-------------------------<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> <19 October 2002> In this issue: ---------------- (1) <Devotional> "'Fact or fantasy?' Resurrection," (Pt-4/8)" - R.Zacharias (2) <Doctrinal> "Shall we meet our loved ones again?" (Pt-8/8) - D.L.Moody (3) <Doctrinal> "Three tenses of salvation" (Pt-3/3) - William MacDonald (4) <Prophetical> "The Redeemer's Return" (Pt-57)- A.W.Pink (1) <DEVOTIONAL> <SLICE-OF-INFINITY> THE LOSS OF HONOUR Ravi Zacharias "Even Unto Death" Resurrection, Part (4 of 8) Ravi Zacharias If you have ever studied the entertainment of various cultures at different times in history, you know it tells much about a culture and makes for a fascinating study. Of particular interest to me has been the entertainment of ancient Rome. Perhaps you have seen pictures from the ruins of the huge arenas built for a rather horrific form of entertainment. Under the leadership of dreadful emperors, the Romans brought in Christians to be torn into pieces by lions, while the stadium audience cheered in delight. I often wonder, what caused those who were brutally mangled to give up their lives? How could they have been so convinced of their beliefs, even to the point of death? We have been discussing the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the historical evidence for it. I would like to provide three more considerations in this regard. First, we must consider the utter transformation of the disciples from a terrified bunch of individuals who felt themselves betrayed into a fearless group willing to proclaim the message of Christ to Rome and the rest of the world. Indeed, they were willing to die in the arenas and elsewhere for the message of Jesus' resurrection, and it seems unlikely that they would have done so had they not encountered the risen Jesus. Second, had the Roman authorities wanted to eradicate Jesus' teaching once and for all, they would only have needed to present His dead body, but they could not. Please listen; there is something often missed here. If the disciples were fabricators of an ideal, they could have merely posited a spiritual resurrection. Instead, they spoke of an actual physical resurrection, which, if false, was an enormous risk to take should the body ever be detected. No, they believed in a literal resurrection because they had witnessed it. This is a very telling piece of evidence in light of the fact that Rome itself, once diametrically opposed to the gospel, was later won over to Jesus' message. Lastly, one other interesting factor to bring to our attention is from non-Christian sources. Even the Koran, which is hardly in favor of the Christian message, attests to Jesus' virgin birth and credits Him with the unique power to raise the dead, a most interesting notation often forgotten by the Muslims themselves. In conclusion, it was Jesus' victory over the grave that provided the grand impetus for the early church to tell the world that God had spoken and indeed, had done so in a dramatic and incontrovertible manner. Tomorrow we answer the question: So what? What if Jesus really did rise from the dead? What does it mean to me? Please join us. --- 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-8 OF 8) A STUDY OF 1 CORINTHIANS 15 D.L. Moody OUR HOPE .... That is our hope. We shall not sink into annihilation. Christ rose from the dead to give us a pledge of our own rising. The resurrection is the great antidote for death. Nothing else can take its place. Riches, genius, worldly pleasures or pursuits, none can bring us consolation in the dying hour. "All my possessions for a moment of time," cried Queen Elizabeth when dying. "I have provided in the course of my life for everything except death, and now, alas! I am to die unprepared" were the last words of Cardinal Borgia. Compare with these the last words of one of the early disciples: "I am weary. I will now go to sleep. Good night!" He had the sure hope of awaking in a brighter land. At the Battle of Inkerman a soldier was just able to crawl to his tent after he was struck down. When found, he was lying upon his face, his open Bible before him, his hand glued fast to the page by his life blood which covered it. When his hand was lifted, the letters of the printed page were clearly traced upon it; and with the ever-living promise in and on his hand, they laid him in a soldier's grave. The words were: "I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." I want a religion that can comfort even in death, that can unite me with my loved ones. Oh, what gloom and darkness would settle upon this world if it were not for the glorious doctrine of the resurrection! Thank God, the glorious morning will soon break. For a little while God asks us to be the watchtower, faithful to Him and waiting for the summons. Soon our Lord will come to receive His own, whether they be living or dead. [Concluded] _____________________________________________________________________ (3) <DOCTRINAL> "THREE TENSES OF SALVATION" (PART-3 OF 3) William MacDonald FUTURE TENSE Finally, there is the future aspect of salvation. When we meet the Savior face-to-face we shall be saved from sin's presence. Our bodies will be redeemed and glorified. The following verses describe the glorious-future consummation of our salvation. For now is our salvation nearer than when we believed (Rom. 13:11). But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for an helmet the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thess. 5:8, Unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation (Heb. 9:28). (You) who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Pet. 1:5). ALL THREE TENSES If you have difficulty fitting a verse into one of these classes, remember that it might be applicable to all three tenses. Here are a couple of examples: Thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins (Matt. 1:21). In him you also who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13 RSV). So in cases like these you don't have to choose, because they apply with equal force to all three phases of salvation. [Concluded] --- Copyright 1975 by William MacDonald _____________________________________________________________________ (4) <PROPHETICAL> "THE REDEEMER'S RETURN" (PART-57) THE RECOVERY AND REVIVAL OF THE BLESSED HOPE ITSELF Arthur W. Pink .... In Daniel 12:4, 9, 10 we read--"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased. ** And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the Time of the End. Many shall be purified, and made white and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand." 1 As we shall yet seek to show this prophecy is a composite one and its fulfillment is being manifested in many different directions. That to which we would now direct attention is the manner in which this prediction has been accomplished in connection with the Scriptures and particularly in regard to the modern interest and wide-spread study of Prophecy. As is well known, the book of Daniel is largely composed of prophecies, prophecies which refer frequently to the closing days of the Times of the Gentiles. The Scripture now before us makes known seven fats, namely--first, that the contents of Daniel's prophecies were to be "shut up" and "sealed;" second, that the book of Daniel should not remain a "sealed" book for ever; third, that at "the Time of the End" it should be unsealed, for it was to be "shut up" only "to" and "till" the Time of the End; fourth, that at the Time of the End there should be a "running to and fro," in other words, there should be a revival of interest in the prophetic word, an earnest inquiry and seeking for light; fifth, that as the result of this revival of interest in and study of the prophetic word "knowledge shall be increased;" sixth, as the consequence of this "increase of knowledge" many would be "purified, and made white, and tried;" seventh, that notwithstanding this, the wicked would "do wickedly" and none of them would "understand," thus are we told in this last item that the understanding of the Word of God is a matter of spiritual discernment and not a question of intellectual acumen: if it were the latter then the wicked might understand as readily as the righteous (compare Matt. 13:10-15). Let us briefly consider these seven points and note how remarkably they are verified in present-day conditions. Daniel was informed that the things he had seen and the communications which he had heard were not to be turned to use for the present. All was to be as a sealed book until a distant day, in fact would be "shut up" until the Time of the End. How accurately and literally this part of our prediction has been fulfilled may best be seen by reviewing the writings of theologians and commentators who lived prior to the last century. For the most part the prophecies of Daniel have been utterly neglected until recently, and where attempts were made to open up its contents the wildest theories were indulged and the most absurd interpretations were adopted. There was no spiritual understanding. The book was "shut up!" But the book of Daniel was not to be shut up for ever. God had some wise purpose in making these disclosures to His prophet, He had some good reason in making known to Daniel the trend and end of the various world empires. At the Time of the End the contents of the book of Daniel were to be opened and unsealed, for many would "run to and fro" and knowledge would be "increased." How plainly has this mark of the end been manifesting itself during the past century! Though, the masses still turn from prophecy as from a sealed book, yet what a stir and study has it awakened in many earnest minds! "Many" have turned to the word of prophecy (witness the great number of books now written on the subject) and given their most sedulous attention to the understanding of its contents. Particularly has this been the case with the book of Daniel itself. Large numbers of God's people have been moved to inquire concerning the things recorded therein and have spared no pains or cost to obtain a knowledge of them, and under the blessing of God and the guidance of His Spirit light upon this book is steadily increasing and its mysterious hieroglyphics are becoming clearer and plainer as the fulfillment of its predictions draws nearer. Expositors of this important book may differ in details but in the main they are agreed and their leading conclusions are the same. [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." Jn 8:32 _______________________________________________________