My book is available now, Title; Tears of the Lamb.

  TEARS OF THE LAMB BY N.C CHRISTOPHER

In recent past, Christians are known to be a different set of people with an impeccable lifestyle like the early church in the New Testament. But growing number of people do not see Christians that way, rather they see Christians as people of poor nature with the language of the poor; they call Prayer. This book will give you the insight about the deviations from the true Christian life and what has become of us that we should lose what we ought to be in this world.

My concern is not to make up Christianity by writing epistles because there are no more epistles to write but to point out the way which we live now is not aligned to the doctrines in the scripture which was given to us. The savior of the world; ‘Jesus’ has done all things well and God gave us not only Jesus but gave us all things through Him. The present inhabitants of this world have the largest number of lost souls ever in the history of mankind, the church is now a business, the gospel is diluted to suit the hearer and the dissimulation we exhibit make us look like sheep without a Shepherd, not only that, we put tears on the eyes of the Lamb of God because we have cast the precepts of God, His ordinances, and commandments into the garbage can.

I do not see the congregation of the early church but I believe they are the church of Jesus Christ that did everything Jesus did when He was in the flesh, they live like their Master Jesus and passed these attributes to us but we cannot cope. This is because we have tried Christianity, found it hard, difficult and finally rejected it. The tears that role down the cheek of Jesus; our savior is as a result of our weakly attitude towards His teaching, the lost sight of His majesty, the lost sight of His glory, the lost sight of the judgment seat of Christ and lastly the weak evangelism of this era.  All roads will lead all men to the judgment seat of Christ. The content is God inspired to warn all those who are called by His name about the deviation and the possible consequence that will follow. As you read the message, hear it as a good sermon and see the immediacy and the necessity of returning to the old path of righteousness, holiness and worship to the King of Kings.

The bible quotations are from the King James Version (KJV) and some paraphrases have emphasis added by the author. 

 The book is a available now @ www.morebooks.de 

Bible Doctrine 16; The Resurrection of the Dead

BIBLE DOCTRINE 16      

THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD

God’s Word teaches:

That the Resurrection of the dead is taught in the Bible as clearly as the immortality of the soul. Every individual who has ever lived will be resurrected, some to honor and glory and others to everlasting shame and contempt - Job 19:25-27; Psalm 71:20; Isaiah 26:19; Daniel 12:2; John 5:28,29; I Corinthians 15:12-57; I Thessalonians 4:13-16; Hebrews 6:1,2; Philippians 3:8-11; Revelation 20:4,6,12,13.

     The resurrection of the dead is a cardinal and an important doctrine of the Bible. As a fact, all who die in this world will undergo physical resurrection before the Great White Throne Judgment. This doctrine shows that there will be a resurrection of the body, joined with the soul to meet the LORD either in peace and joy, or meet Him (as a Judge) in condemnation, eternal punishment and torment of hell fire.

     Jesus, the Prophet come from God, declared in John 5:25, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” The fact of the resurrection of the just and unjust rings through the teaching of Jesus Christ (John 6:40; 11:25; Matthew 16:21; 22:23-32). Job spoke of his eyes and flesh seeing God after worms have destroyed his body (Job 19:25-27). Isaiah spoke of the earth casting out the dead (Isaiah 26:14, 19). Daniel spoke of the awakening of many that sleep in the dust, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt (Daniel 12:2). In like manner spoke David (Psalms 16:10; 17:15),  Old Testament saints (Hebrews 11:35), New Testament saints (Matthew 28:1-20; Mark 16:1-18; Luke 24:1-49;  John 20: 19-21) including Paul (Acts 17:18,32), Peter (I Peter 1:3; 3:21), even Herod the wicked King and the generality of the people of his day believed in the resurrection of the dead (Mark 6:14-16).

     The form to be associated with the resurrected body of the just is exemplified by the glorified body that Jesus, the first fruit, had after His resurrection (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:11-20,24-31; I John 3:2). All resurrected bodies will be immortal (Daniel 12:2; Mark 9:42-48). The resurrected bodies of saints will possess different degrees of glory. “There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differs from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead” (I Corinthians 15:39-54).

     In the intervening period between death (when the body and soul are separated) and the resurrection, one may ask: Where is the soul? The soul of a saint of God goes immediately to meet God in heaven. The repentant malefactor on the cross received forgiveness and assurance of Jesus: “Today shall thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:39-43). Righteous Lazarus died and was “carried by angels into Abraham’s bosom” where he was comforted (Luke 16:19-31). Stephen at death said, “I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God” ready to receive him (Acts 7:54-60). Paul was “willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:1-8). Many other references of the Scripture confirm that the soul of the saint rejoices in God’s presence at death (Philippians 1:21-23; Ecclesiastes 12:1, 7). On the other hand, when a sinner dies, his soul goes immediately to hell. In hell fire, he is conscious; he can see, feel and hear (Luke 16:19-31).

      The timing for the resurrection to life of the just and resurrection to judgment of the unjust is well spelt out in the scriptures in accordance with the ordained program of God.

     The resurrection of the saints of God also variously described in scriptures as resurrection of life (John 5:28, 29), resurrection of the just (Luke 14:13, 14), a better resurrection (Hebrews 11:35) and the first resurrection (Revelation 20:4-6), has four phases:  

     (i)  The resurrection of Christ, the first fruit (I Corinthians 15:3, 4, 12, 20, 23).

     (ii) The resurrection of the Church-age saints at the rapture (I Thessalonians 4:13-16).

     (iii)    The resurrection of the tribulation period saints (Revelation 20:3-5).

     (iv) The resurrection of Old Testament saints at the second advent of Christ to the earth (Daniel 12:2; Isaiah 26:19).

     All the saints of God that ever died would resurrect in the first resurrection. Not a soul will be left behind. What joy! What triumph!!  “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years” (Revelation 20:6).

     The second resurrection is still part of God’s program but deals with the unsaved dead. There is a difference in time of one thousand years between the first and second resurrection (Revelation 20:5-15). The second resurrection is also described as the resurrection to damnation (John 5:29). There will be everlasting punishment and torment in the lake of fire for all who partake in the second resurrection who have missed the first resurrection and whose names are not found in the Book of Life (Daniel 12:2; Revelation 20:11-15).

     As in the early church when Hymenaeus and Philetus erred concerning the truth by teaching that the resurrection was past already, thereby making a shipwreck of their faith and that of all those who followed their false doctrine, there are many false teachers today who “know not the scriptures nor the power of God” and overthrow the faith of many (2 Timothy 2:17,18; Matthew 22:23-32). Today many false teachings on the resurrection of the dead abound having the same devastating effects on all who believe them. Among such doctrines are (a) Annihilation and (b) Purgatory.

     The doubt, unbelief and scoffing of sinners will not prevent the complete resurrection program of God for both the saved and the unsaved, the same way it did not alter the resurrection from the dead of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ (Acts 23:8; 2 Timothy 2:15-18; I Corinthians 15:12-23; Romans 3:3,4). The resurrection of Christ and the future resurrection of the saints form the foundation of our Christian faith (I Corinthians 15:16-20). “For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised; and if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. BUT NOW IS CHRIST RISEN FROM THE DEAD!”

          To partake in the first resurrection, the resurrection of the saved, there must of necessity first be a spiritual resurrection in the present life, whereby the spirit is quickened from death in trespasses and sins, and the whole being renewed in the glorious likeness of God to a life of righteousness and holiness without which no man shall see the Lord (Ephesians 2:1,2,4-6; 1Thessalonians  4:14,16; 2 Corinthians 5:17-19; Hebrews 12:14).

Bible Doctrine 15; The Rapture

BIBLE DOCTRINE 15      

THE RAPTURE

God’s Word teaches:

That the Rapture (commonly referred to as the first phase or stage of the SECOND COMING OF CHRIST) is the catching away from the earth, of all living saints and all who died in the Lord. The Rapture will take place before the Great Tribulation and can happen any time from now. “In a twinkling of an eye” without a moment’s warning, “the trumpet shall sound” “and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” - John 14:1-3; Luke 21:34-36; I Corinthians 15:51-58; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; 5:4-9; 2 Thessalonians 2:5-7; Philippians 3:11,20,21; I John 3:1-3.

     The rapture is the greatest event of all ages that the Church is waiting for.  It is the catching away of all true believers in Christ to meet the Lord in the air (I Thessalonians 4:16).  Christ, at the end of His first advent, was in like manner taken up in the air to go and prepare a place for His own.  The parting promise from God was that Jesus will return in like manner to receive His ‘Bride’ to be with Him forever (Acts 1:9-11; John 14:1-3).

     The rapture is not the same as the Second Coming of Christ.  At the Rapture, Christ will appear in the air.  He will not be visible to the inhabitants of the earth.  His mission then will be to resurrect all dead saints, who, along with the living believers, will put on immortality and shall be caught up to be with the Lord.  This event will take place in the twinkling of an ‘eye’ before the great and terrible day of the Lord, when the wrath of God will be poured down from His cup of indignation without mixture - an event fitly called the Great Tribulation (I Corinthians 15:52). The Second Advent will not take place until after the great tribulation.  The time of the Rapture is unknown, even by the angels (Matthew 24:36; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5).  The Rapture will be heralded by the voice of the archangel and the blowing of trumpets signaling the end of the Church age (I Thessalonians 4:13-15).

     The Rapture was a mystery, unknown to the Old Testament saints and prophets.  God had underlined this great event in two different ways in the Scripture to assure us of its certainty.  First, it was illustrated in Enoch and Elijah, the two living saints who did not taste death but were translated in a moment of time and caught up in the air (Genesis 5:24, 2 Kings 2:11,12).

     Second, it was illustrated in Christ in the New Testament. He died, was buried and resurrected. While He talked with His disciples on Mount Olivet, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight (Acts 1:9-11).

     The rapture which was a mystery to the Old Testament prophets marks the end of the Church Age, also referred to as the time of the Gentiles (Luke 21:24).  This truth was veiled to the saints of old.  However, known unto God are all His works from the foundation of the earth.  In His mercy, He interrupted His program for Israel with the interpolation of Church Age.  Christ the Messiah came for His people but they rejected Him (John 1:11), and God turned to the Gentiles to take a people for Himself.  The rapture will mark the end of this special period of grace.  Does this mean that God has forsaken His people Israel forever?  Far from it, God will resume His program with Israel immediately after the rapture, thus ushering in the beginning of the Seventieth week in Daniel’s prophecy (Daniel 9:24-27).

    Any moment from now, the trumpet shall sound and He that shall come will come and will not tarry.  It is very certain that Christ is coming back again.  He assured the Church of the certainty of His coming (John 14:1-3).  Angels proclaimed it; apostles and saints throughout the ages preached it.  All the signs of His coming are daily being fulfilled.

        Christ, answering a pertinent question asked by His disciples on “...What shall be the sign of thy coming...” (Matthew 24:3), gave in details what would be happening on earth shortly before His coming (Matthew 24:5-12, 30-39).  He highlighted the following as what to expect:

     (i)   Many false Christ’s will arise to deceive many unsuspecting believers.

     (ii)  There will be wars and rumors of war.

     (iii) There will be international wars.

     (iv) Famine(s) (global economic recession)

     (v)  Pestilences

     (vi) Earthquakes in divers’ places

     (vii)  There will be persecution of Christ’s followers and some cases of martyrdom.

     (viii) The emergence of many false prophets.

     (ix) Backsliding from the faith on the increase

     (x)    More people given to pleasure and merry-making than those seeking the Lord.

     The scripture also predicts the conditions, characterized by a system of denials that will be prevalent within the visible Church, shortly before Christ’s return.  There will be a denial of God (2 Timothy 3:1-5), a denial of Christ (I John 2:18; 4:3), a denial of Christ’s return (2 Peter 3:3, 4), a denial of the faith of Christian living (Jude 18) and a denial of authority.  All these signs are being fulfilled before our very eyes.

     To qualify to partake in the rapture, one must be born again, live a transparent holy life, walk daily in the light, do service for God, watch daily, pray always with all prayer, and maintain these experiences at the time of the Rapture or at the time of death as the case may be (John 3:3; Hebrews 12:14; John 4:35-38; 9:1-4; I Thessalonians 4:16, 17).

     All the signs preceding the Second Advent of Christ are all fulfilled a clear indication that the Second Coming of Jesus Christ is very close and the time of the Rapture is much closer.  Sinning Church members will not be able to go at the rapture, though saved before and baptized in water. Careless and compromising preachers will miss the rapture; it does not matter what Christian work they may have done in the past.  All such people together with backsliders and sinners outside the Church will be left behind to face the Great Tribulation.

          Knowing that these things shall be, that the rapture will occur unannounced, and it is very imminent, what manner of persons ought believers to be?  Sinners are to make haste to repent and embrace Christ, as their Savior.  The Saints of God are to watch and pray lest that day comes upon them unprepared (Matthew 24:42-44).