Joshua Ofosu Anim

I will say that non christians of our age have polluted their mindset with wrong information and deceit. They simply refuse to believe the truth. Evil is easily accepted as good whiles good is rather described as evil. The Bibles says the God of this world has blinded them through evil pleasures and lusts. We are tempted to conform to their values perhaps because we are attracted and desire to be like them. Those who refuse to conform are branded as ancient outdated and primitive. In other not to be described as such some christians try to conform to wordly values. NO MATTER HOW ATTRACTIVE, PLEASANT AND NICE WORDLY VALUES MAY SEEM IT CANNOT BE COMPARED WITH CHRISTIANITY AND ITS VALUES.

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.

Our resurrected bodies will be like Christ's. Jesus' body after resurrection was just like what he was before his death. The difference was that the resurrected body was not limited to this physical world only. Our resurrected bodies will also not be limited to this physical world only because it will be glorified bodies (incorruptible). We need this resurrected body in order live in the new earth and heaven God will create. We also need this special glorified bodies to perofrm our tasks in the Kingdom of God.

We are to guard and carefully protect christianity unity. This means our energies should be channeled towards preserving this unity. The essence of Christ's sacrifice on the cross is to reconcile(make peace) sinful men (like us) to a Holy God. Therefore if we have benefited from this reconciliation then we are to ambassadors of the same. Christians are supposed to be gents of reconciliation. We can only do this when we live in peace with ALL MEN (Romans 12:18). Unnecessary arguments and Dissension IS NOT PART OF CHRISTIANITY. In fact the Bible forbids it (cannot immediately remember the verse). CHRISTIANS MUST DO AWAY WITH THEM.

Patience will enable us to bear the deficiencies and faults of others without lashing at them or disassociating from them. Humility will make us serve others rather than they serving us. It will also make us respect others and live in harmony with them. Those who arrogantly look down on others because of a doctrine are a disgrace to christianity. In fact they have missed the mark of christianity. Gentleness is one of the fruits of the spirit (Gal. 5:19-22). Every believer must bear that fruit. It is possible to gentle and fight the good fight of faith by allowing God to be the only CHANGER of character.

The life of christ is the standard for our behaviour. Jesus has shown us the kind of life that pleases the father. Everything about the life of Jesus is clearly written in the Bible. Therefore for Christians today who were not there when christ walked the surface of the earth, THE BIBLE IS THE STANDARD. God has called us to be disciples of Christ and we must walk as such.

Our bodies which will die a natural body, a corruptible body, a weak body and a dishonored body will be raised a spiritual body, an incorruptible body, a powerful body and a glorious body. During resurrection God's POWER will change our bodies into what I love to call Heavenly Bodies.

Christians await the resurrection in the presence of God. Jesus calls it 'Abrahams Bossom'. When believers die they carried into the presence of God to await the glorious resurrection day.

The word used in the Bible instead of 'rapture' is 'resurrection'. I believe the two mean the same. It is the time when God changes our corruptible bodies into incorruptible and eternal bodies so we could with Christ for ever. The resurrection takes place after the trumpet sound (1Cor. 15:51-52). In relation to judgement, the dead will be raised to be judged by Christ whom God has appointed to judge the world. Finally, the elect of God shall be raised to live in Glory for ever.

Q1. What kind of credibility would Jesus' ministry have had if he were not raised from the dead, especially when he predicted it ahead of time? In what way is the resurrection God's seal of approval on him? Jesus' ministry would have had no credibility if God did not raise him from the dead. If Jesus had not been raise from the dead them he could not have been called the son of God, neither would all the prophecies about his birth, death and resurrection in the scriptures be true, in fact God would have been a liar and the scriptures unreliable. FINALLY THERE WILL HAVE BEEN NO CHRISTIANITY. By raising Jesus from the dead God validated his seal that He (Jesus) is the SON OF GOD AND THE MESSIAH

I think the two are the same because when you read the verse critically you will realise that it was one sentence that was broken into two verses. Take the verses out and you have: "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith". Now I believe the meaning is obvious - For Christ to dwell our hearts we need the Spirit to empower (by convicting us to repent and accept Christ) our inner being (spirit). Simply, the Spirit empowers our inner being so that Christ may dwell in our hearts.

The Bible says in 2 Peter 1.20-21 that " But know this first of all, no prophecy of scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God". The above verse clearly shows that God himself spoke to men (holy apostles and prophets) by revelation through his spirit therefore we can trust in such revelation or prophecy and act on them confidently. Straying away from such revelation results in disobedience straying away from the path God himself has chosen for us. The danger of denying that God reveals himself to us and to his church is that we lose the rhema word from God and personal encounters with God. Another danger is that we will be playing down on the POWER OF GOD confine him to only the written word. EVERY CHRISTIAN MUST KNOW THAT GOD IS STILL SPEAKING TO HIS CHILDREN TODAY. WE MUST BELIEVE AND ACCEPT PROPHECY FROM GOD. However such prophecy should be measured on the written word.

Jesus is the agent of resurrection. He hold the keys of life. He himself will raise us up in the last day. "And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.... Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:39-40, 54) Jesus has the power to raise the righteous who die in the lord.

The righteous will rise into life, eternal life (John 3:16). They will inherit the kingdom God has prepared for them (Matt. 25:32-34)

Job's vision indicates physical resurrection - the dead being raised in the flesh- because he says that "I will see God IN MY FLESH, after my skin has been destroyed. On the hand, Sheol represents a place of despair, gloom, darkness, hopelessness and a place where the presence of God is withdrawn. Progressive revelation is the revealing of more truth to the children of God by God.

It is sad that we easily forget the reason God saved us and our mission as christians. Jesus said that he was sent to seek and save the lost and as his representatives he gave us that commission (Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15-16). We were not saved to play "church" as is common today but to be his witnesses. The reason for giving us the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). Unfortunately, we easily forget this mission and "enjoy" our salvation forgeting that our brothers and sisters, who have not seen the light (salvation), are perishing. The least said about the spiritual condition about my friends and co-workers who do not know Christ the better. They are spiritually dead, separated from God, hopeless, lonely, miserable, living in darkness,etc. I need to have compassion on them and share the gospel with them just as Christ had compassion on me and came to die to save me. Every christian must do the same.

Faith is having trust in the existence of something though one has not seen that thing (Hebrews 11:1) No. We cannot take credit for our it since our faith is in response to the Father's gentle drawing and the holy spirit's conviction (source-Pastor Ralph). Again we cannot go to the father if he does not draws us to himself. The part of us that yearns for a god and eventually believe in a God comes from the almighty God, our creator. YES. We all have been given a measure of faith to believe in God and accept salvation offered to us through Jesus Christ and to do good deeds of righteousness. If we fail to use this and accept salvation and we die (or perhaps Christ comes), we shall be condemn with the devil and unbelievers. THE REASON WHY WE MUST USE AND GROW IN FAITH

According to Eph 2:10 we were created for good works - deeds of righteousness and holiness(Gal. 5:22-23). The reason is for for our light (works) to shine before men so they see our good works and glorify Jehovah, our God (Matt. 5:16). Our works will lead men to God or otherwise, the reason for us to practice good works so unbelievers will be led to Christ. The works Paul discredits in verse 9 refers to the strict obedience of the Law (Torah) as righteousness and salvation as practiced and taught by the Pharisees but the good works in Ephesians 2:10 refers to good deeds as a result of faith in the redemption of work of Christ.

"Saved can be translated as"Rescued". Rescue carries the idea of one finding him/herself in trouble or a situation which is life threatening and just when all is over he or she is rescued or delivered. Christians believe we have been rescued from the bondage of sin. In other words, we are rescued from the penalty of our sins - death. People must understand that they need to be rescued from their sins and that it is only Christ who can rescue them from any situation.