The importance of resurrection to Christian belief is topic, today, along with further discussion of divine grace. A “Yahoo! Answers” writer using ID “Howard” (Level 2 with 359 points, a member since March 13, 2013) posted the following:
Can a Christian not believe in the magical resurrection of Mr. Christ and still be a Christian?
Additional Details
"I don't believe in any 'magical' resurrection, and I'm a Christian." The preacher man was dead and decomposing for three days. His stinking corpse was infested with maggots. Then he rose from the dead. That is one heck of a magic trick.
My question: Is this disgusting fantasy a required belief in Christianity?
THE BATTLE AXE: The Benefit of Grace (03/19/2013)—Many confuse grace with forbearance, forgiveness, longsuffering and patience. In the holy writings, grace repeatedly comes into view as we speak of acceptance, approval, and being assigned positive value despite events that display ongoing judgment against sin. (For examples, see Genesis 6: 8 and 19: 19, Exodus 33: 17 and Ezra 9: 7-9, KJV). Men do not obtain grace from GOD on the basis of their obedience, service and good works as though grace is payment or divine reward. This allows us to say, grace is endorsement that comes through perfect dependency upon GOD, and through the elevation of divine will over self-will within created beings and living creatures. Grace does not serve to eliminate or remove challenge, condemnation, pain and suffering. Awareness of grace gives power to face up to and endure opposition. For mankind, grace is revealed and becomes most visible through human confrontations against fixed conditions of being, experience, sacred law (i.e., judgment), and human suffering. While suffering is associated with compassion and pity, suffering is not the sole cause for their appearance. Similarly, suffering has no power to generate, or call forth divine grace. While grace neither causes nor takes suffering away, ones awareness of grace continues discernment of divine presence, and permits continuous focus upon divinity throughout the outworking of divine process.
THE GOLDEN ARROW: Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. (Acts 17: 29-31, King James Version)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Why So Much Murder? (01/12/2013); Understanding Hell (01/09/2013); Put Every Man His Sword By His Side (01/01/2013); The Common Danger (01/02/2013); The Price of Humanity? (12/13/2012); Remembering the Holocaust? (12/14/2012); Given the Cloud of Witnesses (11/29/2012); A Golden Ticket? (11/30/2012); After the Rapture? (11/01/2012); Opportunity to Repent (11/02/2012); Magick and Prayer? (10/29/2012); The Fear of GOD (10/30/2012); After We Die? (10/04/2012)
Dear Howard:
your question, and the way you have stated your feelings indicate that what you think you know about Christian belief is distorted, profane, unbiblical and warped. The mocking title (Mr. Christ), tells us you do not know Jesus in a personal way, and you presently are not welcoming a right relationship with GOD through Christ. Even so, consider the following points:
(1) It is logical and reasonable to believe that an almighty, eternal GOD having power to create all that is in the earth, the sea, and the heavens also has power over life and death. On the basis of their content of divine substance, the Creator continually examines and assigns value to the objects within the full sphere of divine presence, and thereby determines the duration of their existence. Such a divine operation could be called “judgment.”
(2) Presently, only GOD, who is spirit, is immortal. There are no created beings and living creatures that are immortal (including angels, devils, and the sacred beasts of heaven). Mankind is mortal, and must complete and fulfill specific criteria that describe human experience. Included are birth, growth, kinship, learning, repentance, and suffering.
(3) Given that self-will in the living may be dominated by sin, death is a divine tool to establish eternal life, and a stage necessary for the transformation of human makeup. Through the use of death and resurrection, mankind may be established as incorruptible and immortal.
(4) By raising Lazarus from the dead, Christ demonstrated on earth the power of GOD in heaven to revive all the dead. Nonetheless, Lazarus later died, as did Jesus. Resurrection is more than merely the reanimation of the dead; it is the entrance into divine presence and realization of ones own eternal person.
There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, the holy writings teach that there must be two resurrections, one for the just, one for the wicked. Just as here on earth, every person must appear in the presence of GOD for their own judgment to personally answer the charges and indictments against themselves. That judgment is only upon the living further reveals the righteousness of GOD, the divine Judge.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
No comments:
Post a Comment