This article considers three foundational Christian Doctrines that hinge on Special Revelation. It approaches its subject with both humility and ambition.

It’s essential to recognize that Jesus is described as the Word of God (Revelation 19:13), fully embodying both divine and human natures. Similarly, Christians regard the Bible as the written Word of God, containing truths revealed through human authors who were inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:20-21).

The Trinity

The God who exists has revealed Himself to us, and His nature is different from our human expectations. Indeed, without His disclosure, it would be impossible for humanity to grasp the reality of God’s nature. The Doctrine of the Trinity cannot be deduced through logical deduction alone; though many notable attempts have been made, it requires the explicit teaching of Scripture to be understood.

The Doctrine of the Trinity teaches that God is one being in three persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. Understanding how one God can exist in three distinct persons without being three separate gods is a profound mystery and a significant challenge for many.

No analogy can fully encapsulate the profound mystery of the Trinity, and many analogies, such as likening it to water existing as ice, liquid, and steam, tend to oversimplify and can even lead towards heretical misunderstandings. Therefore, it is crucial to avoid relying on such analogies, recognizing their tendency to distort or trivialize the theological depth and uniqueness of the Trinity.

What is crucial to note is that the Trinity is assumed as the default reality in the New Testament. The Apostles were experiential Trinitarians—they heard the voice of the Father from heaven, walked with the Son, and witnessed the Spirit descending from heaven (Matthew 3:13-17). As the New Testament authors wrote, they weren’t attempting to explain the Trinity systematically; rather, it formed the warp and woof of their theological framework.

In the Second Letter to the Corinthians, for instance, as Paul concludes the epistle, he greets the church using a trinitarian formula: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” Christ instructs us to baptize new believers “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). These passages, among others, vividly portray the unity of God and the distinct personhood and deity of the Father, Son, and Spirit (John 1:1-3, 14; John 10:30; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; Ephesians 4:4-6).

The Incarnation

Taking it one step further, the Bible not only asserts the Triune nature of God; before the dust settles, one is immediately confronted with the claim that one of the persons of the Godhead, namely the Son, took on flesh.

This claim is historically significant; if you had lived in the Middle East approximately 2000 years ago, there would have been a genuine possibility that you could have personally encountered God. It’s a startling assertion, yet the biblical authors boldly proclaim it, many of whom later died as martyrs for their faith in this truth.

The Apostle John, in his First Epistle, emphatically states,

“By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist…”

This is not merely an optional belief in Christianity; it carries profound significance. To deny that God took on flesh is to oppose God Himself. It is a dividing line.

The second Person of the Trinity, who was with the Father from all eternity, entered into His own creation. He was sent according to the eternal will of the Father to unite all things in Him, both in heaven and things on earth, and His name is Jesus (Ephesians 1:7-10). It was uniquely the Son, not the Father or the Holy Spirit, who took on flesh in the Incarnation.

The Incarnation did not diminish His deity in any way; rather, humanity was added to His divine nature (Philippians 2:7). These two natures are not blended or confused, yet both are always fully present within the one person of Jesus without exception. There is no division or separation between them. The complexity of this doctrine should not be taken lightly, nor does its complexity discredit its reliability. We must embrace all that the Bible teaches, holding onto its truths while also resting in the mysteries it presents (John 1:14, Galatians 4:4-5, Hebrews 2:14-18, 1 Timothy 3:16).

The Resurrection

Considering these doctrines as foundational blocks, the Resurrection stands atop the Incarnation, which itself rests upon the doctrine of the Trinity. These truths are interconnected: God the Son, Jesus Christ, who took on flesh, died on a Roman cross—a substitutionary death prophesied in Isaiah 53:5. Then, something extraordinary occurred—something that angels long to look into: three days later, Jesus rose from the dead. This act stands as the pinnacle of the Christian faith.

This historic event was not merely symbolic; it embodies all the hope Christians share. The Apostle Paul emphasized its critical importance, stating,

“…if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:14). He goes on to add, “…If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Corinthians 15:19).

Jesus’ resurrection forms the basis of our future hope: He is the firstfruit, and at His coming, those who belong to Him will also be raised (1 Corinthians 15:23).

Following Jesus’ resurrection and preceding His ascension, numerous eyewitness accounts are documented. Matthew describes the discovery of the empty tomb by Mary Magdalene and the other Mary and their encounter with the risen Jesus (Matthew 28:1-10). Mark recounts similar events, including Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome finding the empty tomb and encountering an angel proclaiming Jesus’ resurrection (Mark 16:1-8). Luke provides a detailed account of Jesus appearing to two disciples on the road to Emmaus and later appearing to the eleven disciples in Jerusalem, demonstrating His resurrected body and eating with them (Luke 24:13-49). John records Mary Magdalene discovering the empty tomb and encountering Jesus, followed by His appearances to the disciples, including Thomas (John 20-21). Additionally, Luke writes in Acts about Jesus’ appearances over forty days, teaching about the kingdom of God and instructing His disciples before ascending into heaven (Acts 1:1-11).

Jesus, in one of His “I AM” statements in John 11:25, declared, “I am the Resurrection and the Life.” Here, Jesus asserts Himself as the very source of resurrection life—not merely someone who performs resurrections, but the essence of resurrection itself. His statement underscores that He is the ultimate source of life and hope beyond death, exemplified powerfully in His raising of Lazarus (John 11:25-26). This hope is uniquely held by Christians: Jesus’ resurrection anticipates the future resurrection of all believers, who, through Him, will experience eternal life and rise from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:20-23). Jesus’ declaration is exclusive: He affirms that salvation and eternal life are found solely in Him, as He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

Do you believe this?

Conclusion

In closing, these three doctrines are foundational to every other Christian doctrine, like threads intricately woven into a tapestry. They not only touch upon but also uphold the integrity of the entire fabric of Christian theology.

There are other doctrines that are equally significant or closely related to those mentioned above. For instance, the Doctrine of the Atonement, Predestination and Free Will, the Problem of Evil, the Sacraments, and Eschatology, to name a few, each vary in prominence but deserve individual attention and study.

The fact that God has spoken in His Word should spur us on to desire to know more. This foray is merely to whet your appetite. Understanding these doctrines ensures adherence to orthodox Christian teaching, safeguarding against heresy and doctrinal error.

I pray that you deepen your worship of our Triune God, hold firmly to orthodox beliefs, and exhibit spiritual maturity. May you grow in personal evangelism, confidently sharing the gift of salvation and adeptly defending it against objections and misunderstandings. May you also find personal assurance and comfort in knowing the hope of the Resurrection, which brings true peace. Finally, may you diligently study your Bible, becoming deeply rooted in its text and committed to biblical fidelity.

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

Romans 16:25-27

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John 20

Christians worldwide are celebrating the commemoration of the resurrection of Christ today. The resurrection is a fundamental Christian doctrine upon which Christianity stands or falls. Without the resurrection, Christianity has no hope to offer. Paul makes that point clearly in 1 Corinthians 15:11-19.

In the gospels; the events leading to the crucifixion, burial and resurrection of Christ are well documented. But for the purpose of this article, we would look to the gospel according to John and specifically, Chapter 20. We will consider five points about the resurrection clearly taught in the text.

The Resurrection Is historical.

The empty tomb of Christ points to a true historical event. Christ was crucified. He was buried. And he resurrected. Dr Simon Gathercole of the University of Cambridge in an online article noted that,

The historical evidence for Jesus of Nazareth is both long-established and widespread. Within a few decades of his supposed lifetime, he is mentioned by Jewish and Roman historians, as well as by dozens of Christian writings. Compare that with, for example, King Arthur, who supposedly lived around AD500. The major historical source for events of that time does not even mention Arthur, and he is first referred to 300 or 400 years after he is supposed to have lived. The evidence for Jesus is not limited to later folklore, as are accounts of Arthur.

[1] To establish the historicity of the resurrection, let\’s look briefly at three points worth considering.

(i) It happened on a specific day.

The resurrection is recorded to have happened on the first day of the week which is a Sunday. Jesus was crucified and buried on a Friday. He rose on the third day. The disciples will further adopt this day as the Lord’s day—the day of worship. That day became the believers “solemn assembly” when they met to worship (Deut. 16:8, Jn 20:19; 26, Acts 20:7).

ii) There Were Eyewitness Accounts

Jesus didn’t vanish into thin air when he resurrected. He showed himself to people as proof of his resurrection. Mary Magdalene (vv. 1-2; 11-18), Peter, John and the other disciples (vv.3-10; 19-20), Thomas  (v.26). In Jewish tradition, witnesses must be two or more to be admissible and the events met that criteria (See Deut. 17:6; 19:5).

(iii) The Resurrection Wasn’t A Hoax.

Before Christ resurrected, there were fears his disciples will steal his body and feign a resurrection (Matt.27:62-66). However, firstly, the disciples were not expecting a resurrection to go to the extent of faking one (vv. 2; 9). They had also locked themselves up for fear of the Jews and there was no indication they had the capability of stealing the body (v.19). Moreover, the tomb, according to Matthew was under security guard (Matt. 27:66). Finally, the folded grave cloths defeats a robbery. What grave looter has the luxury of time to nicely fold grave cloths?

(iv) There Was An Empty Tomb

That there was an empty tomb is evidence for the resurrection. If Christ didn’t resurrect, then his body must have been seen in the tomb. However, all who came to the scene looked into the tomb and didn’t see Christ’s body. Mary Magdalene thought the body had been stolen. Peter and the other disciples looked into the tomb and saw nothing. There was simply no body in the tomb. A very informative article from the gospel coalition by Paul Rezkalla, titled 4 Reasons to believe in the empty tomb is worth our attention in this discourse. These four points are (i) The empty tomb predates the gospel, (ii) the body was buried in Jerusalem, (iii) the empty tomb was discovered by women and (iv) there were claims of a stolen body. [2]

A Fulfilment Of Scripture

John speaks of the resurrection in relation to Scripture: “for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead” (v.9). Jesus, while he was with them also spoke of his death and resurrection (John 2:19-22). Paul also speaking of the resurrection says it is “in accordance with Scripture” (1Cor.15:1-3). The resurrection happened as Scripture prophesied. On the road to Emmaus, Jesus rebuked the disciples for not believing what was spoken of him about the events in Scripture of his death and resurrection:

And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself (Luke 24:25-27).

We see Christ walking them through Scripture—the Old Testament— and opening their eyes to the truth of what was written about him.

The Resurrection Is The Foundation Of The Great Commission 

When Christ appeared to the disciples, he charged them with the great commission: “Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” (vv.21-23).

Christ sends the disciples, gives them his very breath of life — the Holy Spirit and puts authority in their proclamation of the gospel which when believed brings life, and damnation to those who will not believe. Because Christ rose, the disciples had the power and basis upon which to witness about the gospel (1Jn. 1:1-3, 1Pet. 1:16-20). Paul says  “if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain” (1Cor.15:14 ff). Christ rose from the dead and that\’s the hope of believers and sinners who will run to him in faith. Matt Permann in an online article titled Historical Evidence for the Resurrection points out seven reasons for which the empty tomb gives credence to the resurrection. And he mentions preaching of the gospel as the first. He wrote:

The Resurrection Teaches Christ’s Divinity.

One thing we cannot miss in John’s gospel is Christ’s divinity. John opens his book with: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”. (John 1:1). Thomas’ response to Christ in v.28 is instructive: “My Lord and my God!” Being a Jew, that would have been a blasphemous statement if Christ was not God. And knowing who Christ was, he would have rebuked Thomas if his assertion about him was inaccurate. Again, we will note in the text that, when Thomas first told the disciples he would see the marks on Christ’s hands before believing, Jesus wasn’t present. But in Christ’ second appearance to the disciples, he showed Thomas his crucifixion marks:

Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe. (vv26-27).

Christ’s omnipotence and omnipresence is displayed in that event. He knew Thomas’ doubts though he wasn’t physically present when Thomas expressed those doubts. All things are bare and naked before God (Heb. 4:13). Christ is God. Peter tells us it was impossible for death to hold him down  (Acts 2:24).

Faith And Eternal Life In Christ

John ends his account by saying:

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God , and that by believing you may have life in his name (vv. 30-31).

To John, this is his overarching motive for writing his gospel account; that people will come to faith in Christ. The end goal of Christian ministry is leading people to faith in Christ by the preaching of the gospel. Anything else apart from this has no grounds. All we do as Christians and ministers of the gospel must have this one goal: that people “may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God , and that by believing [they] may have life in his name.” Anything else is, borrowing Paul’s words, to be counted as dung.

Notes:

1 Dr Simon Gathercole, What is the historical evidence that Jesus Christ lived and died https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/14/what-is-the-historical-evidence-that-jesus-christ-lived-and-died.

2. Paul Rezkalla, 4 Reasons To Believe In The Empty Tomb, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/4-reasons-to-believe-in-the-empty-tomb

3. Matt Permann, Historical Evidence for the Resurrection, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/historical-evidence-for-the-resurrection

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Last week, in response to our online article “Is Jesus The Only Way?” a reader, a Muslim, remonstrated with us with regards to the person and work of our Lord Jesus. According to him, Jesus was not God; but only a prophet of God.

What interested me most in that conversation was his denial of the crucifixion  and resurrection of Christ. This is because, if you take away the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, the whole foundation of Christianity comes crumbling down. Obviously if Christ didn’t die by crucifixion, then he didn’t rise. And if he didn’t rise, then there will be no resurrection. And if there is no resurrection; there is no hope for the Christian (1Corinthians 15:12-18). Ultimately, if Christ was not crucified, then the Apostles and Jesus himself were all liars; and the Bible a fraud.The death and resurrection of Christ is the hope upon which the foundation of Christianity stands. And Islam calls that into question. “The bible says Jesus was not sacrificed for the sins of mankind”, this reader asserted. When asked what his authority was, he quoted Psalm 91. The Qur’anic narrative on the crucifixion confirms Jesus was not crucified, he claimed. In this article, I will provide a response to his assertions and claims, with particular respect to the Psalm he referred to.

Psalm 91:10-15 reads:

no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot. “Because he holds fast to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him because he knows my name. When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will rescue him and honor him (Ps. 91:10-15).

Here is The Qur’anic narrative also

They [The Jews] declared, ‘We have put to death the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the Messenger of God.’ They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but it only seemed to them [as if it had been so]. And those who differ in this matter are in doubt concerning it. They have no definite knowledge about it, but only follow mere conjecture. But they certainly did not kill him. God raised him towards Himself. God is almighty and wise (Qur’an 4:157-158).

The argument being made was, Psalm 91, as a Messianic Psalm rules out any possibility of a crucified Messiah. “No harm will overtake you“, he emphasised. He continued that as Psalm 91 foretold, the angels would “lift him (Jesus) up” and furthermore, the Qur’an states that “God raised him up”; what the Qur’an reports about Jesus being in fact the fulfilment of Psalm 91:11-12 he affirmed. “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands…”

“They certainly did not kill him. God raised him up to Himself”, was the final plea.

So here we stand, with the Qur’an apparently correcting the Bible. The only problem is that, this is simply a misinterpretation.

I will now address three points in defending the crucifixion of Christ.

The Bible Doesn’t Contradict Itself

Firstly, we should bear in mind that Psalm 91 doesn’t obliterate all the other Scriptures in the Bible pointing to a suffering Messiah. One of the first principles of hermenuetics—the science of interpreting Scripture–is the analogy of faith. R.C. Sproul in his book Knowing Scripture states that,

The analogy of faith is the rule that Scripture is to interpret Scripture: Sacra Scriptura sui interpres (Sacred Scripture is its own interpreter). This means, quite simply, that no part of Scripture can be interpreted in such a way as to render it in conflict with what is clearly taught elsewhere in Scripture.¹

Simply, God’s word–the Bible– doesn’t contradict itself. The crucifixion was God’s plan as much as his promise of protection was. When God promises to protect us; it doesn’t mean the absence of trials, temptations, or even death.

Jesus won’t bypass the road to Calvary. God’s steadfast love doesn’t mean the absence of pain, not for Jesus and not for us. God showed him salvation (Psalm 91:16), but remember the empty tomb came after a blood-soaked cross.²

While protection of the Messiah was spoken of in Psalm 91, we must also note that, a suffering Messiah was also prophesied in Isaiah 53. It is only proper that when interpreting the Bible, we look at it as a whole. Also, if we read the Bible, we will indeed see the Messiah was protected and angels did bear him up. Examine Christ’s encounter with Satan in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11). After the whole episode, we are told “angels came and were ministering to him [Jesus].”

The Crucifixion Was God Ordained

Secondly, Christ’s death was God’s ordained plan. In Acts 2:22-23, we are told that Jesus was killed “according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God”. So, anyone who calls the death of Christ to question is calling God’s plan to question. Christ didn’t die a reckless death where God was unable to protect him.

In fact, God offered Christ up for the sins of the world. He was put up as a propitiation for the sins of the world (Matt. 1:21, Jn 3:16, Rom. 3:25, 1 Jn 2:2; 4:10). A striking observation one may make reading through the gospel of John is the many assassination attempts, so to speak, on Jesus’ life. But none succeeded because his “time was not yet come” (Jn. 7:6; 10:39). Jesus only died at the time appointed by God through crucifixion.

A Moral Dilemma

Who is Jesus? A liar or a messenger of God (borrowing the Islamic description of Christ). Now Jesus on numerous occassions spoke about his death. If he didn’t die on the cross; then we are faced with a moral dilemma: was Jesus a liar or a messenger of God?

Considering the person of Jesus, his moral virtues and the perfect life he lived; if his words about his death, are not true, then we will have to reconsider how we view him. Either he is a liar or he is who he claims to be—the Son of God.

In fact, Islam does acknowledge a Jesus who is a “Messiah, and a messenger of God” in the very place they question his crucifixion. The question we have to ask of Islam is that, can a Messiah and Messenger of God lie? Was Jesus a liar to have spoken about his death, if it was never to be?

Consider these words spoken by Jesus:

For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth (Matt. 12:40).

From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised (Matt. 16:21).

So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
But he was speaking about the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. (Jn. 2:18-19; 21-22).

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (Jn. 10:11).

Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial (Jn. 12:7).

Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour (Jn. 12:27).

These are some few words spoken by Jesus himself. If he didn’t die by crucifixion, then he lied when he spoke these word. Is the person of Jesus as recorded in Scripture consistent with a liar? No. Lying is sin and the Bible tells us Jesus was without sin (Heb.4:15). By the Biblical narrative, there is no reason to doubt the Crucifixion of Jesus. Indeed, if Christ was not crucified; as Paul said, we will be of all people the most miserable.

Notes:

1. R.C. Sproul, Knowing Scripture , Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2009, Kindle Edition

2. Online article, Why you don’t have to fear terror by Jonathan Parnell, http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/why-you-dont-have-to-fear-terror

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1 Thessalonians 5:1-11

Living in a fallen world, you may have heard stories of or may have been a victim of thieves breaking in at unsuspecting hours; taking away what was not theirs. In 1Thes 5:1-11, Paul by way of reminder exhorts the believers at Thessalonica to be on the lookout for the second coming of the Lord, since it will come like a thief in the night. He wasn’t the first person to use “the thief in the night” metaphor Jesus himself and other apostles did that (see Matt. 24:23, Luke 12:39; 2Pet. 3:10; Rev. 3:3; 16:15).

Now since the first century, the followers of Jesus Christ have been curious about the exact time of his return. During his time on earth, he constantly spoke about his departure and the fact that he will be coming back for those who are his. The believers in Thessalonica were no different. The gospel had gone to them with a strong emphasis on the fact that Christ will be returning soon. However with the passage of time they realized that believers were dying and still there was no sign of Christ’s return. There were lingering questions on the minds of some of these new believers. It was in response to some of these questions that Paul wrote this letter. The exhortation of Paul is equally relevant to us.

Paul tells us three realities about the day of the Lord; the day God has set aside when Christ shall return in his glory, this time not as a Saviour, but as a judge when everyone will appear before the judgment seat of Christ to render account of their lives.

The Day of the Lord will be like a Thief in the Night

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night (v.2).

We see from the text that Paul is not saying anything different or new that his readers are not aware of. Paul however knew that as Christians in a fallen world, they are prone to wander and forget. Sometimes we discover that our lives and our theology don’t match. Because of this tendency to forget, we need to keep on reminding ourselves until the truth sinks in. and Paul does exactly that, “For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night”

Dear friend, if you examine your life, are you expectant of Christ’s return?

The Day of the Lord will be a Surprise to those who are in Darkness

Paul goes on to say in vv. 3–4 “While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief”

We see from these two verses that even though the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night – sudden and unannounced, it is not meant to be a surprise to the Christian. It will only be a surprise to those who are in darkness. If you are unaware thieves are coming to your house, you will definitely be surprised when they show up. However, if you know, you may perhaps be prepared (Luke 12:39). We don’t know the exact hour when Jesus will come, but for the believer that is immaterial. It is as though we have received a tipoff.

The unbeliever however has chosen to walk in darkness. They are hypnotized by the deceitfulness of sin. The mundane and the busyness of life have deluded them into thinking there is “peace and security”. For others the affluence and seeming comfort provided by the things money can buy have cushioned them into thinking all is well. What’s your manner of life, are you confident you will be with Jesus if he came today? If you cannot answer a resounding yes, it is likely you are living in darkness.

However, there is hope; God in his kind mercies sent forth Jeus into the world to die to save sinners (Jn. 1:12-13; 3:16; Rom. 5:8, Eph 2:4) and that includes you, if only you will repent and trust in him.

The Children of Light Will be Ready

Paul says that while the Day of the Lord will be a surprise for those in darkness, it should not be for those who are children of light. He says “But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness” The children of light are those who are eagerly awaiting the return of the master. They are dressed for the occasion. Are you one of them?

How To Be Ready

Paul in verse 6, addresses how the Thessalonians can be ready for the day of the Lord. Firstly, he tells them “let us not sleep, as others do”. In view of what they know about the sudden nature of the second coming, he tells them not to sleep as others do. Just to be sure, Paul is not talking about sleep in the literal sense. He uses sleep here in a metaphorical way to describe spiritual apathy. For the Christian, every moment is game time. There is no room for sleep and slumber. Secondly, he tells them “but let us keep awake and be sober”. In other words he tells them to be dressed ready for action. We clearly see this idea further on in verse 8 where he says “But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation”. The language he uses there is one of battle and warfare. We must put on the full armor of God and be ready for battle with the sword of the Spirit – the word of God firmly in hand and praying at all times in the Spirit with all kinds of prayer and supplication.

Finally, he tells them to be sober. What does he mean by that? It means to be self-controlled and clear-minded. This is important because it is possible also to be hysterical about the Day of the Lord. There are some Christians whose idea of the Day of the Lord is alarmist to say the least. It paralyzes them from doing anything. So while he warns them against spiritual sleep, he also admonishes them not to panic or be in a state of alarm but to be sober.

Are you ready for the day of the Lord? Your answer is either yes or no. There is no middle ground.

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On the 9th of April, 2017, BBC News  carried an interesting news article of a survey they commissioned. The headline reads: “Resurrection did not happen, say quarter of Christians”. The survey claims that “A quarter of people who describe themselves as Christians in Great Britain do not believe in the resurrection of Jesus.”¹

Responding, Reverend Dr Lorraine Cavanagh, the acting general secretary for Modern Church, which promotes liberal Christian theology is quoted to have said:

I think [people answering the survey] are being asked to believe in the way they might have been asked to believe when they were at Sunday school.

Science, but also intellectual and philosophical thought has progressed. It has a trickle-down effect on just about everybody’s lives.

So to ask an adult to believe in the resurrection the way they did when they were at Sunday school simply won\’t do and that\’s true of much of the key elements of the Christian faith.²

We live in a day and age where definitions and propositions are frowned upon, particularly when it comes to matters of faith. This sort of anti-precision attitude has somehow filtered into the church. We’re told, “don’t judge” “it doesn’t really matter what one believes as long as you’re morally upright, surely God won’t reject you!” “Christianity is a religion of love”.

But what has the Bible got to say to all this? Does it matter what a man believes, as long as he claims the name “Christian”?

Firstly, Christians are so named because of their belief in a historic person, “Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know” (Acts 2:22). Secondly, apart from the mighty signs and wonders and signs with which God attested or endorsed Jesus to the whole world, there can be no Christianity.

What are these signs or proofs that God used to authenticate Jesus? And to what purpose or end?

This is what Peter speaking on the day of Pentecost had to say:

“Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:36).

Previously, he had expounded:

this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it wasnot possible for him to be held by it…This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing (vv. 32-33).

The thrust of Peter’s teaching here is that God has proved to the world beyond every reasonable doubt that Jesus is Lord and Christ, in that although He died, He was raised to life – an event that was witnessed by Peter and many others to whom the Lord showed Himself alive after His resurrection. The resurrection of Christ did not happen in a closet – it is a historic event that was witnessed by real, historic people who lived in Jerusalem at the time. Eyewitnesses documented it and passed it down to those who believed in Him. His tomb is still empty! Paul writing a short while later recounts how the Lord after His passion (suffering, death and resurrection) showed Himself to the apostles, to about five hundred disciples at the same time, and last of all to Paul himself as he journeyed to Damascus (Acts 15:1-21).

It is faith in Jesus Christ, His death which atoned for our sins, and His resurrection from death that saves (Romans 10:8-10). This is the content of the Gospel message.

No one can claim the title “Christian” who trivialises the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Such a person is nothing short of a false disciple and an imposter. A denial of the resurrection of Christ is a denial of Christ and Christianity:

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whomhe did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep (1Corinthians 15:14-20).

The resurrection of Christ forms the very nerve and fibre of the Christian faith. It assures all who believe in Him that they will live after death, be raised on the last day, just as Christ was Himself raised from the dead. Faith in the resurrection is the bedrock of the believer’s faith in the afterlife – a life that will be spent with the resurrected Christ in eternity. Any “Christian” faith that is not founded on the death and resurrection of Christ is no Christian faith at all. A professing “Christian” who denies faith in the resurrection of Christ has no hope for the life after death, and is of all people to be most pitied!

The progression of societal thought and norms, the expansion of human knowledge and achievement, or the development of scientific thought and discoveries cannot change the truth of God’s Word. People are free to believe what they may – this is a fundamental human right; nonetheless, the foundation of God stands firm and sure: The Lord knows them that are His (2Timothy 2:19). And all such, according to the Bible, are those who truly believe in their heart that Jesus is Lord – born of a virgin, lived a life of perfect obedience, died for the sins of many, was buried and rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures.

Someday He will come again, to judge the living and the dead (1Peter 4:5; 2Tim 4:1), and all true believers shall reign with Him forevermore (Rev. 20:6; 2Tim. 2:11-12)! Hallelujah!

Notes:

1. http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-39153121

2. Ibid.

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This is the second  in series on the resurrection. You can read the first in the series here.

Now, when Paul uses the word mystery, he is not referring to some unexplainable fact or a Harry Potter kind of mystery. For him mystery is something that was hidden before but is now made clear. For instance when he wrote about salvation being a mystery in Ephesians 3, he is not saying Salvation is something that can never be understood. What he is saying is that it was hidden in time past but, has now been revealed through the revelation of Jesus Christ. When we read back to the first part of v.35, “how are the dead raised?’, it appears the resurrection was shrouded in darkness for the Corinthians, and so Paul gives further insight in vv. 50-53 “I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality”

The Corinthian Christians were of the view that once they become Christians and have been filled with the Holy Spirit, they have assumed their spiritual state here on earth. No wonder they laid so much emphasis on speaking in tongues and other spiritual gifts. In their mind, the heavenly reign Jesus spoke about is to be achieved here on earth.Does that sound familiar? There is a brand of Christianity today which teaches that once you become a Christian, you have entered your heavenly inheritance. You should enjoy all the benefits of heaven here on earth. For such people the kingdom is already consummated. As long as you have enough faith, you can live the kingdom life here on earth.
But Paul says here, wait a minute brothers! Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. Neither can the perishable inherit that which is imperishable. All the benefits of heaven are suited only for an imperishable body. As long as we are in our earthly bodies, we cannot claim the full rights of the kingdom. The point here is that there is no enjoyment of heavenly blessings without the proper dress.

In 2 Corinthians 5:1-6, Paul who was himself looking forward to the resurrection writes; “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling …For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened…, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee”

Paul is reminding the Corinthians it is impossible to enjoy the benefits of heaven with flesh and blood which is subject to decay. If you look at his earlier analogy in vv. 41 & 42, he emphasises there are different bodies for different existence. Flesh and blood is fitted for this fallen word, while our transformed bodies will be fit for our heavenly dealing.

There is one thing I am sure we can all agree on, no matter how strong a person’s faith they will die at some point, unless the Lord comes first. Imagine someone who claims to be living his heavenly life here on earth growing old and dying. What does that say about the victory which has been achieved? If death comes after we have enjoyed our best lives, it means death has the last word. That’s why we must not place the cart before the horse as the Corinthians were doing: “Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven”(v.45).

Paul is saying here that our best life is in heaven. It is only when we put on our heavenly bodies, when the perishable puts on the imperishable and the mortal puts on immortality we can finally see the face of God and live: “When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”(v.54). It is only when death, the last enemy is defeated, that we can truly say that we have arrived. Until then “we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling”

You must not misunderstand me, Jesus Christ defeated death and all who have repented of their sins and put their trust in him share in this victory. However this victory has been inaugurated, it is awaiting its final consummation, death will finally be swallowed up in victory and the perishable will put on the imperishable. How do we know this is true? Paul says that God has “given us the Spirit as a guarantee” The presence of the Spirit in the life of a believer is a down payment of the full inheritance to come.
This is where the Christian hope comes from. Though for a period we experience sickness, grow old and die, death does not have the final say. There is a seed of God in us which will come forth in a glorious way when Jesus comes back. And in case we are still alive when the Lord Jesus returns, we will all be changed into our heavenly and imperishable bodies. And that is what Paul calls the mystery of the resurrection.
The emphasis here is not so much about death as it is about our transformation: “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.”

One day out of this life, death will finally be swallowed up and its sting taken away, because the believer will be in his perfect state, never to struggle with sin and its effects again. As natural as death may seem, it wasn’t the original plan. Death is a great reminder of our sin and disobedience to God: “the sting of death in sin”(v.56). The fearful part is that physical death is not the end of it, anyone who continues in rebellion against God into their death has a fearful expectation of a second death. This is where God, the righteous judge will condemn all rebels to eternal damnation. But you don’t need to subject yourself to this horror my non-Christian friend. Great was our sin, and great was our punishment, death hanged over all of us. We were in slavery to death. But God in compassion sent his Son into our world. He who knew no sin took on the form of a man, came to our world and perfectly obeyed the law and died the death we deserved.

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”

Have you trusted in this Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and reconciliation to God?

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1 Corinthians 15:35-58

Recently, in a conversation with a friend, we spoke soberly about the universality of death and how all of us are confronted by its reality, whether great or small, young or old, male or female, rich or poor; we are all subjected to the power of this great enemy. With every passing day each of us gets closer to the grave. I have a friend who is not particularly excited when you wish him a happy birthday. According to him, every birthday reminds him that he is getting closer to the grave. So for him there is nothing happy about a birthday.

However, as tragic and universal as death is, it is not the most important puzzle to solve. Considering the fact that the soul doesn’t die; the most important questions we should be asking are;
(i) What happens when I die? (ii) If my soul lives on, where will it be? (iii) Will it be in a happy place?  (iv) Where will God be when I die? (v) Will I see God? (vi) Will I meet my friends in the afterlife?

Every religion has something to say about death and what happens when we die. Buddhism and Hinduism believe that after death one is reborn into another body. Existence, they believe, is a cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. They also believe that depending on your deeds in one’s previous life, they will be born in one of six realms. If you’ve been good in your previous life, you get to be reborn as a higher specie in your next life. The ultimate goal is to enter nirvana (their form of heaven) and escape the cycle of life. The Muslims also believe in the continued existence of the soul. They believe that on the last day Allah will recreate the decayed bodies of all dead people and then there will be judgment. Some believe all Muslims will eventually go to heaven. Those who did some bad things in life may be punished for a while in hell and eventually go to heaven.

Equally, like all these religions, Christianity also believes in life after death. However what sets Christianity apart from all the others is that we believe in a personal Saviour who died and was resurrected. So the Christian’s belief about life after death is not mere speculation. I am yet to meet a Buddhist or a Hindu who can tell me what species they were in their previous life. They have no idea because their belief about life after death is pure speculation. I will like to examine the Christian’s hope of resurrection through the eyes of the first century believers at Corinth. Paul had received a letter from the church in Corinth about various matters, some very disturbing. There was division in the church, cases of sexual immorality, confusion over the Lord’s Supper, disagreement over the gifts of the Holy Spirit, particularly speaking in tongues, and the list goes on.

Now, one source of confusion was about the resurrection of the dead. Living in a Greco-Roman culture which had weird views about life after death, it was possible their belief in the life after death was getting influenced by the prevailing wisdom rather than the Bible. The Greek belief in the life after death ranged from nonexistence to a shadowy and immaterial existence in an underworld. Some people in the church believed that by the gift of the Spirit, and especially the manifestation of tongues, they had already entered into their spiritual, “heavenly” existence. The body was just a hindrance waiting to be done away with at death. They had therefore denied the body in the present, and had no use for it in the future. That pretty much explains why there was sexual immorality of various kinds in the church. With such a distorted view, it didn’t matter what they did with their bodies.

Paul, addresses this particular sin saying, “…The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1Corinthians 6:13-20).

You see, their view of the resurrection had huge ramifications for their present life. And it does for us as well. In 1 Corinthians 15:35-38, Paul sets out to help them renew their minds about the resurrection of the body and how that should affect how they lived.

1) The Certainty of the Resurrection
2) The Mystery of the Resurrection
3) The Implications of the Resurrection

The Certainty of the Resurrection

Paul first and foremost appeals to the resurrection of Christ as the basis for the Christian’s own resurrection. “Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?”(v.12). There is a chain of consequences for such a denial, “If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” (vv.13-15). The correlation for Paul was very clear. As compelling as such an argument is, there were people who could still not wrap their heads around it. Yes they believed Christ has been raised from the dead. But that is Christ, what about us, how could that happen? Right in verse 35, we see what the confusion was in Corinth. They could not understand it, and that means it cannot be true. That’s the problem with many of us even today. We measure truth by our ability to understand it. If we cannot understand something we conclude that it cannot be true. We limit the power of God by our finite minds. For many, the idea that Jesus the Son of God could die to save sinners doesn’t sit too well in their finite minds, and that is what has kept them from accepting Him as their personal Saviour.

The Resurrection And The Natural World

Paul draws an analogy from the natural world of agriculture to paint a picture of the resurrection. “What you sow does not come to life unless it dies” (v.36). Besides the fact that the seed must first die, Paul also emphasises that the final product is totally different from what is originally planted: “And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain.  But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body.” (vv37-38). He further appeals to the different kinds of bodies that exist in nature, how the human body differs from that of animals or birds or the fish. Then in vv.40-41 he makes allusion to the galaxies “There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another.  There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.”

From everyday natural experiences he draws lesson for the reasonableness and certainty of the bodily resurrection of the Christian (vv.42-44). Further, Paul compares this to our natures both in the first Adam and the last Adam who is Christ: “Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.”(45-49).

The First Adam And The Last Adam

In our first Adamic nature we are like the seed that is planted, we must first die to attain the new nature which is after the order of the last Adam. We will have the same kind of body Jesus had when he was raised from the dead, the perishable for imperishable, dishonour for glory, weakness for power and natural for spiritual. Spiritual here is not referring to a ghost-like or immaterial form. We will have real bodies, except that this body will be pure and holy, not susceptible to decay and corruption. Just as Jesus had a physical body after his resurrection and could be touched and seen, we will also have recognisable bodies after our resurrection. There will be both continuity and transformation.

The resurrection is a work God does: “God gives it [the seed] a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body.” When we consider the fact that it is God who works out all of this in creation, there should be no doubt that he is also able to accomplish this in us. A denial of the resurrection is a direct denial of the power of God. So regardless of what the Corinthians believed about the power of the Holy Spirit, the show-off of spiritual gifts and their elaborate “churchianity”, their beliefs about the resurrection was anti-Christian. Like the Corinthians, is it possible that we ourselves have denied the resurrection, perhaps not with words but with our actions?

To be continued.

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1 Corinthians 15:19-22

Today, Christians worldwide are gathered to celebrate our hope in Christ — Easter Sunday. It is the day our hope in Christ was secured. The grave could not hold the Lion of the tribe of Judah, he defeated death and therein is our hope.

In Luke 24, there is a story about two disciples on their way to Emmaus when Jesus joined them. They were lamenting over their dashed hope of the deliverance of Israel. They longed for deliverance from Roman rule through Christ. However, Christ their deliverer a few days ago was brutally murdered on a cross–the most humiliating way to die. With His death, went their hopes. But as the narrative progresses, we see a hope that is higher than deliverance from Roman oppression. They encountered the Resurrected Christ. He is alive! The grave couldn’t hold Him.

The believer’s hope is tied to the resurrection of Christ. It is a hope that is beyond the grave. Hope that makes us endure suffering because  we know the glory that awaits us. The hope that made Paul count all his achievements as garbage.

What is this hope?

Paul gives us a hint in 1 Corinthians 15:19-22: “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 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.”

In this passage Paul was responding to those who deny the resurrection of the dead. He started by saying if there is no resurrection of the dead, then among all people we are the most to be pitied as Christians.  He points to Christ’s resurrection as the basis for his certainty. Christ is the firstfruit, and once you have the firstfruit it signifies that the rest of the harvest is going to come in.

This is the Christian’s hope, it is the hope that our present life is not the end of the story. The hope that our mortal bodies will be changed to the same glorious body of Christ. The hope that God is going to wipe away every tear from our eyes — there will be no more death, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore. In Revelations 22:4, we are told we will see the face of God and we will be with him forever. That has always fascinated me, because I know most of us are looking for something great, many of us are on a wild goose chase for something that will blow us away. We are always looking for that experience that will take our breath away. This is it, to see the face of God and still be alive.

But sadly, this hope is not for everybody. In 1 Corinthians 15:21 & 22 we are told that sin  entered the world through one man and with this came death as well. In Genesis the bible tells us that God created the world, and he said everything he created was beautiful. There was no death, there was no pain, there was no chaos. He then created man in his own image to have dominion and authority over everything he has created. Just as he gave authority to man to rule, he also wanted man to know that he did so under authority and so he gave a command not to eat from a particular tree. God told man that the day he ate from the tree he will die.

This was not only a physical death, it was spiritual death first and foremost. A life lived in separation from God in pain and torment forever. Man disobeyed God and sided with the devil, believing the lie over the loving and gracious care of God. Through Adam’s disobedience sin entered the world, and with sin came death. Man became an enemy of God.

There are some who vehemently protest why Adam’s sin should become their sin. But my answers to that is, really? Every personal sin we commit is actually rebellion against God. We sin because that’s who we are.

We are sinners, not because we sin. Rather, we sin because we are sinners.¹

But that is not the end of the story, John 3:16 tells us God looked at the depravity of man, and his loving heart was moved with compassion. He sent his Son into the world to reconcile the run away man to Himself. There are two things Jesus accomplished. He lived a perfect life as a man. He obeyed perfectly all the commands of God. The one we could not obey. Then he also went on to pay the penalty that was hanging over our heads as enemies of God.

So here we have two things, the perfect life of Jesus, and the payment for sin. And God has said anyone who will come, Jesus’ payment will be credited to them and His perfect record will be theirs as well. What an awesome invitation!  However, this invitation is not open ended, because God has appointed a time when everyone will give an account of all that they have done with their lives. We will all appear before the judgment seat of God, and at that time Jesus will not be a saviour, he will be a judge (John 3:36).

Christ has risen and it is the reason for our hope. To those who have come to know Him as their Saviour, He will return not to die again but to receive us to Himself and we will be with Him in all eternity. To those who don’t know Him, that day will be a day of terror and gnashing of teeth. He will come as a judge. Are you ready to meet Him?

1: R.C. Sproul, Essential Truths of The Christian Faith

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