Unless You Have Believed In Vain

The Resurrection and the Rapture Part One

When one speaks of the Rapture of the church one always speaks of the Resurrection of the believer. The resurrection of the believer can only take place because of the Resurrection of Christ. The 15th chapter of 1 Corinthians speaks and proclaims the single most important part of this Epistle and contains a connected, labored, and unanswerable argument for the main truth of Christianity and for that matter, Christianity itself. The doctrine of the Resurrection ad actually been denied by some in Corinth, the church to whom this epistle was addressed. This error had obtained a footing not only in Corinth but also the entire Church during Paul’s time. On what grounds, or by what portion or party it was denied, is unknown. From 2 Timothy we learn that it was held by some that the Resurrection was passed already, and consequently, that there was noting but a spiritual resurrection to come.  To counteract these errors, and to put the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the dead on a firm foundation, and thus to furnish a demonstration of the truth of Christianity is the design of this chapter. While defending the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, Paul was in effect, also defending the rapture of the church, which is one and the same as the resurrection.

 

By Chris McDonald

 

1 Cor. 15:1-4  - Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; [2] By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

   

When one speaks of the Rapture of the church one always speaks of the Resurrection of the believer. The resurrection of the believer can only take place because of the Resurrection of Christ. The 15th chapter of 1 Corinthians speaks and proclaims the single most important part of this Epistle and contains a connected, labored, and unanswerable argument for the main truth of Christianity and for that matter, Christianity itself.

 

The doctrine of the Resurrection ad actually been denied by some in Corinth, the church to whom this epistle was addressed. This error had obtained a footing not only in Corinth but also the entire Church during Paul’s time. On what grounds, or by what portion or party it was denied, is unknown. From 2 Timothy we learn that it was held by some that the Resurrection was passed already, and consequently, that there was noting but a spiritual resurrection to come.

 

To counteract these errors, and to put the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the dead on a firm foundation, and thus to furnish a demonstration of the truth of Christianity is the design of this chapter. While defending the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, Paul was in effect, also defending the rapture of the church, which is one and the same as the resurrection.

 

2 Tim. 2:18  - Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

 

The phrase “moreover,” in the first verse launches Paul’s defense and is in essence stating, “in addition to what I have said, or in that which I am not about to say, I make known the main and leading truth of the Gospel.” The Holy Spirit has Paul says he “declares,” this truth which is actually the summation of Paul’s original defense of the Cross in 1 Corinthians 1 and 2 when he proclaimed, “we preach Christ Crucified!” The message of the gospel is not complete without the resurrection of all believers, or the rapture of the church! The good news of Jesus Christ – His Life, Sufferings, Death and especially His resurrection – means little if we are not going to resurrected as well. But because HE LIVES, we will live also! Because HE rose again from the dead, we too who pass on in this life through death will one day rise again. This is why we call the teaching of the rapture “the blessed hope.”

 

Paul links the Ressurection of Christ to the Resurrection of believers, and makes that his main subjet and defense in this great 15th chapter of Corinthians tying this into the term “gospel,” which includes the doctrine that Jesus died for our sins, and was buried as well as resurrected on the third day. This special revelation of the New Covenant was given to PAUL; neither Peter nor John, nor any of the Apostles for that matter, were given this great Message called “the gospel.” Paul’s writings proclaim the New Covenant, while the writings of the other Apostles compliment that Covenant. (JSM)

 

The message of the cross is the declaration of the gospel and vice versa. One cannot truly declare the gospel message with declaring the great message of Christ Crucified, Buried and Risen from the dead. Any other gospel that circumvents this great event is ANOTHER gospel and false! Let the reader be clear on that last statement that bears repeating. ANY gospel that circumvents the cross or adds something to the finished work of Christ as part of man’s deliverance and salvation is a false gospel and will not do anything but lead sinful man down a path of more chaos and confusion.

 

The Holy Spirit was part of this great salvation process at the Cross both hovering over Christ while He hung on the Cross and also present and active at His actual resurrection from the dead. This is why the Holy Spirit is called “the eternal Spirit,” in the book of Hebrews.

 

Hebrews 9:14

    How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 

 

Christ offered Himself THROUGH the “eternal” spirit without spot to God and, according to Romans, if that same SPIRIT, which raised Christ dwell in you, He shall quicken your mortal bodies and delivers sinful man from the bondage that so seeks to destroy millions.

 

Romans 8:10-18

    And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. [11] But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

 

The Church at Corinth failed to understand this great eternal truth and I’m afraid we in the modern church do not understand it either. There is NO salvation outside the Crucified Christ, the Lamb of Glory, the Risen Savior, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.

 

All false teaching and all false doctrine will always lead the one following such away from the teaching and preaching of the Cross i.e. the Death, burial and RESURRECTION of the Lord Jesus Christ! And when we are lead away from the Resurrection, we will always be removed from teaching and preaching on the rapture of the church because one cannot separate the two when speaking of the future for the believer!

 

To deny the rapture is to deny the resurrection. To deny the coming translation of the saints is to deny the foundational doctrine of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Cross is not “part” of many doctrines in the church; it is THE foundational doctrine where in all other doctrine gets it source of life and truth! The Holy Spirit and all the doctrines related to His work in our hearts and lives centers around the Cross! All end time doctrine and its related theology centers around the Cross! All doctrines concerning divine healing and deliverance must center itself around the Cross! All teaching concerning life after death and what takes place when one dies must be centered around the message of the Cross of Christ!

 

If we understand the Cross and what Jesus did for us there 2,000 years ago we will understand all other doctrine! On the flip side, if we don’t understand the Cross or reject it as just some “past misery,” as many Charismatic camps like to proclaim, then we will without a doubt be led astray to false teachings and be carried away with every wind of doctrine, tossed too and fro. It happened in the Corinthian church and it is happening today in the modern church as well!

 

The Holy Spirit Rebukes Corinth Through Paul

 

Having rebuked the selfishness of the conduct of the Corinthians in several things in prior chapters, the 15th chapter now reproves the error of their doctrine as to the resurrection of the body, at least for those who were being led astry by false teachers, for it was the Resurrection of the body that was in question.

 

The fundamental attacks on this all important doctrine was an attack on the very foundation of the Christian faith. For if the body be not raised then was Christ’s body not raised? Then was the Resurrection not a fact? And if the Resurrection of Christ never occurred, then the Redemption of man which Christ came to accomplish, he failed to perform, for His Resurrection was the demonstration of the perfection and efficacy of His Atonement.

 

Hear me neighbor. If Christ were not risen, sin was not put away; the Gospel was not true; the Corinthians and all other believers for that matter, had believed a fable; the Apostles were false witnesses; Christians were of al men most miserable; and their loved ones who had fallen asleep had eternally perished (Williams)

 

The Cross of Calvary was the means whereby men were redeemed through the Precious Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ; had there been no resurrection however, all that was accomplished at Calvary would have been “in vain.” This ‘resurrection chapter” is the “apex” of the Holy Spirit’s message to the New Covenant church – both in Paul’s day and in the modern time as well. The preaching of the Resurrection was prominent in the preaching of Paul  as well as that of all the Apostles.

 

Acts 17:18

    Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoicks, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbler say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.

 

Acts 23:6

    But when Paul perceived that the one part were Sadducees, and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question.

 

Acts 1:22

    Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.

 

Acts 4:2

    Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

 

1 Peter 3:21

    The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

 

For the effects of the Gospel to be brought about in the heart and life of the individual, it must first be received and then maintained. In fact, the Corinthians had received this word, which was actually the means of their conversion however; it was now being threatened by false teachers as the same doctrine is being attacked today.

 

Paul is saying “I would remind you, however, that while that Truth may now be denied by some of you, it was once received by you, and you professed to believe in the fact that Christ rose from the dead, and that the Saints would also rise.”

 

In effect, he is saying the Truth of the Resurrection is the Truth on which the Church is founded, and b which all Salvation and Hope have been produced, and which is actually the foundation of your faith. You were built up by this, and by this only can you stand not only as an individual believer, but as a Christian church as well. This doctrine of the resurrection of the saints was vital and foundational to the faith of not just the Corinthians but the entire body of Christ! Neighbor this fundamental doctrine has not changed 2,000 years later. The rapture of the church is what causes us to proclaim the gospel message at all costs so that souls may be saved, bondages broken and deliverance brought to those in darkness.

 

The Resurrection of Christ means that we as the church will be resurrected! The resurrection demonstrated that Christ “died for our sins,” according to the Scriptures, rose from the dead, and as such secured eternal salvation to all those who believe. And because HE LIVES, we shall live also! Because He lives, we are looking for His soon return – the trump of God to sound, the dead in Christ to rise first and then we which are alive and remain to be caught up together to be with Christ in the air forever and forever. That is why we Preach Christ Crucified!

 

Wherein You Stand…

 

1 Cor. 15:1

    Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

 

The Holy Spirit through Paul is saying, “if one denies the Resurrection, one is denying the foundational principles of the Gospel, which then leaves it no Gospel at all.”

 

How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation wherein we stand? How can we say we are Christians and not stand on the fundamental truths of the gospel delivered once to the saints and declared NOT to be tampered with by the unbelief and rantings of backslidden teachers and preachers?

 

What are some of these truths?

 

One, we must believe that Jesus Christ, as the Son of God, died for sinners, thereby paying the penalty that we should have paid, but in fact, could not pay. To obtain the benefits of what Christ did for us at the Cross, the sinner must believe “from the heart,” (Romans 10:9-10) that Jesus “died for me!”

 

Romans 10:9-10

    That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. [10] For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

 

John 3:16

    For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

 

Romans 10:13

    For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

 

Rev. 22:17

    And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

 

Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day, ascended to the Father in Heaven and is there now exalted at the Father’s Right Hand. In effect, one could say that the Resurrection ratified that which was accomplished at the Cross! As well, His resurrection guarantees the Resurrection of every saint of God who has ever lived!   

 

John 14:19 - "A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.

     

There are many other doctrines which enter into Christianity without a doubt; some of these doctrines have little to do with one’s eternal soul; however, if one denies the Cross and the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ in any manner, Salvation is forfeited and the unbeliever will wind up in hell, separated from God eternally.

 

Simple faith in Christ Crucified is all the Lord requires of those seeking salvation and deliverance! When the Jailor asked Paul and Silas, “what must I do to be saved,?” the Apostles’ answer was very simple – “BELIEVE.”

 

Acts 16:31

And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

 

Their answer was not “wealth,” “education,” “works,” or any thing else. They did not tell the jailor to go out and “clean yourself up,” first then come back. NO! Their answer was “believe,” on the Lord Jesus Christ and you SHALL be saved “and thine house.” When one is born again, the Lord always uses that individual to bring others with him! The hardest people sometime to believe along with us are our family but the Lord will deal with the hearts of our loved ones if we will but pray and believe!

 

Faith in the Cross and the CROSS ALONE produces righteousness in the sight of God. Faith in anything other than the Cross or if we put our faith in the Cross “plus,” other things then we no longer are clothed with the righteousness which is of faith, but self-righteousness.

 

By Which You Are Saved

 

1 Cor. 15:2

    By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

 

Belief in the Resurrection of Christ is a non-negotiable when it comes to one’s salvation! Man must understand HE IS A SINNER and REPENT should he seek to act on this great truth! There is a God. Man should believe it, and fear and love Him, and seek the Lord’s favor. The Lord Jesus Christ came to save man. To have Faith in Him is to believe that this is true, and to act accordingly; i.e. to trust Him, to rely on Him, to love Him, to feel that we have no merit, which we actually don’t, and to cast our all upon Him.

 

There is a heaven and there is a hell. To believe this is to credit the account, and act as if it were true; to seek the one and avoid the other. We are to DIE as we reckon ourselves “dead to sin,” and alive to Christ through the work and operation of the Holy Ghost.

 

Simply put, faith is feeling and acting as if there were a God, a Saviour, a heaven, a hell; as if we were sinners, and must died, as if we deserved Eternal Death, and were in danger of it; and in view of it all, casting our eternal souls on the Mercy of God in Christ Jesus! To do this is to be saved and to be a Christian.

 

The phrase, “if you keep in memory what I preached unto you,” coincides with Paul’s Epistle to the Hebrews:

 

Hebrews 2:1

    Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

 

Many today are not giving earnest heed to the gospel because the gospel is no longer being preached. The reason we see an onslaught of our youth falling into godless atheism, denying Christ, blaspheming the Spirit of God, and slipping off into eternal hell without conscience or fear is that the true gospel of Christ – the message of Christ Crucified and the power of the Holy Ghost – is NO longer being proclaimed from behind pulpits!

 

In addition, when the Cross is denied, the doctrine of the rapture is denied right along with it; you cannot say you believe the Cross and the Resurrection then deny the rapture of the Church! The rapture and the resurrection, the resurrection and the rapture, are one and the same.

 

The word “keep,”  means “to hold fast; to retain, to possess, to have,” and in essence means in this passage that for one to be saved one must maintain and HOLD FAST faith in the Cross and total 100% reliance on the Grace of God. Faith in the Cross will keep us from false doctrine and will keep us looking for the rapture of the church!

 

The Grace of God

 

When the believer acts in self-will instead of relying on the Cross we “frustrate” the work of the Holy Spirit in our life. We are to understand we do not deserve the help of the Spirit, in fact, we deserve nothing good from God, but upon Faith in Him, He freely gives us all that is needed to bring about this Great salvation! Victory, deliverance and freedom in Christ cannot be brought about with fleshly demonstrations of any type – including those we deem “charismatic,” or “Pentecostal,” and I believe in those – don’t get me wrong.

 

Only the power of the Holy Ghost working within our lives, producing Christ, can truly bring victory. Simply put, we cannot live for God the way the Bible declares and demands we must except we live under the Spirit’s control and power. He must live this life for us – “it is not ‘I’ who lives, but CHRIST (through the office and ministry of the Holy Ghost) LIVES IN ME!”

 

Galatians 2:20

    I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

 

For the true child of God living under the Spirit’s power is one of the greatest things one can experience! It grieves and insults the Holy Spirit when we try to add to the Finished Work of Christ and send men to find help for their addictions and bondages in anything other than simple faith in the Cross!

 

That is why so many “slip” and forget God’s word today. Whenever you leave the Cross, you leave the arena of the Holy Spirit’s help and guidance and friend there is not ONE of us reading this journal right now who want to do such! There is not ONE of us who can live this Christian life in our own strength outside the working and operation of the Holy Spirit.

 

That is what concerns this writer so deeply at the apathy and outright rejection of spiritual things in our modern churches today. It concerns me that we are so worried about what Nashville says, or Springfield, or Cleveland, or whatever other cities may house denominational headquarters, than we are what the Word of God says. Yes, there are some who are sincerely seeking to be more like Christ yet are ignorant of certain things concerning the Cross.

 

God is not a tyrant nor a un-thoughtful Father over His children. He KNOWS what is ignorance on our part because of a lack of light AND that what this writer would call “WILLFUL” ignorance, which is an unwillingness on the part of an individual to seek after light and not “keep in memory,” the things of God but pursue the “things of this world.”

 

It’s one thing to not know but “want” to know; it’s quite another to not know and NOT want to know as to interfere with one’s religious tradition, background, denominational teaching or whatever else one holds on to. The Pharisees knew quite a bit “about” the Scriptures, but they knew NOTHING of the power of God that flowed in their midst often in the person and presence of Christ! Before we throw stones at the Pharisees we need look at our own current situation in the modern church and see we’re no different!

 

If Christ returned to earth today in the flesh and walked among us again He’d be crucified by the same general group of people that He was crucified by before – the religious leaders of our day! It was not the harlots, the publicans or the immoral that put Christ on the Cross; it was the hardened religious crowd of His day who through a willful heart of unbelief and ignorance declared His works of the devil and constantly sought to kill Him up to the time they succeeded.

 

We must have total dependency on the Cross of Christ! It is by “grace,” through FAITH we are saved, and friend, it is by GRACE through FAITH we stay saved! When we study the Word of God and it’s engrafted into our hearts and minds, its true meaning comes to us and because we are totally depending upon the Lord and not ourselves we can be sure the Holy Spirit will do His job and work in our hearts!

 

Unless You Have Believed In Vain

 

1 Cor. 15:2

By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

   

The Holy Spirit warned those in Corinth that the possibility existed for those without Faith in the right thing i.e. the Cross and the Resurrection to have believed in vain. It speaks of one believing at the first “then drawing back,” which will cause one to lose one’s soul.

 

This causes the damnable heresy of unconditional eternal security to “fall to the ground,” and not have any merit or truth whatsoever in the Word of God. This doctrine teaches that one cannot be lost after one is saved irrespective as to what one may do, which has probably caused more people to be lost eternally than maybe any other error propagated by the Evil One. Regrettably, it is believed by millions. As most error, it contains SOME truth, but in the final analysis is an excellent tool used by the devil to deceive millions. Let me explain.

 

The Spirit of the Lord, who indwells every believer at Salvation, does not leave one easily; God is very merciful and gracious without argument or debate from this writer. We all have been recipients of His mercy more than a thousand times in our lives believe me. When people say God is a God of the second chance they don’t know what they are talking about. God is a God of the 10,000th chance and we had better be thankful He is!

 

When one is saved they are ETERNALLY secure IN CHRIST. That is not a contradiction of statements to the one just made! Man is a free moral agent and as such can desire to turn their back on God; Salvation does not abrogate Man’s free moral choice!

 

Some want salvation but also sin at the same time! To put it another way, they to practice sin on a constant basis yet maintain their salvation and hope of eternal life at the same time. The doctrine of UNCONDITIONAL eternal security tells then they can have such. This is a fool’s hope and delusion!

 

Salvation is predicated upon a small little two-letter word that is HUGE when it comes to eternal life – “if.” Paul said we are saved “if we keep in memory what I preached unto you,” which is the message of the Cross and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ! There were many in Corinth tempted to deny the Resurrection of Christ and the Holy Spirit was sternly warning those in such peril to not deny the faith and become reprobate!

 

Paul would tell these same Corinthians in his second letter to examine themselves to see whether they be in the faith!

 

2 Cor. 13:5

    Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

 

When one “examines,” and “proves,” themselves in relation to this scripture, it speaks of the idea of proving to determine whether persons are worthy to be accepted or not. The was true of the Israelites in the wilderness wanderings as well as the generation who denied Christ at the time of His Earthly sojourn.

 

Those who failed the testings were rejected as counterfeits and castaways.

 

Jeremiah 6:30

    Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hath rejected them.

 

God tests EVERYONE. All must be proved to determine if they are worthy to enter the Kingdom of God. Paul plainly told the Corinthians to test themselves – as metals as tested – to see whether they “be in the Faith.” If they were reprobates then Christ was NOT in them!

 

The Israelites were tested and rejected. This is the whole point of Paul’s warnings about becoming a castaway in 1 Cor. 9:24-27:

 

1 Cor. 9:25-27

    And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. [26] I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: [27] But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

 

That which is genuine will always pass the test, but the counterfeit always breaks down under the test. God proved the Israelites several times before rejecting them and pushing them aside for a season. He brought them to the bitter waters of Marah, “and there He proved them.” They murmured and complained against God and Moses.

 

When they desired the fleshpots of Egypt, God said He would “prove them,” whether will walk in My Law or no.” Moses told them at Sinai, “God is come to prove you.” He also told them that God led them forty years in the wilderness, “to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou would keep His Commandments, or no.”

 

Exodus 15:25

    And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,

 

Exodus 16:4

    Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk in my law, or no.

 

Exodus 20:20

    And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not.

 

Deut. 8:2

    And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no.

 

Judges 2:22

    That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the Lord to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.

 

Paul tells us under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that Israel’s tests were “examples,” for us today that we not fall under the same judgment of unbelief and rejection. They “lusted,” and “sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” They committed fornication and embraced worldly pride to an extent that Satan had no problem coming very close to destroying the entire nation because of sin.

 

1 Cor. 10:1-12

    Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; [2] And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; [3] And did all eat the same spiritual meat; [4] And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. [5] But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. [6] Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. [7] Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. [8] Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. [9] Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. [10] Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. [11] Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. [12] Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

 

As we close, the Holy Spirit is clear: “let him who thinks he stands, TAKE HEED, lest he fall.” Does this sound like there is absolutely no chance of an individual believing in Christ and the Cross then no longer believing? I don’t think so! Many in the Southern Baptist church, which is a huge proponent of the unconditional eternal security doctrine, would tell you other wise. But friend, even a simple reading of these passages would tell the reader that we can “believe in vain,” if we place our faith outside the Cross of Christ!

 

The “if,” in 1 Corinthians 15:2 carries the same conditional force as off the other “if’s” in Paul’s writings as well as those warnings connected to Israel’s failure in the wilderness! The Salvation of the readers depends on their holding fast the Word Preached!” This great salvation process is an ever present, continuous Salvation.

 

Romans 8:24

    For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

 

Ephes. 2:8

    For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

 

Paul gave many “if’s” when discussing Salvation and faith in the Cross of Christ i.e. the Resurrection!

 

Col. 1:21-23

    And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled: [22] In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: [23] If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

 

2 Cor. 11:2

    For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

 

Jude 1:24

    Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

 

Col. 1:28

    Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

 

Ephes. 5:25-27

    Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; [26] That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, [27] That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

 

All these passages express a CONTINUOUS process of holiness and perfection in Christ – as LONG AS WE CONTINUE IN THE FAITH! Holiness and sanctification are part of the believer’s predestination of being conformed to Christ when one gets saved!

 

Ephes. 1:4-5  - According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: [5] Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

 

All sinners are saved by Faith, and all believers maintain their salvation on the same basis. However, all that the Lord gives us at salvation – liberty, the power of God and the grace of God – are not given for us to continue in sin, but rather we might live a life of Holiness before the Lord – until the TRUMP OF GOD sounds and we are taken in the rapture!

 

The effort of the Holy Spirit is EVERY toward victory no matter how many times we may fail the Lord in our flesh. The Holy Spirit can do no less simply because His Nature, which is Divine, cannot break or tolerate sin in any fashion. While the Grace of God is available to all, which guarantees His Mercy to the sincere seeking soul, NONE of God’s blessings and power are given to us as believers to CONTINUE in sin!

 

If we desire to stop believing, then neighbor our faith can become “VAIN,” and we will lose our soul! When we came to Christ we had the free will to believe and, therefore, to be saved; after we became a Christian, our free moral agency is no less, and if possible even greater. In other words, we can quit believing if we so desire, even as millions are doing in this rainstorm of apostasy that is sweeping the church of the Lord Jesus at the present time. If we quit believing friend, we LOSE our salvation! That is IMPERATIVE for the reader to grasp.

 

There are millions who claim to trust Christ, when in reality they are not trusting Christ at all, but rather a false doctrine called “unconditional eternal security.” If we say we trust Christ, then we are working in partnership with the Holy Ghost to get victory over anything and everything in our lives that is detrimental to our Christian walk and not pleasing to God.

 

Trusting Christ and what He did for us at the Cross guarantees and demands such as we look forward to the coming Resurrection of the Saints. Because HE LIVES, we are going to live also friend.

 

This journal is a series of message on the 15th chapter of 1 Corinthians – the Resurrection chapter. We will pick up this theme in the next journal where we will look more closely at how the resurrection brings us the benefits of the atonement of Christ.

 

I pray you know this Christ we speak of today! I pray you know the coming King of Glory who sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession for the saints. I pray that your faith remains anchored this very second in the Cross of Christ and in the power of the Holy Ghost! We preach Christ Crucified – the power of His resurrection – the foundation of the gospel – which we pray you keep in memory unless you have believed in vain. He’s coming soon friend – make your heart ready to meet Him today before it is too late!

 

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