Pastor Frank DeFusco
When Adam first looked upon Eve he stated, “This is now bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Jesus confirmed this statement when He was questioned on the legality of divorce by the religious leaders saying, “They are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no man put asunder.” Then Paul the Apostle spoke of the church’s relationship with Jesus as being like that of the marriage covenant, stating: “For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.”
He goes on to say, “This is a ‘Great Mystery,’” but I speak concerning Christ and the church. In a spiritual sense, Jesus’ relationship with the church is that of Him being the Bridegroom and the church, His bride, thus, one with Him. Jesus says in John 10:30, “I and the Father are one.” Then in John 17, Jesus in praying to the Father concerning the believers asks Him to “sanctify them through His truth.” He also said, “That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us.” Now, as it concerns the one flesh, God, the Father, and the Holy Spirit are just that, Spirit. Jesus was born with a body of flesh like unto us, one that is corrupted with age. He was resurrected in a glorified body.
Paul writes that our bodies are sown in corruption but resurrected in incorruption. It is sown a natural body; and it is raised a spiritual body. And in speaking of the “Rapture,” he brings up another mystery by stating, “We shall not all sleep/die, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye”. And as he stated in Phil. 3:20-21, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” Then in 1 John 3:2, which says: “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” At Jesus’ “Second Coming,” He will destroy His enemies, whose bodies will be feasted on by the vultures. Afterward, there will be the event known as “The Marriage Supper of the Lamb.” Your choice, be the eater, or the eaten. Choose Jesus! To join us Tuesday for Bible study, call us at 610-428-7244. Blessings to all.
Pastor Frank teaches Bible study on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. in the Picacho Room, Sports Club.