RESURRECTION IS NOT SEASONAL

RESURRECTION: SEASONAL, OR SEASON OF LIFE?

Monday, April 21, 2014

John [NLT] 6:37-40 [Jesus explaining] However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. 38 For I have come down from heaven to do the will of God who sent me, not to do my own will. 39 And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those he has given me, but that I should raise them up at the last day. 40 For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.”

John [NLT] 11:25-26 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”

2 Corinthians [NLT] 5:1-9 [Apostle Paul explaining] For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. 2 We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. 3 For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies.[Gr. We will not be naked. Also note Gen.2:25; 3:7-11] 4 While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. 5 God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit. 6 So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. 7 For we live by believing and not by seeing. 8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him.

  Using e-Sword I type in “salvation”, finding 43 verses, 45 mentions in KJV.

  Because of the time of year I next type in “resurrection”, finding 41 times in 40 verses.

  Moving on, I discover the truth of raising up having to do with resurrection is in 8-10 verses.

  Hmmm… we Christians talk about salvation often, but resurrection, other than counting funerals, seldom mentioned outside of Easter time. Pondering a bit more I realize that far more time is spent on the birth of Jesus than on the topic of resurrection.

  I’m now wondering if emphasis on “saved from” over “resurrected to” reflects emotional and functional less-responsible preference on our part?

  Resurrection is not something apart from salvation; they are inseparable; without resurrection there is no salvation! The gospel (good news) absolutely includes resurrection.

  “Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.” (1Cor.15:12-14)

  By all means let us celebrate Jesus’ resurrection this Eastertide . . . and invest serious consideration and conversation to our resurrection; the fullness of Christ’ deliverance to all who trust Him.

  Resurrection is not seasonal. It is the season of life by and in Lord Jesus Christ.  EBB4