Life #6 – Why Should We Choose His Promise of Life?

Morning Glory 2011

Christians today believe in the popular rapture teaching, “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up…to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). Ironically, our dust-kicking jubilation has blinded us from seeing its narrow but bold assertion—that in order to participate in the rapture, we must be “alive and remain”!

Many of us can count the number of Christian friends and family who believed in the rapture but are now waiting for their resurrection. Obviously, something has been overlooked in the rapture-teaching. If that’s true, then our rapture-conditioned mindset must be open to correction and instruction. Yet we all know how difficult it is to change fixed mindsets, don’t we! Even Jesus had a hard time convincing the leaders of his day to change theirs, especially when he claimed, “…if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death” (John 8:51-59).

When rapture occurs is not a mystery. The Scripture clearly states rapture happens after the resurrection of those who are in Christ. So, when we see our Christian ancestors, grandparents, parents, children, cousins, uncles, friends, etc. begin to resurrect from their graves—or other places of rest—that’s when we know our rapture is imminent! First the dead in Christ will rise; then the rapture of those who “are alive and remain” (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17).

To be “alive and remain” for the rapture is do-able by those who have entered into Jesus’ promise to “live and never die”; otherwise, it’s the resurrection.

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Scripture quotations from New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise noted; excerpts from our book to be released next year.

Life #5 – Two Life Promises (2 of 2)

Makapu'u 2011

When Jesus claimed to be the resurrection and the life, he gave Christians two life promises. The First is intended for Christians who die (John 11:25 NIV), while the Second is intended for Christians who live:

“…and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:26 NIV)

Do Christians believe? We have three ways to answer the Lord:

1) May it be to me as you have said (Luke 1:38 NIV); or,

2) I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief (Mark 9:24 NIV); or,

3) —laugh!—because undisputed facts wipe out little faith (Genesis 17:17; 18:12).

We have been born again of incorruptible seed; that seed must grow into the full-stature Christ (1 Peter 1:23; Ephesians 4:13, 15). Why full stature? The full-stature Son is alive and he said, “Because I live, you will live also” (John 14:19). Anything less than full-stature and we die.

Unconvinced? The Son gives life and is the image of the invisible God—the very life and image which we originally lost to sin (Colossians 1:15; Genesis 1:27; 2:24). To recover our loss, God planned for us to be conformed to the image of his Son (Romans 8:29, 30). Even the Holy Spirit is tasked with changing us into the Lord’s image (2 Corinthians 3:18). That image—spirit, soul, and body—is alive today!

The full-stature church is supposed to be “alive and remain until the coming of the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:15). If not us, then who?

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Scripture quotations from New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise noted; excerpts from our book to be released next year. 

Life #5 - Two Life Promises (1 of 2)

Ko`olau 2011

Jesus declared himself to be the resurrection and the life (John 11:25 NIV). Based upon that declaration, he gave two life promises:

The First is for Christians who die: “He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;” (John 11:25 NIV).

When Jesus died, he “gave up the ghost”, ĕkpnĕō (ek-pneh’-o), breathed out his spirit (Mark 15:37 KJV; Matthew 27:50). Afterward, his spirit proclaimed victory to other spirits (1 Peter 3:19). Even the dead had the good news announced to them “that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit” (1 Peter 4:6). On the third day his body resurrected.

Our departed loved ones also ĕkpnĕō, breathed out their spirits. And, like Jesus, their spirits live on even after their bodies die. Our own experiences validate this truth. Haven’t we at one time or other felt the spirits of our loved ones close by, with us, or surrounding us? Jesus said God is the God of the living not of the dead (Luke 20:38). Their spirits live because the Spirit is life (John 6:63).

Especially encouraging is that the spirits of our loved ones know to whom they belong—and so they return to a generous God who gave them the first breath of life (Ecclesiastes 12:7; Genesis 2:7).

Their spirits live because Jesus kept his promise—he is their Life! And at the last day, when their bodies rise again, he will also be their Resurrection.

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Scripture quotations from New King James Version (NKJV) unless otherwise noted; Greek definitions from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible and Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words.