AboutBrenda Martin Expertise I have been one of Jehovah`s Witneses now for over 30 years, in those years I have brought up 4 children, teaching each of them the bible.Being one of Jehovah`s Witnesses has helped me cope with my Epilepsy and bring up a daughter with learning difficulties.I have conducted bible studies with people from nearly every denomination i.e. Muslim. Having used the bible all these years to answer peoples questions, I feel I am qualified to give any answer regarding Jehovah`s Witnesses and the bible.
Experience My experience has been one of attending bible lectures 5 times a week,taking part in these lectures in front of an audience and being with thousands of J.W. at conventions where I have seen the bible at work in peoples lives.It is truly a miracle when you see thousands of people meeting together and not one policeman needed, and not even a piece of litter in sight.It is like another world.
Question QUESTION: Do JWs believe a resurrected body is a physical body or a spirit body?
ANSWER: "DO JW’S BELIEVE A RESURRECTED BODY IS A PHYSICAL BODY OR A SPIRIT BODY?"
That depends where they are resurrected to :¬) the bible mentions 2 resurrections, a heavenly one & an earthly one.
1. Anointed Christians first die as humans. Then, at God’s appointed time, he brings them back to life in entirely new bodies. As Paul told the Philippians, “Jesus Christ . . . will refashion our humiliated body to be conformed to his glorious body.” (Philippians 3:20, 21; 2 Corinthians 5:1, 2) They are resurrected in spirit bodies and live in the spirit realm.—1 John 3:2.
1 Cor. 15:40, 42-44, 47-50: “There are heavenly bodies, and earthly bodies; but the glory of the heavenly bodies is one sort, and that of the earthly bodies is a different sort. So also is the resurrection of the dead. . . . It is sown a physical body, it is raised up a spiritual body. . . . The first man [Adam] is out of the earth and made of dust; the second man [Jesus Christ] is out of heaven. As the one made of dust is, so those made of dust are also; and as the heavenly one is, so those who are heavenly are also. And just as we have borne the image of the one made of dust, we shall bear also the image of the heavenly one. However, this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit God’s kingdom.” (There is no allowance here for any mixing of the two sorts of bodies or the taking of a fleshly body to heaven.)
That resurrection only applies to--Luke 12:32: “Have no fear, little flock, because your Father has approved of giving you the kingdom.” (These do not include all who have exercised faith; the number is limited. Their being in heaven is for a purpose.)
2..Those who are resurrected to life on EARTH do not receive the same body they had when they lived before. That body probably decayed and returned to the ground. In time the elements of the dead body may have become a part of other living things. So God resurrects not the same body but the same PERSON that died. To persons who go to heaven, he gives a new spiritual body. To those who are raised to live on earth, he gives a new physical body. This new physical body will no doubt be similar to the one the person had before he died so that he will be recognized by those who knew him. (John 5:29)
All the best
Brenda
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QUESTION: So if there is a new physical body on earth, are the needs different than the ones in heaven? In need of eating, sex, exeercise? Is the weather going to change? Is there still going to snow and rain on new earth? Buildings are to dissapear? Are there any cliffs so children wont fall? Or God is going to make another earth literally etc...?
Answer Hi Mike, you asked--"ARE THE NEEDS DIFFERENT THAN THE ONES IN HEAVEN; I.E. EATING, SEX, EXERCISE?"
Yes; the ones in heaven have no need to eat, & they have no sexes, they are neither male of female,I can’t see them needing exercise either no :¬)as spirit beings they will rule over the earth with Jesus Christ. (Rev 5;9,10)
But as for those on the earth we will eat to satisfaction, fill the earth with children & who knows maybe even exercise :¬) well put it this way there will be plenty to keep us occupied so we will get plenty of exercise building our own houses, planting our own vineyards etc.
"IS THE WEATHER GOING TO CHANGE?"
Yes, you see, before the flood of Noah’s day the earth was a uniform temperature, it had never rained, but to bring the flood God used the “floodgates of the heavens” & it changed the temperature of the earth, that will be restored in the new earth.
"IS THERE STILL GOING TO SNOW AND RAIN ON NEW EARTH?"
The bible doesn’t go into detail about these things it just tells us; there will be “no more death, pain, suffering etc” & the earth will be a paradise filled with healthy happy humans enjoying life to the full.
"BUILDINGS ARE TO DISSAPEAR?"
The bible mentions us “building our own houses” but there will probably be a lot of buildings to clear after Armageddon yes. Out with the old, in with the new :¬)
"ARE THERE ANY CLIFFS SO CHILDREN WON’T FALL?"
We don’t know about cliffs, what we do know is--Almighty God will drastically change earthly conditions for the better. He will wipe out tears of grief. No more will people die from old age, sickness, or accidents. Mourning, outcry, and pain will be gone.
With earth-wide divine education and mankind lifted up to perfection mentally and physically, faults attributable to imperfection will disappear. No more will selfish interests lead to shortcuts in work procedures that could lead to accidents for instance.
OR GOD IS GOING TO MAKE ANOTHER EARTH LITERALLY ETC...?
No need to make a new literal earth no. Based on what we have read in Isaiah chapter 65 and 2 Peter chapter 3, we can be sure that this does not mean replacing the literal heavens and our planet.
For further information go to Jehovah’s Witnesses website at www.watchtower.org or contact me here, happy to help.