PATTER'S WEEKLY NEWSPAPER ARTICLE: WHOSE REPORT WILL YOU BELIEVE?
WHOSE REPORT WILL YOU BELIEVE?
BY PAT GULLEY
Gal 1:6-7
(6) I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
(7) Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. (KJV)
I marvel that so many Christians today still get troubled when they hear of someone or something trying to pervert the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is not new. The first record we have of someone lying about the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is found in the Gospel of Matthew.
Matt 28:12-13
12 And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,
13 Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. (KJV)
It has been almost two thousand years and the Devil is still trying to sell that same old story. He does that because he knows that when people truly believe that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead that the power of that resurrection could be applied to the hearts of believers and deliver them from sin and Satan’s power to rule over them. (Rom 6:18)
The Apostle Paul also had to deal with this situation in the Church at Corinth. There were some there telling both Christians and non-believers that Jesus had not risen from the dead. Paul spent the whole 15th chapter of his first letter to them in refuting that teaching. (I recommend you read the whole chapter for yourself)
1 Cor 15:14-19
14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. (KJV)
I love the gospel message of forgiveness of sins, and freedom from sin’s authority to rule over me. But like Paul, if my hope in Christ Jesus is only in this life, then I join him in the misery category. This body that I dwell in can only eat so much, drink so much, wear so many pretty things, and do so many exciting adventures. And not one of those activities satisfied my hunger and thirsting after righteousness.
It is only faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead that literally changed my heart from one of stone to one of flesh. The heart of God has found an abode in my heart. The love of God has found a dwelling place in my spiritual man, the hidden inner being that is the real me. I am more than a “body and mind”. I am a new creation in Christ Jesus. I am a new me. And I love looking to the future return of Jesus to this earth to carry His Bride away. (Mary Magdalene will be part of the wedding party, but she was not and is not the Bride of Christ Jesus) That honor belongs to the blood-bought Church.
1Thes 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (KJV)
The Bible records that Jesus died and rose again. Some say that Jesus lied and married Mary Magdalene who moved to France(where she had their daughter Sarah)
WHOSE REPORT DO YOU BELIEVE?
BY PAT GULLEY
Gal 1:6-7
(6) I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
(7) Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. (KJV)
I marvel that so many Christians today still get troubled when they hear of someone or something trying to pervert the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is not new. The first record we have of someone lying about the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is found in the Gospel of Matthew.
Matt 28:12-13
12 And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,
13 Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. (KJV)
It has been almost two thousand years and the Devil is still trying to sell that same old story. He does that because he knows that when people truly believe that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead that the power of that resurrection could be applied to the hearts of believers and deliver them from sin and Satan’s power to rule over them. (Rom 6:18)
The Apostle Paul also had to deal with this situation in the Church at Corinth. There were some there telling both Christians and non-believers that Jesus had not risen from the dead. Paul spent the whole 15th chapter of his first letter to them in refuting that teaching. (I recommend you read the whole chapter for yourself)
1 Cor 15:14-19
14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15 Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16 For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18 Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. (KJV)
I love the gospel message of forgiveness of sins, and freedom from sin’s authority to rule over me. But like Paul, if my hope in Christ Jesus is only in this life, then I join him in the misery category. This body that I dwell in can only eat so much, drink so much, wear so many pretty things, and do so many exciting adventures. And not one of those activities satisfied my hunger and thirsting after righteousness.
It is only faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead that literally changed my heart from one of stone to one of flesh. The heart of God has found an abode in my heart. The love of God has found a dwelling place in my spiritual man, the hidden inner being that is the real me. I am more than a “body and mind”. I am a new creation in Christ Jesus. I am a new me. And I love looking to the future return of Jesus to this earth to carry His Bride away. (Mary Magdalene will be part of the wedding party, but she was not and is not the Bride of Christ Jesus) That honor belongs to the blood-bought Church.
1Thes 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. (KJV)
The Bible records that Jesus died and rose again. Some say that Jesus lied and married Mary Magdalene who moved to France(where she had their daughter Sarah)
WHOSE REPORT DO YOU BELIEVE?
posted by Metamora Patter at 6/21/2006 12:46:00 PM
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