FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP
THE FIRST
PRINCIPLES - XI
Hebrews 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles
of the doctrine of Messiah, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the
foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward IAUE,
2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and
of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal
judgment.
RESURRECTION
OF THE DEAD - 3
We
have seen that the resurrection of Messiah from the dead was a mystery unknown
to the Hebrews and Gentiles alike at the time of the Master’s earthly
ministry. It was a mystery purposefully hidden
by IAUE until HE chose to reveal it to man.
1 Corinthians 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of IAUE in a mystery, even the hidden
wisdom, which IAUE ordained before the world unto our glory:
8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they
known it, they would not have crucified the Master of glory.
We
saw last week that until men’s eyes were opened by a divine sovereign act on
their behalf, they did not believe that Yahushua had risen from the dead. Such
a revelation violated all the traditions and teachings their culture had led
them to believe about the coming of Messiah. From the time of Moses until the
resurrection of Messiah, nothing in the way of life of the Hebrew people and in
their belief system had ever changed.
John 1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him,
of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Yahushua of Nazareth,
the son of Joseph.
46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come
out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
People
have read this passage of Scripture and mistakenly attributed to Nathanael the idea
that he believed Nazareth and its inhabitants were a bit backward and uneducated;
much in the same way we might have regarded hillbillies. What he was referring to was the testimony of
Scripture regarding the Messiah. There
was no Scripture that said Messiah would come out of Nazareth; so how could he
be the person that Philip was suggesting he was? This was one of the first obstacles Yahushua
had to overcome in order to get the people to believe in him as Messiah. The fact that as a child he had been taken to
Egypt to escape Herod’s massacre of the young children, then returned to grow
up in Nazareth was one of the contributing elements of the mystery regarding
the Messiah.
The
belief in the resurrection of Messiah created a “paradigm shift” which changed
the entire course of their spiritual lives.
A paradigm shift is a change in some fundamental concept or doctrine
that alters the application and assimilation of almost everything you have
believed in the past. Most believers who
have genuinely pursued discipleship to Messiah have experienced one or two, or even
three paradigm shifts in their walk as the revelation of truths that had been falsely
taught or hidden were revealed to them.
[With
each paradigm shift experienced, the number of “believers” with whom you are
able to have genuine fellowship diminishes; because with each revelation of
truth one receives from the Spirit of IAUE, there are fewer people who can
understand, relate to, or accept your beliefs.
For this reason, many refuse to embrace certain truths, because they do
not want to be treated as outcasts that believe something differently from the
masses.]
To
insure the message of Messiah’s resurrection was believed from that point
forward, Messiah insured there were sufficient people who were eye witnesses of
his having risen from the dead.
1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also
received, how that Messiah died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day
according to the scriptures:
5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6 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.
7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the
apostles.
8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born
out of due time.
Note
the first evidence Paul gives for the resurrection of Messiah is the testimony
of Scripture. After honoring the
testimony of Scripture as the most infallible proof, he goes on to say that
Messiah was seen risen from the dead by Peter, then by the rest of the
apostles, then by a group of more than 500 people, then by James, then by the
apostles again, then lastly, he was even seen by Paul himself. Paul included himself as the last eye
witness, allowing the testimony of the apostles, James and the 500 to add to
the credibility of his own eye witness report.
The
end of our last post asked the question, “What does Messiah’s resurrection from
the dead mean for me?” Paul answers that
question in this same passage of Scripture to the church at Corinth.
1 Corinthians 15:12 Now if Messiah be preached that he rose from the dead, how say
some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Messiah not
risen:
First, Paul defends the legitimacy of belief in the
resurrection of the dead as it relates to mankind in general being raised from
the dead. If you do not believe that man
will be raised from the dead, then you cannot believe that Messiah was raised
from the dead; however, Paul had just testified that the Scripture declared it
to be true; and hundreds actually saw him after he arose.
14 And if Messiah be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and
your faith is also vain.
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of IAUE; because we have
testified of IAUE that he raised up Messiah: whom he raised not up, if so be
that the dead rise not.
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Messiah raised:
17 And if Messiah be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in
your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Messiah are perished.
If man does not have a date with destiny, a point in time
when he will be raised from the dead; then Messiah did not rise from the dead.
By the same logic, if Messiah did not rise from the dead, then how can man rise
from the dead? If Messiah did not rise
from the dead then neither will you or anyone else rise from the dead; and your
life is being wasted on a false belief. The resurrection of man is inexorably
linked with the resurrection of Messiah.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Messiah, we are of all men
most miserable.
20 But now is Messiah risen
from the dead, and become the
firstfruits of them that slept.
Here, Paul reveals a great secret…the connection of
Messiah with the general resurrection of mankind. Messiah rose from the dead to be the “firstfruits.” The firstfruits were the initial gleanings
from the very first of the crop that reached maturity ahead of the rest of the
planting. It was offered to IAUE as a
sacrifice, for it demonstrated the goodness of the quality of the crop that was
about to come into maturity which would be harvested in its due season.
21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection
of the dead.
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Messiah shall all be made
alive.
23 But every man in his own order: Messiah the firstfruits; afterward they that are Messiah's at his coming.
24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to IAUE, even the
Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
Here,
Paul explains that the resurrection of the dead is fulfilled in three instalments.
1. Messiah, the firstfruits – He was the first to
rise from the dead; but he did not rise alone.
Matthew 27:52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which
slept arose,
53 And
came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and
appeared unto many.
The fact that “many bodies of
the saints” arose and were seen of eye-witnesses gave evidence of the
rest of the promise of the resurrection that was to come. This firstfruits resurrection was just to demonstrate
the quality of what was yet to come.
2. They that are Messiah’s at his coming –
This is the resurrection of the righteous, both of the dead and the living.
3. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the
kingdom to IAUE – This is the final resurrection at the end of
the millennial age at which time the unrighteous, both of the dead and of the
living, are resurrected.
The
hope of the resurrection was the driving force of the early church. The fact of
Messiah having been risen from the dead was proof positive that they were going
to be raised from the dead. This hope is
something that has become all but a doctrinal belief in the church, today. The
church believes in the “fact” of the resurrection; but not in the “reality” of
the resurrection. It is a failure to
receive the revelation of the person of Yahushua Messiah in his capacity as the
firstfruit offering to IAUE. If the
resurrection of Messiah is truly real to me; then the fact of my own coming
resurrection, at which time I will stand before my Master face to face, will
also be real to me; and if that is real to me, then I will be a changed
man---one who will have no difficulty walking in obedience to my Master
Yahushua Messiah.
It
is one thing to embrace the truthfulness of the doctrine of the resurrection of
Messiah from the dead and of the general resurrection of mankind; but it is
altogether a different experience to know it.
Anyone can read a presentation of the doctrine and believe it to be
true. Knowing it requires a revelation
of Yahushua Messiah.
Kingdom heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the performance
of the will of IAUE.
No comments:
Post a Comment