The Two Resurrections 1 Corinthians 15

This post concerns the two resurrections found in 1 Corinthians 15, Jesus first, then Christians.

In 1 Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul starts the discussion of the two resurrections by first affirming the resurrection of Jesus, 1 Corinthians 15:3-6: “…I delivered to you… Christ died for our sins… he was buried… he was raised on the third day… he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time…” The Apostle cites the two-fold proof of Jesus’ resurrection—the open tomb and the visual appearances.

Note Jesus retained the same visual features and voice as in earlier life. For example, Jesus showed Thomas the marks of the crucifixion on His resurrected body. Also, as Deity, He still retained miraculous powers, John 20:26-27, “Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them.”  Through locked doors, Jesus came and stood among them. He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side…”

Paul needed to counteract the teaching that a bodily resurrection would not occur. He explained that such teaching also meant that Jesus was still in the grave. Further, such teaching robs Christianity of its power. Then he affirmed the resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15:20, “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, ”

Next, he describes the resurrection of Christians, 1 Corinthians 15:35, “But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?”

To clarify, the Apostle used an analysis of a seed. The seed splits open or dies and then produces a new plant with a new body unlike the seed. The human body placed in the grave as perishable emerges as a new, imperishable body, 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, “So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What … sown … perishable; what… raised … imperishable.”

Even those remaining alive when Jesus comes will receive an imperishable body.

1 Corinthians 15:51: “We shall not all sleep, but …  all … changed.”

In summary, the Apostle describes Jesus’ resurrection and secondly, that of the saved.

We learn two lessons:

1.At the resurrection, the new human body will be like Jesus’—imperishable.

2.The imperishable body of the saved will be unlike the old, buried body.

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#resurrectionJesus #resurrectionChristians #imperishable body

JESUS and MIRACLES Luke 5:1-16

This post concerns the miracles of Jesus in His work of selecting apostles and preaching.

Two miracles occurred during Jesus’ teaching. While by the lake of Gennesaret, He began to teach, Luke 5:2-6: “he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, he asked him to put out a little from the land… he sat down and taught the people from the boat. And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.”

Note the characteristics of these ordinary men chosen as apostles—hard at work in their daily lives as fishermen cleaning their nets.

These obedient men did as Jesus asked even when it contradicted their expectations. After experiencing a nighttime of failure, these commercial fishermen might reply, ‘If there were any fish, we would have caught them.’ Instead, Peter said, ‘I will obey, because You commanded it.’

Jesus then miraculously caused many fish to enter their nets.

Seeing the miracle, Peter acknowledged his sinful nature and gave up everything to follow Him, Luke 5:8,11:

“But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord…”

 “…And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.”

In this apostolic call, Jesus changed their lives from catching fish to catching men—that is, from commercial fishing to teaching and converting men to believe in Jesus.

After calling these disciples, Jesus went to other towns to teach. In one of these he healed a man of leprosy, an extreme physical sickness, by just touching him. Immediately the leprosy left him.

Jesus told the man to go show himself to the priest—the requirement under the Law of Moses for being clear of leprosy—see Lev. 14:2-32. This illustrates that Jesus lived and died under the Old Testament Law and insisted that people obey it.

Although Jesus told him to not tell others of his cleansing, somehow the news spread and Jesus became even more famous as time passed.

After these two notable miracles, Jesus found a desolate place to pray to His Heavenly Father.

In summary:

1.Jesus assembled obedient disciples.

2.Jesus can overcome the most dreaded disease—leprosy.

3.Jesus lived under and obeyed Moses’ Law.

For more on the Bible click https://berksblog.net or https://justchristian.com or https://podcastjustchristian.com

#JesusHealedLeper #disciplesObedient #disciplesGiveUpAll #JesusKeptOldLaw

Heaven as an Inheritance Matthew 25:34

This post discusses the meaning of heaven as an inheritance.

When Jesus discussed the judgment day, he described heaven as a kingdom, an inheritance, Matthew 25:34: “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”

Thus, as members of the family of God, heaven remains an unearned gift of God. Jesus said the children of God will receive heaven as an inheritance in eternity as a gift of grace from God.

Unfortunately, some children imagine that they deserve the inheritance due to their position as a member of the family. Parental grace does not enter their thinking. Likewise, Christians may have this warped view and imagine they deserve heaven. Instead, we should view this eternal abode in heaven as a gift of undeserved grace.

John the Baptist dealt forcefully with this erroneous view in the minds of his Jewish listeners, Luke 3:8: “Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.”

Obviously, the children of Abraham imagined that they didn’t need to bear fruits showing repentance. John the Baptist pointed out that God valued the present state of their heritage as no better than stones. Today, we must also view any heritage in God’s kingdom as a gift, not something we deserve. Instead, once we enter the kingdom of God—the church— heaven becomes a gift as part of our heritage.

The Apostle Paul made clear that salvation is by grace and not works, Ephesians 2:8-9:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Note that the Apostle does not mention an earned salvation because of being in the family.

 What do we learn about heaven as a heritage?

1.We receive heaven as a gift as part of our heritage.

2.Belonging to the church by itself does not earn us a place in heaven.

3.As a member of the family of God, heaven remains a gift of God not something earned.

See earlier posts by this author? Click  https://tdroberts.org

For more on the Bible click https://berksblog.net or https://justchristian.com or https://podcastjustchristian.com

#heritageByGrace #graceSavedThroughFaith