What will we look like in heaven?
Introduction. It is good that we are concerned about the particulars of heaven. The hope of the Christian's calling is essentially heaven (Eph. 4:4, Rom. 8: 24-25). It is in heaven that the Christian will enjoy the incorruptible inheritance reserved there for them (1 Pet. 1: 4).
The Christian shall be like Christ. 1 John 3: 2 is an important verse in answering our question. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." John affirms at least two things: (1) We do not fully know how the Christian will be, and (2) we do know the Christian shall be like Christ (his glorified body).
There is a material and a spiritual body. But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?" (1 Cor. 15: 35) There will be in all circumstances a body of some type (vs. 38). Our present body is called a "natural body," the future body is called "a spiritual body" (vs. 44). There will be a "change" in our body (vss. 51-54). Our natural body is designed for this temporary material realm; the spiritual body will be suited for the eternal spiritual realm. Some scholars believe the spiritual body may not be significantly different in "appearance" from our present bodies. They base this on such matters as Jesus' glorified post-resurrection body ((John 20: 19-29) along with Abraham and Lazarus' condition in the intermediate state of Hades (Luke 16: 19-31).
Conclusion. Whatever the true particulars will be, we can be assured the spiritual body will be just as suited for the spiritual realm as our present bodies are for the material realm. "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city" (Rev. 22: 14, KJV). Heaven is a prepared place for the prepared people!
The Christian shall be like Christ. 1 John 3: 2 is an important verse in answering our question. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." John affirms at least two things: (1) We do not fully know how the Christian will be, and (2) we do know the Christian shall be like Christ (his glorified body).
There is a material and a spiritual body. But someone may ask, "How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?" (1 Cor. 15: 35) There will be in all circumstances a body of some type (vs. 38). Our present body is called a "natural body," the future body is called "a spiritual body" (vs. 44). There will be a "change" in our body (vss. 51-54). Our natural body is designed for this temporary material realm; the spiritual body will be suited for the eternal spiritual realm. Some scholars believe the spiritual body may not be significantly different in "appearance" from our present bodies. They base this on such matters as Jesus' glorified post-resurrection body ((John 20: 19-29) along with Abraham and Lazarus' condition in the intermediate state of Hades (Luke 16: 19-31).
Conclusion. Whatever the true particulars will be, we can be assured the spiritual body will be just as suited for the spiritual realm as our present bodies are for the material realm. "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city" (Rev. 22: 14, KJV). Heaven is a prepared place for the prepared people!