Resurrection Truth

1 Corinthians 15:3/4 (NASB)

³ For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
⁴ and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

1 Corinthians 15:12-28 (ESV)

¹² Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? ¹³ But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁴ And if Christ has not been raised, then your preaching is vain and your faith is vain. ¹⁵ We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. ¹⁶ For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. ¹⁷ And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. ¹⁸ Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. ¹⁹ If in this life only, we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
²⁰ But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹ For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. ²² For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. ²³ But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ.  ²⁴ Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, after destroying every rule and every authority and power. ²⁵ For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. ²⁶ The last enemy to be destroyed is death. ²⁷ For “God has put all things in subjection under His feet.” But when it says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is plain that He is excepted who put all things in subjection under Him. ²⁸ When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subjected to the Him who put all things in subjection under Him, that God may be all in all.

My Comments: You may have heard others say there are many roads to Heaven and everyone worships the same god but just call god by different names. This is not true if we believe Jesus is the Messiah who was foretold throughout the Old Testament. It is also not true if we believe the word of God and Jesus Himself. And if we believe Him then He rose again as was prophesied on the third day.  Yet many have a hard time with what Jesus and the Apostles have related and choose to believe false teachers who do not worship the One True God, God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

True it is hard for our finite minds to understand the concept of someone not only coming back from the dead as prophesy foretold He would but believing He is fully God and fully Man and then rose to Heaven alive. Wow! How exciting, and very true.  Never the less it is a stumbling block one must remove before one can believe in Christ Jesus as their Savior.

If as some religions say, Jesus was a prophet or a good man or that the Apostles and many who walked and talked with Him after His resurrection were mistaken, then it is not Jesus they are talking about but someone they made up rather than believing the Word of God or Jesus. Jesus was the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament, not a Prophet or good teacher or a nice man though He was fully God and fully Man and He was loving, kind and did teach.

Many religions, not claiming to be Christian have their gods and they are not the same as the God of Abraham, Jacob and Israel Who is the same as the One True God Christians believe in. He is the God who first came for the people God called His own chosen people from the time of Abraham.

 When the Romans and the Jewish religious leaders rejected Jesus many did not listen to them and chose to follow Jesus (and later listened to the Apostles about Jesus and became followers) and then Jesus sent them into the world to proclaim His Gospel to the Gentiles (Gentiles are all who are not Jewish), first to the Jews then to the Greeks then the world. Someday the Chosen People of God (Israel) will follow Jesus. Christ will come again.

Unfortunately, there are those who name themselves as followers of Christ and are not. These false teachers go out and preach their own gospel and some call Jesus a good man. How can a man be good if he lies? Jesus says He is the Son of God and where you see Him you see the Father. He says in those words He is God as well as saying He is the I Am. The name God the Father called Himself to the nation of Israel. Jesus’ own Chosen people wanted to stone Him for using the Sacred Name of God. They knew He was telling them He was God. Yet some leaders in churches deny His deity and call Him a good man. Jesus said none go to the Father except through Him. If He did not raise from the dead then His teaching was not true as the Messiah was prophesied to hang on a tree (crucified), die and rise from the dead after three days. Jesus full filled the prophecies (many more than these three but that is a lesson for another time). Because Jesus is God we pray through Him to Father God our Abba (Daddy).   

Some religions say people can pray to others like the dead, Mary, Buddha and animal spirits, spirits in general and it all goes to god. Jesus is not a “good man” He is God and He says we can only go through Him to the Father. God Himself says we go to the person of Jesus the Christ and we will be heard by God the Father and if we are truly followers of Jesus we are the Children of the Father and Sanctified by the Son when we accept His sacrifice and His Gospel of His life, death and resurrection.

Beloved be not deceived or taken captive by false teachers. If you do not find it in the Bible do not follow it (get a good solid translation that does not have extra books added to it. Get one like the New King James Version or The English Standard Version or the American Standard Version. As many sold as Bibles are merely paraphrases and not translations). You will never be deceived by Jesus the Son of God who rose on the third day after His Crucifixion and burial. He rose to Heaven to prepare a place for us to be with Him forever. Just be sure of the Bible you are using. I personally use all three as I like to see how they translate some words or phrases. If you do not have one of these I recommend using one online from a Bible site (biblegateway.com is a reliable one).

Let me know if you need prayer for your walk and for understanding or just want to discuss a concern or thought.

Abba Father, thank You for Your help as we walk through Your Word and fill us with Your Holy Spirit that our focus will be only on Your truth. Give us grace to study and understand every word as best a finite mind can. May we walk in Your way and build our faith in Christ and bless us as we feed upon Your word.

 Jesus thank You for taking our sin upon Yourself and standing in front of us so we are seen through the Fathers love of You. We believe You to be fully God and fully Man and we believe Your Word. Jesus You are sufficient for us. May we have Your redemption power and know the truth of Your resurrection and never be led astray. Jesus You are always with Yours and You have complete supply and satisfaction for us and we will find Your food and water within Your Words. May our joy in You always be strong and keep our zeal turned to Your will. May Your water flow freely from You through all who believe in You the Living Water.

Holy Spirit open all eyes, ears, minds and hearts to the truth of the Resurrection of Jesus the Lamb of God. Fill us all with His truth. Give us strength and wisdom as we share the Gospel of Jesus in the world. Fill us with the peace of God as we proclaim the Word of God. Thank You for guiding us in the One Truth.  
In Jesus name in union with the Holy Spirit we pray to You Father God.  Amen.
Rebishka