Today, reply is on the duty
of Christians to proclaim hope, share divine ministry, and acknowledge genuine
sacred events (miracles; resurrection) when attending funerals. Within the
church, only apostles have been granted lawful authority and faith by being
charged and ordained to raise the dead as representations of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, like atonement accomplished only by Christ as High Priest, raising
the dead is not a benefit, duty, or privilege routinely imparted to born-again
followers of Jesus Christ. The raising of the dead is not intended to cause
confusion, intimidate, strike fear among, or threaten the living. For Christian
believers the raising of the dead is a divine operation and entails sacred
processes that reveal the authority, power, and eternal purposes of divine
fullness. Responding to the needs or requests of loved ones, Jesus raised
multiple persons from the dead (e.g., Jairus’ daughter; the son of the Widow at
Nain; Lazarus) in demonstration of his divine origin (“I am the resurrection”);
none of them are alive on the earth today. This helps us understand that the
aspects for resurrection that pertain to eternal life are very different.
Followers of the Lord will not endorse accounts and explanations that continue
antichrist sentiment; horror movie and fictional characters along with so-called
living things created or re-animated by science (e.g., clones, Frankenstein,
flesh-eating ghouls, vampires, zombies); superstition; beliefs in the occult and
the supernatural; sorcery and witchcraft; or other forms that allow and generate
spiritual confusion. A fighter in the “Yahoo! Answers” Religion and
Spirituality forum using the ID “?” (Level 4 with 3,457 points, a member since
August 31, 2014) posted the following:
Should Christians only attend
funerals if they are planning to raise the dead as Christ instructed us to
do?
THE GOLDEN ARROW: For if we
believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus
will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that
we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not
prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven
with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and
the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and
remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in
the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another
with these words. (1st Thessalonians 4: 14-18, King James Version,
KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Be
Still Before GOD? (05/20/2018); “I Am The Resurrection” (03/25/2018); Jesus
Rose? (11/08/2013); Why Was A Son Sent? (11/10/2013); Sacrificed and Risen?
(10/06/2013); Assurances of Salvation? (10/07/2013); Our Present Comfort?
(06/28/2013); Come As You Are? (06/29/2013); Scripture at Funerals?
(04/30/2013); Why Jesus Authored No Books (05/01/2013)
“?”, it is a Christian’s duty to counsel and assist
those who are in mourning to practice forbearance, forgiveness, longsuffering,
lovingkindness, and “the patience of the saints.” The raising of the dead
pertains to the deceased appearing alive before GOD through the harvesting of
the earth by Jesus Christ (we say, Advent; his appearing; the Rapture; the
Second Coming) as well as the restoration of the dead to appear in tribunals of
final judgment. Resurrection of the dead provides more than a response to human
needs that are emotional, financial, and social in nature. The primary purpose
of a funeral is a public witness to the burial and internment of the physical
remains (body; cadaver; corpse) of someone deceased. With this in view,
Christians are to attend funerals as acquaintances, co-workers, family, and
friends who respond to the bereavement and loss of others through personal
expression more than as spiritual spokespersons sent to alter the beliefs of
others, to make prophetic demonstrations, or to be witnesses who authenticate
and testify regarding divine operations and sacred process. Believers may not
raise the dead by the application of their own self-will, on the basis of their
own emotions and feelings, or as a practice of personal power. Christians are
to establish the active presence of divinity by being those
who prophecy (i.e., comfort, edify, exhort) and share testimony in divine
judgment. The believer is to display humility, glorify GOD, and avoid
magnifying his own office and self-promotion. Consider again the following that
uses language from the Bible:
(1.) Luke 9: 57-60, King James Version (KJV): 57
And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said
unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 58 And Jesus said
unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the
Son of man hath not where to lay his head. 59 And he said unto
another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my
father. 60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and
preach the kingdom of God.
(2.) 1st Corinthians 15: 12-14, KJV: 12 Now if
Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there
is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead,
then is Christ not risen: 14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our
preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
(3.) 1st Corinthians 15: 50-57, KJV: 50 Now this
I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither
doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall
not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of
an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be
raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put
on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when
this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put
on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death
is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave,
where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the
strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us
the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
There is far more that should be said, correctly
examined, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, (4.) Philippians 3:
7-14, KJV: 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of
the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all
things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be
found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that
which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by
faith: 10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the
fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 If by
any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 12 Not as though I
had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that
I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 13
Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing
I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto
those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the
high calling of God in Christ Jesus.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be
useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
Today, response is made to a writer who sees all Christians as under condemnation, despite divine forgiveness. Also, there is more on how both death and resurrection are shown in Jesus Christ. The “Yahoo! Answers” writer using ID “The Truth Hurts” (Level 3 with 1,838 points, a member since August 12, 2013) posted the following:
How do Christians feel knowing that they will go to hell?
When they sin they disobey God and sin leads them to hell. It means that all Christians will go there since everyone has sinned sometime in their lifetime.
Additional Details
So God forgives? Great that means that if they ask for forgiveness everyone can go to heaven then.
THE BATTLE AXE: Sacrificed and Risen? (10/06/2013)— (5) Many make the mistake of thinking the resurrection of Jesus only restored his life and healed his body, and that this, in effect, cancelled the death of Jesus upon the cross. In addition to a re-joining of ones physical body (flesh) and life essence (spirit), resurrection is a sacred event that includes ones appearance in the celestial presence (we say, heaven), and is more than simply reanimating the dead upon the earth. The transformation of created being and flesh is made whereby the mortal is made immortal, and the corruptible is made incorruptible (many say, one is made permanently sanctified). Jesus raised the dead on several occasions: he raised the ruler of the synagogue’s daughter in private, before a few witnesses; he raised the widow of Nain’s son in public before a huge crowd arriving into the city with Jesus, and a second huge crowd leaving the city with the mother and body of her child; and Jesus raised Lazarus days after his internment. These miracles of life were provided as assurances that Jesus would be able to complete the necessary work of divine atonement. Lazarus and the others all died again in order that they might be resurrected. Jesus must become sin upon the cross; and the death of Jesus (the destruction of sin) must occur before the Savior may demonstrate resurrection to mankind. See Mark 5: 35-43, John 7: 11-16, John 11: 18-45, John 10: 17-19 and Romans 6: 3-5, King James Version.
THE GOLDEN ARROW: God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. 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: 24-31, KJV)
THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Those Who Never Heard? (06/07/2013); If You Are Sent…? (06/08/2013); Scriptures and Sayings? (06/09/2013); Understanding Hell (01/09/2013); The Golden Age? (01/10/2013); The Place for Eternal Life? (01/06/2013); Therefore There Was Trust (01/07/2013); When Does Gossip Become Sin? (01/08/2013); The Gospel not Logical (09/16/2012); Unwelcome Gifts? (09/17/2012)
“The Truth Hurts”, the truth of GOD revealed in Jesus Christ can not be completely and correctly understood without a personal experience of the operation of divine spirit that must be received by every believer. Even so, here are a few points to consider that have been very helpful to those not yet in Christ, and not yet having Christ in them:
(1) GOD is a spirit who has content, person, power and presence. The Creation of GOD is being established through multiple operations of divinity. Included are birth, death, forgiveness, judgment, reconciliation, repentance, and revelation.
(2) GOD continues to appear among mankind through sacred events (e.g., government, miracles, worship), holy writings, and divine utterance (e.g., praise, proclamation, promise, prophecy). Even responses to readers and writers online may convey aspects of the inseparable spirit content from Divine Person. Included are faith, gratitude, holiness, hope, humility, joy, longsuffering, love, wisdom, and wrath against sin.
(3) Christian believers are given many experiences that serve as assurance and guarantee of their salvation. In addition to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, believers are endowed with the imparted, indwelling Spirit of GOD (we also say, the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, the Sprit of Prophecy, the Spirit of Truth). Through baptism, each believer is altered and changed by GOD, as if dying and being born again from divine DNA.
This is not the whole story. No one can tell you everything, yet, you may discover all for yourself. There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually understood. (For example, (4) Born again believers must become perfected (we say, balanced, mature, stable). They must meet the same challenges of life in the earth as nonbelievers, however, they are now equipped with divine content that makes sin more contrary to their nature, easier to recognize, and easier to resist.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.
THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC
