Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church
500 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 678106
William MacDonald said well, “At the time Paul wrote, there was fierce persecution against those who took a public stand for Christ. This persecution was especially vicious at the time of their baptism. It often happened that those who publicly proclaimed their faith in Christ in the waters of baptism were martyred shortly thereafter. But did this stop others from being saved and from taking their place in baptism? Not at all.”
This world seemed to be running amok. There is a sense that things go out of control, out of order. We hear of wars and rumours of war. There seemed to be no true peace. The day is coming when Jesus Christ has to return to bring order to His created world. For all who know Him as Saviour, it will be a day of rejoicing. But for those who do not know Him, it is a day of wailing.
Christ by His resurrection from the dead overcome the curse of God upon the creation of man after his fall. It was a process of great length that the Father has to send the Son to accomplish the victory over the last enemy, namely, death. From prediction to fruition and the final consummation spans the entire history of mankind since his creation and to the end of the age.
The Apostle Paul described death as the last enemy that shall be destroyed with the resurrection of the dead in the consummation of the age. Death has been the greatest impasse for mortal men since the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Death was first defeated at the cross when Jesus Christ suffered and died for the sins of men and rose from the dead three days later.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is a testimony to the resurrection of the dead in the time when Christ returns to bear rule over all the earth. He will return the dead in Christ to glory at His coming. The world seemed to be derailing itself as men sought war as a means of resolving their conflicts. Weapons and better weapons are the answers to broker peace in a fallen world where might is right.
The first fruits will be an indicator of the quality of the harvest to come. Because Jesus rose from the dead, He is described as the firstfruits of the bumper harvest of the souls of believers that will be raised from the dead and given a glorified body like that of Jesus after His resurrection from the dead. This will take place when Jesus Christ returns. I believe that Jesus’ coming again is soon. The church needs to be ready.
God made a coat of skin to cover their nakedness and take away their shame. This was a pre-figuring of the coming of the Christ that will take away the sin of the world and restore to man life. In the fullness of time, Christ Jesus was born and lived a perfect life and died to pay the sins of men and Jesus rose again from the dead the third day, victorious over sin and death.
The Christian faith is an objective faith in the Person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the object of our faith. This is the substance of the Christian faith. And what is the significant truth to be conveyed? Jesus Christ died and rose again from the dead the third day. The significant truth is the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. He is alive. He overcame death for us. He conquered death to live forevermore. If this is not true then men indeed is miserable.
For the Christian, death is but a temporary sleep. A day is coming when he shall awake from his sleep to be clothed with a glorified body, remade anew. This is the truth that is conveyed when the Apostle Paul declared that Christ has risen from the dead. The Christian’s faith is not in vain. By the resurrection, death and sin are overcome. As such, the dead in Christ does not perish but awaits a coming awakening to everlasting physical life with a new body that God will give!
The Apostle Paul testified that the resurrected Christ was seen of many of which he was last and least yet not to to be dismissed – 1 Corinthians 15:5-8 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.