A Purpose-Driven Cosmos: Why Jesus Doesn't Promise Us an 'Afterlife'
Jesus Christ embodies the meaning of life, the goal of history, and the pattern of the future.
[ posted 2/27/2012 10:05AM ]
Russell D. Moore is dean of the School of Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and author of the forthcoming Kingdom First: How the Reign of Christ Transforms Our Churches, Our Families, Our Culture (Crossway).
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Charles Horton
“The moment you burst through the mud above your grave, you will begin an exciting new mission.” Why don’t all ministers preach our bodily resurrection? It is far more biblically prominent than going to heaven. Jesus’ body resurrection first, then ours at the appointed time, beginning the “not yet” part of God’s kingdom, with saints fresh from their graves, ruling ON EARTH as priests and kings. Christians with other views could at least entertain this orthodoxy. A majority of Christians before Constantine did. It has wonderful promise for earthly humanity’s future. Has anyone seriously pictured this planet with national leaders traveling to Jerusalem, the mountain of the Lord, where Jesus will teach them His ways, and them returning home to tell their countrymen, “Start beating our tanks into tractors and artillery into reapers? We’re not going to learn war anymore.” Fantastic future. I wish Moore would have taken his thoughts, his “exciting new mission,” a step or two further.
RICK DALBEY
Close. But I hope the world doesn’t judge us by “congregational decision-making meetings”! How are people brought to repentance in this in-between age? “If the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes...if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day.” Matt. 11. and “But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you.” 1 Cor 14. When listing gifts of the Spirit, Moore conveniently omits 3 of the most significant in Acts, the gospels and our era, the gifts of Prophecy, Healing and Miracles in 1st Cor 12. Jesus released the 12 into a miracle ministry, then the 70, then gave the great commission to us all and said it would be validated by miracles (Mark 16).