Category: Resurrection from the Dead

Here is a way we can know if we truly believe Christ rose from the dead.

 

 

 

 

Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22  But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23  Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24  Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25  Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26  and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27  She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” John 11:21-27 (ESV)

This passage is an interesting study in our propensity to misunderstand God. Having the advantage of hindsight, today we realize that Jesus was leading Martha to believe that he would raise Lazarus from the dead right in front of her eyes. Even though she had a good theology of who Jesus was (and is), she did not make the leap into applying that great truth to her present need. When Jesus asked her if she believed that he embodied the resurrection, all Martha could muster was a declaration that he was the promised Messiah. She spoke truth while completely missing the point of Jesus’ question. She had faith in his being the Messiah, but none for his being willing and able to raise her dead brother. Why could she not properly hear what Jesus was saying or believe?

Her faith was for the future but was useless for her present situation. It is relatively easy to believe when there is nothing before us to test our faith. We seem to more easily believe in what will happen in the far off future than to apply our faith to the here and now.

Mental assent to truth does not necessarily engage the heart, where faith resides. (Romans 10:9-10) If what we believe about the past and the future does not translate into faith for the present, it might be mere mental assent, which cannot help us much.

According to Hebrews 11:6, God is pleased and honored by our faith. Real faith produces acts of obedience, which is faith in action. (Romans 1:5)

Martha and Mary gently chided our Lord for not showing up sooner to prevent Lazarus’ death. They viewed his failure to immediately respond to their request as a lack of caring for them. They did not understand that Jesus had bigger things in mind. He deliberately delayed until after Lazarus died to provide an opportunity for God to be glorified through his resurrection. Martha and Mary underestimated God’s love for them and his sovereignty over our lives. If we truly believe that Jesus is the resurrected Lord of lords, we will learn to see everything in life as an opportunity for God’s glory to shine as we apply our faith and keep our focus on him and his love for us.

One of the big lessons of the resurrection is that we cannot properly evaluate our circumstances without factoring in God’s love, sovereign rule, and power.

Real Faith in Jesus’ Resurrection Will Greatly Impact Our Lives

Jesus’ death and resurrection profoundly affected the early disciples, morphing them from being fearful followers into dynamic disciples. Following his ascension into heaven, Jesus poured out his Spirit on his disciples, which greatly enhanced this transformation, empowering them to boldly proclaim the Good News. Today we do not have the privilege of physically viewing the risen Christ, but we can see him with the “eyes” of faith. In addition, the same baptism in the Spirit is available to us today.

Jesus does not want us to wallow in unbelief regarding his resurrection. Instead of casting aside his most dubious disciple, Jesus confronted Thomas’ lack of faith as described below.

Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” 28  “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed. 29  Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” John 20:27-29 (NLT)

Believing without seeing requires us to have another kind of sight called revelation.

Now we depend on the Holy Spirit’s ability to reveal Christ to us, and he is very good at it. With his help, our faith can be just as strong as that of the early disciples. Some people in Jesus’ day saw miracles with their physical eyes but did not believe. Today we are able to believe without physical sight, thanks to the inner revelatory work of God’s Spirit.

Paul wrote about the Spirit’s ability in the passage below.

For this reason I too, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which exists among you and your love for all the saints, 16  do not cease giving thanks for you, while making mention of you in my prayers; 17  that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. 18  I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, Ephesians 1:15-18 (NASB)

In my own case, the Holy Spirit “opened my eyes” to understand and believe that Jesus is truly the risen one described in the Bible. Before he did this for me, I did not believe because my spiritual eyes had been blinded by Satan, according to 2 Corinthians 4:4. But I asked Jesus, if he were real, to come into my life and show me the truth about himself. Amazingly, God used the slightly open door to set up residence in my life and open my spiritual understanding to Jesus’ identity as the risen Savior and Lord. In an instant of revelation, the Spirit moved me from unbelief to faith by an inner miracle of healing my blinded mind. I came to understand and believe that Jesus actually rose from the dead, and that changed everything in my life.

For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 (NLT)

His resurrection, if true, is easily the most world altering event in history, and God requires us to face it squarely. Do we really believe it or not?

Christ’s resurrection proved that he was not a delusional martyr with a tragic God complex. Instead it showed that God the Father accepted his sacrifice for our sins as the Lamb of God and vindicated him as the Lord. Because Jesus rose from the dead, we know that our sins have been forgiven and we have been made right with God. Those who put their faith and allegiance in Jesus are now God’s beloved children with all the associated rights, privileges, and authority.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 1 Peter 1:3 (NASB)

If we truly believe that Jesus rose from the dead, here are some ways our lives in the here and now ought to be affected every single day.

  1. We should be the happiest people on earth because the threat of condemnation and death for our sins has been removed.
  2. Through the new birth, as God’s beloved children we now have continual access into God’s loving presence where we are always welcome.
  3. We can be bold and fearless because death no longer has power over us.
  4. We are free because the power of sin, the “flesh,” and the Law have been nullified.
  5. Having been released from bondage and oppression, we are free to serve the Lord.
  6. Because Jesus is Lord over all, we can live in the confidence that he is working all things out for our good and his glory. (Romans 8:28)
  7. Because Jesus was raised from the dead and has all authority, as his representatives we can operate in his name and authority to preach the gospel and set the captives free through the power of the Spirit of God. We are authorized to heal, cast out demons, raise the dead, and otherwise represent him to the world.
  8. Because we know God is real, his love for us is proven, and his power limitless, we pray with confident perseverance.

If these things are not yet true in our lives, most likely our understanding of the Bible and our faith need to grow. People without a proper revelation of Christ’s victory through the resurrection…

  1. Will live as if we are still under condemnation and are not beloved children of God.
  2. Will be inhibited in their obedience because of the fear of death. (Hebrews 2:15)
  3. Will not believe we are free from the power of sin, the “flesh,” and the Law and so will live as if we are not.
  4. Will simply acquiesce to sickness and and other forms of oppression. (Acts 10:38)
  5. Will doubt that Jesus is truly Lord over all things and will have difficulty trusting him when things appear to go wrong.
  6. Will not be bold to preach the gospel and operate in his authority and the power of the Spirit.

How Faith in Jesus’ Second Coming (the Second Resurrection) Should Shape Our Lives

The first resurrection happened some two thousand years ago when Jesus came out of the tomb.

Every time a person is born again, he or she participates in that first resurrection by coming alive spiritually and being joined to Christ.

But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5  that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) 6  For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. 7  So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-7 (NLT)

The second resurrection will take place at the return of Christ. That is when our dead physical bodies will be raised and transformed into glorious spiritual ones, thus completing the salvation of our spirits, souls, and bodies.

And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. 40  For it is my Father’s will that all who see (by revelation) his Son and believe (in their hearts) in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.” John 6:39-40 (NLT)

Many people today give “lip service” to their belief in Christ’s return as the glorious Son of Man and King of Kings, but I suspect there will be a high level of astonishment when he actually returns, even among those who profess faith.

Here is how Jesus described the coming “Day of the Lord.”

Immediately after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. 30  And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see (revealed to all people) the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31  And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven. Matthew 24:29-31 (NLT)

When Jesus returns as the glorious Son of Man (Daniel 7:13-14), he will come as God’s judge of everyone who has ever lived. (John 5:27) All people will be gathered before him to be judged and, for his elect, to receive their reward. It will be at this time that all wrongs will be set right. That which was hidden will be brought to light. Those acts of faith and love which went unnoticed will be fully rewarded. God’s people will be vindicated and the wicked judged. Jesus will be acknowledged by all as the Lord of Lords. Every knee will bow and every tongue confess it.

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10  that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11  and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11 (NLT)

This will be the culmination of God’s plan to redeem his people and his creation. It will be the grand finale when everything will be made right. But do we really believe that it will happen?

People who truly believe and look forward to Jesus’ return will be like Paul.

And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:8 (NLT)

They will…

  1. Joyfully and eagerly look forward to (love) his coming.
  2. Distance themselves from that which defiles or hinders their fellowship with  and obedience to the Lord. (1 John 3:2-3)
  3. Set themselves apart for the Lord’s work and prioritize the Lord over everything else.
  4. Be willing to make sacrifices to advance God’s kingdom, knowing that their eternal reward will be far greater than anything they might give up in the present.

Those who only give “lip service” to the Second Coming will…

  1. Not care too much about his second coming or even dread it.
  2. Live like those in the world.
  3. Be distracted from or uninterested in the Lord and his work.
  4. Be unwilling to sacrifice temporary pleasures or wealth for the sake of the kingdom of God, since they lack confidence that God’s eternal reward will be better.

Conclusion

The Easter season is a good time for us to take another look at our lives to see if our behavior reflects faith in the resurrection and the Second Coming or not. If not, here is a prayer we can use.

Holy Spirit, I come to you because the Bible says it is your ministry to reveal Christ and his truth to us. I ask you to give me a deeper and clearer revelation of Christ and his resurrection and lordship so that I will live as I should, full of joy and commitment to Jesus and his kingdom. Deliver me from unbelief and carnality. Let me live in a way that is worthy of our Lord and the sacrifice he made for me. Amen.

Share this post...

Basic Doctrines of Christ: The Resurrection from the Dead in Everyday Life

 

 

 

 

 

One of the dangers with any doctrine is postponing it until the indefinite future. This is what Martha did regarding the resurrection just before Jesus restored life to her brother Lazarus. Jesus told her that he is the resurrection and was able to raise Lazarus immediately, but her thinking restricted the matter until the end of time.

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24  Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25  Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26  and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27  She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” John 11:23-27 (ESV)

When Jesus returns in glory, he will indeed raise us from the dead, but even now we can experience resurrection life on a daily basis. There is only one problem associated with this process, however: to experience resurrection there must first be a death.

Imagine the horror Jesus felt as he hung on the cross as he experienced separation from his Father as the sins of the world fell upon him! You and I were born into this world separated from God because of Adam’s sin, but this was the first time for Jesus who had experienced glorious unity with his heavenly Father for all eternity.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) 

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Matthew 27:46 (ESV)

Abraham also experienced a version of this in what the Bible calls a “terror of great darkness” (Genesis 15:12), at which time God confirmed to him an everlasting covenant. God’s eternal unconditional promise to Abraham was based on what Christ accomplished millennia later. God is not bound by time as we are. The benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection reverberate through time backward and forward for all eternity. Jesus experienced completely the horror of darkness that Abraham felt in part. Nevertheless, God required Abraham to go through it.

Later in Abraham’s story, the death-resurrection principle played out again. God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, the son of promise for whom he had patiently waited for 25 years! Amazingly Abraham immediately obeyed without questioning God and was ready to complete the act when an angel stopped him. This, of course, foreshadowed Father God’s actual sacrifice of his Son upon the cross. In writing about this act of obedience by Abraham, the author of Hebrews states that our faith forefather trusted in God’s ability to raise the dead.

It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God’s promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, 18  even though God had told him, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted.” 19  Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead. Hebrews 11:17-19 (NLT)

What Abraham did revealed his faith that God will fulfill his promises, even if he requires us temporarily to let go of them. Some call this “death of a vision.”  When we are willing to let something apparently die that is a precious promise to us, in the hope that God will yet restore it in his way and his time, we participate in the resurrection principle.

Paul wrote about this to the church in Corinth.

For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; 9  indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; 10  who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us, 11  you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many. 2 Corinthians 1:8-11 (NASB)

The resurrection principle requires that we cease to try to keep ourselves and our promises alive through our own strength, but instead abandon ourselves to the faithfulness of God.

This is what Jesus did on the cross. As he descended into the abyss of death and experienced complete weakness and relinquished all attempts to save himself, he abandoned himself to his Father, the great Promise Keeper.

And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, "Father, INTO YOUR HANDS I COMMIT MY SPIRIT." Having said this, He breathed His last. Luke 23:46 (NASB)

This was the culmination of Jesus’ faith walk, but he professed his faith in God’s resurrection power often prior to his crucifixion. He repeatedly told his disciples that he would die on a cross and be raised three days later. For us to properly experience God’s resurrection power, we must have faith in his ability to pull it off.

To experience resurrection, it is important that we understand and embrace the process. Jesus knew he had to die first in order to be raised. The same is true for us.

What has God promised to you that seems hopeless at this point? Have you released it into God’s hands? Are you able to trust him to give it back to you, if you give it to him? That is how we experience the resurrection in everyday life.

Share this post...

Basic Doctrines of Christ: The Resurrection from the Dead – Beyond Imagination

 

 

 

 

 

That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT)

Imagination can be used in a good way to go beyond our previous experience. Many great advances have been made by those whose imagination fueled innovation.

When it comes to the resurrection and what lies ahead for those who trust in Christ after our earthly lives comes to an end, even our imagination is insufficient. What God has in store for us is far more wonderful than anything we can conceive. Imagine that!

A common conception of heaven pictures angels floating on clouds playing harps. How boring does that sound? The glimpses of heaven provided in Scripture are anything but boring. Those who claim to have died and seen heaven tell of sights, sounds, and experiences that are beyond description. The apostle Paul was among that group.

I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3  And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4  and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 (ESV)

When our Lord rose from the dead, he was sometimes not immediately recognized. Something had happened to him that made him different from before. At other times, he was clearly recognized by those to whom he appeared. He was able to appear and disappear. Walls were not a barrier to him. He had a real body that could be touched. He was able to eat food. What kind of body did he have in his resurrected state?

Paul said that we really cannot imagine what the resurrected “spiritual” body will be like.

But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” 36  You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37  And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. 38  But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. 39  For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. 40  There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. 41  There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. 42  So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. 43  It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 44  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45  Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46  But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. 47  The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48  As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. 49  Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. 1 Corinthians 15:35-49 (ESV)

When we plant a seed, we get something very different when it sprouts. We see a complete plant that is able to produce more seeds! The seed we plant must “die” before it can “resurrect” as a plant. The seed goes into the ground where moisture causes it to “decompose” in order to be re-composed as a brand new plant. This is a picture from nature that gives us some idea of the resurrection process.

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25  Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. John 12:24-25 (ESV)

One thing we learn from what the Bible says about the resurrection is that our bodies are important to God, important enough for him to eternally save them, too.

He created our bodies to house our spirits, making us unique creatures who are able to interface with both the physical and spiritual worlds. How extraordinary!

God will eventually re-create heaven and earth (2 Peter 3:13), making a suitable place for resurrected people to inhabit. Imagine that, if you can.

Share this post...

Basic Doctrines of Christ: The Resurrection from the Dead – Two Resurrections

 

 

 

 

 

As with most things God created, the resurrection is more “complicated” than it first appears. Creation has  fantastic complexity, depth, precision, and variety. After centuries of scientific inquiry, we have yet to fully comprehend the “fearfully and wonderfully made” bodies God created for his people. In an effort to deflect honor and glory from God, man created the lie of evolution to try to explain away God, but it is a futile exercise in foolishness. Any right thinking person knows instinctively that precision and complexity does not randomly appear out of chaos. In a similar fashion, the resurrection from the dead is not as simple as God making our bodies alive again. God is much more creative than that.

Just as God’s great salvation applies uniquely to each part of us, spirit, soul, and body, the resurrection does, as well. In fact, there is a resurrection “principle” at work in every aspect of God’s salvation.

The First Resurrection

When Jesus died on the cross and three days later rose again, the Bible says those who believe in him were spiritually included in that death and rising.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5  even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6  and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7  so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-7 (NASB)

God saves us on the inside before we see the results on the outside.

Spiritually those who believe in Jesus have already received and are learning to experience his complete victory. We died and rose with him and now are seated with him in heavenly places at God’s right hand. Nevertheless, since we still have an earthly existence in the body, we also live here on planet earth in a fallen world inhabiting a body still under sin’s curse and death. The incongruity is staggering. This is why we find ourselves often frustrated. We are divided in our experience. The spirit is “in sync” with God, or as Jesus said, willing, but the “flesh” is not. Every believer knows what this feels like. Paul wrote about it.

I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. 22  For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, 23  but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. 24  Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? 25  Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin. Romans 7:21-25 (NASB)

During our remaining days on earth, trapped in a pre-resurrected body, we must learn to live in the spiritual reality of Christ’s resurrection. This is called “walking in the Spirit.”

We already live in the Spirit, spiritually, but we must learn to “walk it out” on a day to day basis.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Galatians 5:25 (NASB)

This corresponds to what I previously wrote concerning transformation or sanctification, which is the daily outworking of grace in our lives to make us more like Jesus. We might call this a daily experience of the first resurrection, which is spiritual. This is the resurrection principle at work.

The Second Resurrection

The second resurrection will be that of the body.

When Jesus returns, he will raise all the dead, including the wicked.

"Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, 29  and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. John 5:28-29 (NASB)

In our resurrected state, we will all stand before God at the judgment seat. This is the point at which the Bible says that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. (Romans 14:11) Those who pass the test at that great judgment will experience God’s glory in their new bodies in the context of a new heaven and earth. I will write more about this in the future.

Only those who have experienced the first resurrection, or new birth, will be able to enjoy the glories of the second resurrection.

The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. 6  Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. Revelation 20:5-6 (ESV)

Now we are getting into what theologians call eschatology or the doctrine of the end times. There are various ways to interpret Revelation, but let me share my take on the above passage. Rather than believe in a future “millennium” or literal 1000 year reign of Christ on the earth, I believe Revelation is speaking of the current church age in which those who believe in Christ have been spiritually raised from the dead and are seated with him in heavenly places sharing his authority even now.

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4  When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4 (ESV)

To me this makes sense of the passage in Revelation, but, even if you do not accept my interpretation, you must deal with the concept of two resurrections, the spiritual one and the bodily one.

Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22  But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23  Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24  Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25  Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26  and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27  She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” John 11:21-27 (ESV)

Martha knew Jesus personally, believed in him, and had a pretty good doctrine of the end times, but she did not understand at that time the spiritual side of things. She thought the resurrection only applied to the very end of time, but Jesus, who is the Resurrection, was and is able to raise anyone from the dead at any moment. In addition, he promised Martha that those who put their faith in him “will never die.” This can only mean that the “second death” has no power over them. (Revelation 20:6)

In other words, faith in Christ makes us one with the risen Christ. We are part of Christ’s first resurrection and we never need fear the second death. We now belong to God.

Prayer

Jesus, I want to escape the second death. I believe that when you rose from the dead, you provided life for all who believe and receive you. I receive you into my heart and declare my allegiance to you. Thank you for eternal life now and the resurrection of the body later. Now, come Holy Spirit. Help me to live for Jesus. Amen.

Share this post...

Basic Doctrines of Christ: The Resurrection from the Dead – Glorification

 

 

 

 

 

As I wrote in another series of articles, we are composed of spirit, soul, and body. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)  You can click on the links to read about each one in detail, if you wish.) Followers of Christ are instructed to properly “divide” or “cut straight” God’s Word (1 Timothy 2:15). This means we are to properly interpret and handle God’s message to us.

It is necessary to distinguish between how God’s great salvation applies uniquely to each part of us, or we will become confused.

For example, the Bible tells us that we can know that we have eternal life (1 John 5:13), but also reminds us that we are saved “in hope” (Romans 8:24-25). So which is it? Are we already saved, or are we waiting to be saved? The answer is both: we are already justified in the spirit, but we are waiting (hoping) for the last installment of our great salvation, the resurrection from the dead.

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19  For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20  For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21  that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22  For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23  And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24  For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25  But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Romans 8:18-25 (ESV)

We were created as living souls, which come to being when God breathes spirit into a lifeless body. (Genesis 2:7 KJV) In quick summary, at the new birth, our inner spirits are instantly transformed into a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17) and integrally joined with the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:17). We are “born again” and become one with Christ. This is a “once for all” completed work accomplished on our behalf in the past when Christ died and rose again, which I and many others call justification, even though it contains within it all five pillars of what Christ accomplished on our behalf in the New Covenant – propitiation, redemption, justification, reconciliation, and sonship. This is why the Bible tells us that those who believe already have eternal life. (John 5:24)

The salvation of the soul is an ongoing, daily process whereby we are being gradually transformed in our personalities and behavior to think, act, and speak as Christ. In this sense, our salvation is very much “in process.” I call this transformation, even though some prefer the term sanctification. It is a working out in our daily lives what God has already done in our spirits. (Philippians 2:12-13) How we obey God and allow his Spirit to inwardly conform us to Christ will have a great impact upon our heavenly reward. We need a fresh impartation of God’s grace everyday for strength to participate with the Spirit of God in this process.

Finally, we are waiting for the glorious day when our bodies, which are still under Adam’s curse of death, will be gloriously resurrected and renewed so that we finally are completely free from every vestige of the destructive power of sin and death. Our bodies will experience glorification.

For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21  who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. Philippians 3:20-21 (NASB) 

Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51  Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52  in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53  For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 1 Corinthians 15:50-53 (NASB)

This is our hope and expectation in Christ, who promised to raise from the dead each of us who believe.

"For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day." John 6:40 (NASB)
Share this post...

Basic Doctrines of Christ: The Resurrection from the Dead – Jesus Is Lord

 

 

 

 

 

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2  which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3  concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4  and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, Romans 1:1-4 (ESV)

Christ’s resurrection was the most important event in human history. He died for our sins on the cross as the sacrificial Lamb of God, but he rose from the dead in glory and power as the indisputable Lord of Lords, the promised Messianic King of Israel to whom every knee will bow and who one day will judge the entire earth.

The proper response to discovering that Jesus died as God’s Lamb is to humbly and gratefully receive the provision of God’s mercy and grace it provides.

The necessary and fitting response to hearing that Jesus is the risen Lord is to make a declaration of faith and allegiance to him, which is the central meaning of water baptism.

...if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 (ESV)

In the West we have reduced Christ’s ministry in many cases to that of the Lamb of God, instructing those who hear our message to receive him into their hearts.

The gospel of the apostles declared the lordship of the risen Christ and called hearers to acknowledge and submit to him.

The gospel is not simply a “get out of jail free” card that allows us to live free from any commitment to God. Rather it is an offer of forgiveness, justification, redemption, reconciliation, and sonship with the express purpose of making us fit subjects and obedient servants of the King.

Prayer

Jesus, I never realized my need to acknowledge you as my Lord and King. I do that now and pledge my allegiance to you. I depend on your grace and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to enable me to be faithful to you all my days. Thank you for dying for me. Help me now to live for you. Amen.

Share this post...

Basic Doctrines of Christ: The Resurrection from the Dead – Jesus Is the Resurrection

 

 

 

 

 

The apostle Paul wrote that the resurrection from the dead is the cornerstone of the Christian faith.

But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; 14  and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. 15  Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. 16  For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; 17  and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18  Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19  If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. 20  But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 1 Corinthians 15:13-20 (NASB)

Jesus offered himself as an offering for our sin by dying on the cross. Without the resurrection from the dead, he would be just another tragic and delusional historical figure who thought he was something special, when he was only a man, just like everyone else.

However, Jesus’ glorious resurrection was proof positive that his sacrifice had been accepted by his Father in heaven, who vindicated him in the eyes of his disciples.

His Second Coming at the culmination of time will glorify and vindicate him in the eyes of everyone else.

Jesus foretold his own resurrection on multiple times. He told his disciples that he would be put to death on a cross and rise again.

And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. Mark 8:31 (ESV)

He told them that he would be raised from the dead as a sign prefigured in the book of Jonah.

But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40  For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matthew 12:39-40 (ESV)

He told his enemies that if they destroyed the temple of his body, God would raise him up again.

The Jews then said to Him, "What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?" 19  Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." 20  The Jews then said, "It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?" 21  But He was speaking of the temple of His body. 22  So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken. John 2:18-22 (NASB)

Jesus told Martha that he would raise Lazarus from the dead because he was and is the embodiment of the resurrection.

Martha then said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22  "Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You." 23  Jesus *said to her, "Your brother will rise again." 24  Martha *said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." 25  Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26  and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?" John 11:21-26 (NASB)

He promised his disciples that one day he would raise each of us from the dead.

And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40  For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” John 6:39-40 (ESV)

Not only did Jesus rise from the tomb after dying for our sins, he is the Resurrection. Those who put their faith and allegiance in him will participate in his resurrection both now, in a spiritual sense, and physically at the Second Coming. Jesus is the resurrection and the life!

Share this post...
Share this post...