Cod's thoughts and is not inter ested in the deeper things of the Word of Cod. This is why as Cod's children we should be interested vitally in the day of final consum mation and climax (vrs. 20, 21). Of a certainty Jesus Christ is coming again! At His return these earthly physical habitations will be glor iously changed. It was in the city of Minneapolis where I was converted to Christ. The man who was instrumental in my spiritual growth and call to the ministry was a great help to me. I remember being in his office one day and noting a little plaque hanging on the wall. It had only two words on it, "Perhaps Today." Noting my interest he explained, "Every sermon I prepare in this study, every time I kneel to pray, every time I say a word for the Lord, I remind myself of the mes sage, 'Perhaps Today!' All my ac tivities are bathed in the realiza tion that Jesus Christ could well come before this day is out." That has been a real challenge and in spiration to me as I have sought to live and serve in a manner pleas ing to the Lord. The coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to verse 21, presupposes that the Saviour was raised again from the dead. There would be no hope of our resurrec tion had we not the example of the One who declared, "Because I live, ye, too, shall live also!" When the Lord came forth from the tomb He gave literal proof for the divine inspiration of the Old Testament (John 20:9). In I Corinthians 15:3-4 where we read that Christ rose again "according to the Scripture," that has reference to the Old Tes tament Scriptures (Isaiah 53:5-12).
Certainly the resurrection of Christ also proves the prophecies of the Bible to be true, trustworthy and absolutely reliable. Philippians 3:20, 21 certainly coincide directly with such passages as I John 3:1, 2. It was sad to hear our Saviour tell His two disciples, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken" (Luke 24:25-27). Paul himself taught that the resurrection of Christ proves the prophetic truths of God's Word (Acts 26:22-23). What does the resurrection mean to us? It should be the brightest ray of hope and expectancy for the future. What kind of an effect does this message of eternal life have upon the way we live here and now before others? Someday soon, sooner than any of us could ever possibly imagine, Jesus Christ is coming again to receive us unto Himself. Let us be ready that we need not be ashamed at His ap pearing. What an unspeakably glor ious day when these bodies, as well as these personalities, are completed, transformed and re deemed! As believers we look forward to the climax and culmination of ev ery human event with the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He will miraculously change the body of the believer on the resurrection day. The fact that Christ arose from the dead proves that the Old Tes tament believer's faith was well- founded and absolutely not in vain. The eleventh chapter of He brews further points this up as the so-called heroes of the faith are listed. Job expressed his faith in the resurrection of Christ as he avowed, "I know that my Redeem er liveth, and that He shall stand Page 47
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