[Pastor Ralph]

Q5. Why should Christians look forward to the events surrounding our resurrection? Why do you think Christians have largely lost this as their active expectation and hope? What should be done to reclaim these truths?

[Dawn]

Q5. Why should Christians look forward to the events surrounding our resurrection? Why do you think Christians have largely lost this as their active expectation and hope? What should be done to reclaim these truths?

I used to attend a church where the rapture of (for) the saints was taught as a different event to the Lord returning with His saints to the earth. In this church the emphasis was to look for the return of Christ at any moment. 'Perhaps today'. I now attend a church which holds to an amillenniumist (sp?) view and the emphasis is on death. We shall all die they preach. Even though, as with all Christians, we all believe in the return of Christ. One church looks to heaven at any moment. The other church looks to death with heaven afterwards. That seems to be one huge reason why this active expectation is lost. Others still are looking for the antichrist rather than the Christ.

I also think the 'live for today and the pleasures around us' as the world does has filtered through to the Christian's lifestyle. It is so easy to put our physical and material needs before our spiritual needs. We need to be always looking unto Jesus and putting Him first in our lives. In that way we will be spending more time with Him and longing to see Him.

Maranatha!

[plethra]

Q5. Why should Christians look forward to the events surrounding our resurrection? Why do you think Christians have largely lost this as their active expectation and hope? What should be done to reclaim these truths?

At our resurrection we will be lilke Jesus. God will be making all things new, a new heaven, a new earth. Death will be swallowed up in victory, it will be a new beginning. Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man the glories that await. Thats alot to look forward to.

I really don't believe that the rapture and the resurrection are preached much these days. I really don't know why it isn't preached. Maybe because there are so many unanswered questions surrounding it and often we don't want to teach or preach what we are not very familiar with. Also I think most Christians are so consumed by just day to day living and trying to stay saved, that their focus is to just get to heaven and then we will have made it.

More teaching and preaching and pray that God stir our hearts. We need to pray that God reveal these truths to our hearts and not just our heads. Head knowledge is wonderful but when it gets into our hearts and spirits it becomes life. The difference in rhema and logus.

[Tabatha]

Q5. Why should Christians look forward to the events surrounding our resurrection? Why do you think Christians have largely lost this as their active expectation and hope? What should be done to reclaim these truths?

The Resurrection of Christ is the Beginning of a new llife in Christ. In Acts ( 1: 11 ) the ascension of Jesus two angels declared: " Men of Galilee, " they said, " why do you stand here looking in to the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven."

Jesus Himself says: When the Son of Man comes in His Glory, and all the angels with Him, He will sit on His throne in heavenly Glory. All the Nations will be gathered before Him. ( Matt. 25:31-32 ) Then the wicked will go away to eternal punishment. But the righteous to eternal life.

Every eye will see Him, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be Amen. ( Rev. 1: 7 )

These scriptures and many more is why Christians should look forward to the events surrounding our resurrection. It will be the most spectacular gathering in the history of all mankind.

In that day the Lord Jesus will have a beautiful wreath for the remnant of His people. The eternal prophecies, for ever and ever, will be fulfilled for you even if you die today Your salvation is eternal, the salvation Jesus offers is not for 40 years or for a thousand years but for ever and ever in Heaven. All this earth compared with Heaven is like a speck of dust. Jesus is coming soon. You have to live in faith, in Hope, in Christ and with Christ in you The old has gone, The new has come!

When He appears , We shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is ( 1 John 3: 2 ) Jesus had a body in His resurrection. We will too!

On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine-- the best meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain He will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers the nations; He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereirn Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; He will remove the disgrace of His people from all the earth. The Lord has spoken ( Is.25: 6-8 )

These verses of ( Isaiah 25 are comparable to Revelation 21-25 . They contain one of the best descriptions in the bible of the life of a Christian on earth, and of eternal Heaven. Yes, all of this sounds as eternal and it is in the new earth and new Heavens of Is. 65 and 66 and Rev 21. For ever and ever and it is for you and me, Believe it or not, it is a fact.

Christians have largely lost this as their active expectation and hope because they have laid the bible down and do not take the time to study the truth of what the word of God says. They listen to much to man's opinions and get their ears tickled. I believe the churches need to wake up and start preaching the truth of the soon coming King of Kings and Lord of Lord's to claim His own. The days are getting shorter and shorter and the devil is on the loose deceiving people that everything is good. What was good is bad and what was bad is good. God Help us to get back on track. It is as in the days of Noah. How long Will God strive with His people.

[charisbarak]

Christians should be looking forward to the events surrounding the resurrection simply because we will be with Jesus & see the fulfillment of the scriptures first hand. We will be able to give God the glory He alone deserves & enjoy Him forever!

This hope has been covered over with the cares of this world.

To reclaim these truths, we need to be in the Word daily & take joy in the knowledge of being home with Him one day--maybe even tomorrow for some..... This hope would soon color the way we live our lives now & put things into perspective & live for Him. Praise God!

[Joshua Ofosu Anim]

Q5. Why should Christians look forward to the events surrounding our resurrection? Why do you think Christians have largely lost this as their active expectation and hope? What should be done to reclaim these truths?

Christians have to look forward to the time of resurrection because it is the time God is going to glorify us and make us inherit the Kingdom he promised us. When we consider what the kingdom of God will be like compared to our world now I believe we will prefer that God's Kingdom to be established VERY SOON. Our resurrection is the sign of VICTORY over death, the last enemy to be defeated.

Christians who have lost their active expectation and hope of the resurrection should go back to studying what the Bible says about the subject and reclaim these all important truth.

I also want to encourage those of us who have benefited from Pastor Ralph's teaching on the Resurrection to share with other what we have learnt. GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU SHARE THE TRUTH WITH OTHERS.

[lamountain]

Q5. Why should Christians look forward to the events surrounding our resurrection? Why do you think Christians have largely lost this as their active expectation and hope? What should be done to reclaim these truths?

out of all the questions I have answered as a new christian this si the easiest why should we look forward to it? Simply because we will be able to leave this sinful world and be where true love lives. we have lost it because we are of sin and this sin is inpatience, the world around us surrounds us with proof or facts instead of faith. We can reclaim these truths by doing the works our Lord Jesus Christ taught us to do. never giving up faith and surrounding ourselves with Gods word and Love.

[Stan]

Q5. Why should Christians look forward to the events surrounding our resurrection? Why do you think Christians have largely lost this as their active expectation and hope? What should be done to reclaim these truths?

Because at last they will find out that the things that they have believed all their lives is really true and they can rejoice in seeing their Lord and Saviour Jesus and worshiping and praising Him. They will be reunited with their love one who have gone on ahead and given new bodies that can no longe sin or get sick or fear or die. They will know the Loving God who creatted them just for that moment in time when He says come unto me you blessed of my Son.

I believe they are like the ones that Paul wa teaching because it has been a long time they fear that they are lost and that maybe their belief is not true.

They need to get down on their knees and pray that the Father will first forgive them their doubt and then remember that to God there is no time a thousand years is like one day so who should worry about time but worry that they will be considered worthy to be called. Because many are called but few chosen. They should study to show theirself aproved as workmen and continue in the faith to spread the good news of Christ our Lord.

[JustJeff]

In Matthew 24 the Lord commands us to be watchful as we will know by the sign of the times that our resurrection is at hand. Since 1,000 years is as a day to the Lord it is difficult to pin point just how widespread and difficult things must become before this occurs. Over the years since the Lord ascended there have been many false prophecies concerning the end times and the rapture. It would seem that the boy who cried wolf syndrome is applicable here. Too many false alarms have led to apathy and the loss of expectancy.
In 2 Peter 3:1-18 our dear Brother antcipated just such a reaction. It would seem to me that we need to teach longsuffering, or patience as you will, instead of a knee jerk reaction to hard times. Man has always lived in hardship and difficulty and will continue to do so. It will be God who determines the time of the return, of which He will reveal to no one, not even His Son. We must simply watch, and allow the Holy Spirit to keep us prepared, living a life pleasing to God. We will all feel when the time is at hand. It could be tomorrow.

[s8nfighter]

Q5. Why should Christians look forward to the events surrounding our resurrection?
There is only one reason we should look forward to the events surrounding our resurrection and that is a joyful reunion with our LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST!! Jesus says there will no hand be given in marriage in heaven. Why?? Because, our eyes will be on Him, we will see only his love and will only have love for God.... Anything else is a misrepresented goal. If my goal was to take a pick and shovel to heaven because the streets are paved with gold what kind of goal is that?? Revelation 2:4 "Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5 Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6 But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God." (NIV)

Why do you think Christians have largely lost this as their active expectation and hope?
Billions of dollars are spent each year on books claiming to reveal a truth about things in the bible and how the reader can claim a truth for themselves. The Prayer of Jabez is only one example. This kind of teaching has done more harm to true Christian principles than Satan ever has. If a person was to only read this boook and at the end of 30 days his rent was still unpaid and his shoes still had holes in them and he was still hungry and etc...., who do you think he would lose faith in and be angry at, himself, the writer, or God?
Here is another good example of Satan at work. A rich dialing for dollars, false preacher from Florida, claimed in her lesson on television last September; on the day of atonement everybody needed to send in double offering in order to recieve a double portion of blessing from God. I mean, for crying out loud, she doesn't even know that Christ is the FINAL ATONEMENT for sin, and if she does why lie about it in order to line her pocket-book?
I told a friend of mine, who pastors a small church, that the bible is a very good book and the word therein is worth reading and nothing needed to be added to it, and then asked him, "Why do so many try to improve on it?" Is a lie better than the truth?
What should be done to reclaim these truths?
I do not know what needs to be done but I can tell you when it will happen. It will happen when the church doors are left unlocked all day and night because, then and only then will what we have to give away will be of more value than what we possess; (The knowledge of the love of God)!!!!!

1 Cor. 13:9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (NIV)


Darrell

[June]

We will finally go home to live in a sinless heaven with our Father. We will go on to see loved ones that have gone on before us. There will be a GRAND REUNION in the sky and we will be with Jesus forever.
Because it is not taught in most churches. People believe that you live, die, and are buried and that is the end. But there is so much more that they need to know.
It should be preached and taught in churches of all denominations, because we are the body of Christ, not just on Easter Sunday. We can try to explain it when we witness and whenever we get the opportunity.

[PATJOE]

Q5. Why should Christians look forward to the events surrounding our resurrection? Why do you think Christians have largely lost this as their active expectation and hope? What should be done to reclaim these truths?

We will be given the joy of victory over death -- we will be refreshed and renewed. The pain and suffering of our earthly bodies will vanish - we will be in perfect Holiness with God, because of Jesus laying His ife down for us. We will be reunited with our loved ones. We get so involved in self-sufficiency in this world that relyng on God fades out of the picture at times. We need to be involved in God's word through Bible studies as excellent as this one, to reunite us with God's truth and lift us out of our own fallacy. Thank you Lord, and thank you Pastor Ralph.

[sis. dee]

Q5. Why should Christians look forward to the events surrounding our resurrection? Why do you think Christians have largely lost this as their active expectation and hope? What should be done to reclaim these truths?

Because we will no longer live in this dark, evil, sickness, death and sinful world. We live with Christ forever.

[revmrf]

Q5. Why should Christians look forward to the events surrounding our resurrection? Why do you think Christians have largely lost this as their active expectation and hope? What should be done to reclaim these truths?

I look forward to being with my loved ones once again, with my ancestors who have gone before me, and primarily to be in the presence of Jesus Christ praising the glorious Triune God. I think that we, in the U.S. are a death denying culture and tend not to think/consider much about death and the hereafter. We tend to focus on the here and now, with all its trappings. That was not always the case, for in years past we, personally, took care of the dying and prepared the loved one who had died for the grave. We were well acquainted with death and thought about it, relating it to our knowledge of the scriptures and its promises [that we've been discussing here.] Now we leave that for the funeral parlor and, often, are only confronted at the memorial service with the gospel and its promises of eternal life by the clergy. We grieve and then... go on our way until faced with death again.

[Craig]

As a Christian, Christ's second coming and our bodily resurrection is exciting, wonderful, amazing, etc. All Christians should look forward to this event. I believe many Christians have lost their active expectation because they are not connected with God. They do not have the type of faith that encourages the expection of anything spiritual. They need to redicate your lives to Jesus Christ and get spiritually re-energized.

[masika]

The Center of the Christian faith is all surrounded on the Resurection of Christ. Because Christ rose from the dead , as He promised, we know that what He said is true and that He is God.
Christ' resurrection quaranteed both His promises to us and His Aouthority to make that promise. We must take Him at His word and Believe.

[PCHRIS]

As i have heard someone once said, "10/10 people die" thats a fact we can not deny.
Where we go is a another question. For saved people, we will be resurrected to be with our Lord. A true Christian should have no fear of death because of Christ's death and resurrection death has been conquered.

What needs to be taught is if one wants to spend eternity with the Lord Jesus Christ one needs to truly repent, confess that Jesus is their Lord and Saviour and endeavour to be in His service.

[haar]

The Christians should look forward to the resurrection because it will be a moment when the bodies of the dead will rise to be united with their spirits. We that are alive will then be united with them and live with our Lord Jesus Christ.

Some Christians however do not look forward to this wonderful moment because they cannot see how the bodies that would have been decomposed and changed into to diffenrent element could be raised to life. This is however a faith issuse, believing that since the Bible said it will be so, we ought to believe it, even when we do not understand how it will be done.

[Jewell]

Because we will be with Christ as God restores us to his original intent.

I wasn't aware that Christians have largely lost this as their active expectation and hope.

[Ann K]

This will be a time of rejoicing with our Lord and with our loved ones gone on before. Life on earth is too busy. Material things or wants are more important to many people than spirituality or love for each other.
Take time to stop, look around you to see the magnificent earth God has created for us ~~ see your neighbour as your brother. Love must abound. Be prepared. We know not the hour when the Lord will come to take us home in our new spiritual body .. Thanks be to God for all He has given to us!!