It’s common in Christian circles to hear the sentiment “you have a body, but you are a soul.” While well-meaning, this view considers the body as instrumental, rather than essential to human nature and existence. The body is a tool for some better purpose. In other words, the body is something to be used rather than valued. Or worse, the body is something to be escaped rather than embraced. This shows up in how we think about food, exercise, sleep, sex, and much more.
However, the Bible clearly teaches that embodiment is good, though affected by the effects of sin from the Curse (Gen. 3:15-19). From the Garden to the New Creation, God’s design for human flourishing and relationship to him is bodily. There are several helpful starting points for understanding the goodness of the body.
“Embodiment” – The reality that humans exist and engage the world bodily. In other words, do not simply have bodies, but are body–soul creatures.
Here are three considerations for embracing, rather than escaping embodiment...
Consideration #1: The Creation
Genesis 1-2 is the starting point for understanding God’s design for humanity. In the first two chapters, God lays the foundations for what it means to be human. When God creates mankind, he creates them with particular kinds of bodies—male and female (Gen. 1:27). God meant for mankind to live embodied—remember, this is before sin. Then, God blesses them and acknowledges the goodness of his creation (Gen. 1:28, 31). Through procreation and cultivation mankind exercises its God-given dominion for the flourishing of his world (Gen. 1:28; 2:15, 24). Embodiment is part of what it means to be human—and that’s a good thing!
Consideration #2: The Incarnation
In the same way God created man in his “likeness” (Gen. 1:26), God the Son was born in “the likeness of men” (Phil. 2:7). This means that Jesus became like us in every way (Heb. 2:17)! Pause. Consider the wonder of this truth: God the Son in the person of Jesus Christ takes to himself a human nature—including the weakness of a human body—so that he can redeem us bodily. Jesus cares about our bodies. He dies and rises bodily. And he will redeem our bodies one day in The Resurrection (1 Cor. 15:35-49).
Consideration #3: The “Intermediate” State
The Bible teaches that between death and The New Creation, we are disembodied in Heaven. We exist as souls apart from our bodies. This is what’s called the “Intermediate” state. For Paul, heaven (while glorious) is not our hope. Being “naked” (disembodied) is not God’s design. He knows that God has prepared for his people to be “further clothed” with an immortal body—and that gives him courage in his present sufferings (2 Cor. 5:1-6)!
Conclusion
Does God’s design for embodied life shape your view of yourself and others positively?
Do you find yourself wanting to escape your body?
Maybe you think God got your gender wrong. Maybe you are haunted by the ideal “image” you wish your body resembled.
The Bible helps us recognize the brokenness of our bodies and reorient our hope in God’s goodness and glory. He made our bodies good. He will redeem our bodies better.
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