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Resurrection of The Dead
Brian Mashburn
July 27, 2014
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The Resurrection of The Dead
Undoubtedly, the most unbelievable teaching about Christ is the resurrection. But it is central. According to the Hebrew writer, it is basic and foundational teaching, and without belief in it, the deeper treasures of faith are unavailable to you. Paul added that without it, there is no Christianity at all.
While resurrection of the dead may be hard to believe, it is not hard to explain. It is the idea that death brings life.
While the rest of the world feared death, Jesus was setting his face right towards it. Death is really birth, he taught; a beginning, not an end. What's more, he says that you cannot experience the new and abundant life of the Kingdom without this belief.
So imagine for a moment a group of people who really bought into this, who believed that life, abundant, new, and full, comes only after death (in all its forms).
This group would be fearless. Fearlessly committed, fearlessly truthful, fearlessly loving, no matter what suffering or persecution was thrown their way, and with a peace (that none would understand) to boot. They would think that everything would work out for good, no matter what kind of "death" they had to face.
And they would be what the Bible calls the church.
Listen, if you don't believe in resurrection of the dead, then put on your favorite mask on and hide behind it, getting what you can out of life in whatever way you can. Avoid suffering at all costs. Because death is death and suffering is suffering, and that. Is. It.
But if there is resurrection, then death and suffering lead to life! And if you believe in it, the death has no sting, and suffering holds transformation that you desire.
Easy? No. But elementary? Yes.