Article — Heaven and Hell — Q & A

The Bible says our resurrected bodies will be transformed and will be like Christ’s “glorious body” (Phil. 3:21).

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After Jesus was resurrected on the third day, He appeared on earth in a physical body to the apostles and over 500 others. He had hands and feet. He walked, talked, and reasoned with them. He broke bread and blessed it. He asked for food and ate fish. He could appear and disappear at will (Luke 24; 1 Cor. 15:6).

 

If we are to be like Him, we too may be recognizable to others and have a similar physical body.

 

But how Jesus looked—was it just temporary to be recognized by the apostles? Were the scars in his hands and side only temporary for doubting Thomas to touch? Jesus' appearance served the purpose of confirming that He had risen. Then later, when He ultimately sits on the throne in heaven, will He change from His recognizable, earthly look to something different? Likely, we can only make inferences from these examples of what our bodies will be like in heaven.

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The Apostle Paul anticipated similar questions about what our body will look like. Paul said,

“But someone will say, ‘How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?’” (1 Cor. 15:35)

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Paul said it's similar to sowing a dead seed, which doesn't produce another seed but a full-grown plant. 

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He said, “So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is . . .

• sown a perishable body—it is raised an imperishable body

• sown in dishonor—it is raised in glory

• sown in weakness—it is raised in power

• sown a natural body—it is raised a spiritual body”

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An imperishable body is one that is free from disease and decay and lives forever. It seems Paul focused more on the qualities of our heavenly bodies, such as glory and power, rather than our looks (1 Cor. 15:37-44). 

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Our ethnicity?

Another inference that could be made is that our ethnicity may survive. Paul mentioned, when you plant a grain of wheat, it grows into a wheat plant. It doesn't grow into something else (like an olive tree). Therefore, when we die, will we be raised to look somewhat like us?

 

To further this idea, John's vision of the new heaven and earth mentioned nations, which may also imply various races will exist.

 

“The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it” (Rev. 21:24).

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While we are told we will be like Christ’s body in heaven, scripture also says,

“It has not appeared as yet what we will be” (1 John 3:2).

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While the Bible may be vague about what we'll look like in heaven, rest assured everyone gets a substantial upgrade—a new glorious body! That includes a new body for those born with disabilities, those who lost a limb in war, those burned up in a fire, or those lost at sea.

 

So no one can precisely say what we’ll look like in heaven until we meet our Savior face to face.