| Whatsoever
things are true
by Pastor Dan Coburn It was written by the Gnostics in the first or second century. Besides denying the resurrection, what they are famous for is the idea that since the soul is saved, it doesn’t matter what the body does. (They get this from “things of the flesh are flesh, and things of the spirit are spirit”-John 3:6, Rom. 8:1, and 9). This is very bad Theology, and led them to having temple orgies in the name of God. After all, if my Spirit is going to Heaven, what difference does it make. Spiritual switch—Do you suppose this was written by a man? Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island, was for some reason disinterred after being buried for a while. To the family’s dismay, a near by apple tree’s roots had found their way into his coffin, and had been feeding on him. In 1st Corr. 15: 35, Paul asks a question on behalf of some resurrection scoffers of his day. “Then who will claim the various elements?” “You Fool” Paul replied. Resurrection is not reconstruction. We could argue for days about burial VS cremation, or “what about people buried at sea? They were scattered by a thousand fish; weren’t they?” These are really redundant questions. The point is this, and is found in John 5: 28-29, “do not marvel at this for the day is coming when all in their graves will hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good unto resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, unto resurrection of damnation”. Paul knew such miracles could not be explained, so he used three analogies to make his point, all in 1st Corr. 15. He talked about seeds, vs 35-38, then flesh, vs 39, and finally celestial bodies in 40-41. Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom; we need bodies suited for that environment. Likewise, hell–2nd Thes. 1: 7-10. This was not written merely to satisfy the curiosity of the Greeks, but to both warn and encourage us. Choose you this day. |
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