We are now in a discussion regarding the resurrections.
And I do pray that these heart -to -heart talks
that you and I are going to have together regarding
the resurrections will be most enlightening to
you and shall prove to be a definite blessing.
Well, sir, I have just finished in the last broadcast.
regarding the national resurrection. For remember,
the Bible clearly teaches three kinds of resurrections.
A national resurrection, a spiritual resurrection,
and a material resurrection. And I left you in
our last broadcast regarding the national...
resurrection, which of course refers to Israel.
If it were suggested that we were to discuss
the future of any other nation than the Jewish
nation, I for one would not attempt it, for the
task would only be based on probabilities that
would be likely to be upset by unforeseen circumstances.
But do you want to know something? Jewish nation
has the unique distinction of having for its
historian the Holy Ghost, the Holy Spirit, who
has not simply recorded the past history of that
nation but has outlined its future. And you and
I indulge then in no idle and profitless speculations
when we attempt to forecast the future of the
Jewish people. No. All we have to do is to gather
together and place in their logical order that
which the Holy Spirit, through the prophets,
has foretold regarding the future of the Jewish
people and the future of Israel. The method is
as simple as the result is sure. And in our generation,
in the generation in which you and I are now
living, we have seen prophecy fulfilled regarding
the Jewish people. During this present generation,
they have been brought back as an established
nation. And as surely as God has kept His promise
regarding the resurrection, the national resurrection
of the Jewish people, so surely will He keep
His word regarding the spiritual resurrection
and the material resurrection of men and women.
All right? Now we will go into the study of the
spiritual resurrection. Paul, writing to the
Ephesians, wrote these words, And you hath he
quickened, you who were dead in trespasses and
sins. and hath raised us up together and made
us sit together in heavenly places in Christ
Jesus. That portion of the Word of God is found
in the second chapter of Ephesians. Now, to quicken
means to give life. If we're dead, we need life.
And that's exactly what is given when man accepts
Christ as his Savior. God does not patch up the
old life. He gives a new life to that individual
through the new birth. That which is born of
the flesh is flesh. That's the first birth. That
is the birth that every human being experiences.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh. And
that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Spirit.
That's the second birth. The Lord said to Nicodemus,
ye must be born again. This he said to explain
how the new birth takes place. Christ did not
explain the how to Nicodemus. The process is
a mystery as seen in the third chapter of John.
The wind bloweth where it listed. And thou hearest
the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence
it cometh and whither it goeth. So is every one
that is born of the Spirit. And when Nicodemus
asked, How can these things be? Christ answered
by just placing before him the means by which
it is accomplished. As Moses lifted up the serpent
in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man
be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have eternal life. Now
watch something a little further. He goes on
to say, here it is, And hath raised us up together,
and made us sit together in heavenly places in
Christ Jesus. God does not save us to leave us
down in the old mire of the old life. No. Every
believer is not only quickened, but he is raised.
The quickening refers to the impartation of a
new life to the dead sinner's soul. The raising
speaks of a new realm into which he is taken
or into which he is lifted. A saved one is no
longer in the realm of Satan and under his domination.
He's no longer walking according to the course
of this world. A saved person, a regenerated
person, is translated into the kingdom of God's
dear Son and is under the domination of the risen
Lord. This is illustrated in the case of Lazarus.
Lazarus was not only quickened, But he was raised
from the sphere of the dead. He came forth from
the cemetery. His grave clothes were taken from
him. I believe that even the smell of the grave
passed away. He took up his abode with people
who were alive. Now in this manner the Lord works
in the human heart when he quickens it. He says,
Lucian. Lose him. He was dead, but he now lives.
He's alive. Lose him. Let him go. He now liveth.
That is an illustration of what happens to one
who is dead in trespasses and sins. There's a
resurrection. A spiritual resurrection. Let's
go further in the fifth chapter of Ephesians.
Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the
dead, and Christ shall give thee light. Is he
speaking of the body? No. He is speaking of the
soul. He is speaking of a spiritual resurrection.
Again, Paul in Romans says, reckon ye also yourselves
to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Now, the resurrection
referred to in these passages is spiritual and
is a present resurrection and is going on constantly,
continually. Every time a soul is born again,
there is a passing from death unto life, a spiritual
resurrection. Oh, to me, that's marvelous. That's
right. I think one of the grandest passages regarding
the passing from death unto life, regarding the
spiritual resurrection. is found in John, the
fifth chapter. Verily, verily. And I know immediately
it's something most important. I say unto you.
Oh, and look who's speaking. Look who is speaking.
This comes from the highest authority in heaven
and earth. It's Jesus himself. I say unto you.
He that heareth my word and believeth on him
that sent me. Half everlasting life now. He doesn't
have to wait to have everlasting life after he's
dead. It's not beyond the grave. It's now, this
moment, at this present time. Half everlasting
life. and shall not come into condemnation, but
is passed from death unto life. There you have
a spiritual resurrection. The raising from the
dead. Every man, every woman, every individual
is very moment who has not been born again. who
has not passed from death unto life, who've never
had that regenerated experience, who has never
accepted Christ as a personal savior, even though
there's life in his body, is walking around dead
in his trespasses and sins. Oh, don't get angry
with me. Don't take issue with me. I'm only giving
the word of God. And a fool is the man or the
woman who will take issue with God's word. I'm
giving you the scripture. You may be most important
to your community. You may be a very vibrant
person. You may have energy in that body of yours
to burn. You may feel you are very much alive,
but... If you have never accepted Christ as your
Savior, if you've never been born again, you
are dead in your trespasses and your sins. But
the very moment that you accept Christ as your
Savior, that moment you pass from death unto
life and you are raised in newness of life in
Christ Jesus. That, my friend, is the spiritual.
Resurrection.