Dr Paul Allen

La conversion de Saint Paul by Luca Giordano (1690), Museum of Fine Arts of Nancy. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) "If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead ." ( Philippians 3:11 ) The usage of this seemingly insignificant phrase, "if by any means" ( Greek ei pos), follows a significant order of development in the New Testament . Occurring only four times, it is used to express the urgency of an object sought, and the background needs and means for its attainment. The context of the first occurrence is the presumed need for physical comfort and security. "Because the haven was not commodious to winter in, the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might attain to Phenice , and there to winter" ( Acts 27:12 ). This particular goal, however, was never attained. The second is a more noble object, that of reaching an area of spiritual ministry. "Without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers,&

( Jesus death & resurrection) (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) From Keith Mathison. Eschatology moves to the foreground in 1 Corinthians 15. Here Paul turns his full attention to the doctrine of the resurrection. The question to which Paul is responding is not stated explicitly until verse 12. Paul informs us there that some of the Corinthians were saying that "there is no resurrection of the dead ." As we examine the text it will become clear that what they were denying was the future bodily resurrection of believers. Paul makes very clear in this chapter how central the doctrine of the resurrection is to the Christian faith . His argument proceeds in two stages. In verses 1–34, he demonstrates the reality of the resurrection of the dead. In verses 35–58, he explains how it is that the bodily resurrection of believers is possible. Paul opens the discussion by reminding the Corinthians of the Gospel that he had preached to them and that they had believed (15:1). In oth

Image via Wikipedia "So also is the resurrection of the dead . It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption." ( 1 Corinthians 15:42 )   When a believer's soul and spirit leave the body and return to the Lord , it is significant that the New Testament Scriptures speak of the body, not as dead, but as sleeping.  For example, Jesus said, "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep" ( John 11:11 ). This state is not " soul sleep " as some teach, for "to be absent from the body, |is| to be present with the Lord" ( 2 Corinthians 5:8 ). The body is sleeping--not the soul.   Similarly, when the believer's body is laid in a grave, Paul speaks of this act not as a burial, but as sowing! "But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?  Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that sh

Image via Wikipedia "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father , even so we also should walk in newness of life." ( Romans 6:4 )   The burial of Christ after His death was extremely important for two reasons: First, it assures us that His death was a physical death and that His resurrection was a bodily resurrection . Secondly, His burial--like His death and resurrection--has profound doctrinal and practical significance for the believer's individual life.   All this is pictured, as our text points out, by the ordinance of baptism, displaying symbolically the death of Christ for sin and the death of the believer to sin, then the burial of the corruptible body of flesh (which, for all but Christ, returns to dust in accordance with God 's primeval curse).  And finally, the resurrection, demonstrating Christ's eternal victory over sin and death, and, in the case of the beli

Image via Wikipedia "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have." ( Luke 24:39) One of the speculations of modern liberals who deny the resurrection is that the disciples saw some kind of apparition, or even were having hallucinations, when they "thought" they saw Jesus alive after His death.  But a supposed "hallucination" is never seen by an entire group of people at the same time, as Jesus was seen, again and again. Jesus Himself answers those who say it was a "spiritual" resurrection. His spirit never died, so His spirit could not be resurrected. At first the disciples did, indeed, think they were seeing His "ghost," but then He showed them the scars of the spikes that had pierced His hands and feet, and He also ate part of a fish and a honeycomb before them (vv. 37, 40, 42). They could no longer doubt the reality of His bodily resurrection