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1 Corinthians 15:20

When I’m resurrected will I have the same body?

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
August 9, 2011

I’m convinced that Christians will have a real physical body in the afterlife. It seems that Jesus did. After His resurrection, He said in Luke 24:39 “See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” Jesus had flesh and bones, and so will we. We also find that he ate fish as a demonstration of his truly physical body as well. Thus, we too will follow in the same fashion in the resurrection.

Of course there were differences between his earthly body and his resurrected body. He could appear and disappear at will. He ascended into the clouds with a jetpack or without being “beamed up” to a starship. He could move through walls. He could mask his appearance so that he would not be recognized, then he could make himself recognizable also. Paul says that all believers will be changed. He calls Christ “the firstfruits” of those who are asleep in 1 Corinthians 15:20. It reads, “Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” The raisings of Lazarus, Tabitha, and the widow’s son are not true resurrections, but simply revivifications. They were brought back to their old lives and old bodies only to die again. The resurrected body is imperishable and it’s immortal.

Paul sees Jesus’ resurrection as the pattern for those who are to follow. Geisler writes, “The contrasts that Paul makes do not suggest a disembodied state, but a perfected body. He says, ‘We shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye’ (vv. 51–52). This change is from perishable to imperishable, mortal to immortal, dishonor to glory, weakness to strength. The body is perfected, not by doing away with it, but by removing its imperfections. When Paul says that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (see 2 Cor. 5:6), we can easily see that he means absent from this earthly body. At the resurrection, we will be reunited with it as it is made an immortal body.” Further, there will be continuity between our earthly bodies and our heavenly bodies. Just as Jesus was recognizable, so too will those who follow be recognizable. We will still be ourselves, but the best “ourselves” we could possibly be!

Chuck
“For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” 1 Corinthians 15:21-22

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Luke 23:43

Did both thieves hurl insults at Jesus on the cross?

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
August 8, 2011

I believe you’ll find that in both Matthew and Mark the two thieves were said to both have been ridiculing Jesus at the beginning. During the six hours of suffering, however, and probably during the last three hour especially, one thief had been watching the Jesus was dying and noticed that indeed something extremely unusual was taking place. The centurion at the foot of the cross made the same observation when he remarked, “surely this is the Son of God.” He understood that the one dying on the middle cross was not dying for any crime he had committed, but was indeed dying for the sins of others. It was at this point that He turned to Christ in faith and said, “Lord, remember me when you enter into your kingdom.” Jesus assured him that in this very day, they would be together in paradise.

I get great comfort in the fact that both thieves indeed did curse God as they hung on the cross together and it very well could have been with his dying breath that he repented and asked for salvation while expressing his faith in the Savior. We sometimes refer to the thieves as the good one and the bad one. They were both bad ones. According to the Roman authorities neither one of them were fit to live on this earth another day. The so-called good thief lived his entire life in sin, just as the so-called bad one did. There was no behavioral difference! But because of his last breath expression of faith in Jesus he became a saved thief. Obviously, he had not deposited any works in the kingdom he was about to enter, but there was a strong word from the Lord that he’d be admitted. In 1 Corinthians 3:15 Paul says, “If anyone’s work is burned up, it will be lost, but he will be saved; yet it will be like an escape through fire.” The thief on the cross escaped through fire!

Many of us have been to funerals for our loved ones who have never expressed personal faith in Christ. They often have lived rebellious, sinful lives and have spurned and even ridiculed our faith in Jesus, just as these two bad thieves did. But there is always hope! No one knows what transpires in the hearts and minds of those who lie dying.

Chuck
“Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” Luke 23:43

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1 John 5:13

Do you believe in Eternal Security?

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
August 5, 2011

Briefly, yes. I do believe in Eternal Security. A true believer can be confident that his or her eternal destiny is secure. However, there is a difference between assurance and security (see devotion from July 12th). The true question involves our faith. Do we truly believe? We are often exhorted in Scripture to evaluate ourselves to see if our faith is true and sure. Paul urged the Corinthians: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?” (2 Cor. 13:5). Peter teaches, “Be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall” (2 Peter 1:10). Jude adds, “Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life” (Jude 21).

Our security in Christ is sometimes blurred by our lack of personal assurance. When we quiver in our depravity and begin to doubt, it’s truly important to reflect on where our security comes from. It doesn’t come from our feelings of assurance. It comes from our “faith” in God’s Word and our confidence in His keeping His promises to us. Paul writes to the Romans in 15:4, “Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” John declared, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). There are many assurances in the Bible with affirmations that our salvation, once truly received by faith in Christ, can never be lost and we can be confident of that in this life.

God does not wish that we live life always trying to prove ourselves as worthy. God wants us to live as members of His eternal family, once a true child, always a true child. Once we’re truly His, “no one can pluck us out of his hands.” Some who argue against this, see this as offering license for believers to continue in a life of sin. But to me, this is as absurd as saying that because we have Blue Cross/Blue Shield insurance, we will chew on razor blades or guzzle hydrochloric acid.

Chuck
“I have written these things to you who believe in Jesus Christ, so that you will know for certain that you have everlasting life.” 1 John 5:13

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2 Corinthians 5:1

Is cremation alright biblically?

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
August 4, 2011

I don’t think it’s going to make a whole lot of difference after death what we do with the human remains. Death is found for the first time in Genesis chapter 3 and God said, “Dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return.” He was of course addressing the physical bodies only. 2 Corinthians 5:1 tells us that when “the tent that is our earthly home” (our bodies) are destroyed; we have an eternal home made by God. God will not lose anyone! Even those who have been devoured by fire, lions, tiger, bears or sharks. Revelation 20:13 tells us “And the sea will give up the dead who were in it.”

The official position of the Jews today, according to the Encyclopedia of Judaism, is this: Reverent treatment of the body and speedy interment are biblically-ordained precepts. Cremation, freeze-storage of the body, and above-ground burial crypts, are all in violation of Jewish law and practice.” Yet, I might argue that there were several possible cases of cremation in the old Testament. Saul’s body and the bodies of his son’s were taken from the walls at Beth Shan and cremated. According to 2 Chronicles 16:13-14, it appears King Asa might also have been cremated. We read there, “They laid him on a bier that had been filled with various kinds of spices prepared by the perfumer’s art, and they made a very great fire in his honor.” Many argue that this is not reference to cremation but it sounds like it and it puts cremation in a positive light. Embalming is a requirement of the law today, I believe, and every corpse handled by a funeral parlor is necessarily injected with preservatives. I agree with J. Vernon McGee on this. He says, “I think the undertakers like to include it, whether it is required or not. …But if it has to be done, that settles the question.”

I would personally not choose to be cremated because of the figures of speech that are used in the Bible regarding the disposition of the remains of those that have died. One figure is that of “sleep.” According to 1 Thessalonians 4:13f, the body of a believer is put into a sleeping place (the word cemetery comes from this word), to be awaken and raised at the coming of the Lord. The other picture is that of 1 Corinthians where like a seed, the body is planted, and then brought back to life with incorruptible characteristics. Yet, the bible makes it clear that no matter what condition the body is in at the Lord’s return, its resurrection is assured.

Chuck
“So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable.” 1 Corinthians 15:42

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Revelation 21:4

I’m Glad You Asked: Will we mourn for love ones when we’re in heaven?

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
August 3, 2011

Just thinking about leaving behind loved ones can bring dreadful feelings of loss. How could anyone possibly be happy in heaven without a dear child, parent, or spouse? Loved ones can come to mean so much to us that we can’t imagine any kind of happiness without them. Heaven must have some sense of loss if we have to leave loved ones behind and even more profound loss thinking that loved ones will never join us in heaven. Some argue that even Jesus mourned for the lost children of Jerusalem in Luke 19:14 when he looked out over the vast city knowing that they would not be with Him in heaven.

First, Jesus’ mourning for them was part of the expression of God’s great love and mercy to them through which Jesus was to carry out the act of redemption for all mankind on the cross. We don’t see a resurrected Jesus weeping for those who have rejected God’s love. In this life, we should mourn for those our loved ones who are not lost and deeply desire their salvation and as Jesus acted to save those he wept for, we too might be moved by our compassion to share the way to eternal life with our loved ones. Second, the assumption behind the question is that we are more loving and merciful than God. Yet we know that He is infinitely more loving and merciful than we are! John 15:13 tells us clearly and we recognize the truth of it; “there is no greater love, than to lay down one’s life for a friend.” Yet, God & Jesus are happy in heaven even though they know not everyone will be there.

Hell does not have the power to veto heavenly bliss for believers. I don’t believe that the fact that some reject the way of salvation will in any way diminish the joy the saved will experience. The wicked will have no power to hold hostage the joys of the redeemed. A totally loving and merciful God made provision, yet they rejected it. He is a perfectly just God. Geisler observes “We would not be happy in heaven if we knew that others had been unjustly kept out. However, we can be happy in heaven the same way we can be happy eating while knowing that others are starving—namely, if we have offered them food but they have refused to eat it.” Further, I think we will change the way we think in Heaven. We will see things from a totally different perspective. The way we see things today will be no more!

Chuck
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:4

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Matthew 19:17

I’m Glad You Asked: Can you explain Matthew 19:17?

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
August 2, 2011

In this passage, and others, Jesus tells someone that if they would inherit Life or eternal life, they must “keep the commandments.” I would argue that this complements Matthew 5:48 where Jesus tells us that we must be “perfect as our father in heaven is perfect.” The rich young ruler in this story didn’t understand the breadth and depth of the law requiring not only external conformity but a change of heart. In Luke 10, Jesus told the religious leader that he too could inherit eternal life if he kept the law. Jesus then asked him what the law said. He rightly responded, “You must love the Lord your God with your whole heart, soul, mind and strength and your neighbor as yourself.” Jesus said, “That’s right! Do this and you will live.”

But the scriptures make it clear that “all have sinned” and no one can perfectly live up to the standards of God’s law. “All have fallen short,” Paul writes to the Romans. D. A. Carson says, “Surely Jesus is painting a picture of human beings that is far more radical than all the pictures they draw of themselves. No one is able to save himself. We human beings break God’s holy law from our very heart. We forfeit fellowship with God. Our relationship to him is characterized by sin: we face him in the perfection demanded by the Decalogue and the Sermon on the Mount.”

It is clear to me that God is attempting to bring the rich young ruler as well as the religious leader in Luke to repentance. That’s the state where people understand and acknowledge the depth of their sinfulness and realize that all the good works in the world are worth exactly what Isaiah says they are worth; “filthy rags.” It is the bottom of the barrel for every man woman and child. It’s the recognition of the vast chasm that exists between my own goodness and God’s standard. it’s the end of the line for works righteousness, but it can be the beginning of real life for all who admit it. Luke tells us that the lawyer, instead of saying, “Dear God, I can’t be perfect…” he “desired to justify himself” and proceeded to argue with Jesus about defining a “neighbor.” I’m convinced that if he, or the rich young ruler, had broken and admitted their state, the door to eternal life would have been opened to them. It’s also opened to all of us the same way!

Chuck
“But Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’” Matthew 19:26

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Philippians 2:12

I’m Glad You Asked: How do you “work out” your salvation?

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
August 1, 2011

Philippians 2:12 has caused some stress to many Christians. It says, “Therefore …. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling…” Many have suggested, and some churches even teach, that good works will earn your salvation. But even taking the verse out of context as I did above, one can see that it does not say “work for your salvation,” or “work at your salvation,” or even “work toward your salvation.” It says “work out your salvation.” Surely, you can see that the word “your” is a possessive pronoun. It introduces something that is already possessed by the ones being addressed. You already have “salvation,” the exhortation is not to earn it, but to work at making the salvation that you already have totally reflected in the way you live. It is Paul’s way of telling the Philippians to demonstrate through their conduct, the thinking, their talking, and their general attitudes that God has saved them and He is “at work in them.”

Further taking the verse in its context we can see that Paul is really quoting from Deuteronomy 32. Philippians 2:15 explains the reasons behind Paul’s exhortation. It says, “That you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” The words “children” and “blameless” and the phrase “a crooked and depraved generation” are also in Deuteronomy 32:4-5. Moses reminded Israel of the great deliverance from Egypt and in preparing them to occupy the land, knowing that he would not be with them, charged them to live as God’s chosen people as obedient Children of God. Paul was in prison and could have been martyred at any time. He reflected on Moses’ last words to God’s people, and issued a similar charge to those he would leave behind. Just as Israel was exhorted to “work out” their great salvation in their conduct in the land, so too are believers to “work out” their great salvation in their conduct in life.

We are justified in God’s eyes through our faith in His Son. He declares us righteous. This is what the scriptures mean when it asserts that “you are saved…” But the scriptures also tell us that we are yet “being saved.” It’s this process of pursuing a righteous lifestyle that is called sanctification. God wants our practice; how we live and conduct ourselves, to match our position; sinless in God’s eyes.

Chuck
“Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” 1 John 2:6

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Luke 12:40, 1 Thessalonians 5:2

I’m Glad You Asked: What are the End Time events?

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
July 29, 2011

The study of Eschatology, or the End Times, has always fascinated people. The scriptures make it clear that we live in a world that is not destined to remain forever. There are several different views regarding this. I am rather boring on this issue because I still subscribe to the standard dispensational views. The way I understand it is that the rapture marks the beginning of the End Times. It is where the true believers who are “alive and remain” are caught up together with them [those who already died as Christians] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air…” (1 Thess. 4:17). This is the time of the resurrection where the Christian receives his resurrected body. There are various views as to what this will look like and when it will happen. But most commentators believe it is immediately followed by the great tribulation on the earth, while a great celebration takes place in heaven with the resurrected believers often called the “marriage supper of the Lamb.” During the tribulation is when the seals, trumpets and bowls of revelation occur.

After the seven years of great tribulations on earth, the Lord along with the resurrected believers will return to earth and set up the Millennial Kingdom. Some argue for a very literal 1000 years, others see it as a “long period of time.” It will be God’s answer to the Lord’s Prayer that has been prayed millions if not billions of times over the centuries: “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth…” There will be one final uprising of Satan and evil, but will be overturned by the Lord and His forces that will set up what we know as the “Eternal State.”

We must always keep in mind that our understanding of the End Times has never been part of the test for orthodoxy. There are many different opinions held by true believers. But it seems that everyone agrees that the most important teaching regarding the End Times is Jesus’ exhortation to be ready at any moment. He tells us in Luke 12:40, “You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” The word “maranatha” is a Syriac expression that means: “our Lord comes.” It was used as a greeting in the early church. When believers gathered or parted, they didn’t say “hello” or “goodbye” but “Maranatha!” If we had the same upward look today, it would revolutionize the church. O that God’s people had a deepening awareness of the imminent return of the Savior!

Chuck
“For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” 1 Thessalonians 5:2

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