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Born once, die twice. Born twice, die once.

10/15/2011 6 Comments

By Cris D. Putnam

Marian Osher "Tree of Life"

Everyone, believer or non-believer, is naturally born once and will die naturally once. This is apparent to all and is noncontroversial. But the biblical worldview includes a supernatural component which is not seen by the natural man. There are two additional possibilities, one of which will occur, depending on one’s spiritual status relating to Jesus Christ. These two conditional supernatural events are difficult to accept.

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.(1 Co 2:14)

It wasn’t always this way. God created man in a state of spiritual communion which entailed an intimate connection to him.  Adam’s fall into disobedience ruined that intimacy and put mankind under a curse (Gen 3:14-19).  But notice neither Adam nor Eve were struck dead instantly when God pronounced the curse upon them and the creation. It seems that the physical nature of death was always a logical possibility because God had put two trees in the garden. One was the tree of knowledge of good and evil and the other was the tree of life. Adam and Eve were not immortal beings; it was the tree of life that sustained them.  This can be deduced from the account that God saw physical death as a merciful release from their fallen state.

“Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.(Ge 3:22–24)

In this way, natural death is a blessing but only if you are in the book of life (Phil 1:21). When one is moved on by the Holy Spirit, repents of their sins and convinced by the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection, one is “born again” and released from the second death. Jesus explains this to Nicodemus in John 3:

“Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”(Jn 3:5–8)

When one believes the good news of Jesus resurrection, one’s name is written in the book of life:

“Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.”(Re 20:6)

If one rejects this good news and chooses not to accept Jesus resurrection, one gains a second death.

“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.(Re 20:12–15)

So whether you are believer or an unbeliever you are going gain a supernatural element: a second birth or a second death. If you earnestly seek God, he will reward your faith (Heb 11:6).

Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

(Ro 10:9)

Filed Under Apologetics Tagged With "death possible before sin", Bible, Curse, Death, Genesis 3, Gospel, Jesus, Second Death, Tree of Life

The Ultimate Apologetic!

08/19/2010 Leave a Comment



There has been a lot of insistence by skeptics for extraordinary evidence lately, reminds me of this:

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.”  But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” (Mat. 12:38-39)

I have been hard at work on a resurrection evidence project for a few months now. Several videos have been produced. Many books have been read. It’s not just any project. I’m preparing to confront YouTube skeptic community with a challenge. True faith is founded on historical facts, which eye witnesses have corroborated. I believe there was an event that occurred 2000 years ago that was so phenomenal that it transformed the very nature of reality. It’s not just about the gospel or apologetics… it’s the ultimate apologetic.

This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.(Acts 2:32)

Jesus performed many miracles or signs which authenticated his public ministry.  The Gospel of John was written with a purpose. It is unique amongst the four accounts of Jesus in that its author sets down the purpose that the reader would “believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that by believing have life in his name” (Jn. 20:31).  Scholars have distinguished two divisions by dividing the fourth Gospel into the “Book of Signs”, chapters 1 through 12, since they record Jesus’ public miracles and the “Book of Glory”, chapters 13 through 21, because of his glorious death and resurrection.[1] In addition to the seven signs found in Book of Signs there is an eighth positioned at the end of the book. John uses the Greek word semeion seventeen times in his gospel in reference to miracles. In Greek literature the word often means an event that indicates or confirms an intervention by a transcendent power.[2] Dr. Elmer Towns contends that this word choice emphasizes the spiritual significance of the eight miracles, whereas the synoptic gospels employ the Greek dunameis accentuating power.[3] The eight signs are: (1) turning water into wine (Jn. 2:1-11), (2) healing of the nobleman’s son (Jn. 4:46-54), (3) healing of the lame man (Jn. 5:1-9), (4) feeding of the 5,000 (Jn. 6:1-14), (5) walking on water (Jn. 6:15-21), (6) healing of a blind man (Jn. 9:1-12), (7) raising Lazarus from the dead (Jn. 11:1-44), (8) the miraculous catch of fish (Jn. 21:1-11). John seems to have organized the signs in particular settings as a commentary on the institutions and festivals of Judaism. Accordingly, there appears to be a connection between the seven discourses and the seven signs found with the “Book of Signs.” [4] Each sign uniquely facilitates John’s purpose to lead the reader to believe by pointing to a unique aspect of Jesus divine power. But what about Jesus’ own resurrection?

Was His resurrection just another sign amongst many? In a sense that it authenticated Jesus yes, but in the same manner as the other signs no. While the resurrection is certainly the central evidence authenticating Jesus ministry, I think it stands apart from the other signs. It is the very foundation of the Christian faith. Christianity “stands or falls with the question of His bodily resurrection.” [5] When Jesus resurrected Lazarus, it was called a sign by the Pharisees (Jn. 11:47). Morris contends that this sign and the “good shepherd” discourse are linked to “set forth emphatically that Christ has supreme authority over death.”[6] Yet he does not call the resurrection a sign. When Jesus rose, he was considered dead. So in this sense, he was not performing a sign. It was external from the physical person of Jesus. Thus tt was much more than a “sign” in the sense of Jesus other miracles. In fact, it was necessarily an external authentication from heaven. The NT is clear that the Father raised Jesus (Gal. 1:1, Rom. 10:9). Boice writes, “The resurrection proved that Jesus Christ is who he claimed to be and that he accomplished what he claimed to have come to earth to accomplish.”[7] The resurrection was a supernatural event so well evidenced and undeniable that it has served to validate the Christian faith for the last 2000 years. Paul wrote in his first letter to Corinth that if “Christ is not raised, your faith is in vain” (1 Cor. 15:17a). It was the ultimate and final sign to stand for all time. It stands alone in a unique category as the ultimate apologetic.

Stay tuned for the Resurrection Challenge!

[1]Gary M. Burge, The NIV Application Commentary: John (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000), 41.

[2]William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker and Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 920.

[3]Elmer Towns. The Gospel of John: Believe and Live. Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2002, xiii.

[4] Leon Morris. Jesus is the Christ: Studies in the Theology of John. Grand Rapids MH: Eerdman’s Publishing Co., 1989, 22.

[5]John F. Walvoord, Jesus Christ Our Lord (Galaxie Software, 2008; 2008), 191.

[6] Leon Morris. Jesus is the Christ: Studies in the Theology of Lohn. Grand Rapids MH: Eerdman’s Publishing Co., 1989, 38.

[7]James Montgomery Boice, Foundations of the Christian Faith : A Comprehensive & Readable Theology (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1986), 341.

Filed Under Apologetics Tagged With Apologetics, Gospel, Jesus Christ, Resurrection, Resurrection Challenge, Sign of Jonah

Coming Soon… Take the Resurrection Challenge Win a Free Book!

08/17/2010 1 Comment

Friends,

Skeptics claim there’s no evidence for the Christian faith. That is simply not true. I fell like it’s time for me to do my small part to help set the record straight on the issue of central importance. And I would love for you to join in. I have been working on mastering the historical evidence for the literal bodily resurrection of Jesus. I would like to suggest to you the book, The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus by Habermas and Licona. I believe that the position one takes on this particular matter has eternal ramifications. Because I genuinely care about people, believers and skeptics alike, I feel called to present the evidence so people can make an informed decision.

Many people are not aware of the factual historical case for the literal resurrection Of Jesus Christ. This was the pivotal event of all human history. The evidence is astonishingly good considering the extreme antiquity. To stimulate the conversation I will be giving away two brand new books for the best response videos from Christians and skeptics alike.



Just keep your eye out for a new video which will be posted here on this website and on my YT channel by Tuesday August 24th called the “Resurrection Challenge – Can You Account for the Evidence?” Christians should respond with arguments and evidence supporting my presentation and skeptics must posit an alternate scenario that still accounts for the accepted data. I will make a decision at the end of September and mail prizes to the winners.  I will be posting videos all through the month with my research supporting the resurrection. I hope you will follow the evidence where it leads!

In Christ,

Cris

Filed Under Apologetics Tagged With Apologetics, Cris D. Putnam, Gary Habermas, Gospel, Jesus, Lee Strobel, Mike Licona, Resurrection, Resurrection Challenge, William Lane Craig