The resurrection

By The Standard | Oct. 7, 2015

John 11 vs 24,Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

OPEN HEAVENS with Bishop Colin Nyathi

John 5 vs 28-29,28 “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice…” “And come forth — those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”

1 Corinthians 15 vs 3-8,For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, Some erroneous views about the resurrection.

Upon this doctrine rests the credibility of the entire gospel of Christ, as Paul clearly states in (1 Corinthians 15). Concede the fact of the resurrection, and you concede the truth of the entire gospel, foundation and all.Concede that perhaps after all there is no such thing as the bodily resurrection and you concede that, after all, the Bible may be only a system of fraudulent claims. Let us note a few of these errors.

That there is no resurrection

Matthew 22 vs 23, The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him… This view was held by the Sadducees, but Christ quickly silenced them. Luke 20 vs 27-39, 27, Then some of the Sadducees, who deny that there is a resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, saying: “Teacher, Moses wrote to us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife, and he dies without children, his brother should take his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. “Now there were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and died without children. “And the second took her as wife, and he died childless.

“Then the third took her, and in like manner the seven also; and they left no children, and died. “Last of all the woman died also. “Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife does she become? For all seven had her as wife.

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“And Jesus answered and said to them, “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. “But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage. “Nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. “But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.

“For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.” Then some of the scribes answered and said, “Teacher, You have spoken well.”

Paul also proves conclusively…1 Corinthians 15 vs 12-20, 12, Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen.

And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15, Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up — if in fact the dead do not rise. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19, If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. If this whole doctrine is abandoned, the whole realm of Christian doctrine falls to the ground.

“That the resurrection is past already.”

2 Timothy 2 vs 18: “… who have strayed concerning the truth, saying that the resurrection is already past; and they overthrow the faith of some.’

Paul encountered this heresy, mentioning Philestus and Hymenaeus, and declared that this heresy ate into the vitals of people’s faith as cancer does into the vitals of the physical body.Paul denounced this heresy as the chosen one to proclaim His word among Jews and Gentiles. Acts 9 vs 15, But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.” This heresy was also in direct contradiction to the following scriptures:-

John 5 vs 28-29, 28, “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice, 29, “and come forth–those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”

1Corinthians 15 vs 51-52, 51, Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed– 52, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

1Thessalonians 4 vs 16,For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

Also many other scriptures referring directly to the bodily resurrection.

That the body of Christ was not raised from the grave

Then why did not Peter and John discover His corpse when they explored the grave?

John 20 vs 6-8, 6, Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, 7, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.

People who deny the bodily resurrection of Jesus fall in the class of these crooks mentioned in Matthew 28 vs 11-15.

Matthew 28 vs 11-15, 11, Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers saying: “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.” And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.” So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

Summary of resurrection teachings.

There was a bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave. Acts 1 vs 3,“… to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God”.

There is a spiritual resurrection for all penitent believers.Romans 6 vs 3-6, 3, Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.5, For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

1Corinthians 12 vs 13, For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free–and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.

Colossians 3 vs 1-3: “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.2, Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

“For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. It is a fact that all unsaved souls are ‘dead in trespass and sins.” Ephesians 2 vs 1,And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins…

That their souls are “quickened” when they hear “the voice of the son of God.” John 5 vs 25: “Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.”

And that all such as come to “newness of life” are risen with Christ.”

Colossians 3 vs 1,If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.

Why not call this spiritual resurrection, just as rising from the grave is called a bodily resurrection. There will be a bodily resurrection of both the just and the unjust.

John 5 vs 28-29, 28, “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice, and come forth–those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”

Revelation 20 vs 13, The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.

No matter how death was brought about or what disposition had been made of the body, all will be called forth, and all will receive “a just recompense of reward” whether good or bad. Hebrews 2 vs 2, For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward,

What the resurrection will mean

“The resurrection of Life” — to the righteous, the resurrection will mean: “the resurrection of life.”

1 Corinthians 15 vs 51-54, 51, Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed — in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

To those who are alive at the coming of our Lord the event will

appear on this wise.1 Thessalonians 4 vs 16-17, 16, For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.17, Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15 vs 42-43,42, So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption.43, It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power.

“The Resurrection of Damnation.”Daniel says that when the wicked will awake it will be to “shame and everlasting contempt.”

Daniel 12 vs 2, And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Let the sinner hear this voice

John 5 vs 25: “Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.” The nature of the resurrection is accurately described by Paul.

1 Corinthians 15 vs 35-38, 35, But someone will say, “How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?” Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies. And what you sow, you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain — perhaps wheat or some other grain. But God gives it a body as He pleases, and to each seed its own body.

As the grain of corn goes down into the ground and by the power of God a new plant comes forth, so the dead body is lowered, returns to dust, and at the coming resurrection will be called forth at the trumpet call of God.And John says at that time we shall be like Him.

1 John 3 vs 2, “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”

●Bishop Colin Nyathi is a Senior Pastor and Founder of Harvest House International Churches