Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...

To every individual, is the death of Jesus Christ or His resurrection more important?

Jesus' dying for the sins of the world and His resurrection from the dead are equally important.

In fact, they are mutually dependent on one another. It would be impossible for Jesus to do one act without the other and still be rightfully called the Christ. Some people mistakenly think that Christ is Jesus' last name, but it is actually a title. It is a title filled with prophetic and eschatological meaning. Christ means "Messiah" or "the Anointed One" and neither term could be applied to Jesus if he ONLY died, or was ONLY resurrected. In order to be Christ, He must have done both. Looking at each act in turn will help us see why this is so.

First, if Jesus only died and was not resurrected then God's Word has failed, Jesus is a false prophet, and we are still living under God's just condemnation. Jesus predicted His own resurrection (Matthew 17:22–23). If Jesus did not rise from the dead then our faith is useless and we are still in our sins. The apostle Paul specifically addresses this issue when he is rebuking those in the city of Corinth who are claiming that there is no resurrection from the dead (for anyone).

In 1 Corinthians 15:12–19, Paul (under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit) states, "Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.

For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied."

Second, it is logically impossible to be resurrected without first dying. Obviously, no one can be resurrected from the dead without first being dead. However, if Jesus were to die (but not for our sin) and then be raised from the dead, we would not benefit at all from His resurrection. Such a resurrection would reveal His power over death, but it would not satisfy God's just wrath toward us. Since Jesus would not have suffered in our place and therefore would not have paid the penalty our sins deserve, we would have to suffer and pay the penalty ourselves (Romans 6:23).

This means we would still be condemned. So, either way you look at it, whether you remove Jesus' substitutionary atoning death on our behalf or remove His resurrection from the dead, we would remain in the same tragic state. That is, we would remain "in our sins" which means we remain under God's just condemnation, awaiting His just punishment. In other words, we would be waiting to suffer the eternal torments of hell.

Thankfully, amazingly, gracefully, this is not this case. As we continue to read 1 Corinthians 15, Paul reveals the truth of God concerning who Jesus is (i.e., the Christ). Jesus is the Savior of all who believe in Him, who trust in His sacrificial death for the forgiveness of their sin and His glorious resurrection from the dead for eternal life (1 Timothy 4:10; Ephesians 1:7; John 11:25).

Picking up where we left Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15:20–22, he continues, "But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive."

Jesus Christ died as a propitiation for our sins (appeasing God's just wrath against us for our sins and cancelling the debt (just verdict and sentence) that we owed Him for our sin (1 John 2:2; Colossians 2:14). Jesus Christ was raised from the dead to vindicate that He is who He said He is. His resurrection is proof that He is in fact the Son of God and that He is the One who the Father promised to send (Acts 13:32–36). His resurrection is also the basis for our future resurrection, for, because He was resurrected, we have His complete assurance that we can look forward with confidence to our own resurrection (Philippians 3:20–21).


http://www.compellingtruth.org

Quakerwidow Loc: Chestertown, MD

Actually, it is His LIFE that is the most important.

Peewee Loc: San Antonio, TX

Well done!

Peewee Loc: San Antonio, TX

Actually, they are both vital! Why argue?

Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...

Had Jesus not eternally co-existed with God the Father, and God the Holy Spirit, as the Triune God, He could have Not taken on human form, becoming fully God and fully man, and walked the earth for thirty three precious years, informing us that if we had seen Him, we had seen the Father.

However. if He had been unwilling to suffer and die, and was still walking the earth in His perishable body, everyone who has lived, believed on Him, and died in the last two thousand years, would all be dead in our sins, and facing eternity in that unredeemed condition.

Through suffering death on our behave, He paid the death penalty earned by every human. Only those who believe that and accept His priceless gift will benefit from it.

In rising to new life in His unperishable, resurrected body, and ascending to the right hand of God the Father, back whence He came, He has demonstrated the truth of His "gospel," the good news for every person who chooses to believe in Him, and is willing to follow Him.

We have a foretaste of the joy of all eternity.

As Jesus said to the Apostle Thomas, "Blessed is he who does not see, and yet believes" John 20:26-29.

iFrank Loc: San Antonio

God sent His Word to redeem us from our sins in this tarnation, when young Jesus was in the temple and Mary with Joseph were looking for Him, He said, He was doing His Fathers business. When He died on the cross, He said, it is finished.

I would have to say that God’s business was fulfilled to forgive us of our sins, that’s why we can go to God ourselves and not need the blood of animals for a priest to intercede for our forgiveness of sin. When Christ died on the cross the veil from the temple was ripped from top to bottom so there wouldn’t be a barrier between us and God. When we pray to God, we finish it with “in Jesus name we pray” Amen.

This is telling God that we claim His promise, and believe on Christ Jesus. No one can come to the Father but by Christ. God is good and His love endures forever.

Radiance3

======================
This is a very timely message during the season of Lent. Thank you. The time when we celebrate the Passion of Christ that He suffered, died, and poured out his blood on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.

Jesus is the Son of God. He is God. John 14:
Jesus Comforts His Disciples
1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.
2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Jesus the Way to the Father
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
7 If you really know me, you will know[b] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.
12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

15 “If you love me, keep my commands.
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—
17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[c] in you.
18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...

Thank you for adding God's Scriptures.

This is an additional one: Revelation 14:13:

"And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their labors; and they will be rewarded for what they have done."



[quote=Radiance3]======================
This is a very timely message during the season of Lent. Thank you. The time when we celebrate the Passion of Christ that He suffered, died, and poured out his blood on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.

Jesus is the Son of God. He is God. John 14:
Jesus Comforts His Disciples
1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.
2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
Jesus the Way to the Father
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
7 If you really know me, you will know[b] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.
12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

15 “If you love me, keep my commands.
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—
17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[c] in you.
18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.
20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
21 Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”[/quote]

Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...

Amen, iFrank.

Radiance3

====================
IFrank wrote:
“I would have to say that God’s business was fulfilled to forgive us of our sins, that’s why we can go to God ourselves and not need the blood of animals for a priest to intercede for our forgiveness of sin. “

What blood of animals are you talking about IFrank? Did your pastor tell you about blood of animals, or your your own interpretation? Pay particular attention to Corinthians 11:26. For this to happen we take the "Consecrated"" bread and wine ", Jesus asked His children to take it often, to proclaim His death until He comes.

Here are the facts what Jesus asked His Disciples to do, and all of God's children.
I Corinthians 11:23-26
Institution of the Lord’s Supper
23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;
24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat;[b] this is My body which is broken[c] for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

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68. The Last Supper (Luke 22:7-23)
Jesus Christ, at His last meal with His disciples, commanded His friends and followers to remember Him in a specific way. Although He had earlier warned them of His approaching death (John 12:32-33), they found that certainty hard to accept.
But less than 24 hours later Jesus would be dead, His body hastily entombed and His disciples shocked, confused and scattered.

At that last meal, Jesus Christ told His disciples to eat bread and drink wine as symbols of His body and blood.
“…When He had given thanks, He broke [the bread] and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same manner He also took the cup [of wine] after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me’ ” (1 Corinthians 11:24-25).

To be honest I don't want to vilify how others pray or worship. That is for God to judge. I depend on what the Scriptures asked me to do, then Jesus my God decides that. Fact is I love all the children of God for we are Chrisians by our love!

iFrank Loc: San Antonio

[quote=Radiance3]====================
IFrank wrote:
“I would have to say that God’s business was fulfilled to forgive us of our sins, that’s why we can go to God ourselves and not need the blood of animals for a priest to intercede for our forgiveness of sin. “

What blood of animals are you talking about IFrank? You heard that from your pastor, or your own interpretation? Pay particular attention to Corinthians 11:26


Before Christ died for our sins, the blood of animals (Matt. 21:12), were sacrificed for our sins. There are many instances in the Bible where bulls, rams, goats and so forth. Were sacrificed. Study yourself to be shown approved, Lev. 16:34

Radiance3

[quote=iFrank]
===============
IFrank, priest don't use those animal's blood. I hope you try to attend the Catholic mass and observe the facts going on.
We follow what Jesus performed during the Last Supper. His body and blood in the form of the "consecrated bread and wine". After giving thanks He broke the bread, and gave it to his Disciples, and said," take, eat, this is my body which will be given up for you. Then He took the Cup, gave thanks and said, drink from it. This is the new and everlasting Covenant for the forgiveness of your sins. Do this in memory of me."
We are in the New Testament now. Leviticus was in the Old after the Exodus.

Zemirah Loc: Sojourner En Route...

I am not speaking for iFrank as he is quite capable of speaking for himself, however, what he is speaking of is explained not only in the Old Testament, but in the New Testament book of Hebrews.

There are no priests in the New Testament worship system as described in the books of the New Testament. Never are the spiritual leaders in the New Testament called priests.

The book of "Hebrews" explains the difference between Christianity and the former worship service of priests and animal blood sacrifice which those accepting Jesus Christ had formerly practiced, and the superiority of their new form of worship over the old which was now no longer necessary, for there was to be no further sacrifice. Jesus Christ had paid it all.

Hebrews 10th chapter

Christ’s Sacrifice Once for All

10:1 " The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship.
2 Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins.
3 But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins.
4 It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

5 Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,
but a body you prepared for me;
6
with burnt offerings and sin offerings
you were not pleased.
7
Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—
I have come to do your will, my God.’”[a]

8 First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”— though they were offered in accordance with the law.
9 Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first (covenant) to establish the second (covenant).
10 And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
12 But when this priest (Jesus Christ) had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,
13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool.
14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:

16
“This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”

17 Then he adds:

“Their sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more.”

18 And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary."


So says the Bible's New Testament book of Hebrews, the Holy Word of God.

Radiance3

=====================
I am not a protestant pastor, the Holy Scripture is not my master in education, but I as a Catholic Christian read the Holy Scriptures as an obligation, follow what I read and obey. I am not here to debate about pastors and priests. Neither trying to say yours is wrong, and mine is right. God decides that.

What Is a Priest?
A priest, in effect, is a mediator who stands between God and man. He offers sacrifice to God on behalf of man and administers other worship obligations that people feel unworthy to offer personally. The nearest thing to a definition found in the Scriptures is probably Hebrews 5:1.

Hebrews 5:1
New International Version Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.

New Living Translation Every high priest is a man chosen to represent other people in their dealings with God. He presents their gifts to God ..
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Priest don't use blood of animals as Ifrank had suggested. Priest follow the Last Supper of Christ, using the " "Consecrated Bread and Wine". How else can we do that often. And Jesus said, do it as often until Christ returns. And to prove it, I welcome them to see the facts inside the Tabernacle of Christ.

***I am not here to argue, or negate anybody else's belief in God. I am just trying to justify mine. At the same time, Biblical expertise is not my major subject. I am just a common believer, follower, and worshiper of Christ as I follow the Holy Scriptures of God. Thank you.

iFrank Loc: San Antonio

Thank you for explaining it, I was out working for the day.👍🏻👍🏻