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Or three years old and died in a terrible auto accident.

You think He still is eating fish?

He will.

For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

Truly I tell you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God."

What exactly do you think a glorified body is?

Philippians 3:21 Who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

1 Corinthians 15:42-44  So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory.

Philippians 3:20-21  But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

1 Corinthians 15:44  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.

But do YOU have any idea why man was created, looking as he does, upright like an ape... but without hair for protection from the elements...

I am rarely without ANY ideas. ;)

Scientifically, being relatively hairless allows us to travel further distances without overheating, and being bipedal lets us use our hands and walk at the same time.  From a design perspective, these are features you would give to something that you expect to be nomadic/itinerant.  Biblically, early Genesis strongly supports the idea that man was designed to be nomadic, and mostly condemns the practice of setting down stationary cities and taking up farming full-time (see Cain v. Abel).

Why did He create man to look like this when it is obvious that given the ability other animals had the ability to talk?

DO NOT go there with the statement that those things were allegories, parables, or never happened.......

Where do you get the idea that other animals spoke?  Most of them don't have all the physical parts to do so (lips, tongues, larynx), and the ones that do, for the most part don't have the intelligence for much more than mimicry.

It isn't clear at all that any animals spoke.  The opposite is true - it is clear that they never have!

This idea that God made man only in his spiritual image... which is what is suggested time and again... simply is too weird for words.

90% of people can't even define the word spiritual, and the ones who can don't agree on its definition.  So... what are they really saying?

Are they saying that man is like God because we have logic, intellect, self-awareness... sentience?  If so, they're probably right.  That's the difference between man and animals that is immediately noticeable.

For that means that the spirituality of God also incorporates all the evil and truly bad men since the author wrote "In the beginning." OR is proof that we are simply the Pawns in the Hand of God who created us to .... well, that is for another day.

Well, what do you mean by spiritual?  Based on these couple sentences, not the same thing as me.

I will say this... there is no judgment, no good or evil, without intelligence and logic.  Perhaps that comes close to answering your question?

Jarrod

That violates Hebrews 13:8  where it says HE was and is the same past present and future.  He did not change from spiritual to physical and back to spiritual.  He is the SAME.

The way you use these words makes my head hurt.

For the Greeks, spiritual wouldn't preclude having a body.  If you have a spiritual body, you still have a body.  It isn't a non-body.

Jarrod

A glorified, transformed body is one that is no longer subject to aging, illnesses, diseases, deterioration, or death. This is the kind of body our Lord currently has. At His death, His physical body underwent a transformation, a glorification following His physical demise [see John 7:39 & Phil. 3:21]. And it was this living form that appeared to His disciples on the mountain, and the living forms of Moses and Elijah—all glorious forms. [Note: “glorify” & “glorified,” according to the Greek, have a wide application.]

John 7:39  Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Given that the Spirit was not given until after Jesus ascended into heaven to be at God's right hand, I would reject any transformation or glorification at His death and place it at His ascension.  And that particularly given His prayer in John 17:5 that would place His glorification at His return to the Father's side.

I find it interesting and not happenstance that when speaking of Jesus "resurrection" from the dead and before His ascension the Greek word ἔγερσις [egersis] is used.  This is from the Greek word ἐγείρω [egeirō] which is the same word used to describe the raising of Lazarus from the dead (John 12:1).  In all other instances when speaking of the resurrection at the end of the age, with Jesus' return, the Greek word for resurrection is ἀνάστασις [anastasis]. I believe that Jesus' rising from the dead is not the resurrection that is referred to when speaking of the "resurrection" in passages such as Matthew 22:28-31, Mark 12:23, Luke 14:14, John 11:24-25, Acts 2:31;4:2;4:33;17:18, etc.  Instead, I believe the resurrection being spoken of in those and all other such passages relates not to His being raised from the dead, but rather to His being ascended to Heaven.

I would point out that in passages such as Romans 6:1-14, it speaks of Jesus being raised from the dead (vv. 4&9) it is the Greek word ἐγείρω [egeirō] that is used. But when it speaks of His resurrection in verse 5 it is not ἔγερσις [egersis]; rather it is ἀνάστασις [anastasis].

All of this suggests to me that there is the raising of Jesus from the dead and there is Jesus' resurrection and they do not speak to the same event.  That tells me that the transformation, the glorification following His physical death and being raised from the dead did not occur until His ascension.

But maybe that is just me.

It also does not touch on the fact that .... ( You do not believe in the literal account of Adam and Eve right?)  that the author told us Adam and Eve were given the garden for their permanent home and had no need to wander about until they broke the rules and were kicked out. So they were not created to be nomads... initially.

I think you are underestimating the size of the "garden."  Whether you believe the story is literal or not, it's set in a real place... the Bible tells us that Gan Eden was the forest of Lebanon, which was hundreds (thousands?) of square miles.  It's kind of tough to tell nowadays, since the majority of the forest was removed thousands of years ago.

Poppycock and peanuts. You either simply do not believe your bible, for Numbers 22:18 says
28 Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”

Are you saying that the author lied about God?

Then Genesis 3: 4And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.

Are you saying that a man went down to the party store and rented a snake costume to wear to entice Eve?  The author further tells us that God....14And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: So all indications are that a serpent, who one time move upright had the ability to talk or else this author also said God lied.

The story of Balaam's donkey speaking is presented as something miraculous.  Donkeys do not normally speak (and I can't believe I have to type this sentence out).

The serpent of early Genesis is an apocalyptic symbol; not a literal animal.  Hebrew literature uses animals as symbols on a regular basis, actually.  This can be seen on full display in Daniel and Revelation, as well as some of the intertestamental books.

TRUE STORY... About the animal kingdom.

When I was in grade school I had a baby sitter who had family across the street from us. Mrs Bowl was her name.
Well, when the family would go away, Mrs Bowl and her  husband would stay in that house to watch the parrot that lived there.

Now I am certain you with your scientific mind will say a parrot mimics and does not think.  HA!

This one stay, Mrs. Bowl had made breakfast and called her husband to eat. As was the habit, the parrot also ate breakfast at the same kitchen table sitting on the back of the chair, with the food in it's bowl on the table.  And once they were well into eating... (it is appropriate to know that this bird always called everyone by their first name... i.e. Mr. Bowl's name was Alex) 

Anyway , they were well into breakfast not talking when all of a sudden, out of the birds mouth came "Good breakfast Mrs. Bowl.

OK you say he was just mimicking what he had heard at some point.....

Then explain this one.

The owners were paid a house call by their minister and had a very nice visit. When he ( the minister ) got up to leave and was approaching the door he turned and asked the Lanes (The owners of the parrot) if they could pray . Yes, yes came the answer so they all were standing there with their heads bowed and the minister speaking.

The parrot who was around all of a sudden piped up wit "What the hell is going on here."!

Make no mistake.....Those that do speak will. Those that God has a purpose of speaking will also. And... yes. Anyone with any animals that they are close with will tell you they also have feelings of happiness and sadness and many do cry.

Well, parrots DO speak.  They are quite smart for animals and have the required parts to make speech.  While most of it is mimicry, they can figure out basic cause-and-effect things, like getting a cracker when they say cracker.  But you can't find one that can hold a conversation.  Feels like I'm doing a lot of pointing-out-the-obvious, here.

Most animals don't speak.

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Are they saying that man is like God because we have logic, intellect, self-awareness... sentience?  If so, they're probably right.  That's the difference between man and animals that is immediately noticeable.

I am sure that would be a scientific definition.

Nope.  People have understood this since before there was such a thing as science.  Also, modern science rejects the idea, instead placing man among the animals.

Although, why am I supplying actual answers in reply to something that was only ever intended as a snide comment?  Socially clueless, I am.

Spiritual... simply stated to me is regarding humans would be relating to the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things like the human body.

At the risk of repeating myself, it's not very useful to define things in terms of what they are NOT.  Can we go a step further?

In your Bible, spiritual is the word pneumatikos.  This word means 'something that is moved by the wind.'

Paul contrasts spiritual with natural or physical, depending on which translation you're using.  This word is psychikos.  It means 'something that is moved by its breath,' which at first glance seems very similar.

What's the difference?  (yes, I'm begging a question)

In ancient philosophy, a being that is breath-powered is moved according to its natural urges.  It exists to eat and drink, to copulate and pursue everything that FEELS good, and to avoid everything that FEELS bad.

Conversely, a being that is wind-powered is moved according to its own purpose and plan.  It pursues that which it deems to be profitable, even when it is uncomfortable in the short term.

While we're at it, the Greek psyche is translated into Latin as anima, which you might recognize as the root word of animal.  It's also sometimes translated into English as soul.

We know that God is Spirit. ( As we are spirits who have a soul and live in a body) (Some reverse the soul and spirit idea and the bible is not clear as it refers to the fact that the spirit, as well as the soul goes back to God the moment we die.

I say spirit first because God wants to “sanctify” or transform our spirit, soul, and body into the image of Christ (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18). But this transformation starts with our “spirit,” not our soul or body. Our spirit is the inner most part of us.

When physical death occurs, the spirit and soul are separated from the physical body. According to the Old Testament the spirit of believers returns to the Lord at death. “Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7). The physical body is buried in the ground (“the dust will return to the earth”), but the spirit of the believer “returns to God who gave it.” When Rachel died, the Bible says, “And so it was, as her soul was departing (for she died), that she called his name Ben-Oni” (Genesis 35:18). Based on other verses in the Bible, the departing of Rachel’s soul implies her soul (and spirit) departed to go be with the Lord in Abraham’s bosom or Paradise (Luke 16:22; 23:43).

If you're a person, you do indeed have a body, spirit, and soul.  But if you're an animal, you only have a body and a soul.

If you're a Christian, then your goal (according to Scripture and not me), should be to take captive the impulses of your anima, and put your spirit in the driver's seat.  No wait, that needs a revision... put The Spirit in the driver's seat.  We may have the wind inside us, but it doesn't come from ourselves.

Jarrod

An excellent post. 

+1

I do like the biblical expression "gathered to our people".  It tells me that I will meet and be with my wife again, and my mother, father, sister along with my father-in-law, my mother-in-law, plus all the other fine Christian people that I have known.  It says that I will for the first time meet and be with those many faithful believers in God, like Adam, Abraham, Moses, David, Peter, Paul and the rest of the Apostles and the "thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven (NIV Heb 12:22,23)".  And then , of course, I will have "come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant (NIV Heb 12:23,24)

I'll 2nd that, good post Buff.


The very idea that we will resume our physical bodies makes little sense.                                                             

Reformer, it was a good post~a thought for you to consider: "When we die, in what sense are we cloth upon with our house/tabernacle which is IN HEAVEN?"

2nd Corinthians 4:16-5:8~"For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him."

My question (I'm not 100% sure) at WHAT POINT and in what SENSE do we get to begin to enjoy our house FROM HEAVEN~I know the full realization will not be known until the resurrection of our earthy house at the last day, yet Paul seem to be saying if this earthly house be dissolved we HAVE A HOUSE FROM HEAVEN...Moses and Elijah both appeared with Christ at the mount of transfiguration in a BODY~so, in one sense, they were enjoying a house before the bodily resurrection, which Paul seem to be saying in 2nd Corinthians 4:16-5:8.  YET, if read carefully 2nd Corinthians 4 we read these words:

2nd Corinthians 4:14,15~Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

Which tells us the resurrection of our bodies is when we shall enjoy the full benefit of our house which is from heaven, yet is some degree we shall have it when we leave our earthly house in which we now live.

ANY THOUGHTS FROM ANYONE ONE?......."For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens"

I am not sure what you are looking for here, but I believe that 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 speaks to the intermediate state between physical death and the resurrection.  There are available out there several different views about such a state.  For me, most are rather confusing.  Clearly, that passage, and others as well, indicate that we will be conscious and alert in the intermediate state; that we will be aware of being with Jesus in the intermediate state. 

Confusing because you are dealing with 2 different time lines, if that is even the proper term for eternity. 

I absolutely do not believe they are one and the same; and also do not believe there is any way of correlating one to the other. 

So it is likely that there is no "... intermediate state between physical death and the resurrection."  You go from one right to the other.

You lost me.  What are the "they" that you do not believe are one and the same?

The timeline here on earth and the timeline (if you can call it that) in eternity.

I don't believe there is a timeline in eternity.  Time after all is a physical quantity.  The timeline however does exist in this universe and whatever is on the other side is somewhat limited by it. How or to what extent, I am not sure. 

For what it is worth, the timeline here is limited by the natural law dealing with this physical universe put in place by God at creation. So far as we know there are no such natural law in the spiritual realm.

Revelation 8:1
When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.

Clearly there is some kind of chronology or time line in eternity.