1Cor 15:55-58(55) O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (56) The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. (57) But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (58) Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
The resurrection of Christ, along with the future resurrection and glorification of the believer’s body is absolute, irrefutable evidence that our Lord Jesus Christ has overcome sin and it’s product, death.
Based upon the counsels of God, worked through the work of Christ, sin and death were totally defeated and it’s affects entirely reversed through the gracious intervention of God in the life of those who are brought to salvation.
After all that our Lord has done for us, we are to serve Him with all our being in three ways:
Stedfast – to be settled, certain, assured
Unmoveable – to be immoveable, to be firmly fixed
Always Abounding – to increase and overflow
Know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord – Be certain your painful labors are of great value due the Lord (His empowering and intervention ) in your work.
On this Easter weekend, what better way is there to honor our Lord for all He has done for us? As Paul said…
Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.
1Cor 15:53-54(53) For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (54) So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
Our resurrection body will differ from our earthly body in two ways:
Our earthly body is capable of aging, becoming sick, physically deteriorating and, eventually, decaying in the grave. This is all a part of being “corruptible”. But our resurrection body will never feel any effects of sin, aging or death. In other words it is “incorruptible”.
Our earthly body is able to be separated from our spirit, this takes place at physical death. The ability to experience physical death is called being mortal. Once received, our resurrection body will never be separated from our spirit. It will never experience death. This is taught by the phrase to “put on immortality”.
When our physical, fleshly bodies take upon themselves immortality and incorruption, we can clearly see that death is now defeated. Its grasp on us has come to an end. Sin, sickness, loss of strength, death and eventual decay will no longer take place in our lives.
How can this be? It is only because our Lord Jesus Christ has gotten the victory over sin (and sin’s results: spiritual and physical death) that all these will come to an end. He is the ultimate victor over sin and its many gruesome effects in our lives….
Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.
1Cor 15:51(51) Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed…
Our attention is now turned to the event that will bring about the glorification of the believer’s body… the resurrection (which takes place at the second coming of Christ).
Paul begins by saying that these things are a “mystery”. The Greek word for “mystery” means “to shut the mouth”. In other words, it cannot be fully explained, and when we learn of it, we are shocked and speechless.
When Christ comes back, the bodies of the vast majority of believers will be dead in the graves, however, some will still be alive on earth. In this verse, Paul describes the believer’s body that has entered the grave as being at rest or “asleep”.
The reason why Paul describes the Christian’s body after death as “sleeping” is because:
Like sleep, death does not harm the body of a Christian, it actually aids the body (the body is changed at the resurrection). Vs 51
Like sleep, the bodies of Christians will arise again. Vs 52
Like sleep, no labor, nor work, is done by the physical body at death. It lies in the grave awaiting for the coming resurrection. (Eccl 9:10)
Please note: The Bible NOWHERE speaks of “soul sleep”. Whenever the Bible speaks of death as “sleeping” it is referring to the condition of the body in the grave, not the soul of the one who has passed away.)
What a wonderful blessing it is to know that, when we die, our spirit will go home to be with the Lord in heaven, while our bodies will sleep in the grave to be awakened at His 2nd coming!
May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.
1Cor 15:48-50 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. (49) And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. (50) Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
Paul now addresses one of the reasons why we need our resurrected body…
Our bodies are reflections of the bodies of those from which we proceed:
Our human bodies of dust reflect the body of the one through which has been passed our physical life (the first Adam).
Likewise, our resurrection glorified body will take upon itself the image of the body of the One through which we receive our spiritual life (the second Adam – Christ).
What a blessing it is to know that, if we possess spiritual life through Christ, we will receive new bodies at our resurrection. Our temporal, fallen bodies which have been touched by sin, sickness and eventual death will be replaced with glorified bodies made in the image of Christ’s post resurrection body. This is an absolute necessity for the believer because without remade bodies we could not enter into the presence of a Holy God and live eternally with Him.
Let’s make a concerted effort to serve Him today our of appreciation for the new bodies we are promised to receive at our resurrection.
May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.
1Cor 15:45-47 (45) And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. (46) Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. (47) The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
The first Adam, the first created human being, was a creation of God that possessed both human, physical life and an immortal soul. As such, this Adam possessed the ability to change, to commit sin, and to fall from his blessed position of communion with God.
The last Adam is referring to Christ. Why is Christ called the “last Adam”?
Just as Adam was unique, being the first human ever created… so too, Christ. He is truly the “God-Man”. He is God Himself come to earth as a man.
Also, what Adam lost in the fall, Christ came to regain for mankind. Through the death of Christ, we can regain communion with God, spiritual life, and a perfect environment in which to live.
Here we are told that:
Christ (the last Adam) was made a “quickening spirit”. Adam could only possess life. Christ can give life.
Adam was set apart from animals by his “soul”. Christ was set apart from man being the spirit of the living God.
Adam’s body was formed from the earth, and as such, finds his origins in the earth. Christ, as God, finds His origins in heaven.
What a wonderful, special Lord we serve!
May the Lord bless each one of us as we “Think On These Things”.
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”.
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.”
The belief in the existence of ghosts is on the rise, and no wonder… in today’s world the subject of ghosts has flooded the TV screen. A few of the TV shows that have ghosts as a central theme are: “Ghost Whisperer”, “Ghost Hunters”, “Ghost Stories”, “Ghosts Lab”, “American Paranormal”, “A Haunting”, “Celebrity Ghost Stories”, “Being Human” the list goes on and on. One list I found said there are 50 shows currently on TV centering on ghosts. If you would like to see the list just click here: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110628172308AA4hkzC
With the existence of ghosts a major subject in today’s entertainment world, I thought it would be good to look at the truth about ghosts. The Word of God is the final authority on all issues of life here on earth and in the spirit world. Let’s take some time to examine the truth about ghosts.
THE SCRIPTURES:
Eph 6:10-12; Rom 8:38; 2 Cor 4:3-4; Acts 26:17-18; Mark 1:23-27; 1 Sam 28:11-20; 2 Cor 11:13-15; Mat 17:1-9;
THE STUDY:
In part #1 of our study we have seen that the Bible clearly tells us that the spirits of those who have died DO NOT return to earth and live among us. If this is the case, does this mean that the only living beings on earth are human, embodied beings? Absolutely not!
The Word of God tells us that there is a spirit realm that does exist on earth. This spirit realm includes Satan and others who oppose the things of God. Also, there are angels that exist to aid and protect God’s people.
First let’s look at those spirit beings that oppose the cause of Christ….
(Eph 6:10-12) - Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
(Rom 8:38) - For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(2Co 4:3-4) - But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
(Act 26:17-18) - 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.
(Job 1:7) - And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
(1 Peter 1:5) - Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
As we can see, it is obvious that Satan and other fallen angels are present among us seeking to hinder the Christian’s walk with Christ and keep blinded the eyes of the lost world.
Keep in mind angels are spirit beings (do not have fleshly bodies)…
(Heb 1:13-14) - But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?
(Psa 104:4) - Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:
(Job 4:15-21) Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up: It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying, Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker? Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly: How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth? They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it. Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.
Based on the above we can see that elect and fallen angels (including Satan himself) are spirits that are present on the earth with us. The existence and ministry of these beings explain many of the references to “angels”, “spirits”, “ghosts” and “demons” that we find in the Bible….
(Mat 14:24-27) - But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
(Luk 24:36-40) - And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
Note in the above references, the followers of Christ understand that spirit beings (fallen angels) do exist on the earth… Christ Himself affirms it by saying “for a spirit has not flesh and bones” . he did not say, “there is no such things as spirits on the earth.”
Here are a few other, among many, verses that speak of fallen angels being active among mankind on earth...
(Jdg 9:23) - Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:
(Mat 10:1) - And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
(Mar 1:23-27) - And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him. And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.
There are two events in the Bible that seem to teach that the spirits of dead men did appear to those still living on the earth…
(1Sa 28:11-20) - Then said the woman, Whom shall I bring up unto thee? And he said, Bring me up Samuel. And when the woman saw Samuel, she cried with a loud voice: and the woman spake to Saul, saying, Why hast thou deceived me? for thou art Saul. And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. And he said unto her, What form is he of? And she said, An old man cometh up; and he is covered with a mantle. And Saul perceived that it was Samuel, and he stooped with his face to the ground, and bowed himself. And Samuel said to Saul, Why hast thou disquieted me, to bring me up? And Saul answered, I am sore distressed; for the Philistines make war against me, and God is departed from me, and answereth me no more, neither by prophets, nor by dreams: therefore I have called thee, that thou mayest make known unto me what I shall do. Then said Samuel, Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy? And the LORD hath done to him, as he spake by me: for the LORD hath rent the kingdom out of thine hand, and given it to thy neighbour, even to David: Because thou obeyedst not the voice of the LORD, nor executedst his fierce wrath upon Amalek, therefore hath the LORD done this thing unto thee this day. Moreover the LORD will also deliver Israel with thee into the hand of the Philistines: and to morrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me: the LORD also shall deliver the host of Israel into the hand of the Philistines. Then Saul fell straightway all along on the earth, and was sore afraid, because of the words of Samuel: and there was no strength in him; for he had eaten no bread all the day, nor all the night.
Did Saul actually see Samuel or a demon masquerading as Samuel? To answer this question we should turn to ….
(2Co 11:13-15) - For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
Finally, the transfiguration of Christ is brought up as proof that spirits of dead men live among us…
(Mat 17:1-9) - And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.
The appearance of Moses and Elijah was a “vision” that Peter, James and John saw. The spirits of Moses and Elijah were not on earth in actuality… they were simply a part of a vision that helped Peter, James and John see:
1. the importance of the OT law and prophets
2. Christ was the fulfillment of the law and prophets (ie He was the True Messiah)
3. a glimpse into what eternity will be like for all who have trusted in Christ.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
For those who have trusted in Christ.
We must realize that those who have died do not return and live among mankind on earth. We should also understand that spirit beings do exist among us in the persons of elect and fallen angels (called spirits, demons, angels etc.) We are in a spiritual war and must be certain we are prepared on a daily basis wearing the armor of God that He has graciously given to us. (Eph 6:11-18)
For those who have never trusted in Christ.
There are spiritual powers that exist in this world that incredibly dangerous to man. To dabble in the spirit realm through channelers, Ouija boards, Satanism, Spiritism etc. is incredibly dangerous for Christian and non-Christian alike.
It is only through looking to the Lord Jesus Christ can we find protection and safety from the spiritual powers of darkness that are around us. Look to Christ for salvation, protection and eternal security in Him. (1 John 4:4)
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.
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.”
The belief in the existence of ghosts is on the rise, and no wonder… in today’s world the subject of ghosts has flooded the TV screen. A few of the TV shows that have ghosts as a central theme are: “Ghost Whisperer”, “Ghost Hunters”, “Ghost Stories”, “Ghosts Lab”, “American Paranormal”, “A Haunting”, “Celebrity Ghost Stories”, “Being Human” the list goes on and on. One list I found said there are 50 shows currently on TV centering on ghosts. If you would like to see the list just click here: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110628172308AA4hkzC
With the existence of ghosts a major subject in today’s entertainment world I thought it would be good to look at the truth about ghosts. The Word of God is the final authority on all issues of life here on earth and in the spirit world. Let’s take some time to examine the truth about ghosts.
THE SCRIPTURES:
Acts 7:58-60; Luke 23:39-43; 2 Cor 5:1-9; Phil 1:23-26; Psa 88:9-12; Eccl 9:10;
Heb 9:27-28; Luke 16:19-31; Luke 8:51-56;
THE STUDY:
To begin our study, it is very important to define what we mean by a “ghost”. “ A ghost”, for this study, refers to the disembodied spirit of a dead person that dwells among the living on earth. This is the definition we will be using for this study.
The Bible teaches us that once a person dies they immediately depart from this world:
(Act 7:58-60) And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.
(Luk 23:39-43) And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
(2Co 5:1-9) For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
(Php 1:23-26) For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.
This is why the Word makes it plain that once we are dead we can no longer praise the Lord or serve Him on earth…
(Psa 88:9-12) Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction: LORD, I have called daily upon thee, I have stretched out my hands unto thee. Wilt thou shew wonders to the dead? shall the dead arise and praise thee? Selah. Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction? Shall thy wonders be known in the dark? and thy righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?
(Ecc 9:10) Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
Also, the writer of Hebrews understands that, once we die there is no longer any opportunity to receive forgiveness of our sins…. We are given this warning to motivate us to be sure we have received forgiveness in this lifetime…
(Heb 9:27-28) And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
The account of the rich man and Lazarus gives us a clear understanding of what takes place following the death of both God’s people and those who have never been forgiven of their sins…
(Luk 16:19-31) There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
Notice in this account several interesting points:
Immediately upon death both saved and unsaved leave earth and enter the eternal state (saved into “Abraham’s bosom” – another name for God’s presence; unsaved into “hell” another name for eternal torment – or “prison” in 1Pet 3:19)
They are recipients of the justice of God based upon their deeds on earth during their lifetime. “he is comforted, and thou art tormented”
Their eternal state cannot be changed. There is a division between the two that cannot be spanned. “there is a great gulf fixed, so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.”
When there is a suggestion of sending one from the dead back to earth, it is assumed there would be a resurrection from the dead. There is no other option even discussed… “though one rose from the dead”. When Christ resurrected someone from the dead, their spirit re-entered their physical body, and then walked among men on earth…
(Luk 8:51-56) - And when he came into the house, he suffered no man to go in, save Peter, and James, and John, and the father and the mother of the maiden. And all wept, and bewailed her: but he said, Weep not; she is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn, knowing that she was dead. And he put them all out, and took her by the hand, and called, saying, Maid, arise. And her spirit came again, and she arose straightway: and he commanded to give her meat. And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done.
After studying all the above verses, it is quite obvious that the spirits of those who have died DO NOT return to the earth as disembodied spirits.
If this is the case, does this mean that the only living beings on earth are human embodied beings? Absolutely not!
In our next blog posting, we will examine what spirit beings exist among us and how they affect our lives…
PRACTICAL APPLICATION:
For those who have trusted in Christ.
Let’s be careful to not get “caught up” with the modern day “ghost fever” running rampant around us. Let’s always keep in mind, the final authority on the spirit world is our Lord and His Word. Keeping in mind that departed loved ones will not return to the earth as a spirit, helps us to understand the tremendous responsibility to be a witness to those around us before it is eternally too late. (Matt 9:36-38)
For those who have never trusted in Christ.
The Lord, the Creator of all things (including the spirits of men) has clearly told us in His Word that the dead do not return to earth and dwell among us as spirit beings. Knowing this should motivate us to seek the Lord while we yet have our physical life. Once, we are dead, we no longer have the opportunity to come to Christ, nor can we avoid eternal punishment by simply returning to the earth as spirits and dwelling among the living. (Jer 8:20)
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.”
