And why do we stand
in jeopardy every hour?
I affirm, by the
boasting in you
I have in Christ
Jesus our Lord,
I die daily.
If, in the manner of
men, I have fought
with the beasts at
Ephesus,
one advantage is it
to me?
If the dead do not
rise,
"Let us eat and
drink, for tomorrow we die!"
(Isaiah 22:13)
1 Corinthians 15:30
-- 32
These are
great questions: Why do we stand in jeopardy every hour? Why do we live with people condemning us for
our Christian religion? Why do we
expose ourselves to continual peril?
Why do we live our religious lives and have to face those who call us
foolish? Why? If Christianity was a foolish religion, and our profession to be
a Christian is nothing more than foolishness, then, we would be foolish! Yes, we would be foolish if there were no
hope proposed by the Bible for a life beyond this life and by that hope, have a
sure foundation, a foundation cannot be denied; unless a person just simply
wants to deny facts. Paul has
previously explained to us and to the Corinthian church the fact of the
resurrection of Jesus Christ was witnessed by more than 500 people and that he
himself personally called to be an apostle by Jesus Christ. There were still alive some of those who had
seen and witnessed the ascension of Jesus Christ after His death and
resurrection. And if this was not true
they would have written, and spoken, and adamantly denied what Paul had now
spoken about in regards to His resurrection and by that fact condemn His children and the sure hope of their resurrection.
Due to this fact, the resurrection, and it's assurance as being a true fact, not one such
as some do to muster up a supposed fact that has no foundation, this fact
does have a sure foundation! Therefore, while we must, and those who
are, in trials, tribulations, and persecution, even death, can do so because we
have this factual assurance. Jesus
Christ rose from the dead, Christians will rise from the dead on the last day
when Jesus Christ comes to destroy this sinful world and bring His bride with
Him to heaven. Yes, this requires all
men, women, and children, who have converted to the Lord Jesus Christ to face
and endure all evils, and if the resurrection wasn't an assured fact, then they
would do this without any future prospect.
Do we really think that Paul, a learned man, a Pharisee, would endure
all that he had to endure if he did not have this assurance of the resurrected
Jesus Christ? Here it is the crux of
the matter: whether or not you believe the Bible is the actual inspired word of
God! Your opinion, your belief, your
view of the Bible determines whether or not you are just hoping to be
resurrected, or fully assured that you will be. Why would you suffer if this was not true, if the Bible was not
fully the inspired word of God? I've
heard so many people say to me: "The Bible was written over such a long
time and by so many men, how could it be completely inspired, every
word?" Great question: problem:
yes, the Bible was written over several thousand years, and by some 40 men, and
when examined, critically studied, what is found is that the Bible is
incomplete harmony throughout the ages in which it was written and that every
promise of God with the exception of those that are yet to occur have
completely been fulfilled. So when Paul
is speaking about the resurrection having an assurance we to have that
assurance that the children of God will resurrected on the last day when Jesus
Christ come so that we can endure what ever consequence do our faith happens to
us. We are not to be as those who said:
"Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!"(Isaiah 22:13). The
rapture is coming, but not as some people teach that it is coming, the rapture
only comes when Jesus Christ comes to destroy this world and bring all of his
children both dead and alive back to heaven with Him. Don't sit around and wait!
Don't sit around and hope! Get
up! Stand for your faith no matter what
the cost: be obedient and leave the consequences to God! Our boast as it was with Paul is in Jesus
Christ, His resurrection, his ascension, and His intercession for all of those to
whom God the father gave Him, is the same.
We may not have to face all that Paul had to face, that is death each
and every day as was happening to some Christians in some localities at his
time to die for their faith. But we do
have to live in expectation of our death!
But we do not live in melancholy because we have to face death, that we
have to face great difficulties, and to face fierce enemies, for we have the
assured hope that we will live for ever with Jesus Christ in heaven. Legally you are in heaven now! So then, why are we not living as what we
are legally? Think about this: could
anything be better, could anything drive is to be the witness for Jesus Christ
that we are called to be, His ambassadors, bringing the Gospel to this
world? To have the sheer hope of a
better life after death and are only cost is to be abandoned to him and to love
him and this life as we will in the life hereafter. No matter what we face, what might be considered the cost,
that is only pennies, for our debt of sin has been paid and our Savior awaits
the day to bring us all home with Him.
It is our fidelity to God that is most important and that our fruit is a
fruit of holiness that our hope is in everlasting life. Praise God we are not orphans without hope!
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD,
my soul
shall be joyful in my God;
for He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He has
covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments,
as a bride
adorns herself with her jewels.
Isaiah
61: 10
May the righteousness of God shine in you
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