Here's more of the perspective I'm speaking of, which shows why it's very important that we not confuse the future event of Christ's coming with some spiritual coming tradition of men. I'm pulling out all the stops on this teaching.
Rom 8:1-25
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
Apostle Paul is making quit a distinction between the flesh and The Spirit, isn't he? They are two separate and distinct workings, that's why. Paul also said in 1 Cor.15:50 that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. This is also why that idea of "sinful flesh" is given there. Does that show Christ came to save our 'flesh'? No.
4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Why have some brethren put so much trust in this life of flesh today, when Paul showed there our spirit is in a war with our flesh (like in the previous Romans 7 chapter especially)? To be confused about that is to not understand what our future hope in Christ is about, i.e., how His Salvation will actually manifest, and what it'll be like.
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
If Christ's Salvation is about this flesh we're in today, then why must there come a change in the future to end this world? Why can't Christ make this flesh life today perfect now? He has already shown in His Word that He will create the new heavens and a new earth where the former things will be forgotten. Paul covers some of that here in Romans 8, because one of his main messages in this area of Romans is about the differences between this world now, and the world to come, the flesh vs. Spirit.
9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Exaclty what "body" is Paul talking about there? It's our flesh body, for those in Christ Jesus it is dead, symbolically. And at flesh death, what happens? Will we have a new flesh body? No, for that would be the theory of reincarnation.
11 But if the Spirit of Him That raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He That raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit That dwelleth in you.
Now what's Paul talking about with the idea of bodies? What mortal body is that which is quickened, which is associated with Christ's Resurrection from the dead? And when will that happen? I'll give you a hint, it's not our flesh body.
12 Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Again, Apostle Paul is very careful, for he did not say it's our flesh body that will continue to live, but we that shall live. And which part of us lives via the resurrection after flesh death?
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be also glorified together.
Paul dropped another hint, when he speaks of the time when God's children will be 'glorified' with Christ. Has that time come today? No, not yet, for it's about the resurrection of the dead timing, which is still future. It's when Christ will appear as He is, and we will appear with a glorified body like His, according to what Apostle John said.
18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
Paul is talking about the creation with that word for "creature". It's rendered as "creation" in a later verse here. God's creation today still awaits for the manifestation of the sons of God. That's about the future glorified body state, with Christ. Has that come yet today? Nope, otherwise the creation would be different also, like Paul is going to reveal...
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of Him Who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Again, read creation here for that word "creature". Who has realized that God had put today's creation in a state of bondage of corruption? Not only that, but God's creation is also in the same hope of that future time of the manifesting of the sons of God, but why? Because even the creation is going to be delivered from its bondage to corruption.
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
If the way God's creation is today is pefect, and the way God had intended it to remain, then why does Paul say it groaneth and travaileth in pain for a release from bondage of corruption? How is God's creation today in corruption? Have you noticed how everything eventually dies? Can you believe there will be a time on earth without the violent weather patterns and storms we experience today?
What Paul is pointing to is a change God made upon His creation, for this world earth age ("the heavens and the earth, which are now" - 2 Peter 3). Not only our spirit inside us groans for a release from this bondage state of sin we've had to deal with, but the whole creation seeks for a release from a similar bondage that God put it in long ago. Can anyone imagine what event might have happened on this earth before which caused God to put the creation into bondage?
And specifically, what kind of body is Paul talking about with "the redemption of our body"? Now these he spoke that to were already believers on Christ. So that can't be about a spiritual redemption only like the "new creature" idea, a state a believer can be in while still in the flesh here on earth. Paul is talking about the resurrection body, the "spiritual body" he taught about in 1 Corinthians 15, a body of incorruption, the "image of the heavenly" that we all will put on when Christ returns on the "last trump" (7th). That is the future glory and redemption Paul is declaring there. It is NOT about any imagined redemption some think is already come today in their flesh bodies.
24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
(KJV)
And just to seal the idea, Paul says "hope that is seen is not hope"? Why's that? Because if you can see it already manifested, then the time of hope and waiting for it is over. Instead our hope is for a future state of glory that is yet to be revealed. Moreover, the whole creation awaits that future change also, and that's an important point. Because it means there will be changes with God's creation at the same time. What are some of those changes this earth is to go through that manifest with the sons of God at Christ's return?
The River of the waters of life issuing out from the Milennium sanctuary is one such change on earth to come, along with the manifesting of the many trees on either side of that River (Ezek.47; Rev.22). That River is to even flow out to the desert, and the desert will blossom, and all waters it contacts will be healed (man's pollution of the waters gone). Even the dimensions of the Holy City given in Ezekiel with It sited where earthly Jerusalem is today, will stretch out far westward where the Mediterranean sea is now. The forming of the great valley east and west in Zechariah 14 at Christ's feet touching down upon the Mount of Olives will be part of that change on earth.
Thus Christ's Salvation is not just about a feel good Faith emotion inside us today while in this flesh, but a Salvation of reality, with real substance, and changes on this earth to go with it, with real peace and righteousness manifested on the earth, with the wicked gone.
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