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Hope. Christ's exaltation did not abolish his humanity, but glorified it. So it will be for us. If alive when Christ returns, we shall be transformed, body and soul, into his image directly; if already dead, re-embodiment will begin the process (see Rom. 8:17; 29; 1 Cor. 15:42-54 2 Cor. 3:18 2 Cor. 4:14; 2 Cor. 5:1-4; Ph. 3:21). Christ will still be our life (Col. 3:4); the vital union that undergirds our fellowship with him will continue, literally forever.

So Christ's glorified humanity, which is the template and link for the glorification that is ours, must go on forever too. If the hope of our faith is to be like Jesus in his glory, that glory must be permanent.

J.I. Packer is the Board of Governors' Professor of Theology at Regent College and an executive editor of Christianity Today.

Copyright © 2004 Christianity Today.Click for reprint information.

Earlier Good Question columns include:

If Christ has truly defeated the powers of Satan on the Cross, why do the powers of evil effectively operate in this world?

What does Genesis mean by man being made in the image of God?

Christ's kingdom and paradise

Is every believer guaranteed at least one spiritual gift?

What role does baptism play in faith and salvation?

How is it that not all prayers for the salvation of others are answered?

If God is in us, shouldn't it be easier to love one another?

What do we gain from a bodily resurrection?

What is the difference between the brain and the soul?

How can I reconcile my belief in the inerrancy of Scripture with comments in Bible translations that state that a particular verse is not 'in better manuscripts'?

Is there a biblical principle behind the punishment of those who break the law?

Is it unscriptural for a Christian to be cremated?

Won't heaven's joy be spoiled by our awareness of unsaved loved ones in hell?

Where exactly do "Oneness" Pentecostals stand in relation to orthodoxy?

Do a man and a woman become married after having sex or after exchanging vows?

How Do You Know That You Have Truly Forgiven Someone?

Who Are We to Judge?

Should We File Lawsuits?

Can We Expect God to Forgive Unbelievers Who 'Don't Know What They're Doing'?

Is the Stock Market Good Stewardship?

Is Satan Omnipresent?

Is Suicide Unforgivable?

Was Slavery God's Will?

A Little Wine for the Soul?

Should We All Speak in Tongues?

Did Jesus Really Descend to Hell?

Take, Eat—But How Often?

Is Christmas Pagan?

Are Christians Required to Tithe?

Is Revelation Prophecy or History?

You're Divorced—Can You Remarry?

If Grace Is Irresistible, Why Evangelize?

Does the 'Bible Code' Really Exist?

What's the Unforgivable Sin?

What Bible Version Did Jesus Read?

Did God Die on the Cross?

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March 2004, Vol. 48, No. 3