1Cor 15:40-41 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. (41) There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.
Paul continues describing our resurrection body using common comparisons from nature. In this case, he is using two different examples of the heavenly and earthly bodies…
In his first example, Paul reminds us that the spiritual bodies of the angels “bodies celestial” differ from the fleshly bodies of humans “bodies terrestrial”. This comparison helps us to understand that the glory of our resurrection bodies will be far greater than the glory associated with our human, sinful bodies that are broken and tarnished by sin. Like sinless angels bodies, our resurrected bodies will be bodies of perfection not touched by sin, death nor the ravages of sickness and aging.
In his second example, Paul shows us the basic principle of differing levels of glorification. This is illustrated by the differing levels of light given off by the sun, stars and the reflected light of the moon. All three heavenly bodies shine forth light in the midst of a blackened outer space. From the sun pours forth the greatest amount of light, while stars give forth a lesser amount. The moon, although it does not give off light of itself still reflects light into our world. In each case we have a differing amount of “glory” given off and yet none of them fail to be glorifying to God. So too, the bodies of angels, glorified bodies of humans and fleshly bodies of humans.
We need to remember, just as our resurrected bodies will glorify Him someday, we should be striving to glorify and honor God in our fleshly bodies by living our lives for Him.
May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.
1Cor 15:39 - All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
Paul continues describing our resurrection body by using common comparisons from nature…
The differing types of flesh that exist instruct us on the nature of our resurrection bodies. There are differing types of flesh that exists in the world today. We all recognize that that are 4 basic types of flesh: human, animal, fish and fowl. What does this teach us about the nature of our resurrection body? The key phrase in this section of teaching is “not the same”.
Our resurrection body will be quite unique:
First of all the COMPOSITION of our resurrection body will be “not the same” as our human fleshly body. It will be changed. It will be “glorified”. It will not be touched by sin, sickness, or death. Just like the composition of a bird’s flesh is not the same as the flesh of humans, animals or fish…. So too, the composition of our bodies will be different.
Secondly, the APPEARANCE of our resurrection bodies will be “not the same” as the appearance of any other believer’s glorified body. (vs 38). Although we will all be glorified, each of our bodies will carry in them differing characteristics. Just as in our fleshly bodies. Although we are made of the same human flesh we possess differing characteristics. Skin color, height, weight, hair color, the lists goes on and on. In some way, the appearance of our glorified bodies will be different one to another. This is supported from the example Paul gives us… although animal flesh is the same, every animal appears different from one another. One dog differs in appearance to another, although both have the flesh of dogs on their bones.
It is a hard thing to try to understand what our resurrection bodies will be like. Why? Because they are “not the same” as anything we are familiar with here on earth.
May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.
Did you ever feel alone in this world? If you are a Christian, there are many reasons why you can know that you are never alone. The Lord promises that He will come and dwell with all those that place there trust in him (John 14:16-20). Also, the Lord promises His people that they are in the hand of the Father, He will be always watching over them protecting and keeping them (John 10:26-29).
So for the Christian, knowing that we have our Lord dwelling within us (in the person of the Holy Spirit) and knowing that we are always protected in the hand of the Father, results in our assurance that we are never alone on this earth. Even when it appears as if the entire world has forsaken us, we know that our Lord will never turn from us. (Hebs 13:5)
However, there is another reason why we can rest assured we are never alone on this earth. In the little read book of Zechariah (and several other books of the Bible), we find that God has sent His ministering angels to oppose the forces of evil in this sinful world.
SCRIPTURES:
Zech 1:7-11 (KJV) 7) Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which [is] the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, 8) I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that [were] in the bottom; and behind him [were there] red horses, speckled, and white. 9) Then said I, O my lord, what [are] these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these [be]. 10) And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These [are they] whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth. 11) And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.
Zech 6:1-8 (KJV) And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains [were] mountains of brass. 2) In the first chariot [were] red horses; and in the second chariot black horses; 3) And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses. 4) Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What [are] these, my lord? 5) And the angel answered and said unto me, These [are] the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth. 6) The black horses which [are] therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country. 7) And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth. 8)Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.
Dan 10:10-14 (KJV) 10) And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and [upon] the palms of my hands. 11) And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling. 12) Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words. 13) But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia. 14) Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision [is] for [many] days.
Ps 103:20-21 (KJV) 20) Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. 21) Bless ye the LORD, all [ye] his hosts; [ye] ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
Heb 1:7-14 (KJV) 7) And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire....... 14) Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
THE STUDY:
Twice in the book of Zechariah we find references to angels sent by God to minister to His people. The first reference is found in Zechariah 1:7-11...
7) Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which [is] the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying,
8) I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that [were] in the bottom; and behind him [were there] red horses, speckled, and white.
9) Then said I, O my lord, what [are] these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these [be].
10) And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These [are they] whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth.
11)And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest.
Here we read of God's ministering angels described as a “man riding on a red horse” being followed by many other horsemen. The angel explains to Zechariah that “These [are they] whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth.” Please note that the phrase of walking to and fro through the earth is not only used to describe the ministry of God's angels, but also of the workings of Satan, the fallen angel opposed to the will and ways of God (Job 1:6-7, Job 2:1-2).
Why would the ministry of God's angels be similarly described with the workings of the chief fallen angel? I believe, it is to help us understand the correlation between God's angels and the angels working to oppose God. There work is similar yet in direct opposition to one another.
It is made clear throughout Scripture that there is a spiritual warfare taking place on this earth. This warfare involves the powers of darkness (Satan and other demons, as well as the other sinful forces in this world) versus the powers of light (The Lord, his angels and the powers that are working for good) (Eph 6:10-12, Col 2:13-15)
One of the great reasons that God sends His angels to work for Him on the earth is to intervene and hinder the workings of the powers of darkness. We can clearly see this in an account found in the Book of Daniel...
Dan 10:10-14 (KJV)
10) And, behold, an hand touched me, which set me upon my knees and [upon] the palms of my hands.
11) And he said unto me, O Daniel, a man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak unto thee, and stand upright: for unto thee am I now sent. And when he had spoken this word unto me, I stood trembling.
12) Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.
13) But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days: but, lo, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.
14) Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision [is] for [many] days.
Please note that, here a messenger (perhaps an angel), sent from God to deliver a message to Daniel, is stopped by the “Prince of the Kingdom of Persia” a wicked King that was led by the powers of darkness. (Some believe this is a description for Satan himself). Anyway, do you notice how Michael, an angel from the Lord, was sent to intervene on behalf of God's messenger? This allowed the messenger to continue on his way and bring God's words to Daniel. This is a clear example of an angel of God intervening and helping mankind in the war against the powers of darkness.
Zechariah's other account of God sending His angels to aid man is found in Zech 6:1-8 (KJV)...
1) And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains [were] mountains of brass.
2) In the first chariot [were] red horses; and in the second chariot black horses;
3) And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses.
4) Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What [are] these, my lord?
5) And the angel answered and said unto me, These [are] the four spirits of the heavens, which go forth from standing before the Lord of all the earth.
6) The black horses which [are] therein go forth into the north country; and the white go forth after them; and the grisled go forth toward the south country.
7) And the bay went forth, and sought to go that they might walk to and fro through the earth: and he said, Get you hence, walk to and fro through the earth. So they walked to and fro through the earth.
8)Then cried he upon me, and spake unto me, saying, Behold, these that go toward the north country have quieted my spirit in the north country.
Here, we can see the Lord sending forth His angels to minster to man throughout the earth. The Lord says that His spirit had been quieted as a result of their ministry. What did the Lord mean by this statement? Ezekiel 16:42 helps us to understand what is meant by this phrase...
(42) So will I make my fury toward thee to rest, and my jealousy shall depart from thee, and I will be quiet, and will be no more angry.
According to this verse, to quiet the spirit of God is referring to dispensing His judgment against wrongdoing, thereby allowing his just, holy, righteous spirit to be at rest within Him.
Not only does He send His angels to protect and keep us, but also to punish those who are opposed to His people and His will for the earth. These are the two great reasons for the sending of His angels to earth. These two purposes are both mentioned in Hebrews...
Heb 1:7-14 (KJV)
7) And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.......
(14) Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
Here, His angels are described in two ways.... ministering spirits (ie those who care for his people) and ministers a flame of fire (ie those who execute his punishments upon those who are opposed to His people and His will)
Once we understand these two truths, other verses about His ministering spirits take on a more clear meaning for us all....
Ps 103:20-21 (KJV)
20) Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.
21) Bless ye the LORD, all [ye] his hosts; [ye] ministers of his, that do his pleasure.
For those who have been saved by God's grace, there is no reason to feel alone anymore... you have the indwelling Spirit within you, you have the Almighty God holding you in his hand... and you also have His ministering spirits sent throughout the earth to protect, care and control the situations surrounding you. You truly are not alone.
If you have not been saved by God's grace, look to him for your salvation. You too can then claim the blessed promise that you will never be alone.
If you have any questions about salvation, I have a tab available on my blog that gives in depth information on what salvation is and what you must do to be saved. Please click on this link for more information about salvation.
If you continue to have questions or concerns about your salvation, find a Bible-believing church in your area. The Pastor would be glad to share Christ and the way of salvation with you. If you feel more comfortable communicating through email, you are always welcome to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
(35) But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? (36) Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: (37) And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: (38) But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
Verse 35 - Paul begins a lengthy section (vs 35-50), to answer the questions… “But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?” In this section, the answers are given to us using the example of seed sown in the ground.
Verses 36-37 - When seed is sown in the ground the outer shell decays, during this process you have the new sprout growing up through the earth and presenting itself in a new, entirely different form. So, too our bodies. They will decay in the grave, only to rise again in a new form…. a changed body.
Verses 38 - Who is in charge of the form a plant takes on during its growth? It is the Lord only. A grain of wheat, when sprouted, will always look like a wheat plant. When corn is planted it will always sprout as a corn plant. A farmer cannot change the type of sprout each seed gives forth… it is ENTIRELY in the hands of the Sovereign Lord. Also, no two sprouts of wheat, or corn, are completely identical; each seed gives forth an unique sprout. So, too our Lord gives each of us unique bodies at the resurrection.
What are the first principles we learn about our resurrection body?
It will come from the fleshly body that has suffered decay.
It will not be identical in composition or appearance to our fleshly bodies… it will be a changed body. (For the saved it will be a glorified body, for the lost it will be a body capable of existing in a state of eternal punishment.)
It’s appearance and constitution will be controlled by the Lord.
It’s appearance will be distinctive, differing from all other resurrection bodies.
What a wonderful body awaits us thanks to our Sovereign Lord who is victor over sin AND DEATH!
May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.
One of the greatest promises that we, as believers in Christ, have given to us is the promise of the future resurrection and glorification of our bodies. Just think about it, receiving glorified bodies that are no longer affected by sin nor sin’s affects (sickness, pain, temptation, weakness, death etc etc)!
But did you know that the resurrection and glorification of the believer’s body is preceded by another type of resurrection that every believer experiences? Let’s take a few minutes to look at the “first” resurrection of believers.
THE SCRIPTURES:
John 5:24-29 (KJV)
24) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
25) Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
26) For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
27) And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
28) Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
29) And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
THE STUDY:
Here in our text, we find Christ describing the physical resurrection of the believer’s body being described. This resurrection will take place at the 2nd coming of Christ. Please notice, not only is the resurrection of the physical body being described, but the Lord is also describing a spiritual resurrection that takes place at the time of the believer’s conversion.
John 5:24-29 (KJV)…
24) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
The first resurrection of the believer is a resurrection of His soul. This resurrection gives to the one who is dead in trespasses and sins spiritual life. Note that Christ tells us that this resurrection takes place as the result of our hearing His word and then placing our trust in the Lord. This is the essence of the salvation experience for fallen man. By hearing the gospel message which tells us about Christ and His work, and then placing our faith in the God who gave us the gospel message we will receive everlasting life. This is the first resurrection. This resurrection is also explained by the apostle Paul in Ephesians 2:1-7….
Eph 2:1-7 And you [hath he quickened], who were dead in trespasses and sins;… Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised [us] up together, and made [us] sit together in heavenly [places] in Christ Jesus:
To be spiritually dead implies that we are unable to do anything to merit or gain salvation of our own ability.
It is much like a person who has died of asphyxiation. They can have an oxygen mask hanging next to them, but if they are dead, they can do nothing to bring the mask to their face and receive the life-giving oxygen. For someone who has died of asphyxiation what must take place? Another person must take the mask, place it on their face and then proceed to give them CPR if that person has any chance of having life restored to his dead body. In other words, they cannot save themselves but are totally reliant upon the intervention of another for any hope of life.
It is much like that with our salvation. We were dead in trespasses and sins, undeserving of salvation and unable to do anything to save ourselves. Yet, our Lord, by His grace, saw fit to intervene in our lives bringing us to Himself and saving us from our sinful state. He raised us from the tomb of our sinful, spiritually dead condition and resurrected us to a new life in Him.
What a wonderful gift of grace! To graciously give those who are dead in sins, spiritual life! How wonderful it is to know that we have been spiritually resurrected.
25) Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
The Lord now helps us to understand that the resurrection for the believer has a present age and future age aspect to it…
In this present age (“the hour now is” ) the spiritually dead individual will hear the voice of the Son of God (His call to salvation) and shall live (receive spiritual life). (Eph 5:14, Ro 6:4, Col 2:13, Rev 20:3-6)
At the very end of this age (“the hour is coming”) the dead body of the saint that is in the grave will hear the voice of the Son of God (at His second coming). At that time, the body will be resurrected from the grave, glorified, and meet the spirit of the believer which has been abiding with Christ in heaven. (1 Cor 15:42-54, 1 Thess 4:14-17, Phil 3:21)
26) For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;
God the Father, being God, needed no one to give Him life. He possesses life in, and of, Himself. The Son, being God, also needed no one to give Him life. This is one of many proofs that we have of the deity of Christ. Not only does He possess life in Himself, but He is the One who is the source of all life. He is the Creator of all and it is through Him that we receive both our physical and spiritual life. (John 14:6, John 1:1-4, John 17:1-3)
27) And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.
Not only is Christ the Giver of Life for all mankind, He is also the Supreme Judge over all. Christ will exercise His authority to give life to the resurrection body and judge mankind at the same moment in future history.
The resurrection of the bodies, and the judgment of the lost, are linked together in many passages of the Scriptures (Matt 16:27, Matt 25:31-46, 2Thes 1:7-10, 2 Tim 4:1) This principle of the unity of the future resurrection and judgment is addressed by Christ in the last two verses of our text…
28) Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,29)And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
We should not be amazed at the coming future resurrection of our bodies. After all, which is more miraculous, giving physical life to a dead corpse or giving spiritual life to the spiritually dead who are undeserving of spiritual life?
We are told here by Christ that one of the results of the resurrection of the bodies of all mankind will be their judgment. Whether lost or saved both must give an account of what they have done with their life on earth. For the saved, our judgment will involve the receipt (or loss) of rewards based upon faithfulness in opportunities that arose for service (Luke 19:16-26, 1Cor 2:12-15, 2 Tim 4:7-8). For the lost their judgment will be based upon their dead spiritual condition and their lack of faith in Christ (Matt 25:30, Matt 7:21-23, Rom 2:13-16) .
Rom 2:5-10 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds: (7) To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: (8) But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, (9) Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; (10) But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
For those who have trusted in Christ.
As Christians we should ALWAYS be thankful for the first resurrection that has taken place in our lives. By His grace, we have been resurrected from spiritual death to spiritual life. This first resurrection is one of the proofs we have that our physical bodies will be resurrected from the grave to spend eternity with Him. Out of a heart of appreciation, let’s be sure we are living a new life in Christ… old things are passed away… behold all things are new.
For those who have never trusted in Christ.
Without the first resurrection taking place in your life, there will be no second resurrection leading to an eternity with the Lord. Examine your life in the light of the Scriptures. Recognize you have sinned against Almighty God. Turn your back on your sin, and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ. Trust in Him and His work on the cross to pay the penalty for the sin that you have committed. Trust in Him, submit to His Lordship and you will be saved.
If you have any questions concerning the way of salvation please feel free to visit or call a Bible teaching church in your area. They will be happy to speak to you about the Lord Jesus and the salvation He graciously gives.
Or, if you would rather, feel welcome to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I’ll be more than happy to answer any question you may have.
Also, if you look at my blog page “How To Have A Relationship With God”. On this page, you will find several blog entries explaining the way of salvation.
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
I just wanted to take a moment to thank all of the followers, readers, commenters and re-bloggers of the SIH blog for all your kind words and encouragement to me. Yesterday was a very blessed day for the SIH blogsite.
Along with the review by Citizen Tom, I received several very encouraging comments on how the SIH blog has been a blessing to others. The Lord continues to bless the SIH blog site with continually increasing number of hits and visitors. Yesterday was a record setting day for the website. We had more hits, and more visitors to the blog than any other day in its history. I only speak of this to bring honor and glory to the Lord for His grace and mercy He is showing to the blog.
When I began the blog about 2 years ago, I simply wanted to share God's Word to others in an understandable fashion and to be a source of spiritual strength for those seeking the Truths of His Word. This blog has been dedicated to the Lord from day one. If there is anything good that comes from this blog, it is only because of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. From my Lord’s grace comes my physical and spiritual life. Whatever small ability I may have to understand and then communicate His Word to others is only by His unmerited blessings that He has placed upon me. I can truly affirm Christ’s teaching that “Without me (Christ) ye can do nothing.”
Not only do I thank the Lord for His intervention and grace in my life, I also thank Him for the wonderful followers, readers, commenters and re-bloggers that have graced the SIH blog. I hate to begin to attempt to list them by name for fear of missing someone, however, I do see a need to recognize those who have been special sources of encouragement to me.
Approximately 2 months ago, Evelyn Goh, a wonderful Christian lady and founder of the Christian Blessings Blog ministry, invited me to post my blog postings to the CB site on a weekly basis. This has opened up another opportunity for SIH Ministries to reach others for our Lord. I thank the Lord for Evelyn and the CB ministry. The Christian Blessings Ministry is a blog that is composed of several different bloggers who present God’s Word in a very understandable, practical way. At Christian Blessings you can be exposed to different opinions, and presentations of God’s Word. You can read all about the Christian Blessings ministry by clicking on this link: About Christian Blessings
Also to Jon and Lisa Cardwell at Justification By Grace – I would like to thank Jon and Lisa for the wonderful review they did of SIH blog. It was a great blessing and encouragement to me, and much appreciated. I have become acquainted with the blogging ministry of Jon and Lisa for only a short period of time but I can truly say it is one of the most Scripturally sound blogs I have seen. Along with Jon’s messages, they include the writings of many of my favorite authors. Some of the authors they frequently post are CH Spurgeon, John Bunyan, John Newton, Robert Murray M’Chenyne etc. You can count on reading authors that only hold to the belief of salvation by grace. In my mind, it is one of the best websites I’ve seen to learn more of God’s Word and the wonderful gracious salvation that He offers to us.
Some of my “encouragers” have been faithful followers for quite a long time…. They include:
PJ at PJ’s Prayerline – PJ was one of my first followers and commenters and she continues to do so today. Her website is devotional in nature. She includes her personal experiences and opinions along with the Scriptures to point out many practical points about service to the Lord. Although, I cannot say I agree totally with doctrinal beliefs, from a practical, daily Christian living standpoint, her blog is a true blessing to any who read it.
Angela at Meeting In The Clouds - Angela used a combination of true stories, illustration and art to present the principles from God’s Word for daily living. Through her postings that Angela presents the Word of God in a very understandable, sound manner. It is always a blessing to see the unique way that Angela presents the Word.
Paul at Certainty Of Drawings – Paul uses art to illustrate principles from God’s Word. I am not, by any means an artist, nor do I appreciate art as I should. However, from the first time I saw Paul’s art, I found myself amazed at his artistic abilities. Once again, I have to say that I may not fully agree with a few of Paul’s beliefs, but certainly, this blog will be a blessing to any who appreciate art and the Word.
Some of my newer followers whose comments and words of encouragement have been an added blessing to me include:
Granbee at Granbee – Although one of my newer followers, Granbee has become one of most frequent commenters. If you visit her website, you will find a unique combination of Bible verses and poetry that work together to present principles from the Word. Granbee amazes me with her poetry for it is very unique, using fictional characters to illustrate the Scriptures for each day. If you have an interest in poetry, I know that you will enjoy her blog.
Debbie at If Today We Hear – Debbie is another one of my followers that uses a combination of poetry and the Word to present spiritual truths. I really enjoy the way that Debbie chooses a set of verses for the day, she then finds an important truth in those verses, clearly states it and then presents a poem to illustrate it. I visit Debbie’s blog everyday, normally when I need a quick break from my tasks for the day to get my mind on the Lord and His Word.
Patricia (LoopyLoo) at My Blog – On “My Blog” Patricia presents a wide variety of postings that range from video sermons, Christian music videos, news and political events of the day, and short devotional writings, among others. When I visit her blog, I have found myself staying for a good amount of time browsing all the different material she has posted. This is another website that is great just to give you a break from your routine and maybe listen to a song or short message from His Word.
Added to this list are my Facebook, Twitter and Youtube friends who have been great sources of encouragement as well. Thank you all so much for your kind words.
Again, I am sorry if I have missed anyone. Please forgive me. And thank you, to all who have been a part of the SIH ministry. May the Lord bless you as you study His Word.
1 Cor 15:33-34 - Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame.
Are we concerned about the influence of others in our lives? Paul addresses the Corinthians reminding them of the need to guard against the effects of ungodly relationships on the lives of Christians. Satan is the “great deceiver”. This is one of the ways he attempts to deceive us. According to Paul, as Christians, we are to “wake up” and be sure our lives are being lived in harmony to God’s will, not being influenced by the ungodly.
Why is godliness an important aspect of the Christian’s life? There are many people around us who do not have the Lord in their lives. They do not see their need of Him, nor do they understand who He is and what He does for us. The lost one’s only hope is to see Christ in us and come to an understanding of Him through our lives.
According to Paul, for a Christian to minimize the importance of living a godly life is a shameful attitude. Are we seeking to live our lives for the Lord today?
May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.
I would like to express my thanks to Citizen Tom for reviewing and reblogging the SIH blog posting "Kidron: The Death Valley In The Bible".
I very much appreciate that Citizen Tom understands my intent for the SIH blog ... it is "not trying to find something new in the Bible. He is just trying to explain what is already known" That is my desire for the blog to simply help each one of us to better understand the teachings of God's Word.
Also, let me just say that over the past several weeks since I have found Citizen Tom's blog I have enjoyed it greatly. In his blog you will find postings about the founding of our great country, the intent of it's founders, the role of religion in it's founding. But Citizen Tom doesn't stop there. He includes posts about the current affairs of our nation, and many of the dangers we now face as a once "nation under God".
I would heartily recommend Citizen Tom's blog for a better understanding of the history and current condition of our great nation. Thank you Citizen Tom for the effort you put forth to help us remember what our nation is truly all about.
May the Lord bless each one of us who are concerned about the welfare of our nation and desire to see it returned back to a nation in alignment with the intent of it's founders.
1 Cor 15:29-32 (29) Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead? (30) And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?(31) I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. (32) If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die.
Paul continues his argument to prove the existence of the resurrection and the eternal afterlife..
To understand what Paul meant in these verses we must understand several points in the context of Paul’s questions:
Remember, one aspect of baptism is that it is a public profession of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection. Three of the main results of baptism are:
It benefits the spiritually dead (lost mankind) by presenting a witness of the work of Christ. (vs 29)
It reaps eternal rewards for the Christian by obeying Christ and associating themselves with Christ and His work. (verses 30-32)
An unintended result was to bring persecution upon the Christian. In the days of Paul, when they associated themselves with Christ (by baptism) they were, literally, taking their life in their own hands. (verses 30-32).
By putting the above information together, it leads us to a proper understanding of Paul’s statements. Paul is saying this…
Verse 29 - If there is no resurrection or afterlife, why would Christians be putting their lives on the line (at their baptism) for the benefit of those who are spiritually dead? If there is no resurrection or afterlife, why be concerned about the lost’s spiritual condition? Why sacrifice the Christian’s safety to give the lost a witness of Christ’s work through baptism?
Verse 30 & 31 - If there is no resurrection or afterlife, why would Christians be willing to risk their lives (at their baptism) to obey their Lord? How can Christians rejoice in the midst of persecution if it were not for the hope of a resurrection and afterlife?
Verse 32 - If there is no resurrection, instead of willingly making sacrifices for their God and the lost around them, why doesn’t the Christian “live it up”? What advantage is there to serving God in this life, if we will not be blessed with rewards and an eternal home?
Summary of our text for today…. When A Christian is willing to suffer persecution for being a gospel witness, it proves that there will be a future resurrection of both lost and saved.
May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.
1 Cor 15:27-28 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
Why does Christ possess authority over all? Because God the Father has given to Him that exalted position. (1 Pet 3:22, Phil 2:9-11) Why was Christ placed in that position? It is due to His obedient, self-sacrificial death on the cross (Heb 10:12) Notice, when the Bible says that Christ is placed over all, it is speaking of all the creation of God. Paul, here, makes it plain that Christ does not hold authority over God the Father.
Although Christ possesses all authority, all things are not yet “subdued” (to be obedient and submissive) under Him. Rebellion still exists in this world. Although the Christ is “Lord over all”, there are those who are not willingly in submission to His rule in their life.
There is coming a day, throughout eternity, when the Lord will not only possess authority, but His authority will be completely, perfectly submitted to by all creation. For those who are saved, this perfect submission will take place in His presence on the New Heaven and New Earth. For those who are lost, they will be in perfect submission to His will, facing eternal separation and punishment in the Lake of Fire.
One of the outstanding characteristics of those truly saved is the willful submission to the authority of Christ over us. Although our submission is not perfect, due to our sinful flesh, we still actively seek to please the Lord with our lives. The mark of one who has never received the grace of God in their life is a “no care” attitude about the Lord’s desires for their lives.
Do we care about what the Lord desires for our lives? Are we consistently seeking to do what is pleasing to Him? Our eternal destiny can be revealed to each of us by our honest answer to this questions.
May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.
Kidron was a valley that lay east of Jerusalem dividing Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. Through this valley flowed the brook of Kidron, a brook which is mentioned several times in God’s Holy Word. Why is Kidron known as “the death valley of the Bible”? What can I learn from this “death valley”?
We will be opening the Scriptures to find the answer to our questions….
THE SCRIPTURES:
2Sam 15:13-23 (KJV) And there came a messenger to David, saying, The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom. And David said unto all his servants that [were] with him at Jerusalem, Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not [else] escape from Absalom: make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword… And David said to Ittai, Go and pass over. And Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones that [were] with him. And all the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over: the king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over, toward the way of the wilderness.
1 Kgs 2:36-46 (KJV) And the king sent and called for Shimei, and said unto him, Build thee an house in Jerusalem, and dwell there, and go not forth thence any whither. For it shall be, [that] on the day thou goest out, and passest over the brook Kidron, thou shalt know for certain that thou shalt surely die: thy blood shall be upon thine own head…. The king said moreover to Shimei, Thou knowest all the wickedness which thine heart is privy to, that thou didst to David my father: therefore the LORD shall return thy wickedness upon thine own head; And king Solomon [shall be] blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD for ever. So the king commanded Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; which went out, and fell upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.
1Kgs 15:9-13 (KJV) And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah… And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made. And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from [being] queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt [it] by the brook Kidron.
2Kgs 23:4-12 (KJV) And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel. And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven. And he brought out the grove from the house of the LORD, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and stamped [it] small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people. And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that [were] by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove. And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba to Beersheba, and brake down the high places of the gates that [were] in the entering in of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which [were] on a man's left hand at the gate of the city. Nevertheless the priests of the high places came not up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but they did eat of the unleavened bread among their brethren. And he defiled Topheth, which [is] in the valley of the children of Hinnom, that no man might make his son or his daughter to pass through the fire to Molech. And he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entering in of the house of the LORD, by the chamber of Nathanmelech the chamberlain, which [was] in the suburbs, and burned the chariots of the sun with fire. And the altars that [were] on the top of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars which Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, did the king beat down, and brake [them] down from thence, and cast the dust of them into the brook Kidron.
2Chr 29:12-16 (KJV) Then the Levites arose, Mahath the son of Amasai, and Joel the son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites: and of the sons of Merari, Kish the son of Abdi, and Azariah the son of Jehalelel: and of the Gershonites; Joah the son of Zimmah, and Eden the son of Joah:... And the priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD, to cleanse [it], and brought out all the uncleanness that they found in the temple of the LORD into the court of the house of the LORD. And the Levites took [it], to carry [it] out abroad into the brook Kidron.
2Chr 30:13-15 (KJV) And there assembled at Jerusalem much people to keep the feast of unleavened bread in the second month, a very great congregation. And they arose and took away the altars that [were] in Jerusalem, and all the altars for incense took they away, and cast [them] into the brook Kidron. Then they killed the passover on the fourteenth [day] of the second month: and the priests and the Levites were ashamed, and sanctified themselves, and brought in the burnt offerings into the house of the LORD.
2 Kgs 23:6 (KJV) & Jer 26:20-23 (KJV) And he brought out the grove from the house of the LORD, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and stamped [it] small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people.
And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjathjearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah: And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death: but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went into Egypt; And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, [namely], Elnathan the son of Achbor, and [certain] men with him into Egypt. And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.
John 18:1-5 (KJV) When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples. And Judas also, which betrayed him, knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples Judas then, having received a band [of men] and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am [he]. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them.
Jer 31:38-40 (KJV) Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the city shall be built to the LORD from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner… And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, [shall be] holy unto the LORD; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.
THE STUDY:
The word “Kidron” or “Cedron” comes from a Hebrew word that described an “ashy dark color”, the color of sackcloth. Sackcloth was a rough cloth made of hair that, in many cases, was worn by those who were sorrowful and in mourning. (1 Kings 21:27; 2 Kings 6:30; Job 16:15; Joel 1:13) Why was this valley, and it’s accompanying brook, given a name related to the color of sackcloth? This valley was, many times, related to sorrow, mourning and death …
1. The poor people of the land were buried at Kidron. It was like a modern day potter’s field. (2 Kng 23:6, Jer 26:20-23)
2. Shimei, an opponent of King David, was not allowed to cross the brook of Kidron under the threat of death at the hands of David’s son, Solomon (1 Kings 2:36-46)
3. After Absalom took his throne by force, David was forced to flee over the brook of Kidron. Symbolically this was a picture of the temporary end, or “death”, of David’s reign. (2 Sam 15:13-23)
4. At various times in history, it was at Kidron, where the false idols ofIsraelwere destroyed thus symbolically representing the temporary termination, or “death”, of idolatry inIsrael. This took place three different times: under the rule of Asa (1 King 15:13), under the rule of Josiah (2 Kings 23:4-12), and under the rule of Hezekiah (2 Chron 29:16 and 2 Chron 30:14).
5. It was through this valley that Jesus walked to go fromJerusalemto theGardenofGethsemaneimmediately prior to His arrest and His death by crucifixion. (John 18:1) It was atGethsemanethat the Lord felt the full force of His upcoming death. It was also atGethsemanethat we see displayed the Lord’s perfect unselfish submission to the will of His Father.
6. Also, most likely, Judas Ischariot traveled the same path toGethsemane, resulting in the betrayal and arrest of Christ. (John 18:2)
After seeing how Kidron is a place related to mourning, sorrow and death… we find in Jeremiah a very contradictory passage. Here, the prophecy of the renovation of Kidron relates the valley to a place made holy unto God and set apart for His use forever. It will no longer be associated with death and sorrow, but now with holiness and God’s glory. This prophecy will be fulfilled at the Lord’s second coming and the establishment of New Jerusalem on a New Earth. (Jer 31:40)
How great is our God who is able to make an area associated with mourning, sorrow and death, become a place eternally alive with His glory and honor. The very area that is closely associated with our Lord’s death will be , in the future, clearly associated with the results of His death…. An eternity set apart from all sadness, mourning and sin….
Jeremiah 31:40 – “And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, [shall be] holy unto the LORD; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.”
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
For those who are saved…
The Lord’s end times renovation of Kidron is a beautiful picture of saving us permanently from the darkness of sin to the light of His holiness….
Col 1:12-18 (KJV)
12) Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [us] into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all [things] he might have the preeminence.
Acts 26:15-18 (KJV)
And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and [from] the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, [and] to turn [them] from darkness to light, and [from] the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
Eph 5:8-11 (KJV)
8) For ye were sometimes darkness, but now [are ye] light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit [is] in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [them].
For those who have never received His gracious salvation into our lives…
The area of Kidron which was associated with sorrow, darkness and death is a picture of fallen humanity’s condition without the Lord Jesus and the salvation that He offers to them.
Have you ever realized the presence of sin in your life and God’s displeasure with those sins you have committed?
Have you ever come to a point in your life where you realized you could do nothing to save yourself, but you must rely on Christ alone to supply the work necessary for saving you from your sins?
Have you ever turned from your sins, and in faith, turned to Christ for forgiveness?
Do you know that, for certain, you have received the Lord’s forgiveness for your sins and will someday be in eternity with Him?
If you cannot answer “yes” to all the above questions… please open God’s Word, and seek out the truth about the spiritual need in your life. Come to an understanding of your sin and the only source of forgiveness from those sins… the Lord Jesus Christ and His work on the cross. Look to Jesus and live…
Heb 12:2-3 (KJV)
2) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3) For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
John 3:14-15 (KJV)
14) And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
15) That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
If you have any questions about your condition or the salvation that the Lord so graciously offers, you can look to several sources for further information: A local Bible-teaching church in your area, you are welcome to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com, or you can refer to my blog page entitled “How to have a relationship with God”
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
I want to thank LoopyLoo at the http://loopyloo305.com/ for nominating me for the Kreativ Blogger Award. Loopy is a wonderful lady who faithfully serves the Lord through her bloggin ministry. I am accepting this award as an honor to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who in every way deserves all the honor and praise the Settled In Heaven Ministries. Without Him I could do nothing.
I need to share some things about myself...
1. By the Lord's grace my sins have been forgiven and I'm headed for an eternity with Him.
2. I am married to a wonderful lady, Eva, who has been supportive of my ministry throughout our married life. I am very thankful for her and turly do not know what I would do without her.
3. I have always loved math and working with numbers. And enjoy bookkeeping, accounting and tax preparation.
4. I own a dog named "Zeek".... he is my relaxation and play time.
5. I am striving to serve my Lord... He has done so much for me and I cannot begin to repay Him for all He has done for me. I can only seek to please Him out of a heart of apprecation. Sad to say, I see myself failing Him everyday.
Now to nominate other bloggers for the Kreativ Blogger Award! In this case I would like to nominate every blogger who is taking part in the Christian Blessings Blogging Ministry... They are a wonderful group of people who have dedicated their time and efforts to honoring their Lord through their writtings. Especially, I would like to nominate the founder of the CB Ministries... Evelyn
1 Cor 15:24-26 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
Paul now moves our attention from the resurrection of Christ (at His first coming) to the final resurrection of both believers and the lost (at His second coming).
At the second coming of Christ, His position as Sovereign Lord over all will be revealed. One of the ways His sovereignty will be made known is by the final resurrection. The final resurrection will prove that He holds the authority over both spiritual and physical death.
Christ won the victory over death at His first coming. His crucifixion and His resurrection are the basis for that victory. But at the final resurrection, He will clearly display His victory over death. This will take place in two ways:
When the believer’s body will be raised, glorified and enter eternal existence with God, the world will acknowledge He is Victor over both spiritual and physical death.
Likewise, when those who have not trusted in Him will be resurrected and consigned to eternal existence in the Lake of Fire will also prove He has won the victory over death.
As we think about our coming resurrection and the blessings connected to it, let’s also keep in mind that it is only because He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords that we can receive these future blessings!
May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.
1 Cor 15:20-23 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
Paul uses two examples (firstfruits and death) to help us understand that the resurrection of Christ is the guarantee of our future resurrection.
When Paul describes Christ as the “firstfruits” he is teaching us that Christ’s resurrection is the first of many to come. In the OT, the Israelites were required to give the first portion of their crops back to the Lord. They then could keep the remaining portion of the harvest that followed. Just as the firstfruits of the harvest was the first part of the harvest, so too the resurrection of Christ . His resurrection took place first, with more resurrections (all believers) to follow at His second coming.
Paul also uses the fall of mankind to explain our assurance of a future resurrection. Here, Paul explains that the action of one affects many. When Adam fell, his fall brought spiritual and physical death upon all of mankind. So, too, the resurrection of Christ. Christ’s resurrection and everything it implies (satisfaction of the sin debt of His people, the successful accomplishment of the Father’s will etc etc) brings about the believer’s spiritual quickening (receipt of life) and future resurrection, glorification and eternity with the Lord.
How wonderful it is to know that because He arose we can be absolutely certain we will arise to eternity with Him!
May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.
1Co 15:16-19 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
Paul continues to give us a list of the consequences of denying the existence of the physical resurrection of the dead…
If there is no resurrection of the dead; then Christ is not risen from the dead.
If Christ be not risen from the dead; then our faith is vain (worthless) and we are under the bondage of our sins, facing eternal punishment.
If mankind is still under sin’s bondage and punishment then those who have died in Christ are perished (to be destroyed with no hope of deliverance).
If our hope of salvation in Christ only applies to this temporal world then as Christians, we are more miserable than anyone else in this world.
Why, as Christians, do we set apart one day a week to celebrate the Lord’s resurrection? Every Sunday, when we gather together to worship our Lord, we are celebrating His life, His work and His resurrection which is the foundation of all of our future hopes and beliefs. Christ’s resurrection makes certain our future with Him.
Let’s thank our Lord for the truth of His resurrection and for the blessing of assurance of our salvation past, present and future.
May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.
Have you ever asked yourself “What is the purpose of my life?” or perhaps, “How can I best use the time I have been given to live life on earth?” For some, these questions are unanswerable... they struggle their entire lives trying to come to the true meaning and purpose of the life which we have been given.
Solomon was a great example of this type of person. King Solomon lived his life in pursuit of the answers to these questions. It was only in his old age, just prior to his death, that he came to an understanding of his purpose in life. You can read about his pursuit for these answers in the book of Ecclesiastes.
However, for others, these answers are known from a young age... Solomon's father, King David is an example of this type of person.
Do you desire to know the purpose of your life? Do you want to know the most fulfilling way to live your life on earth? Let's spend some time to look at events in the lives of King Solomon and King David that will clearly explain these most sought after answers.
And then, finally, lets look at the writings of the Apostle Paul on the subject of the meaning of our lives.
THE SCRIPTURES:
Eccl 12:13-14 (KJV) Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this [is] the whole [duty] of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil.
1Sam 17:45-47 (KJV) Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle [is] the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands.
Col 3:4 (KJV) When Christ, [who is] our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
THE STUDY:
In our quest to find the true meaning of our lives, we will begin by studying the conclusion that Solomon drew from his life-long pursuit to find the purpose of his existence.
In the book of Ecclesiates, we find that Solomon, throughout his life, tried many different pursuits in an attempt to find self-satisfaction and contentment and purpose for his life. He tried everything from the carnal pleasures of this world to wealth, education, the arts, political power, and other selfish pursuits, all to no avail.
Finally, in his old age, after living a wasted life seeking the truth, he finally came to an understanding of his life purpose. Listen to what he came to in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14...
13) Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this [is] the whole [duty] of man.
14)For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil.
The second example we will look at is King Solomon's father, King David... David is described as a “man after God's own heart” (Acts 13:22) and we see him living out his calling as a very young man facing the giant Goliath (1 Sam 17:).
It is of utmost importance that we understand the motive behind David's actions in the Goliath incident. Why did David choose to face Goliath when no one else in Israel was willing to face the giant? For David it was an issue of God's glory....
1 Samuel 17:45-47
45) Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
46) This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air, and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel.
47) And all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle [is] the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands.
David did not desire the praise of men, nor did he stand against Goliath to receive worldly wealth or power. He only did it to honor, glorify, and obey his heavenly Father. Bringing honor and glory to God was the purpose of David's existence on earth. He was simply doing what he had been called to do. He was fulfilling God's purpose for his life.
Just as his son Solomon, David came to the conclusion that putting His God's will above his own, by seeking God's will and glory in all things, was the reason he was living on earth.
Finally, let's look at one verse that the Apostle Paul gives us in Colossians 3:4...
4) When Christ, [who is] our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
In this verse Paul makes 3 very important “points to ponder” in our pursuit of the the true meaning of our lives....
Point #1 - “When Christ, who is our life” - We owe Christ our lives.
Paul here clearly declares that Christ, as God, is everything to us. He is our Creator, our Savior and our Sustainer (Acts 17:28). Without Him we truly are nothing (John 15:5). We owe Him our very existence and both the physical and spiritual life that we possess. This is why Paul affirms that living our lives for Him is simply our “reasonable service”, that we owe Him (Roms 12:1)
Point #2 – When Christ... shall appear” - Christ is coming again.
Paul is stating that we can be assured Christ will come back someday. We are simply left on earth to “occupy” until He comes again. What does it mean to “occupy” ? Very simply we are to faithfully use the graces, gifts, talents and opportunities the Lord gives to us during our life on earth. All of us must realize that we all will stand before the Lord someday and give an account of how we lived our lives on earth. (Luke 19:12-27).
Point #3 - “ then shall ye also appear with him in glory. “ - If we are followers of Christ, we can be assured of spending our eternity with Him.
As we seek to fulfill our calling in life, by serving Him, we can rest assured that we have an eternity awaiting us. Living a life that centers upon Christ, is one of the greatest proofs that we have truly been saved by His grace.
Remember, anyone who has been forgiven of their sins has become a “new creature in Christ”. By this we mean that we have a new motive for living, a new set of desires within us and a new eternity awaiting us.
Realizing that the trials of this world are only for a fleeting moment is a great blessing to us all. As we serve Him on earth, we are to always keep in mind we will be spending an eternity with Him. What a glorious promise this is to all of us....
John 14:1-3 (KJV)
1) Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2) In my Father's house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
In our study of the true purpose and meaning to life a few things becomes crystal clear... first, our purpose in life is to glorify and honor our Lord by living a life in submission to His will and ways. Secondly, our Lord is coming again, to take an account of our life and the many opportunities and gifts He has given to us. And finally, if Christ has become the Lord of our life, through our salvation, we can rest assured we will spend eternity in His presence.
For those who are saved, let us be encouraged as we study, understand, and act upon the knowledge we have been given of the purpose of our lives on earth.
For those who have never experienced His grace in their lives, let them come to a knowledge of the importance of submitting to His will and relying upon Christ for their salvation... living a life apart from this is living a wasted, fruitless, and meaningless existence on earth.
If you have any questions about salvation, I have a tab available on my blog that gives in depth information on what salvation is and what you must do to be saved. Please click on this link for more information about salvation.
If you continue to have questions or concerns about your salvation, find a Bible-believing church in your area. The Pastor would be glad to share Christ and the way of salvation with you. If you feel more comfortable communicating through email, you are always welcome to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
1Co 15:12-15 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? (13) But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: (14) And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. (15) Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
One of the popular teachers of the day were the Sadducees. They denied the existence of life after death and all other related teachings such as resurrection of the body, and eternal rewards etc etc. Apparently this doctrine had slipped into the Corinth church.
Paul, in opposition to this false teaching reminds the Corinth church of the importance of the doctrine of the resurrection. He makes the argument that if there is no life after death, followed by a bodily resurrection then, logically, there would be great repercussions to our entire belief system. Here is Paul’s reasoning:
If there is no resurrection of the dead; then Christ is not risen from the dead.
If Christ be not risen from the dead; then the gospel that we preach is worthless.
If the gospel we preach is worthless; then our faith in Christ and His work is worthless and we are liars.
Let’s thank our Lord that His resurrection IS THE TRUTH! Our faith is not vain, we are speaking the truth!
May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.
1 Cor 15: 9-11 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. Therefore, whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
Paul tells us of the nature of his revolt against God (and the people of God) which took place before his salvation. He was guilty of committing the murder of God’s people (Acts 8:1, 9:1-19, 22:4, 22:20). These outward acts of rebellion were a display of his heart’s hatred against God.
In spite of Paul’s pre-salvation hateful actions of murder, he was still used greatly by the Lord. How could this be? Paul plainly declares that it was an act of God’s grace! It was entirely of God’s grace that brought Paul to Christ, changed Paul’s rebellious heart, forgave Paul of his sin, and equipped Paul for servant-hood.
If you are like me, we look back at our lives with regret knowing that, in many cases, we have horribly failed our Lord by rebelliously going apart from His desires for us. In some cases, we may feel as if we have totally ruined our lives and disqualified ourselves from future service for Him. If this takes place… just take a moment to think of Paul and the supremacy of God’s grace!
May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.
On a recent broadcast of the “In Touch” TV program (www.intouch.org), I heard a song entitled “God Of The Ages”. It is a beautiful, Scriptural song (it is based upon Colossians 1:13-20) declaring our Lord as the God of the Ages.
Let’s take a few minutes to see what these verses of Scripture teach us about our wonderful Lord and Savior!
THE SCRIPTURES:
Col 1:13-20 (KJV)
13) Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated [us] into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14) In whom we have redemption through his blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins: 15) Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16) For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17) And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18) And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all [things] he might have the preeminence. 19) For it pleased [the Father] that in him should all fulness dwell; 20) And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, [I say], whether [they be] things in earth, or things in heaven.
THE STUDY:
IN CONTEXT, PAUL IS SPEAKING OF THE SON OF GOD, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
13) … his dear Son:
“dear” – agape – beloved, self-sac love
Christ is described here as the Son, who was loved with a self-sacrificing love by the Father. We should be loving and sacrifice for Him as well.
Matt 10:37-39 - He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.
The following verses explain the Son’s work and person, helping us to see the need to love Him sacrificially as well.
Why should we love and place him first in our lives?
1. HE IS THE REDEEMER…
14) In whom we have redemption through his blood, [even] the forgiveness of sins:
“redemption” – ransom, price of deliverance; “forgiveness” - freedom, deliverance
It is through this Son of God that we can deliverance from the penalty and dominance of sin in our lives. Once we are delivered from sins dominance, we experience a new freedom to serve and glorify Him in our lives.
2. HE THE REVELATION OF GOD…
15a) Who is the image of the invisible God,
“image” – representative, reflection; “invisible”- unable to be seen; “God” – One deserving our worship;
This same Jesus is both the representative and reflection of God given to mankind. This Great God that we cannot see with our eyes, can be clearly seen in the person of the Lord Jesus.
3. HE IS THE CREATOR/SUSTAINER AND, THEREFORE LORD OVER ALL…
15b – 18) the firstborn of every creature:For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all [things] he might have the preeminence.
“firstborn” – Preeminent One brought forth, Honored One; “creature” – created One; “thrones” – sovereign, kingly power; “dominions” – governrnents; “principalities”- chief in rank; “powers”- any controlling force; “consist”- set together, put on exhibit, arranged and displayed; “head” – to seize, to control; “body” – from “saved”, healed, whole, sound; “church” – called out assembly; “beginning” – first in rank, place or order; “firstborn”- first, foremost One that is brought forth, honored; “preeminence”- first in place, One with most influence;
The Son of God is described as the “firstborn” meaning He is One that proceeded from the Father as the One with a position of existence, privilege and authority over all creation. He is the One to be honored and the One holding a special position with God the Father as the very Son of God.
He is the Creator of all things in heaven and earth, those we can see and those that are spiritual in nature.
With being Creator comes authority… and example of this is when my wife paints a picture. She is the creator of that picture, therefore she has authority over it. She can do with it as she pleases. She can hang it, sell it, hide it, or destroy it. She, as Creator has the ultimate authority over it.
In this same way, as Creator Christ is the ultimate authority over all authorities in this world… the sovereign reign of kings; all other human governments; those holding the highest positions in military; government; social and business areas; and finally, any controlling force in the world is under the control and authority of Christ.
All creation was formed by Christ for the use, control, pleasure, and glory of Christ.
Christ existed before all created things, has set all things in order, holds all things in order and has put it on display for His honor and glory.
He is the One with absolute authority over all believers and His local assemblies. He is the first One in order and the One from who all creation comes. He was placed in this very honored position with the express purpose of ruling over all.
4. HE IS THE ONLY TRUE GOD….
19) For it pleased [the Father] that in him should all fulness dwell;
“fullness”- totality, completeness
To avoid any confusion, God has made it plain that Christ was not simply another created being that was placed over all creation. Christ is God Himself, and this is why He has the ultimate authority over all things.
In Christ we have the totality, or the completeness of God. Christ is God Himself, come to earth to save His people from their sins.
5. HE IS THE SAVIOR/PEACEMAKER…
20) And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, [I say], whether [they be] things in earth, or things in heaven.
“peace” – harmony, tranquility; “reconcile”- to bring to same level, to bring into agreement
At the beginning of this text, we saw that Christ was the Redeemer and Liberator of sinful mankind. Here we are brought full circle.
Christ is pictured as the Savior and Peacemaker of sinful man which is the direct result of His ministry as Redeemer. Christ, who is God Himself, came to the earth and died on the cross. His payment made on the cross was the basis of the redemption that He gives to His people. Once the payment is applied, the sinful man experiences forgiveness, liberation and peace.
Paul began with the teaching that we are to love and sacrifice for Christ based upon His work of redemption on our behalf, we now are reminded of this once again…
So why are we to love Him and place Him first in our lives?
He is the Redeemer
He is the Revelation of God
He is the Creator/Sustainer and Lord over All
He is the Only True God
He is the Savior and Peacemaker
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
For those who have received the Lord’s gracious offer of salvation, let us serve Him with our whole heart realizing what a great Lord we serve.
Now that we have seen how our Great Lord has made the way for the salvation of sinful mankind…. Our need is to accept this message by faith and turn to the Lord to receive forgiveness and spiritual life.
If you have any questions about salvation, I have a tab available on my blog that gives in depth information on what salvation is and what you must do to be saved. Please click on this link for more information about salvation.
If you continue to have questions or concerns about your salvation, find a Bible-believing church in your area. The Pastor would be glad to share Christ and the way of salvation with you. If you feel more comfortable communicating through email, you are always welcome to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com.
May the Lord bless you as you seek His truth.
Please visit the “Settled In Heaven Ministries” homepage –
If you have any questions concerning this blog, or if you have a subject you would like discussed, please feel free to email me at settledinheaven@gmail.com. I will answer all emails via my blog, email, or both.
Follow my Squidoo Instructional Lens “Presenting God’s Grace” “The Solemn Obligation To Present the Doctrines of Grace to the Lost and Saved Alike” http://www.squidoo.com/presenting-gods-grace
May the Lord bless your study of His Word. Like God’s Word… may your soul’s salvation and your life’s faithfulness be “Settled in Heaven.”
