PCHRIS

As shown, the word 'rapture', is not biblical. The words used are raised, caught up, gather and gave up. This will happen when the Lord Himself descends down with a shout, voice of the archangel, sound of a trumpet the dead will rise up first and those who still live will be caught up with them. Everyone will be judged, the saved enter glory the unsaved enter condemnation

1Thessalonians 5:18 - 'In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you' we keep immovable and steadfast in Christ, knowing the promise for us, doesn't matter what the world, the enemy, throws at us. WE KNOW WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST. Salvation is of the Lord, we do play a part as a co-labourer with Christ. He may instruct us to roll the stone away but it is the Lord alone who calls the sinner from the tomb of his deathly state. Our confidence should then be in HIM, our part is simply to be true and faithful in our witness and then stand back and watch the miracle work of God.

This a promise given to each of us who beleive in our Lord Jesus Christ, the promise of being raised to live with Christ. 'Firstfruits' and 'firstborn' are colloquial terms of being the frontrunner of what is yet to come for us. Jesus set the path!

As Christ was buried so are we when we are immersed and as Christ arose so do we when we arise out of the water, in newness of life in Christ. With His empowerment living within us, for us to be striving for holiness. As born again Christians we are set apart from the world, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of Him who has called out of darkness into his marvellous light. 1Peter 2:9

As John said in his gospel, John 1: 29, "... Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world." Christ came to die for us, to be bruised for our iniquities. Through His resurrection, He conquered death and for us we share this death and resurrection through baptism as we 'die' in our old self and raise up in the new. We would doubt everything the Bible tells us if we didn't beleive that Christ arose.

There would be no credibility in Jesus' ministry. Our faith and trust is in a Risen Saviour, One who snatched the keys of death from hell itself, for us to have no fear of death. This had to happen as it was prophesied in the Old Testament. The validation/seal of approval of God on Jesus through His Resurrection shows Who that He claimed to be is true and has completed His earthly mission by dying on the cross.

For me it is the empty tomb, the grave clothes, and the growth of the church. For me, a great book to read or even better to hand out to non beleivers-is Lee Strobel's book -"The Case for Christ", this research changed Lee's life. The assurance I have and what/how to tell someone else is for them to beleive, receive, and become. As the changes in the beleivers back in the New Testament happened, the changes in me that has happened can be the same for them.

The disciples were in no state to concoct or carry out such an elaborate scheme. They were in hiding, scared out of their wits in case the Romans sought them out to kill them. Later when Jesus revealed Himself to them, over a period of time, did they realise He is the Resurrection and the Life.

I can't see any motive for any of the groups involved. The disciples were to frightened to do anything plus they wouldn't want to die for something that was false. The Romans/Jews would have revealed the body, if they had taken it, once the Apostles started preaching about the Resurrection. And Joseph I can't see any motive for anything apart for supplying a tomb for Christ whom he followed as a disciple.

As others I am struggling to answer this without being judgmental or critical, but here I go... Liberal christians have created their own god to suit themselves thus they have to concoct theories to get their names in lights and sell some books. A classic is the 'davinci code' all the hype about the movie and the book, just so Dan Brown can get his name in lights and hopefully sell more books and everyone will see the movie...and we know how that flopped. It seems that when it comes close to Easter all the theorists and rumour mongers raise their heads. As some others have said the key is faith...Hebrews 1:1- "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." And I guess this hasn't answered the question we have been given, has it

Jesus' resurrection is His conquering death so we no longer have to be afraid of death. Jesus' ascension is His taking His rightful position by the Father. They fit together because it is all forecasted by Old Testament prophecies and now it is all fulfilled. His task on earth is now finished/complete, (in a physical sense), until He returns again to reign again in glory.

His spiritual characteristics such as appearing and disappearing, his ability to be in one place then another but also the physical characteristics such as eating, and His wounds still evident on His body.

Seeing the burial clothing still there neat and the head piece nicely folded, grave robbers would'nt do that. They knew something supernatural happened and the revelation hit them that Jesus has arisen and they now beleived.

This are the similiarities- Jesus was dead and buried. The disciples were not prepared for Jesus' death. They were overcome with confusion. The tomb was found on Easter morning to be empty. But this in itself didn't inspire faith. Mary thought the body was stolen. The disciples encountered a number of experiences which they took to be appearances of Jesus risen from the dead. The disciples proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus in Jerusalem, near where he had been buried This was all prophesied in Old Testament

Yes, there are quite a few differences which have been documented by Pastor Ralph and fellow studiers. But they all come to the same conclusion, JESUS is ALIVE, He is RISEN and that's all we need. Yes, we can listen to all the theologians out there spinning out their theories BUT the crux of it all... Jesus is alive. As others have used the analogy of eyewitnesses at a car accident or bank robbery you always have different accounts of what happened but with that you can still get a complete picture sifting through the evidence and coming up with the final conclusion. And I think someone else said this but if all the eyewitnesses came up with the same story I think it would have been taken less credible

His enemies knew the Scriptures (well, in their heads) so I think they were just covering their bases in case something did happen, by placing guards and sealing the tomb. The disciples still took Jesus as being an earthly king to reign on this earth abolishing the Roman rule of the day. Not till after did they realise the awesome truth of Christ.

I think Jesus is referring to those who put their total trust in Him and the 'old man' passes away and the 'new man' arises. We have nothing to fear because Christ has conquered death and when we put our life into His hands we pass from death into life. When the voice of Jesus trumpets out all the dead will rise.

Jesus taught that this would be a time of reward for those who had followed the Lord: "You will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous" (Luke 14:14). This will be the start of our eternal lifes with Christ, no more pain, no more tears, no more sorrow! Hallejuah, cant wait!

Here in Job we see his faith in God would deliver him from death, even if the worms had destroyed his flesh, he would stand before his Redeemer in a new body. The Jews thought that Sheol was just a dark gloomy place where no joy or light will be present. Progressive relevation is, I beleive personally, the revelation given to us over time, from God, when He knows when we are ready/open for it.

An ambassador is usually 'employed' or is a representative of the country in mention. His or her 'job' is to liason with others and to represent his or her country in a right and civil manner. We as Christs ambassadors are to do the same thing, I firmly beleive that, as possessing Christians, if we don't show Christ's light and proclaim the good news we are blaspheming God's name/character and that is of course the third commandment.

Paul was always conscious of his great responsibility in being entrusted with the gospel of men's eternal salvation, and so he desires above all that whenever he has opportunity to speak that gospel, God will give him the words. (Psalm 51:15) Like the early apostles, his prayer was not for success, nor for deliverance from danger or suffering, but for boldness in proclaiming the gospel of God that was entrusted to him. The opposite would be shyness, timidness, spirit of fear/rejection. We will not fulfilling our goals/commands from God

I beleive this as prayer to be unlimited in the times and the ways in which it may be offered, is to be unlimited in outreach to those for whom it may be offered. The individual Christian is not to think only of his own spiritual conflict, but to be concerned for the whole Church of Christ, and for the victory of all his fellows in the fight. (1Timothy 2:1) As in previous question we must be watchful/alert and always persevering in our prayers. Why do we need this exhortation, 'I can do all things in Christ who strenghtens me' and 'The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do to me?'

I love this quote from Robert R Lawrence - "Let's move from theology to kneeology! Power for victory in spiritual warfare is found in prayer." Too many squabble over 'how and when to's', let's take the old Nike slogan and 'just do it'! 'Watch' was frequently the exhortation of Jesus Himself to His disciples and most significantly at the time when they needed to find strength by prayer. The Spirit is the atmosphere of the Christian's life, and as we live in the Spirit grace will be given to watch and power to continue to prayer. The Spirit is given as a Helper, and not least for the task of prayer. (Romans 8:26-27)

The shield is faith by which as in 1Thess 5:8 when Paul speaks of 'faith and love' as the breastplate he means reliance on God. The apostle knew that only faith's reliance on God could quench and deflect such weapons whenever they were hurled at the Christian For the Christian, salvation is part of the defensive armour that is essential for his safety but even more as His saving help to protect from the power of sin and the parallel in Thess 5:8 suggests that here also we may take it to include 'the hope' of final deliverance from the very presence of sin. In the OT, speech is sometimes referred as a sword, the words of wicked men are said to wound (Psalms 57:4; 64:3). In the Bible God's own Word is also as a sword in His hands a sword that lays bare, separating the false from the true (Heb 4:12), bringing judgement (Is 11:4, Hos 6:5), but also bringing salvation (Is 49:2) but here the thought is of the Word of God as a defensive weapon for the person who holds it. The Lord's use of the word of Scripture in His temptations is sufficient illustration and incentive to fortify oneself with the knowledge and understanding of 'the word' that one may with similar conviction and power defend oneself by it in the onslaughts of the enemy. Keep it sharp by soaking in God's Word, meditating, praying, memorizing and using it!

There are Christians who are truthful, have their heart free of sin, sure of their salvation, rightly use the Word of God but they are 'shoeless' they are not prepared to share the Gospel: stationary soldiers, sharing their faith is painful either through a spirit of fear or a spirit of rejection and that is what holds them back from sharing their faith. Preparation is being in God's Word, meditating on it, devouring it. To do this is strengthening your mind and heart to be able to proclaim the Gospel to others. This in our hands will keep the devil at bay, he will flee from us when we use scripture against him.