Studies In Scripture » Death

The Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Randy A. Brown — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 19:19:41 +0000

Easter is one of my favorite holidays. It reminds us of the reason we have salvation- the gospel of Jesus Christ, his death, burial, and resurrection. The word ‘gospel’ means ‘good news’. This good news of the gospel is that Jesus died, was buried, and resurrected in order to provide salvation for us. Most teach about the good news but never tell what the good news is or why it is significant. Jesus died, was buried, and resurrected on the third day, but how is that good? How is his death burial and resurrection good news?

1 Corinthians 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. ³ For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; ⁴ And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Jesus was our ultimate sacrifice who paid the ultimate price for our sins, but it wasn’t enough for Jesus to just die on the cross. He also had to be buried and resurrect from the dead. Through the acts of his death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus bought our salvation. He purchased salvation with his own blood and made it available to all who obey him.

Philippians 2:5-11 ⁵ Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: ⁶ Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: ⁷ But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: ⁸ And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. ⁹ Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: ¹⁰ That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; ¹¹ And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Death of Jesus

Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice for our sins by dying on the cross. He went to the cross perfect and sinless. He did not deserve death. He was the only person that could make atonement for our sins. In order to make atonement, the sacrifice had to be without blemish- without sin. This is why we cannot atone for our own sins. We are born into sin. Jesus was not born into sin because God was his father.

We have to identify with his death by dying to sin. We die to sin, put off the old man, by repenting of our sins and turning away from sin. We can’t kill the sinful nature. What we put to death is the control the sinful nature has over us.

Romans 6:12-14 ¹² Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. ¹³ Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. ¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

Christians are not under the control of sin. We must live an overcoming life and not allow sin to work in our lives.

Romans 6:1-2 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? ² God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

1 Peter 2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

We die to sin when we repent. Repentance is a turn from sin; change of heart; a change of lifestyle; a change of paradigm. It is to be sorrowful for sin and to make a conscious decision to turn from sin. We must continue to kill sinful desires.

Romans 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

1 Corinthians 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

We apply the death of Jesus to our lives when we repent in faith.

Burial

Jesus was buried for three days and three nights. During this time he set the captives free.

Ephesians 4:8-10 ⁸ Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. ⁹ (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰ He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

We identify with the burial of Jesus through baptism in his name.

Romans 6:3-5 ³ Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? ⁴ 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. ⁵ For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Colossians 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

We are buried with Jesus in water baptism. This is what Jesus is referring to in John chapter 3 when he’s talking about being born of the water.

John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Water baptism remits sin. It washes sin away. Baptism is only effective when performed in Jesus name coupled with faith.

Luke 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Acts 22:16 And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

Water baptism buries the sinful life we once had. Water baptism applies the burial of Jesus to our lives.

Resurrection

Jesus resurrected on the third day. Through his resurrection, he is the first born from the dead- the first to resurrect to a new life.

Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Just as Jesus resurrected, we must also resurrect to a new life without sin.

Romans 6:4-5 ⁴ 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. ⁵ For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

The likeness of his resurrection is the Spiritual birth that Jesus was talking about in John chapter 3.

John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

We identify with his resurrection through Spirit baptism.

Romans 8:11 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.

Through the resurrection of Jesus we can have a new life.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ

Jesus bought the gospel with his own blood.

Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

This is the work that Jesus was sent to do. This is what he was talking about when he said he would raise on the third day.

John 2:19-22 ¹⁹ Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. ²⁰ Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? ²¹ But he spake of the temple of his body. ²² When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.

The gospel is his death, burial, and resurrection. We identify with the gospel through repentance, being baptized in Jesus name, and being filled with the Holy Ghost. This gospel message is summarized by Peter.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Salvation is God’s works, not our works. There is nothing we can do to work for our salvation, but we must obey the Word of God. Jesus purchased our salvation with his own blood. Salvation is a free gift by the grace of God. All we have to do is apply it. We apply it by first believing on Jesus as the scriptures say. Then, we have faith that Jesus will save us. Next we repent of our sins with the intention of forsaking sin, be baptized in Jesus’ name for the remission of sins, and be filled with the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. Finally, we must live a clean and holy life putting God first, and then we must endure till the end.

The End Time – An Overview

Randy A. Brown — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 12:42:49 +0000

The scriptures not only tell us how this world began, they also tell us how it will end. The events in the end times are full of political drama and universal destruction and catastrophes like the world has never known. The scriptures tell us in prophetic detail what to expect next.

The Rapture

The next event in prophecy is the rapture of the Church, called in scripture the catching away of the saints.

Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

At the rapture the dead in Christ will be resurrected and the living saints will be transformed, both receiving immortal, glorified bodies (Doctrines of the Bible, p. 282).

1 Corinthians 15:51-54 ⁵¹ Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵² In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. ⁵³ For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴ So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

Philippians 3:20-21 ²⁰ For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: ²¹ Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

The Great Tribulation

The great tribulation will begin after the rapture of the saints (Doctrines of the Bible, p. 268). This is what is known as Daniel’s 70^th week.

Daniel 9:24-27 ²⁴ Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. ²⁵ Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. ²⁶ And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. ²⁷ And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

The tribulation will be a troubling time like the world has never seen.

Matthew 24:21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

The tribulation is broken into two parts- the first 3 ½ years and the second 3 ½ years.

First Half

Revelation chapters 6 through 19 cover the great tribulation. The Great Tribulation will start when the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse ride out. During this time, Satan will build his world system with the beast, also known as the antichrist (Rev. 13). The beast, or antichrist, will work with an agent known as the false prophet. Together, they will establish political control of the world. This will bring war, famine, and death. Babylon will rise. Two witnesses will appear from heaven and preach to those that are left behind. The 144,000 will rise as a testimony of God’s wrath. God will pour out the Seven Seal judgments and the Seven Trumpet judgments.

Mid-point

During the middle of the tribulation the two witnesses will be killed and they will resurrect after three days and will ascend into heaven while the whole world watches. The antichrist will die and resurrect. He will claim to be God and desecrate the Jewish temple that has been rebuilt. He will establish the mark of the beast. All those that oppose the beast will be martyred.

Second Half

God will pour out the Seven Bowl Judgments. Babylon will be destroyed and the antichrist will gather the world’s military to the Battle of Armageddon. Jesus will return, known as the Second Coming, with all His saints on white horses. They will descend on the Mount of Olives (Zechariah chapters 12-14, Acts 1:9-12, Revelation 19). The antichrist and the false prophet are thrown into the Lake of Fire and Satan is bound for 1000 years.

The Millennium

Jesus will establish His kingdom on earth for 1000 years. During this time there will be peace. Satan is bound and can do no harm during this time. At the end of the 1000 years of peace, Satan is loosed for a final battle. Satan will attempt to destroy God’s kingdom on earth when God sends fire down from heaven. Satan, Death, and Hell are then cast into the Lake of Fire.

The White Throne Judgment

The White Throne Judgment will be the final judgment of all mankind. God will judge us according to His Word. We will be judged according to our actions, words, and opportunities. God will judge every action we’ve not been forgiven of.

Revelation 20:11-15 ¹¹ And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. ¹³ And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. ¹⁴ And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. ¹⁵ And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

This judgment will determine where we will spend eternity. We will be judged according to God’s Word. If our name is found in the Lamb’s Book of Life, we will spend eternity with God and His angles in New Jerusalem.

Revelation 21:1-4 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. ² And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. ⁴ And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

If our name is not found in the Lamb’s Book of Life, we will spend eternity in the Lake of Fire with Satan and his demons.

Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

We can escape the Great Tribulation by being ready for the Rapture. No one knows the hour or day, so we must always be ready.

Matthew 24:42-44 ⁴² Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. ⁴³ But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. ⁴⁴ Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

Mark 13:33-37 ³³ Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. ³⁴ For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. ³⁵ Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: ³⁶ Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. ³⁷ And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Romans 13:11-14 ¹¹ And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. ¹² The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. ¹³ Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. ¹⁴ But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

We can be ready by believing on Jesus as the scriptures say and repenting of our sins, being baptized in Jesus’ name for the remission of sins, and be filled with the gift of the Holy Ghost as Peter explains in Acts 2:38.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Christians will then live a holy life according to the scriptures in order to make ourselves ready.

Revelation 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.

Revelation 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

Jesus is coming soon. Get ready.

References

Bernard, D. K., Hall, J. L., et al, (1993). Doctrines of the Bible

Hazelwood: Word Aflame Press

Doctrines of the Bible

Heaven and Hell

Randy A. Brown — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 14:20:02 +0000

We will all spend eternity somewhere, and we only have two choices: heaven or hell. The scriptures tell us that everyone will live forever in either heaven or hell, with God or with the devil, in paradise or in torment. The choice is ours.

When we die, our body is laid down into its final resting place. Our soul and spirit is no longer there, because death is the separation of the soul and spirit from the body. Our soul also goes to a resting place – awaiting the final judgment. The soul of a person that is righteous goes to a place of rest. The soul of the sinner goes to a place of punishment.

Luke 16:22-28 ²² And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; ²³ And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. ²⁴ And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. ²⁵ But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. ²⁶ And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. ²⁷ Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: ²⁸ For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

Under the Old Testament, all souls went to a temporary holding place, known in scripture as Abraham’s bosom, until the time that Jesus would lead the righteous souls into heaven.

When Jesus died, he went into hell and led the captives out of captivity.

Now when Christians die their souls go to be with the Lord in heaven.

2 Corinthians 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

Philippians 1:23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:

Heaven is the place where God dwells.

Isaiah 66:1 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool:

Psalm 11:4 The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD’S throne is in heaven:

Christians will dwell in heaven with the Lord forever.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

In heaven there will be perfect rest.

Revelation 14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

Revelation 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

The ultimate destination of the righteous is New Jerusalem (Doctrines of the Bible, p. 256).

Revelation 21:2-7 ² And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³ And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. ⁴ And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. ⁵ And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. ⁶ And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. ⁷ He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

Those that have not been born of the water and Spirit and kept themselves ready will not enter into the kingdom of God.

John 3:5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

The lost will ultimately go into the lake of fire (Doctrines of the Bible, p. 251).

Matthew 11:23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

Luke 10:15 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell.

Matthew 5:22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

Matthew 5:29-30 ²⁹ And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. ³⁰ And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Matthew 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

James 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

Hell is a place of torment.

Luke 16:28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

It is an everlasting fire.

Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

Mark 9:43-44 ⁴³ And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: ⁴⁴ Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

All that are not ready to meet Jesus will be cast into hell.

Matthew 13:42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 25:30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Jude 1:13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

Revelation 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Most of the descriptions we have about hell come from the teachings of Jesus (Doctrines of the Bible, p. 251). Jesus shows us that the wicked will be punished in everlasting fire forever and ever. He describes that hell and the lake of fire are so bad that it would be better to cut off our hands and pluck out our eyes than to go to hell. His point is that we should do everything possible to avoid hell. There won’t be a second chance. It’s easy to go to hell. Simply do nothing. We are born into sin, which means we’re automatically going to hell until we accept and obey the salvation that God has provided us by His grace.

Jesus also teaches of heaven. Jesus describes the beautiful perfect peace and everlasting joy that those who accept His salvation will enjoy. There will be no more sorrow, no more death, and no more tears (Doctrines of the Bible, p. 257). All we have to do is believe on God according to His Word and obey the plan of salvation He has given us. Believe on Jesus as the scriptures have said. Repent of your sins. Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins. Be filled with the gift of the Holy Ghost, and go on to live an overcoming life that is fully devoted to God. Peter gives us the plan of salvation in a nutshell:

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Follow this plan of salvation- the plan that Jesus bought with his own blood- and avoid hell at all cost.

References

Bernard, D. K., Hall, J. L., et al, (1993). Doctrines of the Bible

Hazelwood: Word Aflame Press

Doctrines of the Bible

The End Time – An Overview