Thursday: The Living and the Dead
Before raising His friend Lazarus from the tomb, Jesus uttered these words: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live” (John 11:25, NKJV).
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Rather, though, than just asking people to take His word about such an incredible claim, He then proceeded to raise Lazarus from death, who had been dead long enough for the corpse to start stinking (John 11:39) .
Those who believe in Jesus do, indeed, die. However, as Jesus said, though they may die, they will live again. This is what the resurrection of the dead is all about. And this is what makes the second coming of Jesus so central to all our hopes.
According to these texts, what happens to the dead in Christ when Jesus returns? Rom. 6:5; 1 Thess. 4:16; 1 Cor. 15:42-44, 1 Cor. 15:53-55.
The great hope of the Second Coming is that the resurrection from the dead that Jesus Himself experienced will be what His faithful followers of all the ages will experience, as well. In His resurrection they have the hope and assurance of their own.
What happens to those who are alive when Jesus returns? Phil. 3:21, 1 Thess. 4:17.
The faithful ones alive when Jesus returns will retain a physical body, but not in its present state. It will be supernaturally transformed into the same kind of incorruptible body that the ones raised from dead will have, as well. “The living righteous are changed ‘in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.’ At the voice of God they were glorified; now they are made immortal and with the risen saints are caught up to meet their Lord in the air”. — Ellen G. White, The Great controversy , p. 645.
| Make a list of all the things of this world that are so important to you that you would rather sacrifice eternal life in order to retain them now. What’s on the list? |
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Immortality - The ability to live forever or eternal life
Only used five times in the entire Bible (NIV)
Four of the five times immortality is something humanity will be given at the second coming of Jesus
In the way of righteousness there is life;
along that path is immortality.
Life and immortality is found in the way of righteousness.
How can we have a righteousness which exceeds the righteousness of the Pharisees? In Christ we have perfect righteousness.
Jesus: I am the fulfillment of the law. I am the perfect righteousness. I am the eternal life and the immortality of the fallen humanity.
Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.
God is willing to give us this immortality.
If I believe in eternity and am also rational, I'd have nothing more important than this! What is this short life considering the infinite?
The point is "do my actions really prove that"? Where am I really investing my feelings, my heart? Do I relate a lot about Christ to wish seeing Him in person? Or is this only a love story, nice to hear and tell, but just a fantasy?
Is Jesus real in my heart and mind?
JC, your comment really hit home with me. Eleven years ago I was told I had cancer. The very first thought I had was what is my relationship with the Lord? Have I been playing like I'm a Christian on the outside and fooling myself on the inside? I still struggle with this conflict in my mind. I would greatly appreciate prayers for a new heart.
Connie, I don't think you are lonely in this struggle! This could be everyone's. We cannot run from ourselves and sooner or later we have to recognise our most powerful enemy! It requires courage, responsibility and decision! God works in wonderful ways once we decide to be what we are supposed to. And as fragil as we are, with Christ on our side we can be made new. Believe it! But one day at a time!
Re-read what William wrote 'yesterday'!
Being diagnosed with cancer has a polarizing effect on focus. Some (like my dad) turn in on themselves and become bitter, blaming everyone for the shortcomings of their lives. But for others, it is an opportunity for reflective change on what matters most in life: relationship with family, friends and all the other interactions that give life value and meaning. The closer death is, the more intense the focus.
When Jesus faced eminent abandonment, torture and agonizing death, his words to those close to him were "Don't let your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me." This is the heart of God: he knows our every weakness, yet he loves us. He touches each heart with comfort and loving kindness because he knows what it is like to stare death in the face.
Your questions are thought provoking and very reflective. Myself as others who are looking for the blessed hope are only fooling ourselves. I love to use practical explanations- If we truly love God, we would be doing more to spread this love. I realized my zeal has zapped and my excitement to see Christ soon has been quenched. Going church and been involved is not pleasurable, it's like doing chores. Though I say it and share it at every given opportunity that we have to be connected filled with the Holy Ghost; I myself is devoid of Him. During the Christmas holidays when I'm going to see my family I'm so excited, I'm announcing to everyone. I'm getting new stuff, getting extra food and I'm so excited but the announcement of Christ coming is flickering. We don't preach with zeal and longing and great anticipation anymore. Love is lacking and I spend more time with TV or church work than conversing with God. I know and recognized my situation, yet I'm still grappling in my stupor. We/I at times experiences a flood of joy and a song or two may make us/me feel good about myself that I/we are on our way to heaven but then my actions condemns me.
Are we truly longing for home? Are we truly ready for Jesus to come? My fellow brethren I learn so much from here and share with my fellow brethren but where's that flame of living fire that shone so bright...? I want to be so ein love with Jesus again that my constant thought is of Him and doing His bidding with the right mindset and not just a "fire escape christian" or a Pharisee. Lets pray for each other and pray for me to be baptized by the Holy Spirit and to find my love and zeal again. God bless you all
Nikki, study and believe the word of God. That alone will make the things of earth grow strangely dim and bring heaven near. Why? Because it's all about Jesus, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of "whosoever believes in Him. We don't need to "feel" anything, but only need to believe the promises regardless of feelings, and become acquainted with Him. This will bring peace to any soul(Isa 26:3, Job 22:21).
If anything gets in the way of this, remove it. This is what Jesus meant by cutting off an offending hand or plucking out an offending eye. Any obstacle allowed to remain will eventually become immovable.
As Jesus taught while on this earth: "Repent and believe the gospel".
Nothing wrong with the prayers, but without our actions of faith, they will avail nothing.
I cannot think of any thing I cherish more than eternal life. To meet Him in the air wheither rising from the grave immortal or transformed to immotality and being caught up in the air, does not matter. What matters is we sacrifice worldly enjoyments for eternal enjoyments(helping others). There are many to save yet, but even so Lord Jesus come quickly. Revelation 22:20.
When we experience God's peace "Now," we are experiencing something of eternal life "Now!" Philippians 4:6,7
The Bible verses here on the change to take place at Jesus' return to earth as promised, to take the faithful with Him to where His Father is, are all referring to a physical change. This will only happen to those who's hearts have already be changed prior to that day. Those who will be given glorified, immortal bodies, will already be cleansed of sin, following the Lamb in all they do and say. They will have repented before hand, and their entire sinful past cleansed from the sanctuary above by our Faithful High Priest prior to the close of probation for sinners, before He returns as promised as the King of Kings.
Some have taught and believed that at Jesus' coming, they will be cleansed of any sin still remaining, yet this is not a Bible teaching. All the promises are for "him that overcomes".
While the promise of an immortal body are precious, greater still is the promise of a new heart and thorough cleansing from all that is ungodly in our lives. We may enjoy that perfect peace promised by simply repenting and believing the Gospel.
Connie I have prayed for you & will continue to pray. I know you may know all the right scripture so I have none to give. What I will say Connie let go! Let Connie go! & let Christ take full control of your mind, body & soul. Nine years ago I was right where you are in my thoughts (my husband died suddenly) his death did not create a financial burden because I was the one who brought the bigger cheese home so that did not play any part in my feelings. The reality that I was nothing & that life totally depends on God & my relationship with him hit me like a ton of bricks. This forced me to let go & to become dependent on him. This included the wiliness to die if it is his will. Today I still don’t feel Holy! Or worthy but thanks be to God I feel free .I am no longer burden by the cares of the world or what I have or not, or what other say or even do to me. You can step on me & I now have the strength to brush it off without even bothering to point it out to you ( in the name of peace). All this I can now do without breaking a sweat because I let go & allow God to rain in my soul. I may not always like everything in my path but I learn to thrust him even when the path affect me negatively. I strongly believe he has a plan & eventually all will be well. I am living a happy life because I have a focus & a goal in mind (eternal life) .I want to in the first resurrection. May God grant you strength.