The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

In this episode of Gospel First, Joe Cirillo explores the profound concept of resurrection, its necessity, and its individual impact on us. Delving into scriptural references from the Bible, Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price, Joe outlines how the resurrection promises physical perfection and eternal joy through Jesus Christ. The episode answers common questions about the resurrection, such as the state of our bodies, the fate of children and animals, and the timing of resurrection events. Lastly, the script emphasizes the importance of understanding the resurrection for hope, comfort, and perspective amidst life's challenges.

The concept of the resurrection has intrigued humanity for ages. It raises a fundamental question: What will we be like when we're resurrected? This inquiry delves into the mysteries of existence, transformation, and the very essence of our being.  In this lesson, we’ll delve into the concept of the resurrection, understanding why it's necessary and how it will impact each of us individually.

Despite the varying physical challenges we all face, there's a deep-seated desire within us for physical perfection, to be whole and functioning as intended. The good news is, one day, after this life, we will attain that state.

Through the gift of resurrection offered by Jesus Christ, God has assured us in Alma 11:44 that He will restore our bodies to their perfect frame.  It states: “Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but everything shall be restored to its perfect frame.”  And D&C 138:17 states; “Their sleeping dust was to be restored unto its perfect frame, bone to bone, and the sinews and the flesh upon them, the spirit and the body to be united never again to be divided, that they might receive a fulness of joy.”

This is a tremendous blessing!

So what is the resurrection, why is it necessary, and how will it affect us individually?  Let's start by addressing why we need to be resurrected.

Resurrection, as defined in "True to the Faith," is the process of reuniting the spirit and the body in a perfect, immortal state, free from the limitations of disease or death. This concept is integral to God's plan, designed to enable us to become like Him and experience complete joy.

In Doctrine and Covenants 130:22, it's stated that God the Father possesses an immortal body of flesh and bones, just as tangible as a man's”,  and so having a body of flesh and bone for our spirit plays a significant role in contributing to our happiness and fulfilling the divine plan.

Now, let's explore the resurrection further, understanding what it entails and how it impacts us individually.  Our bodies, something we often take for granted, are truly remarkable. It's only when we face the prospect of losing them that we begin to grasp their significance. Consider the many joys our bodies bring us—everything from the simple pleasures to life's most profound experiences.

In Doctrine and Covenants 93:33-34, the Lord reveals that when our body and spirit are separated, we cannot experience the fullness of joy. In fact, in Doctrine and Covenants 45:17, the Lord states that when we are separated from our bodies in the spirit world it will seem like "bondage".  However, verse 33 states that  when our body and spirit are eternally reconnected in the resurrection,  we will  "receive a fullness of joy," aligning with God's divine intention for us.  Understanding that our bodies play a pivotal role in experiencing joy, we come to appreciate the profound blessing that the resurrection truly is.

Consider our spirit and body like a hand and a glove. The glove represents our body, while the hand represents our spirit. When the hand is in the glove, there's life, movement, and control. However, when the hand is taken out of the glove, the glove becomes lifeless, just like our bodies when the spirit leaves.

Now, here's the interesting part of this analogy that many overlook: even when the hand is out of the glove, it can still move, act, and be controlled. So, you might wonder, why do we need the glove at all?

Think about the various types of gloves we use in life, such as baseball gloves, snow gloves, or oven mitts. Each glove serves a specific purpose, enhancing the hand's abilities for different tasks. In the same way, our physical bodies, made of flesh and bones, provide us with unique capabilities and experiences that we couldn't have as disembodied spirits.

Just as a glove can enhance a hand's abilities, our physical bodies enable us to do things and have experiences that would be impossible if we remained only as spirits.

The most important thing to know about the resurrection is that it can only happen because of Jesus Christ. He had the ability to die because He was born of Mary, a mortal mother, and the power to overcome death because of His immortal Father.

As mentioned in 2 Nephi 2:8-9, Jesus was the very first person on Earth to be resurrected, and because of His authority and power, everyone else will also be resurrected. The Book of Mormon explains why we should be grateful for the Savior's role in the Resurrection. In 2 Nephi 9:8-9, it says, “For behold, if the flesh should rise no more our spirits must become subject to that angel who fell from before the presence of the Eternal God, and became the devil, to rise no more.  And our spirits must have become like unto him, and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut out from the presence of our God”.  In other words, if it were not for the resurrection, not only could we never become like God, but we would also be doomed to live with the devil for eternity.  

Understanding the incredible gift of the resurrection should make us truly grateful to the Savior, who made it all possible.

Let's address some common questions most people have about the Resurrection.

Will Babies Be Resurrected as Babies?  Yes, However, they will eventually grow and develop into full resurrected adulthood.  President Joseph Fielding Smith explained, “Children who die do not grow in the grave.  They will come forth with their bodies as they were laid down and then they will grow to the full stature of manhood or womanhood after the resurrection.”

What Will We Look Like After I Am Resurrected?  It's quite straightforward—we'll look quite similar to how we do now. We'll still have two arms, two legs, and remain fundamentally the same person we are today. As the prophet Amulek explained in Alma 11:43, "The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we are now." So, in essence, we'll still be ourselves—only better.  

How Old Will I Be after I’m Resurrected?  The scriptures don’t really say what age we will be after we are resurrected, only that we will be in a proper, perfect form.  President Spencer W. Kimball taught, “The body resurrected will be neither the unbalanced body of immature youth, nor the creaking, wrinkling one of many years, but when it is restored and resurrected it will undoubtedly return in the bloom of its greatest mortal perfection.”

Will I Die after I’m Resurrected?  No. According to Alma 11:45, once someone is resurrected, they can never die again. A fascinating detail about resurrected bodies is that they lack blood. D&C 130:22 explains that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have bodies made of flesh and bone, not flesh and blood. Leviticus 17:14 emphasizes that blood is a feature of mortal bodies, not those that have been resurrected.  Joseph Smith taught that, in the resurrection, “The Spirit of god [will be] flowing in the [veins instead] of the blood.”    If you ponder the symbolism of this truth and consider how Jesus Christ shed His blood for us, you can gain some profound insights.

What Happens to Our Physical Scars in the Resurrection?  President Joseph Fielding Smith taught, “Every organ, every limb that has been maimed, every deformity caused by accident or in any other way, will be restored and put right.”

Are All Resurrected Bodies the same?  No.  No, they are not. Beyond the existence of three distinct kingdoms of glory—celestial, terrestrial, and telestial—there are also three distinct types of resurrected bodies. The Apostle Paul taught this concept in 1 Corinthians 15:40 when he spoke of "celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial, and bodies telestial." Each of these bodies possesses a unique glory: celestial has one, terrestrial another, and telestial yet another.

President Joseph Fielding Smith explained, “In the resurrection there will be different kinds of bodies; they will not all be alike.  The body a man receives will determine his place hereafter.  There will be celestial bodies, terrestrial bodies, and telestial bodies, and these bodies will differ as distinctly as do bodies here.”

Will Everybody Be Resurrected at the Same Time?  No.  The Savior taught in John 5:28-29 that there will be different times that people will be resurrected.  From D&C 88:97-102, we learn that the righteous will be resurrected at the time of the Second Coming of Christ.  This is often called “the morning of the first resurrection.”  Those spirits who will eventually go to the terrestrial kingdom will be resurrected sometime during the Millennium (“the afternoon of the first resurrection”), and those spirits who will go to the telestial kingdom will be resurrected at the end of the Millennium (“the second resurrection”).

What Can We Take with Us into the Resurrection?  This question carries immense significance, as it directs our attention to what truly matters in this life. Consider this: Since material wealth cannot accompany us into the afterlife, should we obsessively pursue riches during our time on Earth? Most likely not. Instead,  D&C 130:18-19 teaches us we should prioritize the pursuit of knowledge and intelligence.  “Whatever principle of intelligence we attain unto in this life, it will rise with us in the resurrection.  And if a person gains knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come.”  Focusing on gaining knowledge and intelligence should be a high priority in our lives.

Furthermore,  D&C 132:7 teaches us that “all covenants, contracts, bonds” that are “sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise” continue in the next life.  Thus, if we keep our covenants, our family relationships that have been sealed in the temple will continue after the resurrection.  We should focus on our families and place our relationships with them as one of our highest priorities on earth.

Additionally, our character remains intact in the afterlife. If we exhibit kindness now, we will continue to do so after the resurrection. If we hold a deep love for the gospel in this life, that affection will persist. The Book of Mormon, in Alma 34:34, enlightens us, explaining that the same spirit inhabiting our bodies at the time of our passing will have the power to possess our bodies in the eternal world. Consequently, we should strive to cultivate Christlike attributes in this life, knowing that they will accompany us into the next.

Will Animals Be Resurrected?  Yes.  President Joseph Fielding Smith taught, “Every creature on the earth, whether it be man, animal, fish, fowl, or other creature, that the Lord has created, is redeemed from death on the same terms that man is redeemed”.   So yes, animals will be resurrected, but there is no scriptural evidence on whether you’ll be able to be with your dog in the resurrection.

When Will People Be Resurrected If They Live during the Millennium?  The people who are alive during the Millennium will continue to grow until they are old and will then be instantaneously resurrected.  D&C 65:51 teaches: “Wherefore, children shall grow up until they become old; old men shall die; but they shall not sleep in the dust, but they shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye.”

What If I’m Afraid to Die?  What if I'm scared of dying? The fear of death ranks as the tenth most common phobia. However, there's a reassuring message for those who strive to live righteously. Proverbs 14:32 assures us that "The righteous have hope in their death."   President Joseph Fielding Smith also expressed his gratitude, saying, “I rejoice that I am born to live, to die, and to live again.  I thank God for this intelligence.  It gives me joy and peace that the world cannot give, neither can the world take it away.” 

These quotes should bring comfort to our hearts because they remind us of the glorious resurrection awaiting us, eliminating the need to fear death.

The Resurrection Will Bring Us Great Joy. We should eagerly anticipate the day of resurrection, for it promises a glorious transformation. Picture this: no more sickness, fatigue, or pain. Imagine all physical ailments, imperfections, and limitations vanishing. Envision having a perfected, celestial physical body. Think about living eternally alongside our loved ones.

As explained in True to the Faith, “An understanding and testimony of the resurrection can give you hope and perspective as you experience the challenges, trials, and triumphs of life.  You can find comfort in the assurance that the Savior lives and that through His Atonement, ‘he breaketh the bands of death should be swallowed up in the hopes of glory”. 

This concludes our lesson in this section of  ACT 3.  The next lesson, in ACT 3, will focus on “The Final Judgment.”

If you have any questions about the gospel, please feel free to leave a message in the comments section below, and don’t forget to subscribe and share so that we can spread the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ together.

The Grave Has No Victory: Reyna I. Aburto

Resurrection: Dallin H. Oaks

The Dead Who Die In The Lord: Bruce R. McConkie

• 2 Nephi 9:6

• Mosiah 15:19-26; Mosiah 16:7-11

• Alma 11:43; Alma 40

• Helaman 14:15-17

• John 11:25-26

• Roman 6:8-11

• Luke 24:6-7

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Read: The Bible, The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price.