for that day. Because of this belief, my heart has been turned to my fathers (my ancestors).
In addition, doing family history has motivated me to connect with people. In realizing that what we can take with us when we die are not treasures like gold and silver, but treasures like what we learn while we are here, and the relationships we make along the way. We here on the Earth need to connect like the brothers and sisters we are rather than fighting … like the brothers and sisters we are.
