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What
Is the Purpose
ofthe
Resurrection?
by
Herbert W. Armstrong
Why is a resurrection necessary if man has an immortal soul?
If
we are saved by the death of Christ, why did Jesus have to be resurrected?
T
ODAY
we live in a time
of world revolution. We
hear talk about the end
of the world!
T oday we face a dual ques–
tion. Not only regard ing man ,
but now also concerning civi–
lization. We need to find the
answer to the question put by
the patriarch Job: " 1f a man die,
shall he live agai n
?"
This should be a time of hope–
because, even if this world dies–
and it shall- there will follow a
resurrection of a new and better
world-a world at peace-a world
of contentment, happiness, abun–
dance, joy!
Now, as never befare, we need to
realize that God is working out a
purpose here below- and that his
g reat plan involves a dual resurrec–
tion: the resurrection of the indi–
vidual, and also the resurrection of
a dying world! Very few, indeed,
have any conception at all of tbe
nature of the resurrection!
Never a Time like This Before
You live today in a time differ–
ent- utterly different- from any
past time on earth! You are des–
tined, as no past generation has
been, to live in two worlds! Yes,
Aprll 1986
tbis world
IS
dying- that's the real
meaning of world chaos today–
but there will be a resurrection.
And, catch .this!-the resur rected
body is not the same body that
previously dies!
Why did God Almighty need to
provide for any resurrection at all?
Wbat 's the purpose of the resurrec–
tion? What does it mean ?
Most people have somehow
come to believe that Cbrist com–
pleted God's plan of redemption on
the cross- by bis death! But if sal–
vation was made full and complete
by J esus' death, then why is there
any need of-why do people cele–
brate-the resurrection from the
dead?
Yo u often hear people say,
"Christ died to save sinners."
Many suppose that's a Bible quota–
tion-but it isn't. Many firmly be–
lieve that Christ's death imparts to
us eterna! life, that it is the blood
of Christ- his death- that actually
saves-t hat imparts everlasting
life. Many of you will be surprised
to learn that the Bible says no such
thing! Wbat a self-contradictory,
totally unscientific thing the Bible
would be stating,
if
you could find
tbat in the Bible.
There is no more basic and
firmly established law known to
science than the law of biogene-
sis- that only life can come from
life. Death has no power to impart
life. Life cannot spring from dead
matter. The living does not come
from the not-living. God Almighty
created that law.
Why, then, was it necessary that
Christ die for us- tbat he shed his
blood? Let's understand!
Death Cannot lmpart Lite
The Scriptures reveal that
ALL
have sinned, and the penalty for sin
is death! The punishment is
death- yes, death for all eternity–
eternal punishment! T he Bible
definition of sin is the transgression
of God's law- the immutable, in–
exorable spiritual law of love
summed up by the Ten Command–
ments.
God established that law, actu–
ally set it in motion, to make men
happy. lt 's the way to peace, to
prosperity, joy! lt's the perfect way
of life. It 's the way to enjoy life to
the full. This world is filled with
strife and war, fear and worry,
poverty and want, discontent and
suffering--only because men have
transgressed tbat holy, spiritual
law.
God's salvation does not impart
merely ete rna! life. Salvation
means far more than tbat. J esus
said he carne that we might have
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