The Most Quoted Promise in the Bible

The Bible is full of promises. There are literally hundreds of promises in the word of God. Personally, I have stood on the promises of God. Repeatedly, I have taken God at His word. Faithfully, God has always fulfilled His promises.

There is one Biblical promise that seems to be quoted more than the others. On numerous occasions, I have heard preachers stand behind a pulpit and repeat it. Christians have stood up in the midst of a congregation to quote it. It is not likely that this particular promise is greater than any other. In my opinion, some preachers quote it as they begin the church service because they do not have anything else to say. Despite the motive of the one speaking the promise, it is a promise of God nonetheless. I am sure you have heard it quoted, and multiple times if you have been a Christian any length of time at all. Somewhere in your Christian walk, you have heard someone say, “I’m glad Jesus said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’”

There it is – the most quoted promise in the entirety of the scriptures (at least, in some of the circles in which I have been involved). The promise is found in Hebrews 13:5.

Two Prominent Messages in Christ’s Earthly Ministry

In the days when Jesus Christ walked the shores of Galilee, there were two messages that were constantly interwoven throughout the gospels. The first message was from Christ to His disciples. Christ continually told His disciples, “I’ve got to go.” Of course, He had to go to Calvary to suffer and die for the sins of mankind. The second message found throughout the gospels was the response of the disciples to Christ. When Christ spoke of His death, His disciples always replied, “Don’t go!”

In Matthew 16, Jesus spoke to His disciples, saying that He must be rejected of the scribes and elders of Jerusalem and be crucified. “I’ve got to go,” He says. Peter responded, “Far be it from Thee!” In other words, “Don’t go!”

In one instance, we find “the woman who was a sinner,” with her hands around the ankles of our Lord, as she washes the Lord’s feet with her tears and dries them with her hair. There’s something about her grip on the Savior’s feet that says, “Don’t go!” But He must go. He must be separated from the disciples to lay down His life for lost mankind.

In his account of the gospel, Luke tells us constantly that Christ’s face was “set” toward Jerusalem. What’s in Jerusalem? A cross. With His face set, His spirit firm, and His will determined, the Lord says, “I’ve got to go.”

Then came the day when Christ’s death upon the cross ceased to be a prophecy and became a fulfillment. He left His disciples for Calvary. The disciples would have loved to be able to claim the promise we claim so often, that their Lord would never leave nor forsake them. But the Lord left His disciples for Calvary.

Three days following the crucifixion of Christ, Christ is raised from the dead. On that resurrection day, Mary Magdalene is among those who found the tomb to be empty. When the others headed for the city, she remained in the garden where the empty tomb was. Weeping with her head in her hands, she earnestly believes that someone had taken away the body of her Lord. Suddenly, she sees a man. Since the man was evidently the gardener, Mary requested concerning Jesus, “Please tell me where you have laid Him.” Then, the “gardener,” who was none other than Jesus Christ Himself, said to her, “Mary.” Upon hearing the Lord speak her own name, Mary recognized Him. Mary must have fallen upon her knees, taking hold of the Saviour. But Jesus stopped her. “Touch me not,” He said. The word, “touch” here can mean more than just a simple touch. It can mean, “to hold on to; to cling to.” But again, Jesus says, “Don’t hold on to me.” In other words, “I’ve got to go.” Where is He going now? Since He has been resurrected, Christ must now go to the Father. He did not want Mary to get too attached. He is about to depart again. This is a good place to insert that the doctrine of the ascension of Christ is an underrated doctrine in the Bible. The entire discourse of John 14-16 centers around it. The arrival of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost depends on it. “If I go not away,” Christ said, “the Comforter will not come.”

Notice what Christ says to Mary. “Touch me not; do not hold on to me.” What does He go on to say? He says, “For I am not yet ascended.” That is where is going – to the Father.

The Ascension

Then, forty days after His resurrection, the day comes for Christ to go to the Father. Christ gathered with His disciples on the Mount of Olives. In Matthew’s version of the Great Commission, Christ gives His disciples His last words before His ascension. First, He instructs them to “teach all nations.” Secondly, He commissions them to “baptize them.” And third, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.” I can’t help but chuckle when I read Matthew’s account of the Great Commission. Jesus says to His disciples, “I am with you always.” Then, what does He do? He ascends. He leaves. He says, “I’ll never leave you.” Then He leaves!

But when He goes, He takes His place at the right hand of the Father. It is there that Jesus prayed for the Father to send the Holy Spirit to dwell with His disciples forever. This may be a news flash to you, but you do not have the Holy Spirit because you prayed; you have the Holy Spirit because He prayed. Christ said, “I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter” (John 14:16). Of course, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ. Wherever the Holy Spirit is, Christ is. When Christ prayed for the Father to give us the Holy Spirit, the Lord assured us that He would abide with us forever (John 14:16).

Throughout the gospels, mankind begged Christ, “Don’t leave us!” But He had to go. Now that the Holy Spirit has been given, I know that Christ will be with me through the trials of life, through tears and toils, and even to chilly Jordan – death itself. He will never leave me nor forsake me!

Crucified with Christ - Part 2

Up to this point, it is been brought out, hopefully clearly, that those who are saved are not striving to be crucified with Christ; WE ARE crucified with Christ. Sadly, I hear so often individuals testifying that they wish to have their flesh crucified every day! How tragic that many are attempting to accomplish daily what Christ accomplished once for all! In the previous post, I examined a few scriptures that are commonly used by those who wish to have their flesh crucified daily. In every scripture that they use, the Bible plainly states that the believer’s crucifixion of the “old man” is not something done daily; it is rather something done when Christ died! Our crucifixion of our “old man” is WITH CHRIST. This means that we died when Christ died. At this time, I would like to examine one more passage used by these people.

Take up your Cross Daily

Luke 9:23 – “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

If the reader is one who advocates this “crucified daily” doctrine, I can hear him now. “See there,” he says, pointing to the above verse. “Let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

Yes, I believe that believers should take up their cross daily and follow Christ. But notice – this scripture does not command me to be crucified daily; it rather commands me to take up my cross daily. What is meant by the phrase, “Take up his cross daily”? Jesus defines this phrase for us in the previous verse. Let us look at the verse preceding our verse of study:

Luke 9:22 – “Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.”

In this verse, Christ tells us plainly what His cross is. Christ’s cross is defined clearly. He would be slain, and He would rise again on the third day. Then, He admonishes His disciples to likewise take up a cross for themselves. Somehow, however, when many speak of the cross of the believer, they want to be “crucified every day,” and they wish to stop there! Christ’s cross did not end with His death upon the cross. Look at Luke 9:22 again – “Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and BE RAISED THE THIRD DAY.” Christ was not just crucified; He was also buried! Christ was not just buried; He was raised from the dead! He was not just raised from the dead; He LIVED upon the earth for forty days! He did not just live upon the earth for forty days; He ascended to the Father and He lives forevermore!

After Jesus tells His disciples that He would bear a cross, be slain, and be raised again, He then commands them to take up their cross daily. What is the meaning of “Take up thy cross daily”?

Every day, I need to realize that when Christ died, my old man died, as clearly shown in the following verses:

Galatians 2:20 – “I AM CRUCIFIED with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Galatians 5:24 – “And they that are Christ’s HAVE CRUCIFIED the flesh with the affections and lusts.”

Galatians 6:14 – “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world IS CRUCIFIED unto me, and I unto the world.”

Colossians 3:3 – “For ye ARE DEAD, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”

Romans 8:10 – “And if Christ be in you, the body IS DEAD because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”

“Taking up my cross” does not just mean realizing that I died with Christ, when Christ died, but it also is composed of realizing that when Christ was buried, I was buried with Him:

Romans 6:4 – “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death…”

Colossians 2:12 – “Buried with him in baptism…”

The meaning of the phrase, “Taking up my cross” is not limited to merely understanding that I died when Christ died; or that I was buried when Christ was buried; but it also includes the understanding that when Christ rose from the dead, I rose with Him!

Romans 6:4 – “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

Colossians 2:12 – “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”

Colossians 3:1 – “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”

The meaning of the phrase, “Taking up my cross” does not even stop with my “new man” being resurrected when Christ rose. Christ ascended into heaven, and is set down at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 12:2); and every believer ascended with Christ when Christ ascended, and we are, as far as God Almighty is concerned, set with Christ in heavenly places:

Ephesians 1:3 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.”

Ephesians 2:4-6 – “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

This phrase, “Taking up thy cross” does not even stop with believers ascending with Christ into heavenly places. Now that Christ has ascended, He lives forevermore, never to die again! We, who are saved by the grace of God, have been given eternal, or everlasting life NOW! Just as Christ ascended to live forevermore, believers have ascended with him into heavenly places to live forevermore.

John 14:19 – “Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.”

Romans 5:10 – “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

This phrase, “Taking up thy cross” does not end with the believer being crucified every day. Rather, it is fulfilled when we daily identify with Christ – realizing that we died when Christ died; that we were buried when Christ was buried; that we rose when Christ rose; that we ascended when Christ ascended; and because Christ lives forevermore, we live forevermore! Yes, I want to live as though my “old man” is dead, and should certainly do so. However, I do not want to stop there! I want my “new man” to live! I have heard people say (sincerely yet erroneously) that “Christ died so I could live.” That’s not entirely right. In reality, Christ died so that my “old man” could die. He rose again so that I could live! Jesus said, “Because I live, ye shall live also!” Listen to me very carefully. The “new man” living in newness of life is every bit as much part of “taking up your cross” as the “old man” being crucified. Don’t stop with the crucifixion of the “old man!” And don’t try to crucify the “old man” every day; the Bible couldn’t be plainer – your “old man” died when Christ died!

I hear people say (again, sincerely yet erroneously), “I want to live the crucified life.” NOT ME! I don’t wish to live a “crucified life.” When Christ died, my “old man” died a crucified death. Now, I wish to live a resurrected life! I want my “new man” to LIVE! It is God’s will for us to LIVE! Paul states in Philippians 1:21, “For me to LIVE is Christ and to die is gain!” Jesus stated in John 10:10, “…I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” Christ rose so we could live! And His resurrection is part of the way of the cross.

A Look at Romans 6

The best definition of the phrase, “Take up thy cross” is found in the sixth chapter of Romans. In this chapter, Paul gives three steps to victory over sin. To have victory, there is first, something we must KNOW; second, there is something we must RECKON; and third, there is something we must YIELD. First, there is something we must know:

Romans 6:6 – “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”

“Knowing this,” Paul says, “that our old man IS CRUCIFIED with Him!” The first step to gaining victory in our lives is knowing that the crucifixion of our “old man” was WITH CHRIST – it took place when Christ died.

I am not trying to be critical, but I am trying to be honest. Out of all the individuals who are trying to crucify their flesh every day, I have never met one of them who have victory. I have never met one of them who are confident in Christ’s work. They are, for the most part, living in torment. They constantly live in fear that maybe they are not “crucified enough.” The only way I can’t be ‘crucified enough’ is if Christ wasn’t crucified enough, because my “old man” was crucified with Him! Those who KNOW THIS live in deeper depth of victory than those who do not KNOW THIS!

Second, there is something we must reckon:

Romans 6:11 – “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

“Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin,” Paul says. Noah Webster defines “reckon” this way: “To count; to number; that is, to tell the particulars.” I know that I died when Christ died, but simply knowing it won’t give me victory. I must reckon my life to be that way. I must live outwardly what I know inwardly. This is reckoning! And notice what it is exactly we are to reckon – “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, BUT ALIVE UNTO GOD!” The crowd who tries to crucify their flesh daily is not big on being “alive unto God!” Don’t just count, or reckon, your “old man” dead, but count your “new man” alive unto God!

Third, there is something we must yield:

Romans 6:13 – “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”

The third and most important step to victory is YIELDING. Allow me to look briefly at two verses at which I have already examined:

Colossians 3:5 – “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”

In this verse, as I previously pointed out, the “members” we are to destroy are SINS. Fornication, uncleanness, and so forth.

Romans 8:13 – “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.”

In this verse, similar to the previous verse, we see that it is, not the body to be mortified, but rather the DEEDS of the body.

I humbly ask the reader to follow me just for a brief moment. The reader may ask, “If our ‘old man’ died when Christ died, then why are we still tempted to sin?” The answer is very simple. Though my “old man” is dead, sin is yet alive! Sin does not die! For this reason, we must mortify our members which are upon the earth, which are the sins he goes on to mention. Because sin does not die, we mortify the deeds of the body.

Every time you are tempted to sin, you have two choices. You can either reckon yourself dead to sin, and alive to God, yielding yourself as instruments of righteousness; or else you can yield yourself to the sin, as instruments of unrighteousness. When you KNOW that your “old man” died when Christ died; and you RECKON yourself dead to sin and alive to God; and you yield yourself to God, mortifying the deeds of the body; then you will live! You will then live the abundant, resurrected life!

This is the meaning of Christ’s words, “…take up thy cross, and follow me!”

Conclusion

The scriptures are clear – the crucifixion of my “old man” is WITH CHRIST. This means that I died when Christ died. Because my crucifixion is with Christ, there is only one possible way I can be crucified every day, and that is if Christ is crucified every day. Now, I ask the reader, especially if the reader is of the opinion that we must crucify our flesh every day, “Will Christ be crucified every day?” “Is Christ supposed to be crucified every day?” If you are a Catholic, then you would answer “yes” to these questions. The Bible, however, answers “NO” to these questions. The Bible plainly declares that Christ will only die once for sins:

Romans 6:9, 10 – “Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, HE DIED UNTO SIN ONCE: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.”

Hebrews 10:10 – “By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

The Bible further declares that it is a blasphemous thought to suggest that Christ will die more than once:

Hebrews 6:4-6 – “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened…If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance, seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.”

Clearly, Jesus Christ will never die for sin but once. The Bible, just as plainly, teaches that the crucifixion of our “old man” is with Christ. The only way that I would be willing to be “crucified” every day is if Christ will be crucified every day. I am only willing to be crucified WITH CHRIST, and Christ most certainly will NOT be crucified ever again. Neither will I. My “old man” died when Christ died.

Crucified with Christ - Part 1

For those who read this post, it is necessary to understand two facts: first, it is not my goal to offend the reader; and second, it is not my goal NOT to offend the reader.  Exclusively and without exception, it is my objective to declare the truths of God’s word.  Knowing this, I ask the reader to read the post in its entirety, especially before contacting me regarding its contents. 

Today I deal with a common misconception found in many churches.  Provided that you have been an attendee of a conservative church for any length of time, you have undoubtedly heard this line before: “We need to crucify our flesh.”  Or, perhaps you have heard it this way: “Every day, we need to keep our old man buried.”  I have heard this one: “I want to live a crucified life.”  Phrases such as these are commonplace in many churches; yet these are NOT biblical phrases.  While they sound pious, these expressions often originate from those who of the mindset that the Christian life is hard; that if we make it heaven, we’ll arrive but barely.  Those who preach this teaching usually define this phrase, “crucifying our flesh,” to mean “making ourselves miserable; denying ourselves of any pleasure; self-deprivation.”  However, when the Bible speaks of believers being “crucified,” or “dead to sin,” the scriptures are dealing with our “old man,” or the individual we used to be prior to obtaining salvation.

Recently, I sent a text message to a friend of mine.  Though I do not remember its exact wording, it went something like this: “I will not be crucifying my flesh today.”  I went on to explain my reasoning.  This friend texted me back, stating why he would be crucifying his flesh that day.  Assuming that the reader will be patient with me, I wish to give reasons from the word of God why I will not be crucifying my flesh today.  If you are of the mindset that we need to crucify our flesh every day, I hope you will at least give me your attention.  While you may not agree with me, I only ask that you will hear me out.  To begin, I wish to examine a few passages of scripture often used by this crowd who desires to crucify their flesh daily.

Passages in Galatians

Galatians 2:20 – “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

Galatians 5:24 – “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”

Galatians 6:14 – “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”

I encourage the reader to read the above verses two or three times each.  Read them slowly.  Read them honestly.  Read them without regards to any opinion of your own.  If this is done, the reader will be forced to admit that there is a mood of finality to the believer’s crucifixion.  Yes, I believe that every believer should be crucified.  I believe that my “old man” should be crucified.  When I say, “old man,” I am referring to the individual I was before I was converted.  The above verses, however, do not teach that I should be crucified; the above verses teach that I am crucified!  Look at them again (italics mine, for emphasis):

Galatians 2:20 – “I am crucified with Christ.”

Galatians 5:24 – “And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts.”

Galatians 6:14 – “…the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”

Yes, I believe that those who are saved should be dead to the world, and dead to sin.  But I believe more than that – those who are saved are crucified with Christ.  If you are saved, you are dead to sin and the world.  Listen to me very carefully.  I am not trying to be crucified with Christ – I am crucified with Christ!  I am not striving to be dead to sin; I am dead to sin!  There is a sense of finality to these verses.  Paul did not say, “I am trying to be crucified with Christ”; Paul said, “I am crucified with Christ.”  Paul did not say, “They that are Christ’s should strive to crucify the flesh”; he plainly says, “They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh.”  Paul does not declare, “The world should be crucified unto me”; he says rather, “The world is crucified unto me.”  Can’t you see the finality of our crucifixion with Christ?  The Christian life is not a daily attempt to crucify the individual you used to be; the Christian life is rather living out a realization that the individual you used to be IS DEAD!  I am not trying to do away with the man I used to be; the “old man” is already done away with!  He is gone!  He has been crucified!

When Was my “Old Man” Crucified?

“If your ‘old man’ has already been crucified,” you may ask, “then WHEN were you crucified?”  Let us examine our text again for the answer (again, italics mine, for emphasis):

Galatians 2:20 – “I am crucified with Christ.” 

The answer is plain as day.  Paul plainly states, “I am crucified with Christ.”  My “old man” died when Christ died.  When Christ was crucified, I was crucified.  The man I used to be was executed on a cross on Calvary’s hill over 2,000 years ago.  Once the reader understands this, the fog lifts!  What a great joy it was when I finally understood that what I was trying to do daily – i.e. crucify my flesh – was already completely finished 2,000 years ago!  When reading the remainder of this post, keep in mind that the Bible plainly teaches that believers have already been crucified, and that crucifixion is with Christ.  Don’t forget it – we died when Christ died. 

Mortify Your Members!

Colossians 3:5 – “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry.”

Here is yet another verse used by those who wish to crucify their flesh every day.  Understanding that the word, “mortify” means “to kill,” we have here a command to kill our members which are upon the earth. 

Look carefully at this verse.  “Mortify your members,” it declares.  Then, the verse defines the members we are to destroy.  It is not our flesh that we are to destroy; it is a collection of various sins that we are to destroy.  Whatever causes us to be tempted while living in this flesh – destroy it!  If it is a temptation to you, get away from it.  Listen to me very carefully.  If you wish to use Colossians 3:5 to preach that we need to crucify our flesh daily, that’s your business.  But if you’re going to do so, you need to back up two verses and do something with Colossians 3:3.

Colossians 3:3 – “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.”

Before Paul tells us to mortify our members, he just as plainly tells us this – “Ye are dead!”  He does not say, “Ye are striving to be dead”; he says, “Ye are dead!”  I do not need to destroy my “old man” today; my “old man” was destroyed upon an old, rugged cross.

Mortifying the Deeds of the Body

Romans 8:13 – “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.”

Here is another verse used to show that we need to crucify our flesh daily.  This verse, however does not teach us to mortify the body, or the flesh; it rather teaches us to mortify the deeds of the body.  As we just saw in Colossians, we will be tempted to sin.  These sins need to be destroyed!  It is not our flesh, or our “old man” that needs to be destroyed, for our “old man” has already been destroyed!  In the chapter we are currently discussing, Romans 8, look at what Paul states just three verses prior to our verse of study:

Romans 8:10 – “And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.”

Did you catch that?  Three verses before Paul teaches us to mortify the deeds of the body, he states, “If Christ be in you, the body IS DEAD!”  When did our “old man” die?  When Christ died!  Paul teaches this again very plainly!  If you are going to use Romans 8:13 to prove that we need to crucify our flesh, then be honest with the word of God and use Romans 8:10 with it – “If Christ be in you, the body IS DEAD!” 

I Die Daily

I Corinthians 15:31 – “I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.”

Another verse popularly used to promote the daily death of the believer is before us.  I hear it said often, “Paul said, ‘I die daily.’”  Yes, he did.  But Paul is not speaking here of dying out to self, or dying out to sin.  This entire chapter, I Corinthians 15, is dealing with the doctrine of the resurrection.  Paul is teaching the Corinthians the chief importance of believing that we will one day be resurrected.  When Paul says, “I die daily,” he is teaching us that he counts himself as dead every day!  He places himself in jeopardy continually for the purpose of propagating the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Why does he do so?  Because he knows that death is not final!  There is a coming resurrection, and Paul will be resurrected.  His statement, “I die daily,” refers to his willingness to place his life in jeopardy on a daily basis.  You say, “Where did you get that?”  I say, “I got it out of the Bible.”  If you’ll look at the verse again, reading the surrounding verses with it, you will find that Paul is telling the Corinthians that he jeopardizes his life continually, and he wouldn’t do it if the dead rise not:

I Corinthians 15:30-32 – “And WHY STAND WE IN JEOPARDY every hour? I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, IF THE DEAD RISE NOT? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die.”

So, to say that Paul’s statement, “I die daily,” is referring to “dying out to sin,” or “dying out to self,” is to take the scripture grossly out of context.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Simple Truths Regarding the Resurrection

1. By “the resurrection,” I am speaking of Christ’s resurrection from the dead, as well as the final resurrection of saints and sinners. The physical bodies of every saint and sinner will be resurrected, or brought to life again.
2. The resurrection is clearly taught in the Old Testament. In Psalm 16:10, David prophesies concerning the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Job prophesies concerning the bodily resurrection of the saints in Job 19:25-26 – “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.” It is no wonder that Martha told the Lord that, though her brother Lazarus had died, she expected to see him again “in the resurrection at the last day” (John 11:24).
3. Jesus Christ, after having died, was buried. Three days after His burial, Christ rose again from the dead. His resurrection was physical, meaning that the same physical body that died and was buried was the same physical body that resurrected. After Christ resurrected, the disciples believed that the resurrected Christ was just a spirit, as the Jehovah’s Witnesses claim. Christ, however, corrected them, saying, “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have” (Luke 24:39).
4. Because Christ’s resurrection from the dead was a physical, bodily resurrection, believers will experience a physical, bodily resurrection from the dead, as our physical bodies will be changed into a body like His body (Philippians 3:21).
5. Christ taught that believers experience a spiritual resurrection when they believe. In John 5:25, Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” From this, it is clear that some who are dead (in trespasses and sins; Ephesians 2:1) will hear the voice of the Son of God, and live.
6. Christ, also in John 5, taught the physical resurrection of every individual. In John 5:28-29, Jesus said, “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.”
7. Between the first resurrection and the second resurrection is a period of one thousand years (Revelation 20:1-6).
8. When speaking of the physical resurrection of all men, Christ said it this way in John 5:28-29 – “The hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth.” Since Christ stated that all men would be resurrected in a certain hour that is coming, some have concluded that both the just and the unjust will resurrect simultaneously. This is not so. A few verses earlier, in John 5:25, when speaking of the spiritual resurrection of believers, Christ stated that “the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” Let me ask a question. As for this “hour” in which people hear the voice of the Son of God and live, how long has this “hour” lasted? Those who lived during Christ’s time lived in that “hour,” and that “hour” is still going today. Those who hear His voice today are still resurrected from the death of trespasses and sins. As for the spiritual resurrection of believers, the “hour” in which “they that hear shall live” has spanned more than two thousand years. And, all believers who have passed from death unto life did not do so simultaneously. Therefore, as for the physical resurrection of all men, it is no contradiction to believe that there is a thousand years between the resurrection of life and the resurrection of damnation. Revelation 20 clearly teaches that the resurrection of life and the resurrection of damnation will occur at different times, not simultaneously.
9. The individuals who believe in a “general resurrection,” or the resurrection of all men simultaneously, have great difficulty with Luke 14:14, where Christ said, “And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.” Listen to what Christ said – “Thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.” If the just and the unjust are raised simultaneously, then Christ’s statement is senseless. Since I believe that none of Christ’s statements are senseless, I must believe that the just and unjust must be raised at different times. If the just and the unjust are raised together, it would have made much more sense for Christ to speak simply of being recompensed at the resurrection. Instead, Christ specifies which resurrection at which we will be recompensed – the resurrection of the just.
10. In I Thessalonians 4, Paul the apostle speaks of the rapture of the church and the resurrection of the righteous that occurs at that time. In I Thessalonians 4:16-17 – “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” In this passage, the “dead in Christ,” that is, those saved individuals who have died, will rise first. Then, we Christians who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. Not one mention is made of unbelievers. Very odd indeed, if in fact believers and unbelievers are raised from the dead together. One may object that the context of the immediate passage is concerning the rapture of the church, and since the rapture does not concern the lost, Paul would naturally speak only of the saved. However, if the saved and the lost are raised simultaneously at the rapture, then the rapture would concern the lost, for they, too, would be raised from the dead at that time. Hence, Paul’s statement that the “dead in Christ shall rise first” would be senseless and inaccurate: senseless, because it makes no sense to specify the “dead in Christ” if the unsaved dead are raised at the same time; and inaccurate, because it would not only be the “dead in Christ” that are raised from the dead at the time of the rapture, but the unsaved dead as well. Paul’s use of the term “dead in Christ” shows that the unsaved dead are not raised at the same time as the “dead in Christ.” Someone else may object that Paul is writing to a church, and would therefore only speak of the rapture as it relates to the church. There would be no need, then, to mention the lost in a discourse addressed to a church. This objection is unsubstantiated because, just a few verses later, Paul speaks of the lost in regard to the day of the Lord, saying that “they shall not escape” (I Thessalonians 5:3). He goes on to speak of those who “sleep in the night” and those who “are drunken in the night” (I Thessalonians 5:7). When Paul speaks of the day of the Lord in chapter five, he has no trouble mentioning the lost, because they will “not escape” the day of the Lord, as it will come upon them suddenly. He does not mention any resurrection of the unsaved in chapter four because, at the rapture, only the “dead in Christ” will be resurrected.
11. When the saved are resurrected, we will go to the judgment seat of Christ to be “recompensed at the resurrection of the just” (Luke 14:14; Romans 14:10; I Corinthians 3:11-15; II Corinthians 5:10). When the lost are resurrected, they will go to the great white throne judgment to be judged. Their final destiny is the lake of fire, which is the second death (Revelation 20:11-15).
12. The most important aspect of the study of the resurrection is to remember, first, that the resurrection of the just is a resurrection to eternal life; and second, that the resurrection of the unjust is a resurrection to damnation (John 5:29). The only way to avoid the condemnation of the resurrection of the unjust is to believe on Jesus Christ for salvation. In John 5:24, Jesus promised that those who believe on Him need never fear the condemnation of the second resurrection – “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” Winning souls to the resurrection of the just should the priority of every Christian. Rather than arguing with amillennialists about a general resurrection, why not contend with the lost regarding their souls? If they die lost, it won’t matter when they come out of the graves; but it will matter that they will eternally condemned to die forever in the lake of fire.

Simple Truths Regarding Salvation

1. Man is lost because of his sin. Sin is the transgression, or breaking, of God’s law (I John 3:4). Even before a person commits a sin on his own, every person is a sinner from the time of his birth (Psalm 58:3). Although all have sinned (Romans 3:23), you did not become a sinner when you sinned; you became a sinner when Adam (the first created man) sinned (Romans 5:19).
2. Man, on his own and at his best, is completely lost and unable to save himself. His best works, the sum of all his righteousnesses, are as filthy rags in the sight of God (Isaiah 64:6). Man, without having to do anything, is by nature a child of God’s wrath (Ephesians 2:3).
3. Because of his lost condition, man is on his way to a literal, burning, eternal hell. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), and the Bible teaches that the lake of fire is called the second death (Revelation 20:14).
4. Because man is completely incapable of saving himself, man must depend upon an outside source to save him. Consequently, God, in his love for mankind (John 3:16), provided a plan to save mankind from the penalty, practice, and presence of sin. We call this plan “salvation.”
5. God’s loving act of providing salvation for mankind is called grace. Man has broken God’s laws, and the penalty of death and hell is just and fair. God could have provided no salvation whatsoever for mankind, and His righteousness would not have been diminished in the least. However, God provided salvation for mankind. When God provided a plan of salvation, every lost individual was “without strength,” or “unable to save himself” (Romans 5:6); every lost individual was a sinner (Romans 5:8); and every lost individual was an enemy of God (Romans 5:10). Hence, man did absolutely nothing to earn salvation. The only thing we earned as lost individuals was a place in hell. When God devised a plan to save man, this plan was not provided because of what man had done; it was provided rather in spite of what man had done. Grace, defined as “the unmerited, or unearned favor of God toward man,” was shown to mankind when God presented a salvation plan to fallen man.
6. God’s plan of salvation is in His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. In order to save man, God sent His only begotten Son into the world (John 3:16-17). Jesus Christ lived as a man, yet he lived without sin (Hebrews 4:15). He never broke a single law of God. Christ never sinned in word, in thought, or in deed. This point is of absolute importance. If Jesus Christ were to save mankind from sin, it was necessary that Christ have no sin whatsoever. And though he was tempted in all points as we are, yet he was proven to be absolutely sinless.
7. Because Jesus Christ, as a man, never committed a single sin, God the Father laid upon Jesus every sin you and I ever committed or ever will commit (Isaiah 53:6). Jesus then paid the penalty of sin, which is death. Jesus died a horrific death upon an old, rugged cross. At the moment of His death, Christ declared “It is finished,” indicating that the penalty of our sins had been completely paid in full (John 19:30). It was very important that Christ be sinless upon the earth. Had Christ committed any sin of His own, He would not have been able to pay for my sins; He would have rather died for His own sins. But since He had no sins of His own for which to die, He could rightfully die for my sins and yours. And He did just that. Christ’s death is sufficient to save the whole world from sin. Absolutely nothing else needs to be done to pay for our sins. To prove that Christ's death was indeed a sacrifice that was holy, without blemish, and accepted by the Father, God the Father raised Jesus Christ from the dead (Romans 1:3).
8. Although God showed grace by sending His Son to save us from sin, and although the blood of Jesus Christ is sufficient to save the entire world (I John 2:2), not everyone will be saved. This is because God’s salvation is not “by grace alone.” In other words, just because God showed grace to you by sending Jesus to die for your sins does not mean that you are saved. Titus 2:11 tells us that God’s grace that brings salvation has appeared to everyone. But everyone will not be saved. Even though Christ died on the cross, some men are yet lost (II Corinthians 4:3). If salvation were “by grace alone,” then the whole world would be saved because God’s grace appeared to whole world when Christ died for all (II Corinthians 5:14-15).
9. The salvation that God provided is “by grace,” but it is also “through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). “By grace” speaks of what God did when He sent Jesus to die upon the cross. But you are not saved until you place your faith in Jesus Christ to save you. When you realize that you are hopelessly and helplessly lost, and you understand that Christ’s death upon the cross is completely sufficient to pay for your every sin, you must then place your faith in Christ and in Him alone to save you. Jesus repeatedly stated and the scriptures continually declare that all you must do to have everlasting life is to “believe” on Jesus Christ (John 1:12; John 3:14-18; John 3:36; John 5:24; John 6:28-29; John 6:35; John 6:40; John 6:47; John 7:38; John 8:24; John 11:25-26; John 12:44-46; John 20:31; Acts 10:43; Acts 13:39; Acts 16:30-31; Romans 1:16; Romans 3:21-22; Romans 10:9-13; I Corinthians 1:21; Galatians 3:22; I Timothy 4:10; Hebrews 10:39; I John 3:23; I John 5:1; I John 5:4-5). When the Bible says to “believe” on Him, it is not talking about believing in God’s existence, or even believing that Jesus died on the cross. “Believing on Jesus Christ” means that your faith is in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:25). You trust nothing and no one except Jesus Christ to save you.
10. To have your faith in Christ means that your faith is in absolutely nothing else outside of Christ to save you. If you think you are saved because you have been baptized, then your faith is in baptism, not in Christ, and consequently, you are lost. If you believe you are saved because you have spoken in tongues, then your faith is not in Christ. If you are trusting sacraments to save you, then you are not believing on Jesus Christ. If you think you are saved because you keep certain standards of dress or standards of separation, then your faith is not in Christ. When Jesus said “No man cometh to the Father but by me” (John 14:6), that’s exactly what He meant.
11. The salvation that God provided is not only “by grace” and “through faith,” but it is also completely “apart from works” (Romans 3:20-21; Romans 4:6; Ephesians 2:8-9). There is not a single work you can do to save yourself, and there is not a single work you can do that will keep you saved. Many admit that salvation is by grace, through faith, and apart from works initially, but “in order to keep your salvation,” they claim, “you must do this, do that, or do the other…” Romans 11:6, however, completely contradicts this. According to Romans 11:6, if a man is saved by grace, then his salvation is no more of works. And if a man is saved by works, then his salvation is no more of grace. You are not granted the privilege to claim to be saved by grace, and then demand certain works to be done to keep your salvation. You are saved either by grace and completely apart from works, or else you are saved by works and completely apart from grace. You cannot mix grace and works into salvation.
12. The act of believing on Jesus Christ for salvation is not a work of the man doing the believing; it is rather the work of God (John 6:29). God has given to every man the measure of faith (Romans 12:3). Thus, the faith to believe on Jesus Christ is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8).
13. Through prayer, a lost man desiring to be saved may express to God that his faith is in Christ. Romans 10:13 states, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Please note that a person’s prayer does not save him; he places his faith in Christ, and Christ saves him. If a man is not fully trusting Christ for salvation, then he may pray all day long, and yet be lost. There is no “sinner’s prayer” recorded in the Bible. There are no certain words to say. You simply must express to the Lord in some way that all of your faith is in Christ and Christ alone. The thief who died upon a cross beside our Lord’s cross said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when thou comest into Thy kingdom.” The Lord promised him, “Today shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:42-43). A tax collector simply prayed, “God, be merciful to me a sinner.” And the Bible said he went home justified (Luke 18:13-14). Saul of Tarsus simply prayed, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” He was saved immediately (Acts 9:6). Salvation is not wrapped in certain words; it is rather received by faith. When you simply express to the Lord in prayer that you are trusting Him completely to save you, placing yourself only at His mercy, He will save you the very instant you believe on Him.

The Day of Redemption

Ephesians 4:30 – “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

Having looked at the subject of redemption, we saw that “redeem” means “to purchase back.” It is true that we have been redeemed by being purchased by the blood of Christ. But it is equally as true that there is coming a day when we will be redeemed. There is a day of redemption coming for every child of God, though we have already been redeemed.

One such verse that shows this clearly is found in Paul’s writings.

Ephesians 1:14 – “Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”

“Until the redemption of the purchased possession.” We have already become the purchased possession, for the Lord bought us with His own blood! But there is a day coming when those who have been purchased will be redeemed.

How Can This Be?

How can it be that we who have been redeemed in the past will be redeemed in the future? It must be first understood that there is more than one definition of the word “redeem.” We looked the definition of redeem, “to purchase back,” in my previous post. But “redeem” has another definition. I think when we understand this, any confusion will be cleared up.

The word “redeem” can also mean, according to Noah Webster, “to perform what has been promised; to make good by performance.” Notice the word “promised.” The word “redeem,” in this definition, carries with it a sense of “trading.”

Suppose I have a McDonald’s coupon for a free beverage. McDonald’s promises that, upon use of that coupon, I can have a free beverage. I can keep the coupon until it expires, and I shall not enjoy the beverage. The only way to enjoy the free beverage is to redeem the coupon. By redeeming it, I actually trade the coupon for a beverage. I give them the coupon, and they, in turn, give me a free beverage, making good what they promised.

God has made promises to the believer, and they will be fulfilled on the day of redemption.

Our Final Salvation is Promised

Philippians 1:6 – “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”

This “day of Jesus Christ” is the day of redemption, where God fulfils His promise! On the day of redemption, God will, in every believer, finish the great work He has begun.

A New Body is Promised

It is true that I have been saved (past tense). This is justification. I’m not trying to be saved; I am saved! God saved me! It is equally true that I am being saved (present tense). This is sanctification. It is just as true that one day I will be saved (future tense). This is glorification.

It can also be stated in this fashion: My soul has been saved (past tense); my spirit is being saved (present tense); and my body will be saved (future tense).

I would do no harm in stating the same truth this way: I have been saved from the penalty of sin; I am being saved from the power of sin; I will be saved from the very presence of sin.

The day of redemption is a day when my promised final salvation will be a reality. I will, on that day, be saved from the very presence of sin, never to be tempted again. On that day, God will redeem my old body by changing it to a new one! My old body will be resurrected, but it will be changed.

Let me give a note concerning this. Some teach that, when we are resurrected, our old bodies will not be raised from the dead; that we will just receive a new body. That we will receive a new body is true enough; but we will receive it by having our old body changed (I Corinthians 15:51-52)! When Christ came out of the grave, He came out with the same body that was crucified (Luke 24:39; John 20:27). However, that body was changed into a glorious body (Philippians 3:21), never to die again. This is the manner in which you and I will redeem our old bodies for a new! Our old bodies will be redeemed by one of two ways. Either our old bodies will be raised from the dead, and will be immediately changed; or, if we are alive at the rapture, our bodies will be immediately changed into a glorious body. Either way, our present earthly bodies will be changed into a heavenly body! We will trade this body for a new one!

A new body! What a thought! Our bodies, in so many ways, hinder us in this life. This truth becomes more real the older we get. But be it known, there is a day coming, a day of redemption, in which we will trade this old body for a new one!

God’s promise in giving us a new body is sure! Look at Paul’s words to the Corinthians:

II Corinthians 5:1 – “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”

“We have a building of God!” That is what Paul said! He does not say, “I’m trying to get a building of God;” he says rather, “I have a building of God!” This building is our new body! It is reserved in heaven for me! It is mine! It is waiting for me! We are trying to earn a new body; we HAVE a new body! God will one day make good His promise, and this old body will be changed into the body that is reserved for us!

We are waiting for that glorious day, at the rapture, when our current bodies will be redeemed, or traded, for a new one!

Romans 8:23 – “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 Christ Be Not Risen...

I Corinthians 15:14 – “And if Christ be not risen…”

It has been rightfully stated that every major doctrine of the Bible has a chapter devoted to it. As for the resurrection, I Corinthians 15 is the chapter given to this great subject. All Bible students, as well as the vast majority of atheists, agnostics, and skeptics, know for a fact of Christ’s resurrection from the dead. Paul the apostle, in the aforementioned chapter, sets out, not to prove that Christ has risen from the dead; but rather to show to Christians and the rest of the world the awful circumstances that would be true had Christ not risen from the dead. Oh, how dreadful the picture if Jesus Christ is dead! How hopeless the estate of every reader! With the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we who are saved have an endless hope; without it, we have a hopeless end! Let us look now at where we would be apart from the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If Christ be not risen, then

Our Preaching is Vain

I Corinthians 15:14 – “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain.”

All preaching is vain if Christ is yet dead. Now, listen carefully. We who believe the Bible know for a fact that all of the Mormons’ preaching is vain. It is useless because it is a lie. There is no so-called “other testament” of Jesus Christ. The God of the Bible was not once a man who elevated to a state of deity. All who preach the message of the “Watchtower” are preaching lies. All of that preaching is vain, or useless.

But Paul is not speaking of the preaching of false prophets when says “If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain.” The preaching of false teachers is vain, useless, and worthless whether Christ is risen from the dead or not. Paul says, “If Christ be not risen, then is OUR preaching vain!” Paul considered his own preaching useless and worthless if Christ is yet dead. Paul preached justification by faith, which is right. We are declared righteous because Christ paid off the penalty of our sins when He died, and because He rose from the dead. The resurrection of Christ proves that our sins really are paid for, and that we do not have to die in our sins. Death occurs because of sin. Jesus did not die because of His sins, for He had no sins. Notice:

II Corinthians 5:21 – “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

Hebrews 4:15 – “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”

Hebrews 7:26 – “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.”

I John 3:5 – “And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.”

Christ could die for OUR sins because He had no sins of His own for which to die. Should Christ have had sins of His own, He would have died because of His own sins, because the wages of sin is death, according to Romans 6:23. But, since Christ had no sins of His own, He could rightfully pay the penalty of sin for you and me. In addition to paying the penalty of sin for us, death could not hold our Lord in the grave! It is impossible for One who is absolutely untainted by sin to remain in a grave and rot! This is why the Old Testament prophesied that God would not allow the flesh of Jesus Christ to see corruption. Christ could not remain in a grave because His flesh was not defiled by sin. By raising His Son from the dead, the Father shows the world that Christ in no way died for His own sins; He died for ours. And when the Father raised the Son from the dead, He show us all that Christ’s payment of the penalty of sin was accepted. Those who trust Christ’s work on the cross can be justified, or declared innocent, because Christ arose!

Romans 4:24, 25 – “But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”

“Justification by faith” is the message that Paul preached, and this message is completely false if Christ is dead. Paul readily admits that his message does not work if Christ’s body had rotted.

Your Faith is Also Vain

I Corinthians 15:14 – “…your faith is also vain.”

Paul first states that if Christ is dead, our preaching is vain. Then, he brings out the next point, which is somewhat obvious. If our preaching is vain, then, we have no message in which to place our faith! Faith is non-existent if there is nothing in which to place it! When a person is saved, he is saved by placing faith in the gospel message. Well, if our preaching is vain, then we have nothing in which to place our faith, making our faith vain also. In addition to this, if Christ be not risen, then

We are Found False Witnesses of God

I Corinthians 15:15 – “Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.”

In the first part of this chapter, Paul lists several witnesses who claimed to see Jesus Christ alive AFTER His crucifixion. He names Peter and James. He states then Christ appeared to “the twelve,” meaning the whole group of apostles. He states that Christ was seen by more than five hundred eyewitnesses at one time, most of which were alive at the time of this writing. Finally, Paul states that he himself had seen the resurrection Christ with his own eyes. I stated in the previous post how that ALL of the apostles had suffered physically because they claimed that they had seen the resurrected Saviour. All of them, excepting John the beloved, gave their lives (according to history; not the Bible) for the gospel; that is, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

In spite of this undeniable fact that the apostles of our Lord suffered because they preached that they had been eyewitnesses of the resurrected Christ, Paul readily admits that if Christ is dead, then all of these witnesses, including himself, are liars. Here, Paul puts his own integrity at stake. If Christ is dead, Paul is a liar; John is a liar; Peter is a liar; and our Bible is therefore a lie. The witnesses of Christ’s resurrection are not liars, and have proven it with their own lives. They died for the truth of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Furthermore, if Christ is dead, then

Ye Are Yet in Your Sins

I Corinthians 15:17 – “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.”

What an awful statement! There is no such thing as salvation if Christ did not rise from the dead! The fiery hell declared in holy Writ is the unalterable destination of every reader, if Christ is indeed in the grave! Paul has already told us that if Christ is dead, then our message is gone. He goes on to tell us that, if our message is gone, then our faith is consequently gone, for we have nothing in which to place our faith. Now, he continues that thought. If we have nothing in which to place our faith, we must be in our sins and on our way to hell, for salvation is by grace, THROUGH FAITH!

Ephesians 2:8 – “For by grace are ye saved, through faith…”

If Christ is dead, the very thought of salvation is a hoax. We are not saved; rather, we are in our sins if Christ has not risen from the dead. But that is not all. If Christ is yet dead, then

They Also which are Fallen Asleep in Christ are Perished

I Corinthians 15:18 – “Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.”

Christ’s resurrection guarantees that everyone, saved or lost, will come out of their graves. But, if Christ is dead, then those who died as Christians will never live again. But Paul shows in the latter part of this chapter, how that those who belong to Christ will indeed rise again when Christ comes again. That precious saint of God whom we lowered into the ground will come out of that grave, with a body like Christ’s glorious body.

Philippians 3:21 – “Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.”

Finally, if Christ is yet in the tomb, then

We are of All Men Most Miserable

I Corinthians 15:19 – “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.”

Paul has already established that, if Christ is not risen from the dead, then those who died as Christians are dead forever. If that were the case, we would have hope “in this life only.” Now, Paul tells us that “if in this life only we have hope, we are of all men most miserable.” There is no better conclusion of our condition had Christ not risen from the dead – we are “most miserable.” We have no gospel in which to place our faith; we have no hope of seeing our loved ones who died as Christians; we have no assurance of any salvation whatsoever. If Christ were dead, then we are lost, on our way to hell, and helpless with no way to amend the situation.

But thanks be to God! I am not miserable! I am not in my sins! I am not in complete despair concerning my Christian brothers and sisters who have gone to be with Christ! My faith is neither useless nor worthless, for there is a valid gospel message in which I have placed it! Knowing that all these things are true, I have complete assurance that Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, is alive! He is risen from the dead!

Christ hath risen! Hallelujah!

Blessed morn of life and light;

Lo, the grave is rent asunder,

Death is conquered through His might.

Christ is risen! Hallelujah!

Gladness fills the world today;
From the tomb that could not hold Him,

See, the stone is rolled away.*

*Fanny J. Crosby

He is Risen as He Said!

Matthew 28:6 - "He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay."

Two British men, Lyttleton and West, set out to disprove Christianity once and for all. Having met to discuss their plans, they decided what each should do to fulfil their task. Lyttleton agreed to study the conversion of Saul of Tarsus on his way to Damascus; West decided to study the resurrection of Jesus Christ. They would study these topics for a year, then meet again to discuss their findings. They would then show once and for all the hoax of Saul's so-called conversion, and the fraud of Christ's apparent resurrection.

A year came and went. The two met again as planned. Lyttleton revealed his findings - the conversion of Saul of Tarsus had to be real, and Lyttleton himself had converted to Christianity. Then, West showed his conclusion - that the resurrection of Jesus Christ must have occurred as it is written in the Holy Bible, and he too had become a Christian.

The Fact of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

This subject is similar to other Bible doctrines in the sense that one's opinion regarding its actuality does not alter the fact of its occurrence. I am not debating the fact of Christ's resurrection; I am declaring the fact of His resurrection. Your feelings concerning the matter are completley irrelevant. I am not conducting a poll. I am not hosting a debate. I am declaring what the Bible, the Word of God, says concerning the matter. And, what the Bible declares is the final authority on every issue.

The Prophets Foretold Christ's Resurrection

Psalm 16:10 - "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption."

Peter quoted this passage in Acts 2:27-31 - "Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption."

Note this - the prophets foretold the birth of Christ - and every detail was fulfilled to perfection. The Old Testament prophets foretold the death of Christ, and every detail occurred exactly as it was written. And the prophets were not wrong in declaring that Christ would rise from the dead. And that is exactly what Jesus Christ did. He died, was buried with the rich, and rose again the third day according to the scriptures.

Jesus Himself Foretold His Resurrection

In the opening illustration of this post - the story of Lyttleton and West, although they were unsuccessful in disproving Christianity (which no one has been able to do), they were at least on the right track. They knew that if they were to bring Christianity to a screeching halt, they would have to prove that Jesus Christ is still dead, and no one has proven such a claim! True Christians have witnessed the power of a resurrected Saviour numerous times, but never has anyone been able to prove that Jesus Christ did not come out of the tomb that third and glorious morning after His death!

If the resurrection of Christ could be proven to be a hoax, then Christianity would certainly topple! Christ Himself told us before He died that He would rise again. If He indeed did so, then He is Lord, and every reader will bow before Him, either in this world, or in the world to come! If He did not come out of the tomb, then He is not Lord; rather, He would be a liar. But the Bible declares boldly, "Let God be true, but every man a liar." And look what Jesus said:

Matthew 16:21 - "From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day."

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

Jesus foretold His own death and resurrection - if He did not rise, then that would make Him a liar - but He is risen as He said!

The Apostles Preached the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Throughout the book of Acts, it is clear that the apostles' message was that of the resurrection of Jesus Christ! They were brought before rulers because they preached that Jesus Christ not only died and was buried, but that He rose from the dead.

The skeptic does not believe that Christ rose from the dead because they do not believe the Bible over "science," they say (Then they'll turn right around and believe in evolution, which has neither been observed nor proven; or in manmade global warming, the hoax of the millennium). I would ask the skeptic, "Do you believe in secular history?" Surely, they're not so dense as to refuse secular history. Secular history contains within it the fact that there was a man who existed named Jesus Christ. It would entertain the reader to know that there are atheists who deny that Jesus Christ ever existed. It is good to know that, when we deal with atheists, we are not dealing with intelligent life. All you need is a calendar to show you that Jesus Christ existed. This year is called "2012." That is, "2012 A.D." "A.D." stands for "anno domini," which means, "in the year of our Lord." Those who hate the thought of Christ's existence are trying to change those letters to "C.E." - "Common Era;" and "B.C. (Before Christ)" to "B.C.E." - "Before the Common Era." Those sorry idiots can try to erase Jesus Christ out of secular history, but they'll never get it done. He existed.

Jesus Christ not only existed, but He lived and died. And, He not only died - He rose from the grave. The eleven apostles who walked with Christ while He walked upon the earth (there were originally twelve, but Judas hanged himself before Christ died, you'll remember) witnessed Christ's resurrection, claimed to have seen Him after He rose from the dead, and physically suffered for that fact.

Peter was crucified upside-down. The Bible does not say that; secular history says that. Do you know why he was crucified upside-down? Because he would not deny the Christ who he claimed to have seen after He rose from the dead! Paul the Apostle fought against Christianity, until He saw the resurrected Saviour on the road to Damascus. Secular history tells us that Paul ran to the chopping block to have his head severed from his body - still affirming that he had witnessed the resurrected Lord! John was boiled in oil, but wouldn't die (according to secular history; not the Bible). John was then sent to the Isle of Patmos to die in exile. But he was later freed and became the only apostle to die a peaceful death. But he did suffer, according to history. Matthew was killed with the sword. Mark was dragged to death by horses. James the Less was clubbed to death; James the Greater was beheaded. Bartholomew was whipped to death. ALL THE APOSTLES suffered for their faith in the resurrected Saviour! Again, not according to the Bible; according to history. Dear reader, you may claim that one man who dies for a hoax is a lunatic - but when every apostle who saw Christ after His resurrection suffered physically for the fact - it then becomes clear to any honest person that there is only one reasonable explanation - Christ rose from the dead, and the apostles who claimed to have seen Him suffered for that fact!

If Christ IS Risen...

In my previous post, I honestly examined the circumstances awful to Christians if Christ were indeed still held within the garden tomb. I openly and honestly admitted that if Christ had not risen from the dead, then my preaching is vain, useless, and false; the apostles who penned the New Testament were liars; the Old Testament prophets who prophesied the resurrection were deceivers; our faith is vain; we have no salvation; and we are for ever lost in our sins.

Now, it is time for the atheist, agnostic, skeptic, and worshipper of some other god to perform the same reckoning. I am asking you, dear unbeliever, will you be honest enough to examine with me the awful condition in which you find yourself, if Christ indeed rose from the dead? Let us look at a few facts that are completely and positively true if Christ indeed rose from the dead.

If Christ is risen as He said, then

He Is the Son of God

Romans 1:3, 4 – “Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”

Paul states here that Christ proved to be the Son of God BY THE RESURRECTION from the dead. A good number of so-called “theologians” today claim Christ to be less than the Son of God. Some regard Him as a great teacher, but I declare unto you that Jesus Christ is far more than that, and His resurrection proves it! But this is not all! If Christ indeed has risen as He said, then

He is God Almighty!

He is not only the Son of God; He IS God! Before He was born in the flesh, He existed equally with the Father.

Philippians 2:6 – “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.”

Many religious leaders agree that Christ WAS God before His birth, but some of them teach that at His birth, Christ ceased to be God. NOT SO! While Jesus Christ lived in on this earth in the flesh, He was God Almighty wrapped in flesh!

I Timothy 3:16 – “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: GOD WAS MANIFEST IN THE FLESH, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”

Matthew 1:22, 23 – “Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”

The name of this baby who was born of the virgin Mary was “Emmanuel.” This name does not mean, “God above us;” or “God after us;” or even “God within us.” Christ’s name when He was born in the flesh was “Emmanuel,” meaning “God WITH US.” When Jesus Christ was with us in the flesh, God Almighty was with us!

Now that He has ascended to the Father, he ever lives to make intercession for us! He inhabits a throne at His Father’s right hand. He will possess that the throne on the right hand of His Father for ever. He will sit upon that throne judging, ruling, and reigning as God. While it is true that every Christian will reign upon thrones in the Millennium, we will not do so because we are gods. Christ sits on His Father’s throne, however, because He is God.

Hebrews 1:8 – “But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O GOD, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.”

In the above verse, the Father refers to the Son as GOD, and as being God FOR EVER!

Allow me to take this a little further. If Christ indeed is risen from the dead as the apostles claimed, then

He is Far Superior to All Others

Christ is not only the Son of God; He is not only God Almighty in His very person; but this status places Him far above ALL principality and power. He is above all. His position is far superior to Allah, Buddha, Confucius, Dagon, Diana, and every other so-called “god.” His words are far superior to the words of other “teachers,” including Plato, Socrates, Muhammad, and all others.

If Christ is dead, then I readily and publicly admitted that Christians are in trouble. But if He is indeed alive, the claim for which the apostles suffered and died, then He is far above all others, and you WILL ABSOLUTELY bow before Him, confessing to Him that He is Lord! Look with me at the following:

John 3:31 – “He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.”

Philippians 2:6-11 – “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

A minister brought it to my attention once that the above passage does not say, “Every knee SHALL bow, and every tongue SHALL confess;” it says rather, that, “Every knee SHOULD bow, and every tongue SHOULD confess.” Therefore, this man concluded that although every knee SHOULD bow, and every tongue SHOULD confess, it does not mean that everyone SHALL bow and confess.

However, the scriptures teach differently. Yes, the above passage does state that every knee SHOULD bow, and every tongue SHOULD confess. But notice:

Romans 14:11 – “For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee SHALL bow to me, and every tongue SHALL confess to God.”

What a day it will be at the Last Judgment! Madeline Murray O’Hare will bow her knee and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord of all! Bob Ingersoll, Voltaire, Karl Marx, Adolf Hitler, and other grossly wicked individuals will confess Christ as Lord! They will confess Him as publicly at the Judgment as they denied Him on the earth! Since Christ rose from the dead, He is far superior to all others. He is second to none. He takes no back seat; He plays only the lead! Since Christ rose from the dead, then

His Words are Absolute Truth, Making Him the Only Way to God’s Heaven

Jesus’ words are absolute truth. Had He not risen, His words would be false, for He told the disciples that He would rise again. If He did not do so, He lied.

But dear reader, if He indeed rose from the dead, He is not a liar. Every word He stated was absolute, positive, unalterable fact. And look what He said:

John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by me.”

Jesus is not A ROAD to heaven; He is the only route to that place. All other routes lead to hell. You’ll place all your faith in Jesus Christ, or you’ll be lost eternally. You’ll believe the Bible or be damned. If you are trusting anything other than Christ for salvation, you are hopelessly lost until you place all of your faith in Jesus Christ.

The good news is this: He died to pay the penalty for your sins. He rose again to give you that great salvation! No other god, prophet, teacher, philosopher, professor, or anyone else can save! Only Jesus; the preeminent, superior, unsurpassed, unrivaled, unparallel, undefeated, matchless, incomparable Son of the living God can save you! Notice:

Acts 4:12 – “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

You’ll come by Jesus Christ, or you will not come! Trust Him today to save you completely!