I realize that after the resurrection Jesus was a spiritual body, and I believe we can all agree on that:
"It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body" (1Co 15:44).
However, my question is this: was Christ's body (flesh and blood) raised and then changed into a spiritual body, or did he get an entirely new body and his old one was destroyed, or something?
Notice 1Co 15:44 says "raised" a spiritual body. Obviously the body must be raised. Then what? It's changed into a spiritual body, I'd say, because:
"In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (1Co 15:52).
The dead must be raised before being changed, which leads me to believe that the bodies are indeed raised but then converted into spiritual bodies.
"And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt" (Dan 12:2).
It says out of the dust of the Earth, which further leads me to believe that Jesus' body was indeed resurrected, but changed into a spiritual body afterwards.
From what I can tell, Ray believes Jesus’ body was not raised AT ALL. The Jehovah Witnesses also believe this. However, from what I’ve read, I think it makes more sense that it was raised but changed afterwards. What do the rest of you think?