Problem: The Bible speaks of the resurrection of the physical body from the grave (John 5:28–29), which is composed of “flesh and bones” (Luke 24:39) and which leaves an empty tomb behind (Matt. 28:6). However, according to this verse, “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.”

Solution: To conclude from this phrase that the resurrection body will not be a body of physical flesh is without biblical justification. First of all, the very next phrase omitted from the above quotation clearly indicates that Paul is speaking not of flesh as such, but of corruptible flesh. For he adds, “nor does corruption inherit incorruption” (v. 50). So, Paul is not affirming that the resurrection body will not have flesh, but that it will not have perishable flesh.

Second, to convince the frightened disciples that He was not an immaterial spirit (Luke 24:37), Jesus emphatically told them, “Look at My hands and My feet. It is I Myself! Touch Me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have” (Luke 24:39, niv). Peter declared that the resurrection body would be the same body of flesh that went into the tomb and never saw corruption (Acts 2:31). Paul also reaffirmed this truth in a parallel passage (Acts 13:35). And John implies that it is against Christ to deny that He remains “in the flesh” even after His resurrection (1 John 4:2; 2 John 7).

Third, this conclusion cannot be avoided by claiming that Jesus’ resurrection body had flesh and bones, but not flesh and blood. For if it had flesh and bones, then it was a literal, material body, whether or not it had blood. “Flesh and bones” stresses the solidity of Jesus’ physical post-resurrection body. They are more obvious signs of tangibility than blood, which cannot be as easily seen or touched.

Fourth, the phrase “flesh and blood” in this context apparently means mortal flesh and blood, that is, a mere human being. This is supported by parallel uses in the NT. When Jesus said to Peter, “Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you” (Matt. 16:17), He could not have been referring to the mere substance of the body as such, which obviously could not reveal that He was the Son of God. Rather, the most natural interpretation of 1 Corinthians 15:50 seems to be that humans, as they now are, earth-bound and perishable creatures, cannot have a place in God’s glorious, heavenly kingdom.

Problem: Some have argued against a physical resurrection on the grounds that the scattered fragments of decomposed corpses cannot be reassembled, since some become plants, or others are eaten by animals or even cannibals. Yet, the Bible declares that all bodies will “come forth” from the “graves” (John 5:28–29).

Solution: Several things must be noted in this connection. First, as many scholars have pointed out, if necessary, it would be no problem for an omnipotent God to bring all of the exact particles of one’s body together again at the resurrection. Certainly He who created every particle in the universe could reconstitute the relatively few particles (by comparison) in a human body. The God who created the world out of nothing is surely able to fashion a resurrection body out of something.

Second, it is not necessary to believe that the same particles will be restored in the resurrection body. Even common sense dictates that a body can be the same physical body without having the same physical particles. The observable fact that bodies eat food and give off waste products, as well as get fatter and skinnier, is sufficient evidence of this. Certainly, we do not say that one’s body is no longer material or no longer her body simply because she gains or loses weight.

Third, in the light of modern science it is unnecessary to believe that God will reconstitute the exact particles one had in his pre-resurrection body. The physical body remains physical even though, according to science, the exact physical molecules in it change every seven years or so. So, the resurrection body can be just as material as our present bodies and still have new molecules in it.

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Job 14:12—Does this contradict the Bible’s teaching on the resurrection?

Expanded from Job 7:9.:

Job 7:9—Does this verse contradict the Bible’s teaching about resurrection?

Problem: The Scriptures teach that all people will be raised bodily from the tomb (cf. Dan. 12:2; 1 Cor. 15:22; Rev. 20:4–6). Indeed, Jesus said that one day “all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth” (John 5:28–29). However, Job seems to say just the opposite, when he wrote: “he who goes down to the grave does not come up” (cf. also Job 14:12; Isa. 26:14; Amos 8:14).

Solution: As the first set of passages clearly reveals, there will be a resurrection of all the dead, both the just and the unjust (Acts 24:15; cf. John 5:28–29). Job himself expressed belief in the resurrection, declaring, “After my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God” (Job 19:26). What he meant when he spoke of someone going down to the grave and not coming up (7:9) is explained in the very next verse. “He shall never return to his house” (v. 10). In other words, those who die do not return to their mortal lives again. Indeed, the resurrection is to an immortal life (1 Cor. 15:53), not to the same mortal life one had before.

Job 14:12 does not deny there will be any resurrection, but simply that there will be none until “the heavens are no more,” that is until the end of the age. But, that is precisely when the resurrection will take place, namely “at the time of the end” (Dan. 11:40; cf. 12:1–2; John 11:24). In fact, the passage actually teaches resurrection. For Job simply spoke of being hidden in the grave by God until an appointed time when God would again remember him (14:13) in the resurrection.

Likewise, the Isaiah passage (Isa. 26:14) does not deny the resurrection. Here too the resurrection is affirmed in the succeeding verse which states clearly, “Your dead shall live; together with my dead body they shall arise” (v. 19). Obviously, then verse 14 means “they will not live” until the resurrection. The memory of the wicked will perish from the earthly scene. Not until the heavenly scene dawns will they be raised again.

Also, some texts which may appear to deny the resurrection (e.g., Amos 8:14) simply refer to the enemies of God falling, never to rise to oppose Him. They will never resume their former sway over God’s people. In short, God overthrew them irretrievably.

Extended Answer from Job 7:9

Job 7:9—Does this verse contradict the Bible’s teaching about resurrection?Problem: The Scriptures teach that all people will be raised bodily from the tomb (cf. Dan. 12:2; 1 Cor. 15:22; Rev. 20:4–6). Indeed, Jesus said that one day “all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth” (John 5:28–29). However, Job seems to say just the opposite, when he wrote: “he who goes down to the grave does not come up” (cf. also Job 14:12; Isa. 26:14; Amos 8:14).Solution: As the first set of passages clearly reveals, there will be a resurrection of all the dead, both the just and the unjust (Acts 24:15; cf. John 5:28–29). Job himself expressed belief in the resurrection, declaring, “After my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God” (Job 19:26). What he meant when he spoke of someone going down to the grave and not coming up (7:9) is explained in the very next verse. “He shall never return to his house” (v. 10). In other words, those who die do not return to their mortal lives again. Indeed, the resurrection is to an immortal life (1 Cor. 15:53), not to the same mortal life one had before.
Job 14:12 does not deny there will be any resurrection, but simply that there will be none until “the heavens are no more,” that is until the end of the age. But, that is precisely when the resurrection will take place, namely “at the time of the end” (Dan. 11:40; cf. 12:1–2; John 11:24). In fact, the passage actually teaches resurrection. For Job simply spoke of being hidden in the grave by God until an appointed time when God would again remember him (14:13) in the resurrection.

Likewise, the Isaiah passage (Isa. 26:14) does not deny the resurrection. Here too the resurrection is affirmed in the succeeding verse which states clearly, “Your dead shall live; together with my dead body they shall arise” (v. 19). Obviously, then verse 14 means “they will not live” until the resurrection. The memory of the wicked will perish from the earthly scene. Not until the heavenly scene dawns will they be raised again.

Also, some texts which may appear to deny the resurrection (e.g., Amos 8:14) simply refer to the enemies of God falling, never to rise to oppose Him. They will never resume their former sway over God’s people. In short, God overthrew them irretrievably.

This excerpt is from When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1992). © 2014 Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Click here to purchase this book.

Job 7:9—Does this verse contradict the Bible’s teaching about resurrection?

Problem: The Scriptures teach that all people will be raised bodily from the tomb (cf. Dan. 12:2; 1 Cor. 15:22; Rev. 20:4–6). Indeed, Jesus said that one day “all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth” (John 5:28–29). However, Job seems to say just the opposite, when he wrote: “he who goes down to the grave does not come up” (cf. also Job 14:12; Isa. 26:14; Amos 8:14).

Solution: As the first set of passages clearly reveals, there will be a resurrection of all the dead, both the just and the unjust (Acts 24:15; cf. John 5:28–29). Job himself expressed belief in the resurrection, declaring, “After my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God” (Job 19:26). What he meant when he spoke of someone going down to the grave and not coming up (7:9) is explained in the very next verse. “He shall never return to his house” (v. 10). In other words, those who die do not return to their mortal lives again. Indeed, the resurrection is to an immortal life (1 Cor. 15:53), not to the same mortal life one had before.

Job 14:12 does not deny there will be any resurrection, but simply that there will be none until “the heavens are no more,” that is until the end of the age. But, that is precisely when the resurrection will take place, namely “at the time of the end” (Dan. 11:40; cf. 12:1–2; John 11:24). In fact, the passage actually teaches resurrection. For Job simply spoke of being hidden in the grave by God until an appointed time when God would again remember him (14:13) in the resurrection.

Likewise, the Isaiah passage (Isa. 26:14) does not deny the resurrection. Here too the resurrection is affirmed in the succeeding verse which states clearly, “Your dead shall live; together with my dead body they shall arise” (v. 19). Obviously, then verse 14 means “they will not live” until the resurrection. The memory of the wicked will perish from the earthly scene. Not until the heavenly scene dawns will they be raised again.

Also, some texts which may appear to deny the resurrection (e.g., Amos 8:14) simply refer to the enemies of God falling, never to rise to oppose Him. They will never resume their former sway over God’s people. In short, God overthrew them irretrievably.

John 5:28–29—Is Jesus advocating salvation by works?

Problem: Jesus says in John’s Gospel that the time is coming when people in the graves will hear His voice “and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (v. 29). This seems to be a clear contradiction to salvation by grace (cf. Eph. 2:8–9).

Solution: First, Jesus does not believe in salvation by works. In the beginning of John’s Gospel, John writes, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12–13). Jesus says in John 3:16–18:

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Furthermore, in John 5:24, Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life” (nasb). From these passages it is clear that Jesus did not believe in works salvation.

Second, Jesus’ reference to good works in John 5:28–29 is to that which occurs after saving faith. To be saved, one needs the grace of God (Eph. 2:8–9), but authentic faith expresses itself in good works (v. 10). The Apostle Paul in the Book of Romans, says something very similar to what Jesus says in John 5:28–29. In Romans Paul says that God “will render to every man according to his deeds: to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation” (Rom. 2:6–8, nasb). But Paul also wrote, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God” (Eph. 2:8). In the passage in Romans, Paul is not talking about the one who obtains eternal life by faith, but the individual who shows this life in his good works. In Ephesians, Paul is saying that none can save himself by works prior to salvation. (See also comments on James 2:21.)

So, Jesus does not contradict Himself nor the rest of Scripture concerning the matter of salvation. Those who receive the resurrection of life have shown their saving faith by their works.