Did the Church Body Become Spiritual Yet?
Either the old covenant flesh and blood (psuchikos) body already transitioned to the new covenant spirit realm (pneumatikos) body or we are still transitioning from the old covenant to the new covenant, or the transition is already over but we are going back to the old covenant body, in order to sow it again so it can die again and be raised again.
The old covenant body was actually sown into the earth in order to produce the new covenant body. The 12 tribes were sown into all the lands as the pre-evangelism for the spiritual body of Christ. Diaspora means sown throughout or seed scattered. Only a remnant of the flesh and blood body of God’s people returned to the land of types for the flesh and blood body of Christ to be born, in order to make His new covenant transition out of the typical covenant. He was the living seed sown in the typical land that gave life to the new body, out of the death of the old. And He didn’t die just to remain alone in His resurrection.
After Pentecost the new covenant body comes to life in the land. It moves out from the land of types and it produces much fruit. The Holy Spirit is poured out as the latter day rain, rivers of living water, water that forever satisfies the thirst and as the new yeast that makes the unleavened bread rise on Pentecost. The Holy Spirit is as anointing oil, wine, a dove and as tongues of fire. All the spoken foreign languages (heard from the lips of the apostles by the diaspora Jews) were sanctified on Pentecost by the resurrection breath from the new first born. If the following verse isn’t a picture of the typical breath of the body of Adam still in transition to the spirit realm breath that Jesus was about to send from heaven to the 12 tribes gathered in the land, then what is?
John 20:19-22
YLT 19 It being, therefore, evening, on that day, the first of the sabbaths, and the doors having been shut where the disciples were assembled, through fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and saith to them, `Peace to you;’ 20 and this having said, he shewed them his hands and side; the disciples, therefore, rejoiced, having seen the Lord. 21 Jesus, therefore, said to them again, `Peace to you; according as the Father hath sent me, I also send you;’ 22 and this having said, he breathed on them, and saith to them, `Receive the Holy Spirit;
1 Corinthians 15:44
ABP_Strongs new It is [being] sown a breathical body; it is [being] raised a spiritual body. There is a breathical body, and there is a spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15:44
YLT 44 it is [being] sown a natural body, it is [being] raised a spiritual body; there is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body;
The new covenant body of Christ doesn’t die. Only the old covenant body of Christ could die, and that voluntarily and sacrificially. Jesus died to redeem the firstborn from the death to the age. Adam and Israel were God’s old covenant firstborns. On them the inheritance of life-to-the-age was lost. They were both dead and dying. If left in the garden Adam would have lived to the age fallen. The Jews left in the land at 1000 years did live to the age of destruction fallen. Because the presentation of God in the typical temple did not actually grant spiritual life to anyone. So Adam was put on hold at 930 years of age until Jesus came and took his place on the cross. Jerusalem was finally destroyed in AD 70 after the only begotten firstborn human married God’s people in an undying marriage covenant. Jesus retroactively took up where Adam left off. Jesus supplied 70 years from His birth before abolishing covenant death for reborn Adam and Israel. The second death of typical Jerusalem signified the destruction of the old covenant death.
1 Corinthians 15:26
CLV 26 The last enemy is being abolished: [the] death.
1 Corinthians 15:45
LITV 45 So also it has been written, “The” first “man”, Adam, “became a living soul;” the last [eschatos] Adam a life-giving Spirit. Gen. 2:7
1 Corinthians 15:45-58
CLV 45 If there is a soulish body, there is a spiritual also. Thus it is written also, The first man, Adam, “became a living soul: the last Adam a vivifying Spirit.” 46 But not first the spiritual, but the soulish, thereupon the spiritual.” 47 The first man was out of the earth, soilish; the second Man is the Lord out of heaven.” 48 Such as the soilish one is, such are those also who are soilish, and such as the Celestial One, such are those also who are celestials.” 49 And according as we wear the image of the soilish, we should be wearing the image also of the Celestial.” 50 Now this I am averring, brethren, that flesh and blood is not able to enjoy an allotment in the kingdom of God, neither is corruption enjoying the allotment of incorruption.” 51 Lo! a secret to you am I telling! We all, indeed, shall not be put to repose, yet we all shall be changed, 52 in an instant, in the twinkle of an eye, at the last trump. For He will be trumpeting, and the dead will be roused incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality.” 54 Now, whenever this corruptible should be putting on incorruption and this mortal should be putting on immortality, then shall come to pass the word which is written, Swallowed up was Death by Victory.” 55 Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting? 56 Now the sting of Death is sin, yet the power of sin is the law.” 57 Now thanks be to God, Who is giving us the victory, through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 58 So that, my beloved brethren, become settled, unmovable, superabounding in the work of the Lord always, being aware that your toil is not for naught in the Lord.”
God was giving His people the victory over the death that came to everyone under law. Jesus personally entered and overcame that death and then sent the Holy Spirit to raise His people out of that same death. The death under the law wasn’t defeated until the new covenant became eternal and the old covenant was put to second death. The second death of the old covenant was the destruction of the old covenant. The first national death came after the first 490 year failure, with a promise to return after 70 years. The promise given to the old covenant hold outs in their second 490 year failure was the 70 AD destruction of types. Nobody can die a covenant death today because the covenant with the death threat no longer exists. The death threat actually came true. The grace period came to an end after a second 490 years of animal sacrifice forgiveness. There remains no animal sacrifice for sins. The types lasted till the 1000 year jubilee put them to rest.
The old covenant body of Christ was sacrificed. The new covenant body of Christ that gives life moved on from His individual resurrection, to the betrothal of Pentecost to the marriage of Tabernacles. Jesus took Adam’s place in his/His death to bring His life to His people. Covenant death was put to death. Old covenant death ended in both new covenant life to the age and old covenant destruction to the age. God doesn’t divorce and destroy His new covenant people. He doesn’t even make them a widow so they can be free to make a new marriage covenant. How encouraging it is to know that your new covenant work of the Lord is being eternally blessed by God. The natural typical body has been raised by the Holy Spirit into the new covenant body. What body is more spiritual than the Holy Spirit raised body of God’s old covenant people?
John 12:24 – Jesus said this to the old covenant people of God:
KJV 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
It wasn’t physical life that Paul had to give up in order to be fruitful. It was the old covenant man that was dead and dying and still needed to be put to death. Old Paul died before and after being covenantally reborn from a heavenly encounter with Jesus. Paul became very fruitful in his new covenant life. Likewise the emphasis of the cross was not the physical death and resurrection, rather the covenant death and resurrection that it signified. Only Jesus could typically die and overcome the old covenant holding place where old covenant dead people went to wait for the millennium. The grace of Hades expired when the nation of Israel reached 1000 years in the old covenant. Adam was taken off his hold at 930 year of age when eschatos Adam was born.
Galatians 2:20 – Paul as an old covenant man being put to death and Paul as a new covenant man being raised to life were both accredited to the faithfulness of the Son of God.
KJV 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Paul, as a Hebrew who was saved from their old covenant death, applied the same concepts to those who were never in the old covenant. Gentiles were being born from above by the same Holy Spirit, just as the Jews were. They too were being called to put the inadequacies of their first water birth family life to death and follow their new covenant family of born again by the Holy Spirit people. Of course the Jews were the ones paving the way for the church to be fruitful by way of the Holy Spirit.