Joshua Ofosu Anim

I will say that non christians of our age have polluted their mindset with wrong information and deceit. They simply refuse to believe the truth. Evil is easily accepted as good whiles good is rather described as evil. The Bibles says the God of this world has blinded them through evil pleasures and lusts. We are tempted to conform to their values perhaps because we are attracted and desire to be like them. Those who refuse to conform are branded as ancient outdated and primitive. In other not to be described as such some christians try to conform to wordly values. NO MATTER HOW ATTRACTIVE, PLEASANT AND NICE WORDLY VALUES MAY SEEM IT CANNOT BE COMPARED WITH CHRISTIANITY AND ITS VALUES.

Christians have to look forward to the time of resurrection because it is the time God is going to glorify us and make us inherit the Kingdom he promised us. When we consider what the kingdom of God will be like compared to our world now I believe we will prefer that God's Kingdom to be established VERY SOON. Our resurrection is the sign of VICTORY over death, the last enemy to be defeated. Christians who have lost their active expectation and hope of the resurrection should go back to studying what the Bible says about the subject and reclaim these all important truth. I also want to encourage those of us who have benefited from Pastor Ralph's teaching on the Resurrection to share with other what we have learnt. GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU SHARE THE TRUTH WITH OTHERS.

Our resurrected bodies will be like Christ's. Jesus' body after resurrection was just like what he was before his death. The difference was that the resurrected body was not limited to this physical world only. Our resurrected bodies will also not be limited to this physical world only because it will be glorified bodies (incorruptible). We need this resurrected body in order live in the new earth and heaven God will create. We also need this special glorified bodies to perofrm our tasks in the Kingdom of God.

We are to guard and carefully protect christianity unity. This means our energies should be channeled towards preserving this unity. The essence of Christ's sacrifice on the cross is to reconcile(make peace) sinful men (like us) to a Holy God. Therefore if we have benefited from this reconciliation then we are to ambassadors of the same. Christians are supposed to be gents of reconciliation. We can only do this when we live in peace with ALL MEN (Romans 12:18). Unnecessary arguments and Dissension IS NOT PART OF CHRISTIANITY. In fact the Bible forbids it (cannot immediately remember the verse). CHRISTIANS MUST DO AWAY WITH THEM.

Patience will enable us to bear the deficiencies and faults of others without lashing at them or disassociating from them. Humility will make us serve others rather than they serving us. It will also make us respect others and live in harmony with them. Those who arrogantly look down on others because of a doctrine are a disgrace to christianity. In fact they have missed the mark of christianity. Gentleness is one of the fruits of the spirit (Gal. 5:19-22). Every believer must bear that fruit. It is possible to gentle and fight the good fight of faith by allowing God to be the only CHANGER of character.

The life of christ is the standard for our behaviour. Jesus has shown us the kind of life that pleases the father. Everything about the life of Jesus is clearly written in the Bible. Therefore for Christians today who were not there when christ walked the surface of the earth, THE BIBLE IS THE STANDARD. God has called us to be disciples of Christ and we must walk as such.

Our bodies which will die a natural body, a corruptible body, a weak body and a dishonored body will be raised a spiritual body, an incorruptible body, a powerful body and a glorious body. During resurrection God's POWER will change our bodies into what I love to call Heavenly Bodies.

Christians await the resurrection in the presence of God. Jesus calls it 'Abrahams Bossom'. When believers die they carried into the presence of God to await the glorious resurrection day.

The word used in the Bible instead of 'rapture' is 'resurrection'. I believe the two mean the same. It is the time when God changes our corruptible bodies into incorruptible and eternal bodies so we could with Christ for ever. The resurrection takes place after the trumpet sound (1Cor. 15:51-52). In relation to judgement, the dead will be raised to be judged by Christ whom God has appointed to judge the world. Finally, the elect of God shall be raised to live in Glory for ever.

Q1. What kind of credibility would Jesus' ministry have had if he were not raised from the dead, especially when he predicted it ahead of time? In what way is the resurrection God's seal of approval on him? Jesus' ministry would have had no credibility if God did not raise him from the dead. If Jesus had not been raise from the dead them he could not have been called the son of God, neither would all the prophecies about his birth, death and resurrection in the scriptures be true, in fact God would have been a liar and the scriptures unreliable. FINALLY THERE WILL HAVE BEEN NO CHRISTIANITY. By raising Jesus from the dead God validated his seal that He (Jesus) is the SON OF GOD AND THE MESSIAH

I think the two are the same because when you read the verse critically you will realise that it was one sentence that was broken into two verses. Take the verses out and you have: "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith". Now I believe the meaning is obvious - For Christ to dwell our hearts we need the Spirit to empower (by convicting us to repent and accept Christ) our inner being (spirit). Simply, the Spirit empowers our inner being so that Christ may dwell in our hearts.