Six Reasons Why The Resurrection Of Jesus Is Significant For Today

 

1 Corinthians 15:19-20 "If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. 20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep."

Introduction:

       Happy resurrection Sunday! Below are some reflections on the significance of the Jesus Christ's resurrection from the dead. Notice the follow reasons why the resurrection of Jesus is the most important truth of Christianity, life and existence...

1. The resurrection provides the basis for truth, meaning and life's purpose

      To begin, the clearest statement found in the Bible on the significance of Christ’s resurrection from the dead is found in 1 Corinthians 15:19-20a 

“If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most pitied. (20) But now Christ has been raised from the dead…” All Christianity, and life and the entirety of existence rises or falls with this doctrinal and historical reality.

2. The resurrection is the only explanation for the beginnings and spread of Christianity

      The historical, physical, supernatural resurrection of Jesus from the dead and physical post-mortem appearances best explain why the disciples switched from skepticism to robust faith. Additionally, unless Jesus had physically resurrected from the dead and had made post-mortem appearances, the early church would not had begun.

3. The resurrection of Jesus is the power-source behind the preaching of the Bible

      Christian doctrine would be jeopardized (1 Corinthians 15:1-11) were it not for Jesus' resurrection. Christian preaching and the church itself would have no reason for being practiced if Christ had not risen from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:12-19). Moreover, any ability to gain abiding hope in this present life must be abandoned if Jesus Christ had never risen from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:20-28, 29-58). 

4. Jesus' resurrection is the basis for worship and adoration of God

       But praise be to God – Jesus has risen – and thus we serve a risen, exalted Savior! The existence, reality and identity of the true and living God of the Bible is verified by the resurrection of Jesus from the dead (Romans 6:4-11; Romans 8:11; 1 Peter 1:3). Jesus’ own Deity and true humanity are both verified by this event (John 10:17; Romans 1:1-3; Romans 9:5). Christ’s resurrection from the dead – deemed “firstfruits” in 1 Corinthians 15:20b - guarantees the Christian’s future, glorified, transformed resurrection body at His return (1 Thessalonians 4:13-16; 1 Corinthians 15:42-58). 

5. Jesus' resurrection validates the truth of the Bible

         Christ’s resurrection also paved the way with regards to the prophecies and predictions about the Old Testament saints in the resurrection of the righteous, of which Jesus' followers will have a part (Job 14:14; Daniel 12). The Kingdom of darkness and Satan himself stand condemned and defeated as a result of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead (Colossians 2:11-12; Hebrews 2:11-14; 1 Peter 3:18-20). 

6. The resurrection of Jesus is relevant for the power to live the Christian life today

        To summarize – Jesus’ resurrection stands as the epicenter of Christian experience, doctrine, history, the present and future hope for all who trust in Him. The Bible makes the invitation for you, if you have not done so, to entrust your life to Jesus as your Savior, Lord and Treasure. Romans 10:9 states:

"If you will confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord", and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved". 

May all who read this have a wonderful Resurrection day!

Happy Holy Saturday - An Explanation Of What Jesus Did Between His Death And Resurrection

 

1 Peter 3:18-20 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, 20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water.

Introduction:

       I was once asked a rather interesting question: "What Jesus did between the time He died until He raised from the dead?" This post aims to answer that question. The question concerning what Jesus did between His crucifixion and resurrection is relevant to "Holy Saturday". Central to this post is the notion that Jesus proclaimed victory over the powers of Hell. Furthermore, once Jesus exclaimed His triumph, He then presented His once and for all sacrifice for sin to the Father between His death and resurrection.

The significance of the Saturday the falls between "Good Friday" and "Easter Sunday"

       Today is the Saturday that lies between "Good Friday" and "Easter Sunday". This day, simply called "Holy Saturday", considers what all was potentially taking place during the interment of Jesus' body in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. In the book "Preaching through the Christian Year", an ancient practice of the early church is recounted: 

"In the ancient church, the tradition of the Easter Vigil played an important role. Catechumens (young converts to the Christian faith), after remaining awake and watchful throughout Saturday night, were baptized early on Easter morning and then joined the Christian community in Holy communion." 1 

        I'm sure some readers, for instance, can recall "Easter Sunrise Services" and other Christian traditions that urge the church to recall her central identity in Jesus' death, burial and resurrection. As a boy, whenever our family would attend such sunrise services, the anticipation, the excitement, hung in the air. The great thing about Holy Saturday is the expectation that builds-up in the Christ-follower's heart as the look forward to Easter Sunday. 

         Over 2,000 years ago, Christ's physical body laid at "rest" in the tomb while He, in His immaterial soul, presented His accomplishment to the Father and proclaimed victory. The Apostle's Creed, an ancient confession of faith still recited by Christians the world-over, includes this phrase: 

"He was crucified, dead and buried. He descended into hell, on the third day He raised from the dead." 

       Christians historically have emphasized this major theme of "rest" for Holy Saturday. Such rest, both spiritually and otherwise, could only be achieved as a result of Christ finished work on the cross and what was (then) His pending resurrection. The work Jesus did in-between death and resurrection cemented together the victory of the cross and what would be His victory over death. It honestly comforts me to think of how helpless the powers of darkness were in preventing Christ from these decisive actions. 

        Robert Webber in his book: Ancient Future Time", comments on Holy Saturday in regards to the theme of "rest":

"Saturday is a day of rest and preparation for the great service of resurrection. It is a day to keep silence, to fast, to pray, to identify with Jesus in the tomb, and to prepare for the great resurrection feast."2

          So with the twin themes of "rest" and "victory", Holy Saturday gets the Christian ready for the glory of the resurrection that is central to Easter Sunday. What follows from hereon is an attempt to draw together the New Testament testimony of what Jesus did.

Stitching together the New Testament passages that reference Christ's proclamation of victory between that first Good Friday and Easter Sunday

         The four Gospels detail the events of Christ's death, burial and resurrection.  The remainder of the New Testament (Acts, 21 Epistles and Revelation) unfold the meaning what He achieved.  The Apostle Peter in his first epistle aims to show how we as Christians ought to stand firm in God's grace (1 Peter 5:12). Peter's letter ties in our ability to stand in such grace to what Jesus Christ accomplished.  1 Peter 3:18-20 will act as our telescope to view the New Testament passages that reference the events of "Holy Saturday. To do this, we will consider the following two main thoughts about Christ's accomplished work:

A. The Purpose of Christ's Accomplished Work - reconciliation.  1 Peter 3:18

B. The Proclamation of Christ's Accomplished Work - Victory.  1 Peter 3:19-20

A. Purpose of Christ’s Victorious Work – Reconciliation 3:18 

i. What did He do? He died 

He died for sins.  As Dr. Danny Akin of South Western Baptist Theological Seminary once noted: "He lived the life I couldn't live and He died the death I should have died."

ii. Whom did He die for? The unjust 

Romans 5:6-8 states - "For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." 

         Jesus' death on behalf of sinners accomplished two necessary effects required for reconciliation with God. The first necessary effect was expiation or the removal of the cause of God's wrath upon us - our sin (Romans 5:10). The second effect had to do with propitiation - that is to say, the satisfaction of God's wrath (1 John 2:2). Below in the next thought (point "iii"), we see why expiation (taking away of sin) and propitiation (satisfying wrath) are necessary for reconciliation.

iii. Why did he die? To bring us to God (reconciliation) 

Dr. Michael Horton notes: 

"The result of God's wrath being satisfied is reconciliation. Just as we are first of all passive subjects of God's wrath when God propitiates, we are passive subjects of God's reconciliation at the cross.  We do not reconcile ourselves to God; God reconciles Himself to us and us to Him."3

iv. How did He do it? Death and resurrection

Christ's death, burial and resurrection are at the heart of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). The New Testament mostly focuses upon Christ's death and resurrection.  However, what went on during the three days He was buried is not explained in near as much detail as the two book-ends of the Gospel: namely Christ's death and resurrection.  

         Death and Resurrection serve to explain how Christ accomplished what he accomplished. What He did in His burial (down below) reveals some of the behind (and under) the scenes work He did in insuring our ability to walk as believers in His Victorious work. 

B. Proclamation of Christ’s Victorious Work – Victory 3:19-20 

i. What did He do between His death &    resurrection? Proclaimed victory 3:19 

John MacArthur has perhaps explained this text better than just about everyone I've read or heard: 

"He was announcing, proclaiming (and) heralding a triumph. About what? It must be pretty obvious, about His triumph over sin, about His triumph over death, about His triumph over hell, about His triumph over demons, about His triumph over Satan." 4

ii. To whom did He proclaim His victory? The  demons reserved for judgment. 3:19-20 

         If we were to attempt to offer a faint outline of what Jesus did between His death and resurrection, we could maybe understand why He went to proclaim His victory to the demonic realm.  Much activity was done by Christ in this short-span of time. 

         First He went immediately into the presence of His Father by way of the Holy Spirit in his human spirit to present His once and for all sacrifice (Hebrew 9:15). 

          Next, He went down into those regions of hell where some of the demons (especially those who rebelled in Noah's day) are being reserved for judgment. 

          Thirdly, Christ would had released the Old Testament saints from the righteous realm of the dead (i.e. paradise) to lead the captives out to where they could come with Him to where the saints go in this age (Ephesians 4:8-11). Some have connected this particular event to when the saints came out of their tombs in Matthew 27:52-53.

          Fourthly, Christ's proclamation of victory insures that hell will not prevail against the church (Matthew 16:18) as well as fulfilling the fact of His triumph over the demonic realm (Colossians 2:14-15). 

         Fifthly, Christ's resurrection from the dead meant He had completed His mission of proclamation and thus He arose as a victorious King, subduing all cosmic powers under Himself (Acts 2:24; 1 Peter 3:22).

iii. Why did he proclaim His victory? To  guarantee Christian victory 3:19-20 

         He did this to pave the way for what would be His ascension into Heaven 40 days after His resurrection from the dead (Ephesians 4:7-10). 

iv. What was His victory over? Sin (1 Pet 3:18), hell 1 Pet 3:19-20; Col 2:11-12) grave (3:18,21b)

Revelation 1:4-5 states - 

"John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood".

Closing thoughts

As we draw this post to a close, let's remember our two main thoughts for today's post:

1. The Purpose of Christ's Accomplished Work - reconciliation. 1 Peter 3:18

2. The Proclamation of Christ's Accomplished Work - Victory. 1 Peter 3:19-20

        What Jesus accomplished was proclaimed by Him both in heaven and to the defeated demonic realm. Such activities provided grounds for which future generations of Christian could stand who by grace through faith trusted in Jesus. The cross of Friday and the work of Saturday pointed to what would be the great victory of that early Sunday Morning: He has risen! As Christians, we rest in these works of Jesus.

Endnotes:

1. Fred B. Craddock; John H. Hayes; Carl R. Holladay and Gene M. Tucker. Preaching Through the Christian Year - Part A. Trinity Press International. Harrisburg, PA. 1992. Page 227

2. Robert Webber. Ancient-Future Time: Forming Spirituality Through The Christian Year." Baker Books. 2004.

2. Michael Horton. The Christian Faith - A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way. Zondervan. 2011. Page 500

3. http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/60-37/the-triumph-of-christs-suffering-part-2

Paid In Full - A Good Friday Meditation

Introduction

       Today is what Christians the world-over refer to as "Good Friday". At the church where I pastor, we annually celebrate Good Friday by having what is called "The Seven Sayings of Jesus from the Cross" service. One of the final words Jesus would express before breathing His last is recorded by John the Apostle in John 19:30 -

Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. 

       In the underlying Greek text of this passage, the words, “It is finished” are one word: “tetelestai”. Moulton and Millgan’s Greek Lexicon, page 630, cites examples from ancient receipts where this word was used to express “payment in full”. Whenever Jesus uttered these words, what exactly was He claiming to have “paid in full”? The Gospels tells us about the events of cross and empty tomb. The Book of Acts contains the preaching of the cross and empty tomb. It is in the New Testament letters and Revelation that we find the meaning of the cross and empty tomb. What follows is a sample of all the benefits of salvation “paid in full” on the cross. As you read each verse below, note the underlined words.

1. Freedom from condemnation. 

Galatians 3:13 "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”

2. Forgiveness of sins. 

Ephesians 1:7 "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace."

3. Full pardon. 

Colossians 2:14 "having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross."

4. Flourishing spiritual life. 

Titus 2:11-12 "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age."

5. Final defeat of Satan. 

Hebrews 2:14 "Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil."

6. Freedom to live for God. 

1 Peter 2:24 "and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed."

7. Forever adoption. 

Revelation 5:9 “Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation."

When Jesus said those words, all of these, and more, were “paid in full”! Praise be to Him!

Introducing and explaining Maundy Thursday

 

John 13:1 "Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end."

Introduction:

      For those Christian fellowships that closely follow the Christian calendar, today marks what many call "Maundy Thursday". For many in non-liturgical church fellowships, such holy-days may not hold a lot of significance. The church that I serve at will be celebrating Good Friday tomorrow and of course Easter on Sunday. But what about this day called "Maundy Thursday"? Robert Webber has written a helpful book that explains the meaning of the Christian calendar and its associated days and observances entitled: "Ancient-Future Time". Webber notes the following about "Maundy Thursday":

"The term 'Maundy' derives its meaning from the Latin 'Maundatum Novum', which means "New Commandment". Thus, Maundy Thursday is the day Christ instituted the new commandment of love both by word and symbolic action."

       Now before I go on, an important disclaimer needs to be made. In all fairness, it is good to avoid emphasizing form over the substance with respect to the truth of the scripture. With that important thought of avoiding the route of becoming legalistic and ritualistic, the other ditch to avoid is having ignorance about what previous generations of Christians had done in their attempts to apply the scriptures. Scripture is the pattern, the standard and the authority by which any traditions are judged. If we find, on the same token, certain expressions that can immerse one in the Word of God and focus more on Jesus, then we have demonstrated the pattern of sifting our expression of worship through the Words of God in the Bible. This post is an attempt to better understand what can be a beneficial Christian observance while not removing Scripture from its rightful spot as the final authority on what we say, think and do.

The Main Points Of Maundy Thursday

       So we have at least a definition of what this day commemorates. In searching through various books that feature the various cycles and holy days of the Christian calendar, one finds that Maundy Thursday centers around what Jesus did on the Eve of His crucifixion in the upper room in John 13-17.

        In the standard Maundy Thursday celebration, the Pastor or Bishop (or whichever Christian leadership position is part of the given tradition) begins the service through a foot-washing ceremony. For non-liturgical fellowships (the term "liturgy" refers to a certain, prescribed way of expressing the worship of God by the church) that may not follow a formal route or structure, details such a foot-washing, reading of certain scriptures and other activities might seem unusual. 

       With that said, what can we say about foot-washing? Though foot-washing is not an official ordinance of the church, nonetheless, it can be a powerful symbolic action of communicating the need to serve one another. We read Jesus' closing remarks following the washing of the disciple's feet in John 13:12 

"So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?" 

        In think about what Maundy Thursday is all about, Jesus' question certainly is cause for pause: do we really know what He did for us? He came not to be served, but to serve and give His life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). 

        In stooping down to wash the disciple's feet, the Lord Jesus Christ was re-enacting His own "stooping-down" as God in human flesh in the act of His incarnation. Amazingly, as truly God, He already expressed humility as a Divine attribute. The fact God would even choose to create the world was an act of condescension or "stooping down" on His part. Christ's incarnation, followed by His earthly life, ministry and death on the cross would carry out the most intense act of humility and condescension of God to us who are in need of Him (see Philippians 2:5-11).

         Maundy Thursday not only includes focus upon Christ's service to us in the act of foot washing, but also in the commemoration of the Lord's Supper. In typical fashion, reference will be made to God's institution of the Passover in Exodus 12. When Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper in John 13-17 and in the other Gospel accounts, He was fulfilling the imagery associated with the Lord's table. He prescribed this covenant meal for His church (see 1 Corinthians 11:23-27). Jesus, after all, is the ultimate "Passover Lamb" (see 1 Corinthians 5:7). 

Why Maundy Thursday Can Be Useful For The Christian

         As one considers the events of Jesus' final hours with His disciples before His crucifixion, we as His church are, as it were, in the "final hours" before the close of this age. The Lord's supper not only points back to what He achieved on the cross, but also looks forward to His soon return. Maundy Thursday is just as much about reminding Christians of their identification in Christ's second coming as what He did in His first coming. 

         Maundy Thursday also takes us into those final moments when Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane. I can recall years ago attending what was the only Maundy Thursday service I was ever at and a participant. A pastor friend of mine invited other pastors and the community to take part. Admittedly, he did some of the details differently. Nevertheless, he centered the time around Jesus' moments in the Garden of Gethsemane. At the service, each participant read some scripture, offered prayers and then we took up a collection to be given to a local mission in that town. When the service was done, I came to appreciate all that this particular day meant. 

        Jesus wrestled in the Garden with the temptation of by-passing the cross. He of course did not yield to such temptation, but instead aligned His sinless human will with what He and the Father had agreed upon in eternity with respect to the One, unified Divine will. In effect, Gethsemane was a thresh-hold Jesus chose to step over in order to express His unyielding allegiance and desire to do the Father's will. 

Closing Thoughts:

        As Maundy Thursday slips into the night hours, may we thank the Lord for what was a willing choice made in His humanity to yield to what had already been a decision made in eternity: to be the Savior of the World.  

How To Begin To Talk About And Defend Jesus' Resurrection And Why It Has Meaning For Today

Matthew 28:6 "He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. 7 Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.”

Note to reader: I have included links to videos in this post which readers can click on and view to visualize what I have written in the post below.

Introduction:

    

      As we are a little more than one week away from celebrating Easter weekend, I felt it necessary to compose some posts which express the significance of Jesus' resurrection from the dead. No other event or Christian doctrine is more proclaimed, more attacked and more crucial than Christ's resurrection. We will first note four key areas of consideration when talking about the event of the empty tomb. Afterwards, we will then consider how three top "Christian apologists" or "defenders of the faith" handle the resurrection of Jesus in their communication of the Christian faith. Then lastly, we will consider why the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus are crucial to connecting the Christian faith today to what followed from the empty tomb during that first Easter morning.

Four key areas involved in discussing the resurrection of Jesus from the dead

1. Jesus' burial

2. The empty tomb

3. Jesus' post resurrection appearances to His 

    followers

4. Changed lives of Jesus' followers

       Now why are the four above categories important? Whether one is a committed Christian or a skeptic, the four above areas are those which the majority New Testament scholars (whether conservative, non-conservative or skeptical alike) agree as those events which require explanation. It is one thing to find a majority consensus on "what happened". Yet, it is quite another matter when exploring the explanations for what happened. Readers may check out two videos which lay out the events associated with the empty tomb here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qhQRMhUK1o&t=26s and the explanations given for the empty tomb here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SbJ4p6WiZE Both videos together provide a compelling example of how one could present the historical argument for Jesus' resurrection. 

Explanations of what brought about the empty tomb, and the only one which show itself superior to all the others.

       There are only two sorts of explanations for the empty tomb on that first Easter. First, there are naturalistic explanations (examples being: Jesus fainted and was revived in the tomb; Jesus' body was stolen; a look-alike was placed on the cross; the disciples hallucinated; the location of the tomb was mis-identified). Then the second sort of explanations is the supernatural explanation (God raised Jesus from the dead). When anyone puts forth an explanation, the way to test each of these is to see which one explains the four facts above and which one outperforms the rival explanations. I won't go any further but to say the above summary is typical of how the event of Jesus' resurrection is approached as a historical event. 

What top Christian apologists or defenders of the Christian faith say about Jesus' resurrection from the dead

       Apologetics is that branch of Christian doctrine which expresses why a Christian believes what they believe and defends the Christian faith against common objections. Three top Christian Apologists today list the above four areas in their short list of what lies at the core of the Biblical narrative of Jesus' resurrection from the dead.  I want the reader to note the last element in each of their listings, since the importance of Jesus' post-resurrected appearances will be discussed toward the end of this post.

       First, Josh McDowell in his book: "Evidence that Demands a Verdict" lists the following elements of what he calls "the resurrection scene":1

1. Jesus was dead

2. The tomb

3. The burial

4. The stone

5. The seal

6. The guard

7. The disciples

8. The post-resurrection appearances 

        The second Christian apologist, Liberty University Professor Gary Habermas, lists out a very similar short list in the argument he gives for the resurrection that he calls the "minimal facts argument":2

1. The burial

2. The empty tomb

3. Post resurrection appearances

4. Changed lives (especially of the Apostle Paul).

       Dr. Habermas' argument leans heavily on Paul's statements in 1 Corinthians 15:1-10, noting that the material represents early information that takes the reader back to within a year after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.  

       The third Christian Apologist who argues for the historicity and reliability of the resurrection accounts of Jesus Christ is Dr. William Lane Craig, a world renowned expert and debater who frequently engages with formidable opponents of the Christian faith.  In his presentations, I have heard Dr. Craig list in a similar fashion the following essential elements to the account of Jesus' resurrection from the dead:

1. The burial

2. The empty tomb

3. The post resurrection appearances

4. The changed lives of the disciples

5. The conversion of the Apostle Paul

The reader can check out Dr. Craig's material at www.reasonablefaith.com.

The one area among these elements that merits further focus and explanation: Jesus' post-resurrection appearances to various people.

         The particular matter of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances, and how to explain the dramatic change in the disciples' lives will be reserved for the end of this post. For now, the reader should know that, in the last 30 years, academic scholarship has shown increasing interest in testing explanations for what took place on that first Easter morning. 

       For any Christian, the explanation or hypothesis: "God raised Jesus from the dead", not only represents the Biblical position but also has shown itself the most able to explain the four areas above and to consistently outperform its naturalistic rivals.  Exploring how the post resurrected Jesus radically changed the lives of his disciples in the wake of His resurrection, as well as how He is still changing lives today lends immense credibility to the truth of the resurrection narratives. 

What we observe in the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus

         Whenever we consider the four Gospel records, the Book of Acts and 1 Corinthians 15, we find a dozen episodes featuring Christ's post- resurrection appearances.  Furthermore, we find three common themes among them all:

1. Desperate condition of the people before 

    His appearances.

2. Direct encounter with the Risen Christ 

     during the appearances.

3. Dramatic change that resulted from the 

    appearances.

        Eight individuals or groups stand out in these post-resurrection appearance narratives, what we could call "post-resurrection profiles". 

1. Mary Magdalene

2. Peter

3. Emmaus Road Disciples

4. Thomas

5. The Disciples in general

6. Group of 500 people

7. James, the half brother of Jesus 

8. Paul

        In scanning over these eight people or groups, we discover that in each case, their lives before, during and after each post-resurrection appearance leads to the conclusion that Christ indeed not only raised from the dead, but is alive and operating among His people. Such post-resurrection power is the basis for the salvation and Christian growth of every Christian living today.

Closing thought

        The importance of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances cannot be over-estimated.  Not only is such a truth a vital component in communicating and defending the truth of Jesus' resurrection from the dead, but also is vital in explaining how Jesus is able to change lives today. In closing, this is why we come across such statements as 1 Peter 1:3. 

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." 

      May we think on such truths and live our lives for the living, risen and exalted Jesus Christ!

Endnotes:

1. Josh McDowell. Evidence that Demands a Verdict - Volume 1. Here's Life Publishers. Page 189.

2. Dr. Habermas' minimal facts presentation can be found at the following link at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay_Db4RwZ_M

The Spiritual Benefits of Adoption in the Bible

Romans 8:15-17 "For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him."

Introduction: 

        Adoption, whether considered in the modern sense or understood as an original Biblical doctrine, is a beautiful truth to consider. Whenever anyone trusts in Jesus as Savior, Lord and Treasure, the reality of their adoption by God is made clear. We can define adoption as follows: “When God awakens a sinner to His choice for them as His child, to a never-ending inheritance, at the moment of their saving trust in His eternal Son.” Whenever we read the New Testament, no other author writes more on the spiritual reality of the believer's adoption than the Apostle Paul. In this post we shall list out the benefits that arise from God's adoption of the believer in saving faith. Before we consider those glorious benefits, let me comment further about what might had led Paul to write so much about adoption.

Whenever "Saul" became "Paul"

        It is worth noting that Paul himself had experienced an adult-form of adoption known as “adrogation”. This sort of adoption was practiced by political officials in the ancient world when advancing their political offices and territories, or as a favor to someone that benefitted them. In Acts 13:4-16, Saul preaches the Gospel to Sergus Paulus, Proconsul of the Island of Paphos. Paul proclaimed the good news of the Gospel while confronting a false teacher who attempted to turn away the Proconsul from receiving Christ. Saul’s name is changed to “Paul”, likely due to Sergius Paulus adopting him, cancelling his debts and giving him freedom to proclaim the Gospel in a region his family held jurisdiction – "Pisidan Antioch". (Reader's can explore Acts 13 to get the whole account of Saul's name change, as well as to test the plausibility of this interpretation). 

       Author Bill Cooper in a 2016 Bible and Spade article (volume 29, issue 3, page 97) entitled: "Who was Sergus Paulus", draws the following conclusion from his study of the archaeological and Greco-Roman practice of adoption as it relates to Paul's name change:

"Until this moment, Paul had gone under his birth name, Saul of Tarsus. But from this moment on, he has adopted the name of Paul, and this is the crucial point. It is almost unarguable—even though Luke doesn’t record the event—that Sergius Paulus formally adopted Saul."

       As I consider this observation, it begs the question: is it no wonder Paul wrote so much on adoption? The doctrine of Divine inspiration entails the Holy Spirit's use of the Biblical author's writing style and life-experience in the crafting of the inerrant and infallible original manuscripts from whence our copies and translations derive. In short, Paul (formerly Saul) not only penned about adoption as a Biblical idea, but from the stand-point of personal experience to which he could readily see the significance of the Biblical doctrine of adoption.

      As we have considered the possible motivations behind Paul's emphasis upon adoption in his letters (for example, Romans 8:14-17; Galatians 4:1-7; Ephesians 1:4-6; Ephesians 3; Philippians 3:20-21, just to name a few), we shall now briefly consider the new glorious benefits of adoption that we find in Romans 8:1-30.  

1. Adoption’s new position.  Romans 8:1-8

        Romans 8:1 begins with the affirmation that the sinner who is justified by faith is no longer under condemnation (compare Romans 5:1). As Paul transitions from the topic of justification (which has to do with the believer's legal standing with God) to that of adoption (the believer's relational standing with God), we find that adoption brings a new position. Just as  an airplane overcomes the law of gravity by flying into the law of lift, so too does the adopted son or daughter of God overcome the gravity of condemnation, formerly because of the law, to soar in the favor of the Father on account of the Son. In adoption, my will is set free (Romans 8:1-2) and my mind is liberated to begin transformation (Romans 8:3-8; Romans 12:2).  

2. Adoption’s new home      Romans 8:9-13

         The second great benefit of adoption is the provision of a new home. Amazingly, the believer discovers that they themselves become the "new home" or "new sanctuary" in which the Holy Spirit comes to dwell! 1 Corinthians 3:16 states: "Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" This statement from 1 Corinthians represents the fulfillment of the New Covenant reality predicted in the Old Testament by the Holy Spirit through prophets such as Ezekiel in Ezekiel 36:27 "I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances." Jesus expounded upon how He and the Father would come to somehow work within each believer as a result of the Holy Spirit's indwelling ministry in John 14:23, "Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him."

3. Adoption’s new family.      Romans 8:14-17

        As one studies further about the Biblical doctrine of adoption, there are a number of "gains" which the adopted child of God begins to enjoy.

*I gain a new Father. We can see how the Person of the Father in the Trinity becomes the believer's "Father by adoption" by such terminology as "sons of God" (Romans 8:14-15) and "children of God" (Romans 8:16). The Apostle John writes in 1 John 3:1, "See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him."

*I gain new siblings. John 1:12-13 declares: "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." 

*I gain an elder brother, the Lord Jesus. Hebrews 2:12 12 tells us: "saying, 'I will proclaim Your name to My brethren, In the midst of the congregation I will sing Your praise.'" 

        Theologian Charles Hodge writes in his "Outlines of Theology", page 519, about some further "gains" received by a believer when adopted into the family of God:

*Present protection, consolations, and abundant provisions (Psalm 125:2; Isaiah 66:13; Luke 12:27-32; John 14:18; 1 Corinthians 3:21,23; 2 Corinthians 1:4).

*Present fatherly chastisements for our good, including both spiritual and temporal afflictions. (Psalm 51:11-12; Hebrews 12:5-11).

*The certain inheritance of the riches of our Father's glory, as heirs with God and joint heirs with Christ. (Romans 8:17; James 2:5; 1 Peter 1:4; 1 Peter 3:7; including the exaltation of our bodies in fellowship with him, Romans 8:23; Philippians 3:21). 

4. Adoption’s new hope.          Romans 8:18-25

       I heard it once stated that "hope" is faith in the future tense. Stated differently, faith is the trust I have in God at the present moment; hope is trust that I have in God for the present moments-to-come. The reality of the believer's adoption delivers incredible hope as seen in the following summary of Romans 8:18-25...

*Hope-filled perspective in suffering. 8:18

*Hope in freedom from this present evil age. 8:19-22

*Hope in the fulfillment of resurrected bodies. 8:23-25

       If we were to summarize how this truth of adoption does this for the Christian, we could appeal to what Paul wrote in Philippians 3:8-11 

"More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, 9 and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead."

5. Adoption’s new assurance. Romans 8:26-30

        This last section of our post is so laden with spiritual riches (whether prayer, the doctrines of predestination, calling, justification and perseverance in salvation), that an entire series of posts would be required. What Paul does in this section is trace out the reality of adoption to its pre-temporal beginnings in the counsel of the Trinity itself. Indeed, the Father is typically noted as the "Planner of the believer's salvation"; the Son is the "Provider of salvation"; the Spirit is the "Applier of salvation". All three persons of the Trinity act in union, since they all three share in the same, undivided, Divine nature as the God of Biblical revelation. Any assurance experienced by the Christian is due to the necessary groundwork laid by the Trinity for their salvation in the "covenant of redemption" before the beginning of time (see 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 1:2). I only have time to simply list the "assurances" of adoption below:

*Assurance of prayer in the present. 8:26-27

*Assurance of providence working out the future. 8:28

*Assurance of perseverance rooted in God’s plan from eternity-past. 8:29-30

       As we have sketched out the wondrous benefits of the Biblical doctrine of adoption, may every Christian praise God for the gracious privilege of spiritual sonship and daughter-ship brought about as a result of the Father's love for the Eternal Son (see Ephesians 1:4-6). 

Part two - Without "This" You Do Not Have The Good News

 

Introduction: 

       In the last post, I began to unpack the doctrine of justification by faith alone. I noted that without it, there is no good news of the Gospel. I thought I would begin once more with a little experiment I once did which illustrates this crucial doctrine of the Christian faith. 

An experiment that illustrates "justification by faith alone".

         I once did a little experiment. On a piece of paper I wrote, with my eyes closed, the word “righteousness” (which turned out very badly). The reason I began my experiment in this fashion is because the Bible describes me, apart from Jesus, as "spiritually blind" and "spiritual incapable" of exercising "righteousness" or what I shall call "in-line-ment" with God's will and character. Put another way, by myself, I am spiritually blind and without righteousness and thus, I am “not-in-line” with God. I then drew a solid straight line on the left side of the paper, representing “God”. 

       Next, I drew another solid red line parallel to the first line, representing “Jesus”. Jesus is Perfectly Righteousness, that is, always in-line-with-God by being God and perfect man. I then rewrote the word “righteousness” with my eyes open and near the red line. Although my writing was still not perfect, yet, because of Jesus (the red-line), what I wrote was acceptable and “lined-up” with the original solid line. Christ’s righteousness or “in-line-with God” achievement is credited as if I was always in-line-with-God. The little exercise illustrated “justification by faith alone”. In justification, the main question: how is a person made right with God? Today’s message will answer that question, which is central to the good news.

What is "Justification by faith?"

        Justification by faith refers to God’s legal declaration of the sinner “lining-up-perfectly” with God because of Jesus’ “perfect alignment” credited to them in saving faith. In the last post, we noted that the reason for justification by faith in "God's grace alone". We then observed the the means by which we receive God's declaration of justification is by "faith alone". For those desiring to review what I said in the last post, the reader can click here:  http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2021/01/part-one-without-this-you-do-not-have.html. 

       In today's post, we shall continue by considering two more important truths associated with the doctrine of justification by faith. As was the case in the last post, we shall draw from the life of Abraham in Genesis 15, since New Testament authors such as Paul and James use that chapter to expound on the Biblical doctrine of justification by faith alone.

The root of justification is Christ alone.            Genesis 15:7-21

       We saw in the last post how God's grace is the reason for justification and faith is the way we receive justification. But what about the "root" or "grounds" of justification? There is the solid ground of Christ's finished work on the cross (which, by extension, would include all He performed in perfect obedience leading up to the cross and His resurrection which validated it and makes application of the cross a reality to believers, see Romans 5:8-9; 4:25). 

*In Genesis 15:1-2, Christ’s person is the ground of justification. 

      The pre-incarnate Christ (that is, "before-the-flesh" Son of God) came to Abram as the pre-incarnate Word in Genesis 15:1-2, as noted in the words: “the Word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision”. We can connect this Old Testament designation of "The Word" to that of Christ in the New Testament by following the following cross-references (see 1 Samuel 3:21; Psalm 33:6; John 1:1,14). 

       "The Word" spoke to Abram in Genesis 15:2 “Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you, Your reward shall be very great.” Now what I find interesting is that there is a word-play between the word “delivered” in Genesis 14:20 and God as Abram’s “shield” in Genesis 15:2 (same Hebrew root, “megen”, shield, covering, protector). What is even more amazing about this connection is that Melchizedek spoke the words of blessing to Abram in Genesis 14:20 as a "type" or "foreshadow" of Jesus (Hebrews 7:3) and the pre-incarnate Christ Himself is speaking in Genesis 15:2! The words spoken to Abram are designed to console the troubled patriarch, and can serve to remind every believer of how much God cares for them. David writes, for example, in Psalm 119:114 “You are my hiding place and my shield; I wait for Your word.” 

*In Genesis 15:7-21, Christ’s work is illustrated as the guarantee of justification. 

       We see the pre-incarnate Word of God speaking further with Abram. Literally, the rite of passing through the animal halves is God saying He will put Himself on the line and He alone will fulfill the covenant with Abram – an expression of God’s covenant of grace stated back in Genesis 3:20-21 with Adam and Eve. There, God provided both with coverings (shedding of blood); they had expressed saving faith in His promise (faith) and a declaration of the Gospel itself (3:15). 

The result of justification is faith that is not alone.  James 2:22-25

        In as much as it is not the gospel to add to what God has done (legalism, adding works to faith). Yet, it is just as evil to say I can believe the Gospel and live as I please (license). In the last post, we had explored the doctrine of justification promoted by the Roman Catholic Church, noting that it requires the sacraments of baptism, penance and the remainder of its sacramental system to make justification a possibility in its system. When it comes to denying the need for good works following saving faith in justification, many professing Christians (whether evangelical protestants or mainline liberal denominations) commit this equally wrong error. To paraphrase Charles Haddon Spurgeon, the great 19th century London Baptist preacher, we need to know the proper relationship between faith and works if we are to rightly expound Biblical doctrine. 

      The Gospel of the cross hangs between these two thieves of legalism and license. We must beware of legalism and license! Sometimes it is alleged that if we focus too much on "justification by faith alone", we will commit the error of preaching "anti-nomianism" or the error of saying: "believe what you want, live as you please". Yet, when the doctrine of justification by faith is preached rightly, the role of works as evidence to others that we are truly justified by faith is included in the overall Biblical portrayal. Let me state two thoughts on how we are to go about doing this as we head down the homestretch of today's post. by appealing to another phrase which emerged from the 16th century Protestant Reformation. 

*We are saved by grace through faith alone. 

     Let us remember, the righteousness that God sees as acceptable and declares as “in-line” with Him is received by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone.  

*Unto a faith that is never alone. 

Yet, let’s not forget, our justification is proved before others because true saving faith is never alone without good works following (James 2:17). James expresses this in James 2:22-23, 

"You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; 23 and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. 24 You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” 

    

       Many astute readers will notice that in verse 24, James says: "a person is justified by works and not by faith alone". Is James contradicting Paul in Romans and Galatians (and really, everything we have wrote in these last two posts, as well as the entire Protestant Reformation)? As always, we need to consider the context of James. The context of James 2 is not about how we receive justification (which is Paul's concern). Instead, James is concerned with "how do you prove to others that your are justified by faith?" Since fellow Christians cannot know for certain another's salvation, all we can discern when someone professes to be a Christian is by what sort of life follows from that profession. In short, James' point is that saving faith is demonstrated to people as true by what works follows from it (“walk the talk”). So as we can see, justification by faith does not promote some sort of "believing what I must and living what I please" theology or "easy-believism". In the final analysis, true saving faith before God is that which has received Christ and which has depended on His works. Both truths go together!