Verse 15. — You will call me, and I will answer you. 18. We shall answer God who calls us, when at his command we shall rise incorruptible. — We are said to answer anyone when we render works fitting in return to his deeds. In that transformation, therefore, the Lord calls and man answers, because before the brightness of incorruption, man, after corruption, is shown incorrupt. For now, as long as we are subject to corruption, we by no means answer our Maker, because, while corruption is far from incorruption, there is no likeness suited to our answering. But of that change it is written: When he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is (1 John iii, 2).
Then therefore we shall truly answer God who calls, when at the command of the highest incorruption we shall rise incorruptible. And because the creature is not able to attain this of itself, but it is by the gift of Almighty God alone that it is brought about that it be transformed into so great a glory of incorruption, it is rightly added: