WORD CLINIC 24: The Value of Relationship

I peered into her eyes. I loved her, everything about her person. She was one person I had grown to admire of late. She was fast becoming a role model and mentor. She was my biology teacher. As I sat behind the work bench of the laboratory in one of those revision classes before my SSCE exams, staring with dilated pupils at her,  our eyes met. She stopped addressing the class and turned,  facing me. “Gideon,  I’ve noticed this – you don’t have friends. It’s not good. You have to do something about it.”
She was right. Prior to this time I didn’t care. I was a young chap who had met God in my early teenagehood. The bulk of my peers didn’t care about my God. So, in order to stay pure I kept to myself. Up until I was reprimanded by this teacher of mine,  I didn’t care. But now I did. As I walked out the gate of my school that fateful afternoon,  I pondered on these things. “She’s right,  your biology teacher.” the Spirit of God was saying to me. “You actually need to work on your relational life. You’ve been a good example in school; people admire your life from a distance,  but you’ve made little impact on them. Do you know why?” “Why Lord?” I asked. “Your relational life. You need to place more value on relationships,  with God and people.”
And that was it. The last part of the Lord’s statement to me became my number one core value. And I believe it should be the same for others.
Every believer should place the utmost premium on relationship,  because God does. God is a relational being, and He wired man a relational being too. The primary reason God created man is for fellowship. After the fall of man in the third chapter of Genesis, we were told that Adam and his wife heard the sound of God walking in the garden in the cool of the day. What was God seeking? Fellowship. He obviously had been meeting with them,  and even after their fall, He still came to check on them.
In the same vein, God has created man to fellowship with one another. For He created him and placed him in a family,  and a community. Why? Because man was never meant to be alone. Irrespective of temperament, for any human to survive and remain sane, that human needs people. Not just people, but personal persons with whom they can effectively communicate and bond. It’s the reason why the cruel punishment of solitary confinement is meted to condemned criminals; to render them useless.
As food supplies nourishment to the body, so does healthy relationship to the soul and entire being of man. For a man is either made or marred by his relationships.
A vertical relationship with God must be first,  forming the basis for a healthy horizontal relationship with people. Show me a man who has a functional relationship with God, and I’d show you a man who has a fruitful relationship with people. “My relationship with God is working well,  but I simply don’t have time for people.” some believers would say. That is a big fat lie from the pit of hell. If you don’t have meaningful relationships with people, if you don’t have friends, I can say boldly that you don’t have a functional relationship with God. If God wasn’t interested in your relationship with people, He would have taken you immediately to heaven after He got you saved.
David had a friend he loved as his soul,  Jonathan. Jesus had friends; for aside his immediate twelve disciples, He shared a fond relationship with faithfuls like Lazarus,  and Mary and Martha,  his sisters. He even fostered relationships with unbelievers when He ate with task collectors and sinners at Zaccheus’ house. So your excuse of temperament or you not being a people-person is not tenable. For you have Christ as example.
Examine your relationships, with God and people. Start with your nuclear family. When last did you tell your parents that you love them? When last did you spend quality time gisting with your wife? Have you ever asked your colleague at work about his welfare and family? Or you feel it is none of your business. Do you still exchange pleasantries with those you meet in the bus? Or you feel it’s old fashioned. Please turn a new leaf. For God wants you to give the utmost care to your relationships.
Before going to bed next time, ask yourself this question, “How have I bettered my relationship with people today?” For the value of a life, is in the value of the relationships he has built. For what would matter most to you in your dying bed is not the amount of wealth you’ve amassed, but the valuable relationships you possess.
gidmedico

WORD CLINIC 23: Stop massaging your conscience with church

They were wearing colourful clothes with jewels, shoes and handbags to match. They were chatting away, walking towards my direction. I was almost late for church on this fateful Sunday morning, but I reduced my pace a bit to admire these ladies. For they looked gorgeous, with such gracious outlook, as though they were angels dropped from heaven. I was beginning to assume kinship with them because it was obvious our destination was the same, when all of a sudden it occurred to me that there may exist among these ladies, the night clubers I saw while returning from my late night call last Friday; or the smokers I saw sitting at a popular bar in my area on that fateful Thursday evening, giggling with friends like they had just won a jackpot, with their canines and molars working on the pork meat in their mouth, been washed down with intermittent gulps of alcohol; or the patient I clerked in my clinic, whose religion was Christianity, and marital status, single, but had aborted three times in the last two years, and was still sexually active.

As I walked pass them, still lost in thoughts, the Holy Spirit whispered this to me, “Many of my children massage their consciences with church.” “Lord, what do you mean by that?” I asked. Then He went on to expatiate.

Our country Nigeria is ladened with a lot of religious people whose greetings on Sundays are usually, “Happy Sunday ma! Happy Sunday sir!” Youths, who after Sunday services would start taking cool selfies with their church clothes and place these pictures on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp status, with captions and hastags reading, “Sunday vibes”. Yet, these same people would step out the next day, and live their Mondays through Saturdays, as though God didn’t exist.

Do not be surprised that the politician that illegally carts away with task payers money on Monday, is the usher that stands at the door of the church on Sunday; or the doctor that performs abortion on Wednesday is the head of the Sunday school in his church; or the police officer that takes bribe on public holidays, extorting and framing innocent car owners, is the church’s accountant; or the employer who has not paid his staffs for the last six months is the parish pastor of that popular denomination. The paradoxical comparison been endless.

During the week, their consciences scream as they live contrary to God’s will. Some would try to shut it up by confessing their righteousness in Christ, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus.” they would quote. Others would try to quieten this judge-of-right-or-wrong by alluding to the fact that everyone sins, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” they would quote. But for many, their gimmicks doesn’t work. Their consciences still scream.

But when they wake on Sunday mornings, Oh what a glorious day! They clad themselves with the best of their attires, and paint their faces with all forms of disfigurement, because the day to appease their consciences has come. As they walk through the church doors, they would begin to savor God’s presence, relishing in the soothing feeling it gives their souls. As the opening prayer begins, they would immediately go down on their knees asking for forgiveness. An onlooker will think they are the most pious. They would dance hard during the praise, lift up ‘holy’ hands during the worship, shake their heads vigorously during the prayers, all in a bid to appease their consciences. “Ride on pastor!” some will yell during the message. Others will dash to the altar and drop offerings at the feet of the man of God during the sermon. Some may even make distracting and dramatic displays, like lifting their plastic chairs and screaming “Yeah! Yeah! Preach it sir! Glory! Word! Shalabababa. . .”, all in a bid to quieten their consciences and appease their church minds. But once the graces and the closing rituals are said, they’re out the church door and back to their normal godless lives.

“Who are they deceiving?” the Spirit of God said to me. Then He reminded me of David’s prayer in Psalms, the fifty-one verse, the seventeenth chapter, “the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart O God you will not despise.” The Message Bible renders the preceding verse thus, “Going through the motions doesn’t please you, a flawless performance is nothing to you. . .” Then The Living Bible puts that same verse seventeen thus, “It is a broken spirit you want – remorse and penitence.”

So, if you’re in any way guilty of what the Holy Spirit said to me, please repent. And stop massaging your conscience with church.

gidmedico

The Resurrection of the Dead 07 – FINALE

As I place the lid on this series of teaching, it is important that I remind you of the crux of this study in the first place. The resurrection of the dead is the believer’s hope.

Many believers are quick to quote what Paul said about himself in Philippians three verses thirteen and fourteen, “. . . forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press towards the mark. . .”, they would chant, a times, mindlessly. But when asked what that mark is, many are unsure. “I think it is heaven.” some will say. “It is when the believer dies.” others will guess. But there’s no need guessing. The preceding verses of that chapter contain the answer. “I want to know Christ – yes, to know the power of His resurrection . . . becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:10-11)  Yes, that is the mark, at the very end of that statement. The goal of our Christian walk is to partake in the resurrection from the dead.

Still speaking about our hope as believers, the Scripture in Colossians chapter one verse twenty-seven says, “To His people, God has chosen to reveal among the gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Because we have accepted Christ, and because He resides in us, the seal of His Spirit been ingrained in our spirit, we can joyously look forward to that moment when we would partake in the resurrection from the dead, laying aside this mortal body, and taking up the incorruptible immortal body.

The apostle John took off from where the apostle Paul stopped in first John three, verses two and three. “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.” In other words, the apostle by the Holy Spirit was saying that we are sure of one thing, and should be elated about it. That when Jesus shall appear (obviously that will be when He appears in the rapture), we will be like Him – spirit, soul and body. For we shall see Him as He is; for nothing will be hidden from us, having attained the perfection that we’ve hitherto worked towards. He then says that if this is our hope; if we daily ponder on this, keeping our eyes fixed on Christ; if during the trials and temptations, we encourage ourselves that one day, at the resurrection of the dead, we will wear our immortal bodies and radiate a glory similar to that of Christ; then we keep ourselves pure, just as Christ, who is in us, is pure.

The believer should have this hope. This very hope. That he will be like Christ, at the resurrection; and spend eternity with Him, beholding His glory; if only he will stay the tide, enduring to the end.

gidmedico

The Resurrection of the dead 06 – The Second Resurrection

In previous expositions, I mentioned that there exists two types of resurrections: the first, being the resurrection of believers and, the second resurrection for unbelievers. I’d like to dwell on the second.

This resurrection is also called the resurrection of the unjust, or the resurrection to damnation (John 5:29). All those who died as unbelievers, having failed to accept Jesus into their lives on earth, will not resurrect in the rapture; neither will those unbelievers who will die during the seven years of tribulation resurrect during the return of Christ to reign on the earth. But all these dead unbelievers will be reserved for another time, to be resurrected. Which time? The great white throne judgement.

This judgement will consummate all dispensations, ushering everything back into the flow of eternity. After Jesus’ one thousand year-reign on earth with the saints, the devil been bound during this period; the devil is released for a while. He goes into the world and deceives people, then his own final judgement comes. The devil, and all his agents (demons) will be cast into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone; then the great white throne judgement would occur.

I believe it’s qualified as great because God Himself, sitted on His white (holy) throne, will supervise the judgement. All the dead unbelievers, both small and great, peasants and presidents, paupers and rich people, will be resurrected and stand before God. No one, I mean no one will escape this judgement.

Now some may ask, what of those whose bodies died during a shipwreck and have decomposed in the sea? What of those who were burnt alive, or cremated into ashes? How will they be resurrected and stand before God in a resurrected body? The Bible in Revelations twenty verses eleven to thirteen says they will. It says the sea will surrender those who died in it. Even death and hell will deliver those who are in it, for this judgement.

The proceedings of the judgement will be thus. God will open two books, the books of records and the book of life. The book of records will contain documentations about the life of each individual. Every activity of that person on earth will be documented herein. The book of life is then opened. This book contains only names of those who accepted Jesus during their life on earth. God will judge these resurrected dead from these books. Whoever’s name is not found written in the book of life is cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. This is called the second death. As many as partake in the first resurrection, that is saints, will not experience the second death (Revelations 20:6). But as many as resurrect (in the second resurrection), and partake in the white throne judgement, are doomed to experience the second death.

A good observer may ask, “Why is the great white throne judgement needed at all? When all who partake in it will eventually be cast into the lake of fire, because their names will not be found in the book of life.” My submission. I think it’s God’s way of showing that He is just. He needs to hold a formal court proceeding, open the evidence to each unbelieving resurrected dead, and convict him or her from the books of records, and the book of life, before been hurled into eternal damnation.

The good news is that we believers will be spared of this resurrection and damnation, if we endure to the end. The horrid picture the lake of fire and brimstone leaves in our imaginations, should make us as believers to make haste, and be dutiful with the master’s assignment of soul winning.

gidmedico

WORD CLINIC 22: The Worth of a Rational Mind

Growing up, I was an inquisitive kid. I asked a lot of questions. “Daddy, why are those women wearing black clothes?”, “Why are we entering a bus? Why not our own car?”, “What is the name of that thing? There, that thing there?”, “How does one knot a tie? I want to do it myself.” And I’d go on and on, from one question to the next. I could only imagine how bothersome I was then to my parents. But thankfully, they didn’t shut me up. They patiently provided answers, in as simple a form as possible, that my naive mind could grab. Unknown to them, they were nurturing a mind. A rational mind. That would not just accept the status quo, and swallow everything – hook, line and sinker. But one, that would ask the right questions and make the world a better place.

Many folks these days do not ask meaningful questions. They don’t know specific names of people, things, places, methods; “Give me that thing, that yellow thing.” they would say. They don’t know how to do many everyday tasks; “Is it everything someone will know how to do?” they would demand. They don’t know why they do what they do; “Why must I know why? Everybody does it, don’t they?” they would ask. But when you check their lives, it is nothing more than average. They are not advancing, but rather retrogressing.

I was speaking with some youths in a suburban region of recent. They didn’t know who Nigeria’s colonial masters were. I was shocked. So I asked if they knew what the Independence day we celebrate on October 1st stood for. They didn’t. I was the more shocked. I didn’t know where to start from. I left wondering, “What were they taught at home? Exactly what did their parents discuss at home? So they couldn’t even chip in a little history about Nigeria? So these youths didn’t even as kids wonder why they had to learn English in school?”

Pick a Secondary School Student at random and ask him or her, “Why are you going to school?” Many will respond, “To learn to read and write.” “And so, why must you learn to read and write? To what end?” You’ll find them staring at you dumbfounded. Then some seemly smart ones may say, “Because my parents want me to read and write.” What an appalling state! That’s why a lot of graduates don’t have a job. And many who do, are making little or no impact in their societies. They did not know why they went to school. It was just the status quo.

To have a rational mind, three prevalent questions must be asked in every situation of life. What. How. Why. The question “What” helps with identity, recognition, characterisation. It is the starting point. It is the foundation block. The question “How” helps with process and the manner with which things are done. It deals with methodology. It breaks things into steps. The question “Why” helps with purpose. It tells the reason behind what is done, or what exist. It is the most important. If left unanswered, will result in the churning out of humans, that are mere robots.

Our ultimate role model, Jesus, didn’t live an ordinary life on earth because He asked questions. In the gospel according to Luke, the forty-sixth verse of the second chapter, we find Jesus sitting in the midst of doctors of the law, both hearing them and asking questions. Questions that led to Him discovering and fulfilling purpose.

Mary, the betrothed virgin of Joseph, after receiving God’s message through Gabriel of her immaculate conception asked, “How shall this be?” This she asked, seeking understanding of God’s ways. And when she did, she was able to submit to His will, fulfilling purpose.

It’s high time parents trained their kids to have a rational mind. Don’t just tell them what to do, but work them through the process of how to do it. Don’t just let them know how, but also why they need to do it. That way, the child is introduced to purpose from the very beginning. He develops a rational, critical mind; questions the status quo, improving on what is good and jettisoning what is bad; becomes innovative, and leaves the society a better place.

It’s high time employers developed a workforce that does not just accept the routine everyday tasks; employees that would not just say “Yes sir!” or “Yes ma!” to whatever they’re told. But those that would ask pressing questions about what their specific duties are; how they are to effectively execute their tasks, and most importantly, why they’re doing what they do. Questions that would make them re-evaluate the status quo, teasing out what is profitable and what is not, and coming up with innovations that would advance their workplace.

This is unarguable. That every great man is a great thinker. And every great thinker asks questions; meaningful questions. Questions that would not only provide answers to burning needs, but would lead to the emergence of a terrific person, with a rational mind.

gidmedico

BIBLE ALIVE 24: The Buffeted Jesus

At about 3AM on this faithful Wednesday, Jesus was dragged into the palace of the high priest, His hands tied together in front of Him, His captors clinging firmly to His arms.

The palace of the high priest was elegantly built – from the huge flashy gate, to the well-nurtured garden, to the outstanding latest model duplex, in a courtyard spanning about three football fields. These religious leaders who were meant to live as servants of the people, leading exemplary godly lives, were living flamboyant opulent lives, serving their own bellies. It was in this monumental edifice that the great Sanhedrin, consisting of 71 members – the high priest, chief priests, scribes (principal teachers) and elders (principal church rulers) – were gathered. They had left the comfort of their beds, fought the urge to sleep, only to partake in the trial of Jesus, the prey their evil trap through Judas had caught.

This great Sanhedrin all stood in the large hall in the high priest’s palace that served as a courtroom, as Jesus was being hurled in. He was brought before the bar, the high priest sitting as judge, the other members of the Sanhedrin as the prosecutors, and some members of the Jewish community as witnesses. For though this court had resolved to condemn Him even before the commencement of a trial, yet they needed the evidence against Him from the trial, to put a better colour upon it. In order to achieve their aims, they assembled false witnesses to testify against Christ.

The crimes properly cognizable in their court were false doctrine and blasphemy. So, Caiaphas, the high priest began by asking, “Rabbi, who are your disciples? What are their names?” Christ remained silent. Then Caiaphas continued. “How many are they? Of what country are they?” Still no answer from Christ. “What is now become of them all? Where are they? Why do they not appear?” The high priest toled this line of questioning hoping to charge Him with sedition, and present him as dangerous to the Roman government and the Jewish church.

But Christ would not bulge. For He remained silent. Then Caiaphas proceeded to ask Him about His teachings. “I’m aware you taught a lot of heresies, contrary to what the Law of Moses prescribes. You claim that you have brought a new commandment which you call the commandment of Love and that the moral laws of Moses should be abolished. You also claim that you are the Way to God, being the Son of God, and that ceremonial laws and sacrifices through God’s temple and God’s high priest should be abolished.” Caiaphas asked about His teachings, hoping to charge Him with heresy and bring Him under the penalty of the law against false prophets. “Rabbi, won’t you answer my questions?”

Then Christ bulged. “I have spoken openly to the world,” He replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.” This Christ said, tacitly charging the judges with illegal proceedings. For they asked about His teachings, having already condemned them; and asked Him, instead of others who heard Him, His teachings being made manifest to their consciences. For he does not indeed speak evil of these rulers.

But these evil men could not stand the reprimand Christ just made; their consciences echoing the absurdity of their flawed proceedings. So a tall, lanky official standing close by, walked quickly to Christ and slapped He in the face, demanding, “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” “If I said something wrong,” Jesus replied, “testify as to what is wrong. But if I spoke the truth, why did you strike me?”

Then the high priest, desiring to make some headway, decided to call up witnesses, “May we hear the witnesses.” Then the first witness came and took the stand, and gave his testimony. Then the second, and third. And five other witnesses, yet they found none they could make anything of, for they could not take the evidence together, or give it any colour of truth or consistency; not even with they themselves being judges.
Finally, two witnesses came up that seemed to agree in their testimony. They said, accusing Christ. “This fellow said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.’” Really? Is that what I said? Christ thought. I said ‘If you destroy this temple,’ speaking of my body which you would seek to destroy, ‘In three days I will raise it up.’ But Christ would not speak up against their testimony. For what purpose will it serve? They were set to condemn Him. For it was His cross to bear.

Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?” But Jesus remained silent. Not as one sullen, or as one self-condemned, or as one astonished and in confusion; not because He wanted something to say, or knew not how to say it. But because His hour was come; He would not deny the charge, but was willing to submit to the sentence.

Since all had failed, and they could not find any charge with which to accuse Him, they tried contrary to the law of equity, to make Him accuse Himself. And would do that under an oath. “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” Caiaphas demanded. “I am. And from now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven to execute judgement on the people of the world.” Jesus answered.

That was the last straw that broke the camel’s back; that was the evidence they were looking for. In an outright show of hypocrisy, with the intent to send a message to the court’s audience that the words spoken by Christ were a reproach to God, Caiaphas rent His clothes; for while he feigned an abhorrence of blasphemy, he himself became the greatest blasphemer, having forgotton the law which forbade the High Priest in any case to rend his clothes.

Then he announced to the court, “He has spoken blasphemy! Why do we need any more witnesses? Look, now you have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” “He is worthy of death,” they yelled. A group of elders came in front of Christ, pushed him and spat on His face, shaming Him. Several others came from all sides and buffeted Him. After blindfolding Him, they slapped Him with the palms of their hands, to add pain to His shame. Then some said, “Prophesy to us Messiah, who hit you?”, making sport of Him.

Food for thought: (1) To discharge us from all accusations, our Lord Jesus submitted to this, to be unjustly and falsely accused. (2) When Christ was made sin for us, he was silent, and left it to his blood to speak; He stood mute at the world’s bar, that we might have something to say at God’s bar. (3) Pain and shame are the basest human experiences. For both came with sin, and both were taken away through Christ.

Scriptural references: Matthew 26:59-68; Mark 14:55-65; Luke 22:54-71; John 18:19-24; Romans 8:33; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Colossians 2:14; Hebrews 12:24;

gidmedico

BIBLE ALIVE 23: Feigned penitence

Samuel stood facing Saul. His eyeballs were fixed on the king. His face wore an expression of a mixture of pity, regret and disgust. His chin rested in the cup created by his right hand, with his left hand under his right elbow, supporting the limb. The atmosphere was tensed. About a minute passed with neither of them uttering a word.

Saul had just messed up again. Big time. He was Samuel’s favourite, and the prophet wanted to do everything to keep him on the throne. But it appeared his deposition was inevitable. Why does this man have a problem with obeying simple instructions? Samuel thought. The other time he acted foolishly by offering sacrifices – an act to be done only by priests; now, he has brought back Agag, the king of Amalek, and fat sheep and oxen, bleating and mooing in my ears. His instructions were clear. Kill all the Amalekites and destroy all they have. Is that so difficult? Now he’s spuing gibberrish that he wants to sacrifice to God. Which God?

“Look, king Saul,” Samuel said, breaking the silence. “God does not want your sacrifices – empty sacrifices that are just for a show. He wants you to do exactly what He says. To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.  For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.” Then Samuel paused, allowing the words to sink in. Then he continued speaking, repeating the verdict he had before pronounced, because it was obvious Saul was dull of hearing. “Because you disobeyed the Word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king over His people.”

Samuel waited, searching Saul’s face for any sign of remorse, but found none. “I have sinned. I violated God’s commandments and your words.” Saul said. His profession obviously not in sync with his disposition. My words? Who’s this fellow trying to bribe? Were they my words or the words of God I simply told you? Samuel thought. “I did this because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.” Saul said in his defence. Liar! You don’t stand in awe of the people. You’re known to keep up your authority among them, doing only what you want. Like you did when you starved the whole army in the name of a fast, preventing them from completely wiping their enemies. 

Saul noticed Samuel was lost in thoughts, but he continued speaking anyway. “Now I beg you, forgive my sin and come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord.” Samuel was shocked at his request. His mouth was left hanging for a while in utter bewilderment. Then he replied Saul, saying firmly. “I will not go back with you. All you care about is to save your credit and to preserve your interest in the people. Do you fear that they will revolt, or at least despise you?” Hey watch it man of God, I’m still your king. I’m taking this insult because the people revere you. If they see you no longer approve of me, I’d lose control over them. Thought Saul. 

As if Samuel could read his thoughts, he turned around and began walking away. The king who could not stand the affront, having fed his haughty spirit with forced subordination, stretched forth his hand and held the hem of the priestly robe of the prophet, all in a bid to keep him back. Instantly, the gament gave way, tearing along the hem. Samuel stopped and turned back to face Saul.

“The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbours—to one better than you.” Samuel said. Then Saul, attempting to feign some remorse, clasped both hands together in front of him, making the prayer sign, saying “I have sinned. But please honour me before the elders of my people and before Israel; come back with me, so that I may worship the Lord your God.” Oh my God! Is this the language of a penitent? Of course not! A repentant soul would have said ‘I have sinned. Shame me now, for to me belongs shame, and no man can abhor me as much as I abhor myself.’ Well, let me oblige him. He still sits on Israel’s throne.

Then Samuel went back with Saul.

Food for thought: (1) Obedience to God’s word must be complete; up to the last jot. (2) True repentance is evident, not in well articulated words, but in turning from wrong doings.

Scriptural reference: 1 Samuel 15:12-31;

gidmedico

The Resurrection of the Dead 05 – The Resurrected Body

I have a friend. She became somewhat confused about the subject of the resurrection of the Dead and asked, “Gideon, a godly person who dies is said to go to heaven immediately. If that be the case, how can we reconcile this with the scripture in First Thessalonian four that says the dead in Christ shall rise first, if these same dead had risen immediately they died?”

I responded to her question by stating explicitly what part of man goes to heaven immediately after death. That when a man dies, his spirit that has a soul goes to God for judgement (Ecclesiastes 3:21; Hebrews 9:27). If he is of Christ and died in Christ, that spirit goes to heaven; else, he goes to hell. But the body of the dead remains in the grave (or wherever it is – sea, fire, ashes etc.), awaiting the resurrection. She then sorted further clarification by asking, “Was that what Paul meant when he said in First Corinthians fifteen forty-two that the body is sown in corruption, dishonour, weakness and a natural body but raised in incorruption, glory, power and a spiritual body?”

I responded by saying, “Exactly! The resurrection is all about the body. The birthing of a new body. It’s when the salvation of the body will take place. At salvation, our spirit was saved (John 3:6; 2 Corinthians 5:17). Our soul is being saved (James 1:21), a process which will be completed when Christ comes. And at the rapture, our bodies will be saved (2 Corinthians 5:1-4; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).” Then light came. She was awed. And grateful.

Then it occurred to me that some may lack insight into the concept of the salvation of the body and the resurrected body.

The salvation of the body is the believer’s hope. The Living Bible puts Second Corinthians five verses one and two thus, “For we know that when this tent we live in now is taken down—when we die and leave these bodies — we will have wonderful new bodies in heaven, homes that will be ours forevermore, made for us by God himself and not by human hands. How weary we grow of our present bodies. That is why we look forward eagerly to the day when we shall have heavenly bodies that we shall put on like new clothes.”

We would get new bodies (spiritual, incorruptible) in the resurrection. It is called the salvation of the body, and it is still futuristic. It would happen when Christ shall come to rapture His church. The body we currently wear is a natural one. It is called the body of sin (Romans 6:6; 7:18, 23;). It is of this world, has its limitations, can be weary, sick and destroyed.

Some believers think they can get to some supernatural height in their walk with God when their bodies will cease to be natural and they would no longer grow weary or faint. There’s no such thing! I’m not saying the spirit of God cannot come on a believer and quicken his physical body to do supernatural things. In fact, this should be a common occurrence among us, like we see in Bible days. But bear in mind that the body has its limits, because it’s still natural. It needs rest. But when we take up our spiritual bodies, all the physical restraints experienced by our natural bodies will be done away with.

If you ever get confused, or are lacking clue as to how your resurrected body would look like, then look to Christ. He already has His resurrected body. When did He get His? After His resurrection.

I came across an article about the glorified body of Christ that stated that the body of Christ before and after His resurrection was the same. I do not completely agree with this based on what I find in God’s word. Before Jesus’ death and resurrection, He had the same body like you do now. A natural body. Romans eight verse three says God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh. It meant Jesus had the body of sin like you currently do. The difference is that He kept it subjected to His spirit, and hence He did not sin.

Some may counter, “Don’t tell me Jesus didn’t have a supernatural body when he was on earth! How then did He walk on water? And all the other supernatural things He did in the flesh? How could a natural body accomplish them?” I’d respond by saying He did those supernatural things because His mortal body was used as an instrument, being under subjection to the spirit of God. But may I quickly remind you that the body of Christ grew weary and he needed to rest at the well in Samaria. He was hungry and His disciples got Him food. His body didn’t want Him to go to the cross in the garden of Gethsemane, but He finally put it under and did the Father’s will.

After Jesus’ resurrection, He had a resurrected body. This was different from his physical body because it was spiritual, immortal. But it was as real as His physical body. It bore His same identity. The disciples could recognise Jesus by His body. When He appeared to them in the upper room in Luke’s gospel chapter twenty-four, they were terrified because they thought He was a spirit. He allayed their fears, saying He wasn’t just a spirit. He was real. Real to both the physical and spiritual worlds.

To prove this, Christ asked them to touch Him. They felt His body. They could put their fingers in the holes created by the nails on the cross. He went further to ask them if they had food, which they brought. He sat with them and they ate together. Then it dawned on them that Christ was real. He was risen. They were not looking at the spirit of someone who had died. They were seeing someone who had a spirit and soul, in a resurrected body, different from theirs.

This resurrected body was different from theirs. It was incorruptible, glorious, with no physical restraint. It had no weakness but rather exuded power. It could not sin, neither was it a source of temptation. No person before Christ had ever worn this resurrected body. He was the first of His kind. And we would put on that same resurrected body in the resurrection, when Christ comes for His church in the rapture. That is, and should be, the believer’s hope.

So, the next time you get confused about the resurrection of the dead, or how your resurrected body would look like; look to Christ.

gidmedico

BIBLE ALIVE 22: Foxes Aflame

Samson walked into the hinterlands of Timnath fuming with anger. His father-in-law had given his wife to his best man. A woman for whom he threw a seven-day elaborate wedding; someone he told his difficult-to-decipher riddle, all because of the pressure she got from her people, which made him raid, kill and strip thirty men of their clothes to pay cowards; someone he loved.

His father-in-law was talking gibberish, “I was so sure you hated her…” What is wrong with that man! Was it because I was angry after the feast over the way my companions ridiculed me with my riddle, hamstringing me through my wife? How will he equate that to utter hatred for my wife? I don’t understand how these Philistines think. He even had the guts to offer me his younger daughter in her stead. Samson thought. He doesn’t know anything. I’m a public figure. What he has done to me, he has done to Israel, the people of God. This time, I have a right to get even with the Philistines. I will really harm them.

With utter fury he stormed into the mountainous region that flanked the farming lands of Ashkelon and Ekron. Then the Spirit of the Lord rested upon him.

He moved to a nearby cave, located a narrow entrance, that obviously led to the habitat of rodents. He made fire from woods and placed them at the mouth of the cave. The smoke went in and after a while, a red fox came, running out. He went after it and grabbed it at the back of its neck with his bare hand. He tied it with a string round its neck to the trunk of a nearby tree.

With lightening speed, he went back to similar entrances of caves in that mountainous landscape, burning wood there, with the foxes running out of their hideouts, obviously been driven out by the smoke.

Samson went after the foxes and caught them in a similar manner like he did the first, tying them around several tree trunks, until he caught the three hundredth fox. He began this hunt at about 6:30pm and ended at 4am the next morning.

He took the foxes in twos and tied their tails together putting touches in the knot. He brought them to the farm lands of the Philistines, put fire to the touches and let them loose. The foxes ran into the cornfield of the Philistines in a frenzy, their flaming behind burning down the crops as they went. In no time, the entire farmlands – the standing corns, harvested corns and olive orchards – were raised down, covering an expanse of about one thousand hectares. 

This was a great waste and impoverishment for the Philistines, for it was wheat harvest. They had injured Samson by their subtlety and malice, and now Samson returned the injury by subtle foxes and mischievous fire-brands. God in some sense, displayed justice: for the corn, wine and oil that they would have prepared from these fields as meat offerings to Dagon, were made burnt offerings to God’s justice. 

Samson stood with his chest out and bowed-out upperlimbs with hands resting on his waist, looking at the smoke that ascended to the sky from the destroyed farmland. With utmost satisfaction at his heroic exploit, he turned around to go home, the anointing lifting. The cranky noise from his joints and excruciating ache from his marrow drove home the message of how fatigued and famished he was.

Food for thought: Oh that we would be burning torches that God would send into the world to consume everything ungodly.

Scriptural references: Judges 15:1-5; John 5:35;

gidmedico