Author: hillturnfs

The three persons of the Trinity were all involved in creating the universe. Likewise, all three members of the triune Godhead, Father, Son and Holy Ghost, are heavily involved in God’s salvation plan for man. The entire Bible is all about God’s redemption plan for us through his Son Jesus Christ. It’s the key to everything in life. God the Father designed the salvation plan for us before he laid the foundation of the world because God knows everything that will happen. God doesn’t create anyone with the intent of sending them to hell but he does have the foreknowledge to know who will accept his grace unto salvation and eternal life in heaven and who will not. God knows beforehand who he will call and who he will choose. God has planned every detail of his creation and how things will play out. With God there are no surprises.

John 6:44 – (Jesus speaking) – No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

Matthew 20:16 – (Jesus speaking) – So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen.

Romans 9:11 – For the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls.

Ephesians 1:4-5 – Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.

1 Corinthians 2:9 – God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

God came down from heaven in the incarnation of Jesus Christ to execute his Father’s salvation plan by establishing an eternal blood covenant by the shedding of his blood on the cross for our sins. Because of his sacrificial death Jesus is the heir of all things, so that God the Father is glorified.

John 3:16 – (Jesus speaking) – For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Luke 24:46 – (Jesus speaking) – Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4 – For I delivered to you first of all that which I received; that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.

1 Peter 1:20-21 – (about Jesus) – He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

The Holy Spirit of God came to earth at Pentecost to indwell all believers as our Helper. The Holy Spirit’s job is to share God’s spiritual truths with us, to convict sinners of their sins and make them aware of their need for repentance, and to save all believers unto eternal life by the grace of our heavenly Father.

Romans 1:16 – For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also the Greek (Gentile).

John 16:7-8 – (Jesus speaking) – Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.

Titus 3:5-6 – Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior.

2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 -But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

All men who came after Adam’s fall from grace are born with a sin nature and are therefore condemned to hell at birth. No amount of good works will reverse that curse. In our own weakness, we cannot keep from sinning all the days of our life. We are fallen creatures in a fallen world controlled by Satan, who tempts us constantly. We have one thing in our favor. The God who made us loves us dearly and in his love, mercy and grace he has established a method to achieve our salvation and restore our lost fellowship with the Father. God is holy and sin cannot enter where he dwells so in order for us to live in heaven our sins against God must be forgiven.

Hebrews 9:22 – And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.

Jonah 2:9 – But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.

Hebrews 5:9 – And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.

Acts 4:12 – Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

1 Thessalonians 5:9 – For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Whenever I study God’s salvation plan for man one word keeps popping up in my mind, “perfect”. No human being could conceive of such a plan; but only the mind of God. To me this is just another proof of God. The Bible says the wages of sin is death. This is a spiritual law of God that cannot be broken. The salvation of God is always by the shedding of innocent blood (without blemish or sin). According to Hebrews 9:22, this is also an unbreakable law of God. To save man the blood sacrifice had to be a man who was without sin (spotless) before God. No such person has ever existed after Adam fell because all men after Adam have sinned.

The only sinless person is God. To meet God’s justice and and also God’s criteria for our salvation God himself had to come off his throne and come to earth in the incarnation of Jesus Christ, as wholly man and wholly God. Jesus died on the cross in our place so that God could forgive our sins. God’s work of salvation was completed on the cross but the application of God’s grace is only through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. A sinner’s expression of faith is always followed by God’s grace unto eternal life. We have God’s promise and God cannot lie.

Ephesians 2:8-9 – For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Titus 2:11 – For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.

Romans 5:1-2 – Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Hebrews 11:6 – But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who come to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

1 Corinthians 1:3 – Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Salvation is not something you “do” or something you “get”. Salvation is something done “for you” or something done “to you”. Can you remember a movie with a jungle scene where the actor walks off into some quicksand. The guy is stuck and starts to sink lower and lower the more he tries to get out. He has nothing solid to push against so he has no leverage and can’t push his way out. He can’t reach anything outside the quicksand to pull himself out. It’s only a matter of time before his head sinks below the quicksand and he’s a goner. The only thing that’ll help him now is salvation. Someone other than himself must recognize his danger, be able to assist him and be willing to provide the help. The analogy of quicksand gives us a good picture of salvation. Other word pictures of salvation would be a drowning man needing a lifeguard and a man needing a doctor for a lifesaving operation. You get the idea. Salvation comes from something outside of ourselves.

Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

Hebrews 7:25 – Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

1 Timothy 2:3-4 – For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Psalm 35:9 – And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; it shall rejoice in His salvation.

Jeremiah 29:13 – And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

God has put eternity in the hearts of men so we’ll seek him out. We may have lived at different times and in different places but our search is the same. We all seek a higher authority than ourselves. We seek God. Every religion says their god is the right one but none of them have any proof to back it up save one. Only Christianity has a body of proof that is irrefutable. There can be only one God and Jehovah is his name. There can be only one way to God and that is by faith in Jesus. The problem is not enough people take the time to look for the right answers. Anyone who reads the Holy Bible with an open mind will find the answers they seek. They’ll find God in its pages.

They’ll also find hell in the pages of the Bible when they realize God is real and without Christ their immortal soul is in danger of going to hell forever. Every believer in God reaches that moment of realization and commitment. All their lives unbelievers have thrashed about in spiritual quicksand without even realizing they’re stuck. When they suddenly learn the truth of God the unbeliever knows they need help from the outside to save them. They need the salvation of God. The wise will turn to God for their salvation but the fool will say to himself, there is no god or I can save myself. They will feel the wrath of God on the last day. They will end up in hell forever.

2 Peter 3:9 – The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Jude 24-25 – Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to God our Savior, who alone is wise, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and forever. Amen.

Jeremiah 31:3 – The Lord has appeared of old to me, saying, “Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you.”

1 Chronicles 22:19 – Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God.

The person stuck in the quicksand is actually very lucky if he sees his peril in time and takes the right course of action. Knowing you’re in danger is half the battle. He was made by the one true God, Jehovah, and as a child of the Most High God he is loved by the Father. A mother can be in a deep sleep but when her baby cries out she is instantly awake. She knows the sound of her baby among all the other crying babies. She can pick her baby out in the dark. God is the same way. God never takes his eyes off his children all the days of their lives. God is always nearby and hears when his children cry out to him for salvation. God knows you’re in danger of eternal death and he is waiting for you to return home to his loving arms. The Bible story about the prodigal son is really about the father’s enduring love for his son. This story should be called, “the loving father.” The prodigal son is our story too because it draws attention to our Father’s everlasting love for us no matter how much we sin. This is a Bible story but it’s also an example for us to follow. God is telling us no matter what happens we can always return home to him because he’ll waiting up for us with the light on.

Isaiah 43:13 – Indeed before the day was, I am He; and there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?

Isaiah 43:11 – I, even I, am the Lord, and besides Me there is no Savior.

Isaiah 45:5 – I am the Lord, and there is no other; there is no God besides Me.

Isaiah 45:22 – Look to Me and be saved, all you ends of the earth!

God has been waiting expectantly for us to return home, to call out to him. God is our strength and salvation. God is the only one able to save us and he is willing. Our salvation is through faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Jesus saves! Only the hand of Jesus can reach out to us from solid ground and pull us out of the quicksand. Only Jesus can throw a rope to us while we’re in the quicksand and pull us out of the fires of hell. God made man with the free will to choose whom to serve, God or Satan. God has one rule when he sees us in the quicksand of life. God won’t help us unless we ask him for help. God will abide by our choice no matter how much it hurts him.

I was always amazed that one little bitty sin could cause God to sentence someone to the lake of fire and brimstone for a billion trillion years, and the rest. It has always sounded a bit severe to my way of thinking. Let’s say you’re twelve years old and you go in a store and steal a candy bar. You’re old enough to know better and one of God’s commandments is, “You shall not steal.” You’ve sinned against God. Are we saying that one little sin of yours, if not addressed, could potentially cause the human race to become extinct and the earth destroyed so it becomes a lifeless rock orbiting the sun. Theoretically, absolutely, yes it could. Let me explain.

When God made the universe he established all the physical and spiritual parameters by which everything must function or operate. God is good, perfect and all-knowing so what God created was also good and perfect. Whatever God commands to happen becomes the law of God. The New Testament was first written in Greek and sin was referred to as “parabasis”, which means, “to overstep a forbidden line.” Sin occurs when man deliberately of accidentally steps over the line or boundary of God’s perfect law.

Why is it that one little sin is so bad? Sin is anything, no matter how small, that intrudes or impinges on God’s perfect creation and causes it be be corrupted. Corruption will lead to collapse which ultimately leads to destruction. God’s perfect creation, both man and earth, will ultimately collapse under the weight of “any” imperfection (sin) if that sin isn’t removed. That’s why there’s no such thing as a little sin. The Bible doesn’t mention degrees of sin. Sin is sin. Whether the sin is a small pebble or a giant boulder, both will cause the same result, the destruction of God’s construct, if not addressed.

1 John 3:4 – Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

Everything in God’s creation was perfect until Lucifer, the top angel in heaven, overstepped a forbidden line and became the universe’s first sinner. Lucifer had “pride” in his wisdom, power and beauty. Pride was the first sin and it caused Lucifer to lead a rebellion of angels in heaven against the God that made them all. Lucifer and his fallen angels were defeated and thrown to earth because sin cannot remain where God is because God is holy. Lucifer degenerated into the Devil because of sin. The Dragon is the source and strength of sin.

Luke 10:18- (Jesus speaking) – I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.

Ezekiel 28:17 – Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground. I laid you before kings, that they might gaze at you.

In the Garden of Eden everything was perfect as Adam and Eve fellowshipped with God. Satan tempted Adam and Eve and they overstepped the forbidden line God set for his creation. Adam and Eve broke God’s law. Adam and Eve ate fruit from the tree God commanded them not to eat from. By disobeying God Adam and Eve sinned, bringing corruption into the world. Adam, as the first man, passed his sin on to all men who came after him. For men, the wages of sin is death. The fate of everyone on earth who doesn’t get their sins removed is both physical death (the first death) and spiritual death (the second death). Because of our sin nature from Adam there’s no way to escape the first death unless you’re alive when Jesus comes to rapture all believers. The second death, spiritual death, is the important one because it means separation from God forever in the lake of fire. By his love, mercy and grace God has provided us a way to avoid hell if we accept his Son Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Jesus died a horrible death on the cross in our place so that we’d have the opportunity to accept the grace of God unto eternal life. God has given us the free will to choose God or Satan. Evaluate your options and choose wisely while there is still time.

We’re all God’s children and he loves us dearly so a just God took the only course available to him. God sent his Son Jesus Christ to earth to die on the cross in our place. Jesus was the only sinless sacrifice suitable to God that would allow God to forgive our sins, if we believe in God and his Christ. Those who reject Jesus will not have their sins forgiven and will face God’s wrath on the last day. Sin also affects the earth and all the plants and animal on it. Jesus will reverse the earth’s decay at his second coming. Sin is the cause of everything bad that happens to us.

Adam and Eve were immortal and because of sin they grew old and died. Because of our sin we all suffer physical death as well. All the pain, hardship and strife humans go through on this earth is a direct result of our sin. Sin is a big deal. It’s the biggest deal of all. Removal of sin will restore us and the world to the way it was in the beginning with Adam and Eve. The only way that is possible is for us is to accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior. God has given us a way out of hell if we’ll only accept the grace he is offering. Punch your ticket to heaven by faith in Jesus right now. Or you can stay on the train you’re on right now which is heading straight to hell. For those who have ears, let them hear and understand.

When Jesus ascended back to heaven his work wasn’t done. The work of Jesus on our behalf was just beginning. Jesus sits at the right hand of God and works for us tirelessly.

1. Jesus acts as our Advocate

1 John 2:1 – My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

2. Jesus prays for us

Romans 8:34 – It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

4. Jesus is our High Priest

Hebrews 4:14 – Seeing then that we have a great High Priest whom has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.

5. Jesus gives us spiritual gifts

Ephesians 4:10-12 – He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things. And He Himself gave some to be Apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.

6. Jesus gives us encouragement

Hebrews 4:14-16 – That we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head – Christ – from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

7. Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to indwell us

Acts 1:8 – (Jesus speaking) – But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

8. Jesus helps the believer do good works

John 14:12 – (Jesus speaking) – Most assuredly, I say to you. he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will also do; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.

9. Jesus cares for his church

Revelation 3:22 – (Jesus speaking) – He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

10. Jesus is preparing a place for us

John 14:2 – (Jesus speaking) – In My Father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

11. Jesus is our forerunner

Hebrews 6:19-20 – This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

12. Jesus is waiting for his enemies to become his footstool

Hebrews 10:12-13 – But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool.

Let’s face it, we were all on the road straight to hell for eternity and Jesus saved us from that fate by shedding his blood on the cross in our place. Only the Son of God could do it and that’s why we call him Savior. Only Jesus Christ can forgive our sins and save us unto eternal life in heaven. That’s why we call him Lord. Only Jesus continues to help us in every way from his seat in heaven which is why we call him Heavenly Father.

Raising the dead is restoring a dead body mortal body back to a living mortal body. That was done several times in the Bible by both Jesus and his disciples. That’s child’s play compared to a true resurrection which carries with it, “glorification.” It’s true that the resurrection of Jesus means that we too will be resurrected like he was but it also means we’ll receive a resurrected body that is similar to the one Jesus has. Just like Jesus, our new body won’t b subject to material laws. Jesus walked through walls and we’ll do the same. Jesus teleported from one place to another and so will we.

If we want to visit the planet Saturn we can be there in an instant. We’ll be able to go anywhere in the universe whenever we want. God didn’t create the universe just so we can look at it. Most of us have probably built a playground for our children in the backyard. God is no different. The universe was made by God to be our playground and we’ll have an eternity to explore it. A resurrected body is youthful, perfect and immortal. We’ll never grow old, get sick or contract any disease. Just think of the possibilities! My old worn out body has about had it. I’m just trying to keep my body patched up long enough to meet Jesus when he comes. I can use a new body that is an updated model.

John 20:19 – Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

Luke 24:31 – Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.

2 Corinthians 4:14 – Knowing that He who raised up the Lord Jesus will also raise us up with Jesus, and present us with you.

1 John 3:2 – 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.

Jesus was the first resurrection and served as the forerunner for the second resurrection, which will be for all believers. This event is known as the rapture and it will occur when Jesus returns to the earth, in the clouds, to receive his own and take them back to heaven. At Jesus’ command the dead in Christ will rise first and then those who are still alive will be called. We shall all rise in the air together and meet Jesus in the clouds. We’ll all have resurrected bodies and we’ll have them for all of eternity. The rapture will usher in the seven year tribulation period. During this final seven years of human history God will pour out his wrath upon the earth.

The end of human history will be second coming of Jesus, who will come from heaven and set foot on the Mount of Olives as the scriptures have said. Coming with Jesus will be all his angels and the raptured saints (us). The third resurrection will come after this. This is the resurrection before the start of the 1,000 year long millennial kingdom on God on earth where Jesus will rule the world from Jerusalem. This resurrection will be for the Old Testament saints and and all those who weren’t believers at the rapture but gave their lives to Christ during the tribulation period and were saved unto eternal life. Most of the tribulation saints will be martyred for their Christian faith by the antichrist and his forces of evil.

The fourth and final resurrection is at the end the millennial kingdom when all those who reject Jesus and die in their sins are resurrected bodily to stand before the Great White Throne judgment of Jesus Christ. All unbelievers who die will go to hell within the earth to await their judgment on the last day. Think of Hades within the earth as a temporary holding cell before you face the judge. All who die without Christ their sins are still with them and the wages of sin is eternal death in the lake of fire and brimstone. The damned will get their old bodies back before they’re thrown in to the lake of fire. However, they will not be consumed in the fire and their pain and agony will never cease. The bodies of the lost souls in hell will be riddled with maggots but the worm will never die in the fire. For those who have ears let them hear. This is a fate to avoid at all cost!

Isaiah 66:24 – And they shall go forth and look upon the corpses of the men who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, and their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.

Mark 9:44, 46, 48 – Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.

You know, the above four verses scare the hell out of me, literally! In Mark we see God states a spiritual truth three times, with exactly the same wording. If God says something twice it’s very important but to say it thrice means it’s vital, it’s critically important and something we must understand. God is telling us our fate if we don’t get rid of the sin in our lives and that can only happen by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. God has given us a vivid description of hell three times, each time immediately after warning us to remove the sin from our lives. God’s message is clear and it appears in Mark, the first gospel of Jesus Christ. This thing about the worm has confused me for a long time. I think the resurrected bodies of those in hell will be filled with maggots so they are visually repulsive. Why would God do that if nobody was ever going to see the damned in hell? Then in Isaiah we see that people are going to be able to view those in hell so obviously we’re talking about everyone in heaven, men and angels, at some point in the future.

I have this vision in my head of being in heaven and there is a museum of human history. The main attraction is a porthole of sorts where the visitors can look down and see all the tormented souls in hell. Or maybe there’ll be a theatre where you go in and see a movie showing those in hell. It’s bad enough being in hell for eternity but then to have to endure the indignity of having people view your torment forever is over the top for me. You simply don’t want to go to hell. Make it your mission in life to search out the truth of God and accept the eternal life being offered to you as a free gift from Jehovah. Believe in God and his Christ and you will be saved! Don’t wait another minute. Look up the sinner’s prayer on the internet and pray it to God. Reserve your place in heaven and avoid hell altogether.

1 Corinthians 15:53 – For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 – For the Lord Himself will descend with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 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.

John 5:24 – (Jesus speaking) – Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

Daniel 12:2-3 – And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the central tenet of the Christian faith. Without the resurrection of Jesus Christianity collapses into just another in a long list of fake religions the world has known. The real symbol of our faith isn’t the cross, it’s the empty tomb of Jesus, because he is risen. Satan tried unsuccessfully to stop Jesus from completing his work on earth for the Father. Satan then had no other choice but to try to discredit the resurrection of Christ by any means necessary. From God’s perspective, what good would it do to send his Son to die on the cross for our sins and be raised from the dead if nobody knows about it and it can’t be proven. God knew Satan’s moves to discredit the resurrection of Jesus beforehand and countered by making sure the sightings of the resurrected Christ were numerous and well documented.

Our Lord Jesus Christ appeared no less than 17 times after he was resurrected from the dead. Five times during the first Easter Sunday. Six more times between then and Pentecost, fifty days later when Jesus ascended back to heaven. The last six appearances of the risen Christ appeared between Pentecost and the end of the Bible. Taken as a whole, the appearances of Jesus are of such various character and to so many people under so many different circumstances that the proof of the resurrection of Christ is as solid as any historical fact that could be cited in the first century.

APPEARANCES OF THE RESURRECTED JESUS:

1. To Mary Magdalene as she remained at the tomb after Peter and John had left – John 20:11-17

2. To the other women who were also returning to the tomb and saw Christ on the way – Matthew 28:9-10

3. To Peter in the afternoon of the resurrection day – 1 Corinthians 15:5

4. To the two disciples of Christ as they walked on the road to Emmaus – Mark 16:12

5. To the ten disciples – Mark 16:14

6. To the eleven disciples a week after his resurrection – John 20:26-29

7. To seven disciples by the Sea of Galilee – John 21:1-23

8. To a group of 500 people – 1 Corinthians 15:6

9. To James, the Lord’s brother – 1 Corinthians 15:7

10. To eleven disciples on the mountain in Galilee – Matthew 28:16-20

11. To his disciples at the time of his ascension – Acts 1:3-9

12. To Stephen just prior to his martyrdom – Acts 7:55-56

13. To Paul on the road to Damascus – Acts 9:3-6

14. To Paul in Arabia – Acts 26:17

15. To Paul in the temple when Paul was warned concerning the persecution which was to come – Acts 22:17-21

16. To Paul while he was in prison in Caesarea, where the Lord told him he would bear witness in Rome – Acts 23:11

17. To the Apostle John at the beginning of the revelation given to him – Revelation:1:12-20

As the top angel in heaven Satan thought he should be God. Satan convinced a third of the angels in heaven to join his rebellion and there was war in heaven. When Lucifer and his fallen angels lost the war they were kicked out of heaven and thrown to earth. Satan hates God’s guts and the feeling is mutual. Satan can’t touch God so he strikes at God indirectly by trying to destroy us, God’s beloved children. In the beginning everything was perfect. The earth was pristine. Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden and they had all they wanted and needed. They were both immortal and they fellowshipped with God every day. God gave the earth to Adam but when Satan caused Adam to sin against God sin entered the world and Satan became the god of this world. Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden because sin cannot remain where God is. Because of their sin Adam and Eve became mortal beings with bodies that would decay and die. Both would endure hardships all their lives. The earth itself also suffers because sin is in the world. The sin nature of Adam and Eve has passed down to all men who came after and therefore we all have bodies that decay and die. Satan caused it all. Satan took the earth from Adam and corrupted man. Satan thought he had won.

Satan was aware God had a plan to redeem mankind and wrest control of the earth from him. Satan also knew God’s salvation plan for man would be effected through Christ, the Son of God, who would go to earth and die as a sacrifice for the sins of all men. Satan wasn’t just going to sit back and let it happen. Satan tried everything to stop Jesus. Satan knew Jesus would be born of a human mother so he set about trying to corrupt the DNA of all men by having fallen angels sleep with women. God countered that by causing a flood to wipe out all men except Noah and his family whose bloodline was pure. God simply started over. Satan was foiled. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem Satan tried to kill the child by stirring up Herod to murder all the children in Judea two years old and younger. An angel warned Joseph to take the Christ child to Egypt to avoid the slaughter. Satan failed.

All during his ministry Jesus was pursued by Satan who constantly inflamed the passions of the crowds so that they would kill Jesus. Time after time Jesus escaped because his time had not yet come. Satan finally thought he had won when he convinced the Jewish and Roman authorities to crucify Jesus. What Satan meant for evil God turned to good by making the death of Jesus an atonement for the sins of all men. When Jesus was buried in his tomb God stationed two angels in there to protect Jesus’ body, one at his feet and one at his head. They never took their eyes off Jesus’ body. Their job was to make sure Satan and his demons didn’t disturb Jesus’ body while he was three days in the earth, at which time the Spirit of Jesus returned to his body for the resurrection. The doctrine of the death and resurrection of Christ is what Satan hated the most because it effectively ended his control over man and the fear of death. Because Jesus rose from the dead, it assured all believers that they will also be resurrected in like manner and will not taste spiritual death. All believers will be with Jesus in heaven forever. The essence of Christianity is the resurrection of Jesus Christ and without it our faith is null and void.

1 Corinthians 15:54-55 – 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. O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”

Psalm 16:10 – (King David speaking) – For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.

Luke 9:22 – (Jesus speaking) – The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.

Isaiah 53:9-12 – Ant they made His grave with the wicked- but the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied, by His knowledge My righteous servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong, and He was numbered with the transgressors, and He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

In the above verses King David, the prophet Isaiah, and Jesus himself predicted his resurrection. In fact, Jesus predicted his resurrection many times. When Satan failed to prevent Jesus’ resurrection he switched his tactics to trying to convince man it never happened. A few of the theories sponsored by Satan include the resurrection was simply made up, Jesus didn’t die on the cross, he merely swooned and was later revived in the tomb, the resurrection of Jesus was in spirit only, Jesus is only resurrected in the hearts of believers and finally, that everyone was suffering from some sort of mass delusion similar to being high on drugs. This is the best Satan could come up with.

On the other hand, the proof of the resurrection is solid. The tomb of Jesus was empty and we have numerous eyewitness testimonies. It was common knowledge to everyone at the time and was accepted as fact. The Jewish and Roman authorities never denied the resurrection of Jesus because they couldn’t. The body was gone and the tomb had been sealed and was guarded by a detachment of Roman troops. To me, I see the greatest proof of the resurrection in the tremendous change in the lives of the disciples. Because the disciples saw, spoke with and touched the risen Jesus they knew the truth of Jesus’ resurrection. They finally got it. Jesus was God in the flesh.

From that point on the disciples went from being timid disciples of Jesus to becoming roaring lions of the faith who went throughout the world confidently preaching the gospel of Christ to the point where all were martyred except for John. Don’t you think we’d react the same way if we were in their shoes? I think I would. The disciples never would have reacted the way they did without knowing the truth of God and every last one of them knew the same truth and reacted the same way. No power on earth could contain their zeal for the Lord. Nothing else but the truth would have made the disciples lay down their life. Nobody willingly gives up their life for something they know to be a lie. Finally, the proof of the resurrection is in the existence of the church itself, because within fifty years of Jesus’ death the church had grown exponentially and spread to most of the known world. Any religion simply can’t develop that quickly without some sort of supernatural help. For Christianity, God is our sponsor. Jesus is Christianity. Christianity is Jesus. Christianity means, “Christ’s men.”

Theologians refer to the “divine emptying” of Christ as “Kenosis.” This is the most profound message in the entire Bible and is worthy of our study:

Philippians 2:5-11 – Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

These verses tell us Jesus left heaven’s glory to come to earth in the flesh. Jesus emptied himself by abstaining from using any of his divine powers during his ministry on earth and relied solely on the power of the Holy Spirit. The phrase, “in the form of God,” doesn’t refer to physical shape but the inner, essential, abiding nature of a person or thing. The use of the term “robbery” is meant to convey Jesus didn’t consider the outer manifestation of his deity in heaven something to hold onto or treasure. It’s staggering to imagine the Creator of the universe suddenly deciding to lower himself in order to become a creature that he created. That’s like the king of the world suddenly deciding to become an ant. A human being couldn’t have come up with such an absurd idea. Only the mind of God could conceive of it which to me is another proof that Jehovah is God and there is no other. For those who have eyes, let them read and understand what has been written.

It’s not so much the fact that God laid aside his crown and came to earth in person, it’s that he came as a lowly peasant, a servant to be persecuted, struck, spit on and killed in the most horrible way possible on the cross. It boggles my mind every time I think about it. Why did God have to do it this way? Because it was needed to save us. God loves us that much. There was no other way for God’s justice to be satisfied because the wages of sin is death. Somebody had to die for our sins and it was either each of us or Jesus for all of us. God in his love, mercy and grace, sacrificed his Son for us. At first God and man stood face to face with each other in the Garden of Eden. In sinning, Adam turned his back upon God. Then God turned his back upon Adam. Christ’s death has satisfied the demands of God and now God has again turned his face toward man. It only remains for man to turn around and face God. Since God has been reconciled by the death of his Son, man is now encouraged to be reconciled to God. Christ’s death was necessary for two reasons, because of God’s holiness and because of man’s sinfulness.

Leviticus 11:44 – For I am the Lord your God. You shall therefore consecrate yourselves, and you shall be holy; for I am holy.

Romans 10:10-12 – As it is written: There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who understands; there is none who seek after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no, not one.

Jesus died to redeem us from hell. By his death Jesus justified us before God. God himself will sanctify us by his Word. Jesus came to destroy Satan’s hold on men, to defeat eternal death. Jesus was in the earth three days before he arose from the dead. During that time the Lord descended into the bowels of the earth. Jesus went to paradise, which is referred to as, “Abraham’s Bosom.” This was a holding area for all those saved before the time of Christ. These saints still had their sin nature and couldn’t enter a sinless heaven until their sins were forgiven by Jesus’ sacrificial death. Jesus came and paid the sin debt for all men, past, present and future. Jesus went down to personally escort the saints to heaven. Jesus also visited hell while he was in the earth to preach judgment to the fallen angels chained in the pit who corrupted their estate by sleeping with women before the flood. These angels were trying to corrupt the DNA of man in order to prevent the coming of the promised Christ but they failed and were condemned by God to remain chained in hell until the day of judgment.

Hebrews 10:10 – By that which we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Hebrews 2:14 – Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.

2 Peter 24 – God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment.

Jude 1:6 – And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day.

For Jesus to qualify as the perfect sacrifice on the cross for our sins he had to be fully human down to every last detail. Jesus had the same type of body, soul and spirit that we have. At conception God gave Jesus a piece of himself just like he did with you and me. The human spirit of Jesus is totally separate from the divine Spirit of Jesus that also entered the new embryo. From conception Jesus has had two spirits inside him, one I’ll call the human spirit and the other is the divine essence of Almighty God. All believers right now have the same thing. We have the spirit we were born with plus we have the Holy Spirit of God who took up residence inside us the moment we were saved unto eternal life. Jesus is inside you right now because Jesus is God just like the Holy Spirit is God. When the Bible talks about our being indwelt it uses Jesus and the Holy Spirit interchangeably.

Luke 23:46 – And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.”

In the above verse note the word spirit is not capitalized since it isn’t the divine Spirit of Jesus he’s giving up to God at his death but his human spirit. Jesus’ whole life is an example for us follow and in this instance it also let’s us know what happens to the spirit of the believer when they die. Jesus was fully human in life and he was fully human in death. Jesus’ human spirit wasn’t given any special privileges at death. Jesus’ spirit went back to the God that gave it to him to show us that’s exactly what happens to us as well. Each human being is born with a sin nature from Adam’s fall so we’re condemned already. Then we all sin against God during our lifetime because we can’t help it. We live in a sin-filled world under the sway of Satan and he does his best to corrupt us every day. Satan is very good at getting us to sin.

Jesus came to reconcile us to God. Jesus’ death gave us the right to be forgiven of our sins by God if we believe in Jesus and ask for our sins to be forgiven. Removing our sins is critical because God doesn’t allow sin in heaven. We can’t enter heaven with our sins. You can do the greatest works the world has ever known but that won’t help you get to heaven. Our sins must be forgiven for us to get into heaven and that only happens through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Without forgiveness of sin our spirit remains unclean because our sins clings to our spirit like a leach that’ll ultimately drag our eternal soul down to hell if we don’t expel those sins. Have you noticed in the Bible Jesus often referred to demons as unclean spirits? They are invisible spirit beings without form so how can they be unclean? Spirits can’t get dirty in the typical way we’re familiar with. They are unclean because their sins cling to their spirit just like it does to ours. We can’t see the sin but it’s there just the same because God says it is and God cannot lie. It’s all about our unseen and unforgiven sin which makes any spirit unclean and unacceptable to a holy God who is without sin; a God who hates sin; a God who will not allow sin to be where he is.

Jesus never gave up his divine powers but he also never used them during during his lifetime. Jesus totally depended on the power and wisdom of the Holy Spirit during his life and ministry here on earth. This is significant because as believers indwelt by the same Holy Spirit we should be able to do exactly what Jesus did. Jesus said as much in the Bible. We see an example in the Apostle Peter who performed miracles, healed the sick and raised the dead just like Jesus. We just don’t seem to have the confidence and faith to pull that off today. When Jesus rose from the dead in his resurrected body his human spirit returned to him. The divine Spirit of Jesus also returned to take up residence in Jesus’ resurrected body. Both spirits will remain with Jesus forever. After all, Jesus’ human spirit became separate and eternal at conception and has to go somewhere for eternity and back home in Jesus’ resurrected body is the only place that could be. That’s one of the reasons Jesus will retain his human body going forward forever. In heaven Jesus will be wholly human and wholly God just like he was here on earth.

Just like Jesus, we’ll also receive an immortal resurrected body at some point after we die and our spirit will return to that new body. We’ll all be indwelt by the Holy Spirit in heaven just like we are here on earth which is the reason we’ll be unable to sin in heaven. Our sin nature will be gone and the Tempter will be chained in the bottomless pit. God has the responsibility for making sure we can’t sin in heaven. Anyone who doesn’t believe Jesus is the Son of God, that Jesus is God in the flesh, is a fool. That’s not me talking. God says that in the Bible. Respond gently to those making such a claim so as to not offend them. Pull out the Bible and prove them wrong. The deity of Jesus Christ is shown in the Old Testament witness of King David, the prophets Isaiah and Daniel, and God himself.

Psalm 14:1 – The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good.

Psalm 110:1 – The Lord said to My Lord, “Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.”

Isaiah 9:6 – For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Daniel 7:13-14 – I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, and the brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom the one which shall not be destroyed.

Throughout all four New Testament gospels of Jesus Christ there are repeated references to the omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience of Jesus. In the New Testament epistles the giants of the Christian faith testify to the deity of Christ. We hear it from the Apostles Peter, John and Paul. Two of Jesus’ brothers, James and Jude, also testify that Jesus was God. If you believe in God and the Bible you must believe Jesus is the Son of God and that Jesus is God. The evidence for God and Jesus is conclusive and overwhelming.