christian@topaz.UUCP (02/11/87)
Hi, In article <8763@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU> ln63wmp@sdcc7.UUCP (Vasu Murty) writes: >... Yet why should the Resurrection itself be of such importance?? >... Some Christians argue that except >for Jesus, all of the above-mentioned people eventually died again. >But Paul says that its the resurrection, per se, that matters; not >the fact that Jesus never died again. The Resurrection of Jesus includes the fact that He rose from the dead, at the time He foretold He would, and that He entered eternal life rather than simply re-entered this life. This, I believe, is the same Resurrection that Paul is referring to - see His many other writings on the subject. > A second major difficulty associated with the Resurrection lies >in the contradictory accounts in the four gospels of what occurred. I look at the contradictions here and elsewhere in Scripture as simply different authors with different view points, yet the same truth behind the words. If you look only at the ink on paper, you miss a lot. The quotes you mention say, to me: Jesus did rise from the grave, women are an important part of religious life; angels were present at the empty grave; Jesus may have had a different appearance in His resurrected body that others did not at first know but did in short order. Pointing at the different viewpoints doesn't detract from these common truths. >... In fact, what did Jesus ever do that had not already been >accomplished? He rose from the dead, but only after others. He foretold His death, and His resurrection to eternal life. He also said He'd be sitting at the Father's right hand, and that He would return. >He perfomed miracles, but so had others. He raised people from the dead, >but so had Old Testament prophets. He healed, but so had others. When Jesus did these things, and more, He did them thru His own power; and He allowed Himself to be knelt before by some who chose to thank Him. Scripture does say only God is to be worshipped (Book of Revelations), and Jesus let Himself be worshipped. You'll notice that when His apostles did these things, they did them under Jesus' direction and in Jesus Name (remember when some of Jesus' disciples complained to Jesus that others were doing these things in Jesus' Name, though they weren't of His immediate group of followers). The Old Testament prophets did only what God would allow them to. Jesus said He only did what the Father did, and He did what He wanted to, when He chose to. >... "Eli, lama sabachthani?"--'My God, my God, why hast Thou > fosaken me." (Matt. 27:46) > > How could Jesus be the savior of all mankind when he couldn't >even save himself? These aren't the words of a man who went to the >cross willingly to die for our sins. > Vasu Murty These are the words of a man who chose to die for us. Scripture shows us how He went back to Jerusalem knowing He would be killed. His words only tell me how horrible sin really is, and what sin is; and in dieing for us He took all our sins on Himself (made up for our sins) and gave all of us salvation. We have the choice of accepting His sacrifice for us, or trying to do it all alone. We can have lots of friends who support our belief or non-belief in God, His love, and His Mercy, but in the final moment, it is just God and you, no one else. God Bless, Mike Andrews (PTL)