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by God through the O.T. prophets. The recording of its happening was overruled by the
Holy Spirit. Its meaning, interpretation and effect were committed to the N.T. apostles
and especially to the Apostle Paul for us Gentiles. We do not need to speculate, His
Word is clear. God has identified the events of Calvary with the believer:
"Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized (identified by faith--nothing to do
with water) into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? 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. For if we have been
planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His
resurrection: . . . . . Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with
Him: knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more" (Rom. 6: 3-9).
Resurrection is the key to the approach from this life towards the presence of the Lord.
God has planned and proclaimed that man's faith and acceptance of this fact shall be the
password to His presence:
"If thou shalt confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart
that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Rom. 10: 9).
The Scriptures indicate three or more different hopes for believers according to their
respective callings, even as there are three or more equivalent resurrections mentioned.
The task to differentiate these in this article we will not attempt. The one sure thing to
which we can all cling is that Christ by His death and resurrection has secured for all the
true seed of Adam a resurrection, and if we have believed in the Saviour's Name and His
words, eternal life awaits us.
Israel in Numb. 14: had all the evidence of the fruit and blessings of the promised
land but refused the testimony of the "grapes of Eshcol" and God's words of assurance
and promise through Moses. All the rebellious and doubting adults were denied entrance
to the promised land but their innocent children arrived there forty years later. Their
rebellious parents changed their minds and decided to attack the enemy only to be heavily
defeated, for the Lord was not with them. We have to learn to believe and accept God's
plans and in His time not just when we think we will. "How shall we escape if we
neglect so great salvation?" (Heb. 2: 3).
Praise be to God the Father and His blessed Son that our future is so secured.