At the center of the Christian faith stands a staggering claim: Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, saves humanity. His death atones for sin; his resurrection conquers death. But there’s an important truth often overlooked—Jesus’s saving work would not be complete if he were still in a mortal, unglorified body. His glorified body is not just an interesting theological detail; it is essential for salvation to be real, effective, and eternal.
Let’s unpack why.
1. Salvation Is New Creation, Not a Return to the Old
God’s goal in salvation is not simply to fix what was broken, but to make all things new (Revelation 21:5). Jesus’s resurrection inaugurates this new creation. As Paul says, Jesus is “the firstfruits” (1 Corinthians 15:20)—the first of a harvest that includes all who belong to him. If Jesus had merely returned from death to the same kind of mortal life he had before, it would have been like putting a patch on an old garment (cf. Mark 2:21). Instead, in rising with a glorified, imperishable body, Jesus embodies the future of humanity and creation itself.
Without a glorified body, Jesus could not be the “firstborn from the dead” in the sense Paul means (Colossians 1:18)—he would simply be another Lazarus, raised temporarily only to die again. True salvation is not resuscitation; it is resurrection into indestructible life.
2. An Eternal High Priest Needs an Indestructible Life
The New Testament describes Jesus as our eternal high priest (Hebrews 7:23–25). Priests mediate between God and humanity. But a priest who dies cannot keep mediating. As Hebrews 7:16 notes, Jesus holds his priesthood “by the power of an indestructible life.” His glorified, deathless body means he can continually intercede for his people, ensuring that salvation is not a one-time event but an ongoing, living relationship with God.
If Jesus’s body were still vulnerable to decay, he could not fulfill his eternal priesthood. His glorified, immortal body guarantees that his mediation—and thus our access to God—never ends.
3. Victory over Death Must Be Total
Death is not just an event; it is a power, a dominion over fallen creation (Romans 5:17). Salvation means liberation from the dominion of death. If Jesus had merely survived death, death would not truly be conquered. Death’s power would still hang over him—and, by extension, over us.
But in rising with a glorified body—no longer subject to weakness, suffering, or mortality—Jesus demonstrates that death has no claim on him. “Death no longer has dominion over him” (Romans 6:9). And because we are united to him by faith, it has no dominion over us either. Only a glorified, deathless Jesus can be the true victor over the grave.
4. The Hope of Believers Is Resurrection Like His
Christian hope is not to become disembodied spirits floating in heaven; it is the resurrection of the body and life everlasting (cf. the Apostles’ Creed). As Paul says, “He will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:21).
If Jesus’s body remained mortal, we would have no model and no promise for what our future entails. His glorified body is the pattern and pledge of ours. As he is, so shall we be (1 John 3:2). Our hope hinges on his bodily glorification.
Conclusion: No Glorification, No Gospel
Without Jesus’s glorified body, Christianity collapses. Salvation would be incomplete. Mediation would be temporary. Death would still have its sting. Our future would be uncertain.
But because Christ is risen in glory—imperishable, powerful, and forever alive—our salvation is secure. His glorified body is the guarantee that sin, death, and decay have been overthrown. It is the preview of the new creation breaking into the old. It is the anchor of our hope and the heart of the gospel.
As Paul triumphantly declares:
“If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” — 1 Corinthians 15:17.
But Christ has been raised—glorified, victorious, and reigning. And because he lives, we who are in him shall live also.
