Eternity or Phase II?
We all seek to understand life. From infancy, we develop self-awareness and learn to interact with our surroundings. As we grow, we learn about God, initially through people, then from the Bible. The Bible expands our knowledge of ourselves, others, time, space, and eternity. We discover that we are not just physical creatures, but have a soul as well. We learn that while our bodies are bound by time and space, our souls are not, allowing us to communicate with God.
A New Perspective
Let’s pause and look at this from another angle. Instead of viewing ourselves as physical bodies with a soul, we should view ourselves as souls with a temporary body. Our true identity lies in our soul.
“For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands.” (2 Corinthians 5:1)
God designed human life to unfold in two phases:
“It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies.” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44)
Phase I - The Physical Body Phase: 0-100 Year Lifespan
Phase II - The Spiritual Body Phase: Infinite Lifespan
Just as a building project progresses through phases, so does our life. As we grow in understanding, we shouldn’t remain focused solely on Phase I. We need to expand our awareness to encompass a broader perspective that includes Phase II. We must shift our view of life to align with God’s perspective. Here’s how
STOP Thinking of yourself as a body with an eternal soul.
START Thinking of yourself as an eternal soul with a temporary body.
Phase I serves specific purposes, some of which are connected to Phase II, which is why certain things in Phase I may not make sense. Phase I contains promises that apply to Phase II. Phase II, on the other hand, remains largely unrevealed. However, we do know that the decisions we make in Phase I impact our path in Phase II. Phase II consists of one of two possible outcomes, determined by the choices made in Phase I.
“ … He will come with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power. When he comes on that day, he will receive glory from his holy people—praise from all who believe. And this includes you, for you believed what we told you about him.” (1 Thessalonians 1:7-10)
When we realize that the common part between what has been called “This Life” and “The Next Life” is our souls, we see that the continuity is in our souls which is the same in both. We do well to focus on our soul’s existence, with the different bodies in the two phases. Life is continuous. There is only one life, not two. Understanding this can help us interpret our experiences in Phase I. It also makes it easier to grasp and remember several key truths that can guide us now:
• Every person has been created for a purpose.
• That purpose is far greater than what we can comprehend in Phase I.
• How we respond to Phase I experiences will determine our path in Phase II.
• The full understanding of our purpose will be revealed in Phase II.
• We have been given this body as a gift to use in Phase I. We should use it well.
• This body does not affect our soul, it was only given to the soul as a tool to use.
“So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)
--Tom Johnson