-------------------------<BrethrenVoice>------------------------- [which seeks to be guided solely by the NT Biblical pattern, facilitates free flow of Christian info. To God be the glory!] [eMail Moderator: brethrenvoice-owner@...] [<GLEANINGS-FOR-THE-DAY> Archives/Read online: http://associate.com/digests/brethrenvoice/ezmlm.cgi] <GLEANINGS-FOR-THE-DAY> <18 October 2002> In this issue: ---------------- (1) <Devotional> "'Fact or fantasy?' Resurrection," (Pt-3/8)" - R.Zacharias (2) <Doctrinal> "Shall we meet our loved ones again?" (Pt-7/8) - D.L.Moody (3) <Doctrinal> "Three tenses of salvation" (Pt-2/3) - William MacDonald (4) <Prophetical> "The Redeemer's Return" (Pt-56)- A.W.Pink (1) <DEVOTIONAL> <SLICE-OF-INFINITY> "'FACT OR FANTASY?' RESURRECTION," (PART 3 OF 8) Ravi Zacharias Can a rational person believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead? We have considered what a noted philosopher has to say; what about a theologian? Unfortunately, some theologians play by the same rules as the rest of the academy. Thus, Rudolf Bultmann, one of the most influential theologians of this century, rejected the resurrection at face value due to naturalistic assumptions. Commenting on this very dubious prejudice, Professor Jon MacQuarrie has said, "The one valid way in which we can ascertain whether a certain event took place or not is not by bringing in some sweeping assumption to show that it could not have taken place, but to consider the historical evidence available, and decide on that." That is good advice: What does the historical evidence have to say? Well, the New Testament is easily the best attested ancient writing in terms of the sheer number of documents, the time span between the events recorded and the document, and the variety of documents available to sustain or contradict it. There is nothing in ancient manuscript evidence to match such textual availability and integrity. As the noted scholar Giza Vermes has said, "It should not be beyond the capabilities of an educated person to sit down and with a mind empty of prejudice read the [Gospels] as though for the first time." When an honest reader considers the affirmations that are made and the substantiations provided, at least six deductions ensue. Let us look at the first three. The first is that Jesus Himself spoke of His resurrection on repeated occasions, and both his followers and his enemies were told to expect it. Indeed, those who sought to smother his teaching took elaborate steps to counter the possibility of His claim, including the placement of a Roman guard at the door to the tomb. Second, although his supporters basically understood His promise to rise from the dead and had even witnessed his raising of Lazarus, they did not really believe that He meant it literally until after the fact. Therefore, they could not be accused of creating the scenario for this deception. Third, it was the post-resurrection appearances that made the ultimate difference to the skeptical mind of Thomas and the resistant will of Paul, and ultimately transformed the entire group of disciples. We will consider more of the historical evidence before we come to our conclusion. But what a thrilling truth this is. Please join me again, my friend, as we look even further. --- Copyright (p)(c) 2001 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. A Slice of Infinity is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. _______________________________________________________________________ (2) <DOCTRINAL> SHALL WE MEET OUR LOVED ONES AGAIN? (PART-7 OF 8) A STUDY OF 1 CORINTHIANS 15 D.L. Moody .... "HOW ARE THE DEAD RAISED? AND WITH WHAT BODY DO THEY COME?" Turning back to the chapter, we find that Paul next deals with the question of how the dead can be raised and with what body they come. He says, "Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: 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: But God" -- and all things are possible with God -- "giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. 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. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 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." "So also," continues Paul, "is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual The first man is of the earth, earthy. the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. " We see the truth of Paul's illustration in the world around us. The analogy of nature does not indeed furnish a proof of the resurrection, but it affords illustrations of many things that are just as hard to explain-- yet we do not deny the facts. Take a little black flower seed and sow it. After it has been planted some time, dig it up. If it is whole, you know that it has no life; but if it has begun to decay, you know that life and fruitfulness will follow. There will be a resurrected life, and out of that little black seed will come a beautiful fragrant flower. Here is a disgusting grub, crawling along the ground. By and by old age overtakes it, and it begins to spin its own shroud, to make its own sepulchre, and it lies as if in death. Look again, it has shuffled off its shroud, it has burst its sepulchre open, and it comes forth a beautiful butterfly, with different form and habits. So with our bodies. They die, but God will give us glorified bodies in their stead. This is the law of the new creation as well as of the old: light after darkness; life after death; fruitfulness and glory after corruption and decay. Thank God, we are to gain by death. We are to have something that death cannot touch. When this earthly body is raised, all the present imperfection will be gone. Jacob will leave his lameness. Paul will have no thorn in the flesh. We shall enter a life that deserves the name of life, happy, glorious, everlasting -- the body once more united to the soul, no longer mortal, subject to pain and disease and death, but glorified, incorruptible, "fashioned like unto his glorious body," everything that hinders the spiritual life left behind. We are exiles now, but then we who are faithful shall stand before the throne of God, joint heirs with Christ, kings and priests, citizens of that heavenly country. A bright young girl of fifteen was suddenly cast upon a bed of suffering, completely paralyzed on one side, and nearly blind. She heard the family doctor say to her parents as they stood by the bedside, "She has seen her best days, poor child!" No, doctor," she exclaimed, "my best days are yet to come, when I shall see the King in His beauty." [To be concluded] _____________________________________________________________________ (3) <DOCTRINAL> "THREE TENSES OF SALVATION" (PART-2 OF 3) William MacDonald PAST TENSE Here are some verses which speak primarily of salvation from the penalty of sin: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God (Eph. 2:8 RSV). (God) who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling (2 Tim. 1:9). Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost (Tit. 3:5). Note: In these three examples the word "saved" is in the past tense. However, there are other verses which speak of our deliverance from the penalty of sin where the verb is not in the past tense. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved (Acts 4:12). That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved (Rom. 10:9). So you must decide by the contents of the verse rather than by the tense of the verb whether the past tense of salvation is meant. If the subject is the once-for-all deliverance from the condemnation of sin, then you know it is the past tense of salvation. PRESENT TENSE Although it is true that I have been saved, it is equally true that I am being saved day by day. I have been saved from damnation; I am being saved from damage. I have been saved from the penalty of sin; I am being saved from the power of sin. I have been saved through the finished work of Christ on the Cross; I am being saved through His life and ministry for me at the right hand of God. That is what is meant, for example, in Romans 5:10: For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life. The present tense of salvation is much the same as sanctification-the process of being separated to God from sin and defilement. It is this salvation as a continuing process that we read about in Hebrews 7:25: Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. [To be concluded] --- Copyright 1975 by William MacDonald _____________________________________________________________________ (4) <PROPHETICAL> "THE REDEEMER'S RETURN" (PART-56) THE SIGNS OF THE REDEEMER'S RETURN (2/2) Arthur W. Pink .... As we study the Old Testament Scriptures we discover that a number of "Signs" were given to herald the first advent of Christ. There were conditions to be realized and certain events which would come to pass, and as these conditions were met and as these events occurred those who "looked for redemption in Jerusalem" (Luke 2:38) saw in these things so many intimations of the approach of Messiah's advent and His public manifestation. The Scriptures of Israel revealed the fact that the Redeemer would be born in Bethlehem of Judea (Micah 5:2); they foretold that He should be a lineal descendant of David and therefore of the Tribe of Judah (Ps. 132:11); they announced that a forerunner should go before Him make straight His way (Isaiah 40:3); they went so far as to set forth the approximate date of His appearing, namely, before the scepter had departed from Judah (Gen. 49:10), while the Temple was yet standing (Mal. 3:1), and sometime before the sixty-ninth week of Daniel had run its course (Dan. 9:24-27). In like manner, the New Testament Scriptures also record certain "Signs" in connection with our Lord's second coming to the earth. We say "to the earth," for let it be distinctly understood that Scripture interposes nothing whatever between the present hour and the coming of Christ for His saints, when He descends into the air and catches them up to Himself. All the "Signs" recorded in the Word of God have to do with His return to the earth. But as there will be only a comparatively short interval between the two stages in the second coming of Christ, the Signs which proclaim the one announce the other. If the fulfillment of certain inspired predictions declare that the return of Christ to the earth is near at hand, then His descent to the air is so much nearer still. If we know that the end of the Age itself is now almost reached, then it is doubly certain that the rapture of the saints may occur at any hour. Yet, we repeat, the various Signs to which we shall call our readers' attention have to do with our Lord's return to the earth. We repeat this for the sake of warning, for as another has said, the business of the Christian is not to be looking for signs but listening for a Shout (Haldeman). Yet, while we ought not to be looking for signs we may look at them (W. Scott). As we have said, the Old testament Scriptures foretold certain things concerning the Lord when He should appear: fore-announced Signs were to characterize the times of His advent. But the Jews failed to discern these Signs and the Saviour reproached them for their failure. Said He, "When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the Signs of the Times?" (Matt. 16:2, 3). The reason why the Pharisees and Sadducees were blind to the significance of the things which were then transpiring before their eyes, was that they were ignorant of the contents of that Book in which these Signs were recorded. This is clear from the words of our Lord on many occasions--"Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures" ( Matt. 22:29). The reason why they were ignorant of the contents and real meaning of the Scriptures was because they had substituted their own "tradition" for the Word of God (Mark 7:13). And history has repeated itself! We are living in a day when the vast majority of people are unable to "discern the Signs of the Times," when our religious leaders "err, not knowing the Scriptures" because they are following their own "tradition" rather than the Word of God. The Lord Jesus rebuked the Pharisees and Sadducees because they could "discern the face of the sky" but would not take the necessary pains to "discern the Signs of the Times." Then let us beware lest we fall through the same example of unbelief. Let us approach the Scriptures reverently and prayerfully, seeking to discover our position on the calendar of prophecy and thus be prepared for the solemn yet blessed events now so near at hand. While it is true that the great majority of the Jews who lived during the days of our Lord's first advent failed to discern the Signs of the Times and in consequence did not profit by the announcements of their prophets, nevertheless, there were a few who were "waiting for the Consolation of Israel" (Luke 2:25), And so it is now. By the grace of God, there is a remnant today who are reading the Signs of the Times in the light cast by the prophetic Word. At some of these Signs we shall now look. [To be concluded] _____________________<BrethrenVoice>_____________________ Subscribe, eMail:<brethrenvoice-subscribe@...> Unsubscribe, eMail:<brethrenvoice-unsubscribe@...> FAQs/Faith Statement, eMail: <brethrenvoice-faq@...> <BrethrenVoice> Home: http://associate.com/digests/brethrenvoice/ <eFellowship> Home: http://groups.msn.com/BrethrenChristiansForum/ "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith." 2 Cor 13:5 "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." 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