“He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “Why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven” (Act.1:3-11).

Ascension of Jesus, painting by Uhde, (Wiki Commons)

Greetings Friends!

Mankind’s resurrection and ascension to immortality was inaugurated by Jesus Christ in His own resurrection followed by His ascension to heaven 40 days later. The purpose of Jesus’ resurrection and ascension was to return to His eternal Trinitarian existence He had with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus told the disciples, “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth” (John 14:15). Jesus’ ascension made possible a momentous act never to be repeated – He took our humanity, glorified it in Himself through His bodily resurrection, and forever joined mankind to the life of the Triune Godhead. The Trinity has changed its complexion forever. (Gen.1:26-27) Jesus now sits at the right hand of the Father as mankind’s eternal High Priest. Though our human resurrection and ascension is something we look forward to in a future event, the most important thing Jesus did for man is to bring the “Triune Life”** which believers can live now.

Thereby, it is logical to conclude that by joining our humanity with the Triune God, the Father and the Spirit is forever joined to humanity in a real sense through Jesus, the Immanuel, who is both God who glorified our humanity in Himself. It was for this very reason of uniting our humanity with God that Jesus made this ultimatum, “But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you” (John 16:7). This is undoubtedly the weightiest aspect of Jesus’ mission and ascension – to join humanity to the Triune God and give passage for the Spirit to enter mankind on the day of Pentecost and carry on the work of the Father which Jesus started and commissioned His disciples to continue on earth. So, His departure was a necessary part of mankind’s initiation into the life of the Triune Godhead and the Spirit being made one with mankind.

Most of all, the Scripture is very clear about the most important aspect of the Holy Spirit’s work – it is by the Spirit’s power that humans will be sanctified and eventually resurrected to immortality. (2 Thess.2:13; Rom.8:11,13) Paul affirms this, saying, “If by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who lives in you” (Rom.8:11). Human resurrection to immortality is made possible only through the Spirit’s power and presence. Paul articulates this process further by saying, “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Cor.3:16; also John 7:37-39; 1 John 4:13; 1 Cor.6:19, NLT). While Paul is drawing attention to the issue of church unity in Corinth, he is indirectly confessing the truth about Jesus’ ascension in joining the Spirit to human life. A temple is a place of worship where God and man meet. The Bible says, “If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ” (Rom.8:9). And if anyone does not belong to Christ then he cannot be conformed to Jesus’ image and likeness in His resurrection and ascension. (Rom.8:29).

Jesus promised, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you… On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you.” (John 14:8, 20). Here again we see Jesus affirming man’s eternal unity with the Father and the Spirit which He makes possible. Paul said, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal.2:20). What we see is Jesus’ life being incarnated into the life of the believer on earth to be followed by a resurrection into immortality. But how is this process of salvation done in reality? Through the Holy Spirit! Jesus tells us the role of the Spirit, “He will glorify Me, for He will take from that which is Mine and will disclose it to you” (John 16:14, Berean LB). So we see the purpose of the Spirit is to live and walk in the life of the believer as a temple and make Jesus’ life become a reality, thus, fulfilling the promise. Jesus said, “He (Spirit) will not speak on His own, He will guide you into all truth. He will glorify Me because it is from Me that He will receive what He will make known to you” (John 16:13,14). Therefore, the ascension brings to reality the promise of Jesus He will personally come and live in the believer through the Holy Spirit’s power. When we think of the life of Christians living the incarnated life of Jesus today it is contingent upon His ascension to make it a reality. It is quite simple, the ascension was necessary for the Holy Spirit to come.

The account of the ascension is recorded as follows in the Book of Acts, “After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.  On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Then they gathered around Him and asked Him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” After He said this, He was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid Him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as He was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “Why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven” (Act.1:3-11).

Depiction of the Two Angels of Ascension. “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen Him go into heaven” (Pic: Wiki Commons)

What is the work of Jesus that the Spirit will articulate in the world? Jesus Himself answers, “And when He comes, He will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. The world’s sin is that it refuses to believe in Me. Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see Me no more. Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged” (John 16:8-11).

Here, Jesus explains sin very simply – it’s a person’s refusal to believe in Him as Savior. “Concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me.” So sin has to do with faith – faith in Jesus! It’s very simple, very plain, sin is more than an individual act of sin, it is our refusal to believe in the Messiah who atones and cleanses us from sin. Sin is the condition of man’s self-determination controlled by the devil, and righteousness is the condition of the Spirit inspired by Christ. In our fallen state of existence we exist in the sin condition, and the only way out is to step out from it into the sinless and righteous condition of Jesus through the Spirit’s presence. Hence, Jesus speaks of being “born again” into a new life in the Spirit. (John 3:1-8)

Why does the passage above says, “concerning righteousness (sinlessness) because I go to the Father?” Because Jesus has ascended to the Father’s right hand and remain as man’s eternal High Priest mediating for man. The Bible says of Jesus, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek” (Heb. 5:1, 5-7). Paul says, “There is one Mediator between God and man, the Word of God who is Himself a man, Jesus Christ” (1 Tim 2:5). A High Priest stands between sinful man and our holy God mediating on man’s behalf for all his shortcomings. Paul says, “Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died–more than that, who was raised to life–is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (as mankind’s High Priest) (Rom.8:36, my emphasis).

Dove, Symbol of Holy Spirit and God’s Love and Power  Descending upon Man on Pentecost. “I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions” (Joel 2:28). (Pic: Wiki Commons)

When Jesus said, “Judgment will come because the ruler of this world has already been judged” it means Christ has defeated the instigator of sin, Satan. Judgment came about when Jesus was victorious over the devil in the temptations in the Judean wilderness, and when He died upon Calvary on His cross as the final answer to sin.

So, that is the 3-fold message the Spirit brings to the world – it is about Jesus saving us from sin once for all time; Jesus becoming our righteousness through His High Priestly role in heaven; and Jesus bringing judgment by defeating the enemy the promoter of sin in mankind through the temptations and His death on the cross! This is why the ascension is of utter importance to the whole world.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to write to me in the space provided below, or email me on bulamanriver@gmail.com.

Blessing:

Until we meet again in my next post, may the blessings of the God who ceaselessly expresses Himself in His dependable Triune Love, be with you always. May the Spirit enliven your spirit and make all things concerning you possible as you live the “Triune Life” as a  Bulamanriver.*  Be strong in the Lord’s joy.

Kiang,  

* Bulamanriver” is the metaphor describing the union of man with the Love of the Triune God flowing in humans, making possible the “Triune Life” – the source of the miraculous life in man. To read the many facets of life of the Bulamanriver, go to my website www.bulamanriver.com where you can order a copy of my Book.

** “Triune Life” means a believer is living his/her life in the Triune Being of God. God, as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, lives and walks in the Bulamanriver (you and me), and the believer lives in God’s presence. Man’s union with the Triune God is made possible through Jesus, Himself God who took our humanity into the Triune Godhead. Through the Spirit who lives in man as His temple makes the “Triune Life” possible. (1 Cor.3:16)

All scriptures are taken from the NIV Version 2011, unless stated otherwise.

Note: All information is copy-write. Any information obtained from this website that is used for publication should be acknowledged by citing the website address, date of acquisition and information pertinent to original authorship. For general guidelines regarding web citations see The Guide for Citing Electronic Information.

“He isn’t here! He has risen from the dead, just as He said would happen. Come, see where His body was lying.” (Matthew 28:6)

Greetings Friends wherever you are in the far-flung corners of the world! May the peace Easter brings be with you and your loved ones.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of the Christian faith. Even though Jesus told His disciples of His impending death and resurrection, for them it was too incredulous to be believed. Then when they heard from others that Jesus had indeed risen, it left them speechless. When He miraculously appeared before them, they were left gasping for breath. Jesus told one doubting disciple, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed” (John 20:29). Yes, the Christian life is a life of living faith. 

Paul said matter-of-factly, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Cor.15:17). Indeed, powerful words concerning the Christian faith. The cross would be meaningless if Jesus had not risen. We cannot believe the cross and deny the resurrection, they are one and the same expression of His Messiahship. His life and all the prophecies concerning His calling as the Messiah would have all been fiction, a fabrication, if His resurrection from the dead had not happened for real.

Visitors at the Garden Tomb Where Jesus’ Body was Laid to Rest and Resurrected (Wiki Commons)

The unbelieving mind thinks of the idea of the resurrection as preposterous, originating in religious zeal that borders on the fanatical. A 2010 Barna Group poll showed that only 42 percent of Americans said the meaning of Easter was Jesus’ resurrection; just 2 percent identified it as the most important holiday of their faith. “More people have problems with Easter because it requires believing that Jesus rose from the dead,” said James Martin, a Jesuit priest and author. Yet, it is the only hope the Christian faith holds out to its followers. How do we prove to skeptics this cornerstone of Christian belief? Everything about Christianity hangs in the balance on this one focal point of the Christian faith – did Jesus die on His cross upon Calvary and rose from the dead as He and the prophecies said He would? (Psa.22; Isa.53; Psa.16, esp. V.10)

The New Testament account of the resurrection from Matthew’s gospel goes as follows, “After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.² There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.⁴ The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. ⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell His disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.’ Now I have told you.” ⁸ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell His disciples. ⁹ Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” He said. They came to Him, clasped His feet and worshiped Him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see Me” (Matt.28:1-10).

The resurrection responds to the ancient quest for answers to the question of life, death, and the afterlife. Ancient philosophers, theologians, and sages have long sought to unlock the answers to them. There are only two certainties about life that no one can deny: life and death! Every day we experience these two opposite extremes of human reality – to exist (life), or to cease to exist (death)! Our awareness of death arise out of life itself. In other words, we would not know death were it not for life. Life always takes precedence. Humans are given to experience these twin realities not as a matter of choice, but because an external entity superior to man has determined this is how human existence is offered to man. (Heb.9:27) If you and I had a choice, life would be our natural and only option. Death is a curse we would avoid at all cost .

So, everything about human existence cannot be answered within our mortal frame of reference without an external involvement. So we are compelled to look outside ourselves for answers to life and death. Hence, our search for answers ends with an entity we call God. Or we may choose the path of atheism and conjure our own answers to the questions of life and death, like the theory of evolution, or any other hypothesis. Most religions accept the external input of a deity, only their beliefs differentiate them. So, the search for meaning about life, death, and the afterlife leaves us face to face with an entity we call God or Creator. God Himself knew this, or should I say stage-managed it, so humans have no other way but to turn to Him for important answers about life and death. Man is left face-to-face with his Maker.

If we concur on the above discourse about life and death, then we have arrived at the same logical conclusion about answers to them from our Creator. For Christians, His answer is articulated in His Son, Jesus. Jesus’ resurrection answers man’s eternal search to the meaning of life, death, and the afterlife.

God tells us He is the source of life – life originates and exudes from His divine Being. He is the spring of life. (Gen.2:7; 1 Sam.2:6; Act.17:25) If that is so, where did death come from? It cannot come from God for nothing but life proceeds from Him. Death was imposed upon man as a penalty for sin. The Bible says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom.6:23). When Adam and Eve sinned by eating the forbidden fruit, sin entered our human existence, and death followed. God told our first parents, “you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die” (Gen.2:17). God gave us His Son so that through His death on the cross we may not have to face death ourselves. And through His resurrection we will receive immortal life.  

Artist impression of Resurrection of Jesus (Wiki Commons)

So when God created Adam it would have been contrary to His nature and who He is to  subject him to death in any way, shape, and form. The totality of the environment in Eden was wrapped up in one element which defines who God IS: life, life, and life everlasting! Death is the exact antithesis of who God is in His nature. He declared Himself to His enslaved people in Egypt as “I AM that I AM” (Exo.3:14). It means ‘to be,’ which means to exist in everlasting life. Adam had life to its fullest and completest divine expression that a human can experience at the highest physical level possible! Adam existed in God’s presence, the Source of both spiritual and physical life. Adam did not know what death meant, it had no meaning with him, although he was warned of it. (Gen.2:17) It is impossible for God to make death happen because it is synonymous with sin, and God and sin (death) can never coexist. Adam and Eve existed in the ‘circle of life’ because God IS life!  Death was the result of disobedience imposed upon man as a consequence of sin. Death was man’s choice, not God’s! So, we understand the resurrection in relation to who God is in all His manifest Being: the fountain of everlasting life! Hence, man’s destiny will always be about immortality, and death is just a temporary blip until sin and death is removed forever.

Let me share an interesting information from ancient texts. Although not considered canon, these ancient texts are part of the heritage of Judaism and Christianity. In earliest patristic texts it was hypothesized that Adam existed in a state of human immortality in Eden. The premise upon which Adam’s human immortality is inferred comes from God’s own words at the time of man’s creation, “Let us make man in our image after our likeness…” (Gen.1:26-27). God’s image and likeness is not mortal but immortal. Human immortality was Adam’s natural condition of sharing God’s own eternal life (likeness). It was Adam’s only way of communing with God directly in a holy state of existence in Eden. 

The source of Adam’s human immortality came from his daily food he ate from the fruit of the tree of life. These passages from Genesis implies this premise, “The LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground–trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Gen.2:9). After Adam’s fall, God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever” (Gen.3:22, NLT; also Rev. 22:1-5). So, it is clear Adam “lived forever” in a form of human immortality he possessed which came from eating the fruit of the tree of life. 

It is made abundantly clear from the texts we have seen in Genesis that the tree of the knowledge of good and evil brought human death, and the tree of life was the source of human  immortality. Obviously the two trees are symbolic of the two realities of life we face everyday before God. The tree of life represents the Holy Spirit who imbued Adam with God’s divine Love and immortality; and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil stands for disobedience and sin through self-determination swayed by Satan’s deception which brings death. (Rom.8:11; Jam.1:15; Rom.6:23) Even today we cannot see the Spirit, but we see what He represents in life like Adam saw and ate from the tree of life. Paul dispels any doubt what the Spirit personifies to us in his letter to the Corinthian church teaching them to eat the “fruits of the Spirit”: Love, kindness, patience, self-control, joy, peace, not being envious and arrogant, generosity, hope, faith, etc. (1 Cor.13) “Eating” these fruits is synonymous with eating from the tree of life. 

The moment Adam ate the forbidden fruit and sin entered his life, his human immortality disappeared, and from then on he assumed nothing more than his mortal being that’s now conditioned to sin and death. The metamorphosis was sudden and immediate because light (God) and darkness (sin) cannot cohabit. In basic physics we know this to be obvious – note when you switch a light on in a dark room. Darkness instantaneously flees in front of light, and vice versa. You can say ‘in a twinkling of an eye’ “they realized they were naked” (Gen.3:7). Adam and Eve all of a sudden felt shame before God and hid for the immortal sinless image (Spirit/Love) which enabled them to live and commune with God in Eden had vanished – he was a mere mortal, in the spiritual sense, “naked.” The Bible says, “So they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves” and hid among the trees from God. (Gen.3:7-11)

In the ancient text Adam said to Eve, “Do you not see these figs and their leaves, with which we covered ourselves when we were stripped of our bright nature?” (human immortality). (First Book of Adam & Eve, Chapter XXXVII, v.1) By hiding their nakedness they conceded they were not appropriately clothed or equipped in spirit for the Edenic environment where they dwelt with a holy and sinless God. Sadly, now they were fully mortal and sinful, making it impossible to live in God’s presence. Be that as it may, God’s purpose in humans to be vessels of immortality assuming His likeness (children) was never undone and remains man’s destiny. Note, when God told Adam, “You are made from dust and you’ll return to dust” (fully mortal), it was uttered ‘after’ and not ‘before’ Adam’s fall. (Gen.3:19). Before the fall they existed in God’s immortal “image and likeness.” (Gen.1:26-27) Whereas our first parents was not constrained by time and space due to their human immortality, now they were. 

Adam and mankind no longer had access to the tree of life, “After God drove the man out, He placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life” (Gen.3:24). Outside of Eden mankind had no choice but to be sustained by the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, that’s to say, man will live through self-determination as to what’s right and wrong swayed by Satan’s deceit and falsehood. The dominion they were given over this earth was taken from them for they had effectively handed it to Satan who would rule through sin and death. God promised to send a second Adam in His Son, who would come to defeat the enemy, reclaim the earthly dominion for mankind as King and Lord, and take humanity to his rightful eternal destiny. (1 Cor.15:45; Gen.3:15).

Think about this a moment, when God declared to Adam, “if you eat from it (forbidden fruit) you will certainly die,” it is no different from saying, “as long you do not eat the forbidden fruit you will surely never die.” So, it’s logical to conclude that Adam had existed in a form of human immortality which never tasted death – as long as he remained faithful. But man is given to choose because freedom is the flip-side of Love, and “God is Love” (1 John 4:8). Without freedom there is no Love, nor is there Love without freedom. So, if Adam had chosen not to eat the forbidden fruit, would he have tasted death? No, there was only one road which leads to death – eating the forbidden fruit. Adam had human immortality by feeding himself off from the tree of life. Death is not merely the cessation of physical life, it is a way of life which produced death in all its manifest expression we see around us today. We see death in the sorrows, heart-aches, hatred, unhappiness, greed, treachery and pretense, pain and suffering, sickness and disease. It is the ‘circle of death’ in the devil’s world which is the opposite of the ‘circle of life’ which existed in Eden.

Adam Possessed Human Immortality in the Garden of Eden (Pic: Wiki Commons)

Moreover, since immortality is not limited to nor constrained by time and space, the Bible does not state the “time” frame Adam and Eve remained faithful prior to their fall. For this reason the Genesis account of the fall appears “sudden” as if it occurred immediately after human creation. Not so, since they existed outside of time and space, it’s not possible to quantify “space-time” between Adam’s human immortal existence and his human mortal life (fall). In other words, eternity is not constrained by time and space and always “exists” in the present, there is no past or future, only the present. Hence, the fall appeared like it happened shortly after creation, without realizing that an eternity had “existed” between Adam’s human immortality and human mortality (fall).

If Adam fell directly after creation, then we would have to conclude the devil was more powerful than God. Also, we would be compelled to surmise what the devil offered Adam was far superior than what God offered them. That’s just preposterous, and we know that is not true. What can be far superior than an unending life of abounding joy in Paradise? The Psalmist said, “A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else! I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked” (Psa.84:10, NLT). With God a day is reckoned as a thousand years. (Psa.90:4) God’s power and sovereignty is without question, and what God offers man is incontestable. Satan cannot offer man immortality, perish the thought, how can he when he was created like man, except he was made an archangel and chose to become the adversary. Immortality cannot be conferred by the created but by the uncreated – God!

For all we know, our first parents remained faithful and lived in complete and unbound joy in God’s presence for quite some “time” before their fall to Satan’s deception. Remember, it had to take deceitfulness and cunning on Satan’s part to wrest Adam and Eve away from God’s Love and Paradise. But all it took was just one bite of the forbidden fruit, and we can assume Satan may have tried more than once to draw them away but without success. But it happened nonetheless, and that is why Jesus, the second Adam, had to come and die on the cross and be resurrected to restore man to his legitimate birthright to immortality.

Time and space became a reality only after sin and death entered human existence. From then on no mortal human could exist in God’s presence as Adam did before the fall. God told Moses upon Mount Sinai, “you cannot see My face, for no one may see Me and live.” (Exo.33:20; also 1 Tim.6:16). The lost world of Eden was a unique place on earth where God communed with humans in a form of immortal existence which did not exist outside Eden. Eden was and still is God’s plan for mankind. In future, Eden will cover the whole earth and God Himself will dwell among humans. (Rev. 21 & 22) So we see why the resurrection of Jesus to immortality is vital to God’s plan for mankind upon this earth.

Another ancient text states that after Adam’s fall, he was consumed with inconsolable grief for all they had lost. Of course he was, he had just lost all of Paradise for a bite of the forbidden fruit. But more so because Paradise had a lasting impact on their lives, and to lose it was indeed a heart-rending experience. It reminds us of the story of Esau who sold his birthright for a bowl of lentils. Without question, Jacob was at fault for deceiving his brother. Adam wanted desperately to return to Eden but to no avail – can light and darkness cohabit? Adam had lost not only his human immortality, but the glorious life in Paradise he shared with His wife Eve basking in God’s enduring Love. Why is there is a tendency with humans to take the status quo for granted then gradually slide into a subtle form of contempt and folly? (Rom.2:4; Heb.12:15-17, ESV)

I don’t think we could imagine the truly magnificent life they had in Eden with all the power and glorious activities divinely conferred upon them. They communed face to face with God and angelic beings. They had power to control the elements like the weather, and more. Jesus gave us a glimpse of this when he changed water into wine, walked on water, and controlled the storm besides all the miracles He performed. And the grief-stricken episodes Adam suffered many days, weeks, and months, and the remainder of his life, revealed in no small measure to the Paradise that was lost to Adam and mankind. No human have since experienced the life God had originally designed for man apart from Adam and Eve. Only a future resurrection made possible by Jesus who has led the way for humans by His own resurrection, will bring man back to his former estate and God-ordained birthright. (Rom.8:29; 1 Cor.15)

Garden of Eden – Paradise Lost (Wiki Commons)

Today we are experiencing a world of sin and death outside of Eden. We look all around us and  world events seems apocalyptic. Everywhere we see sin written on the script of people’s suffering, pain, and death. God’s heart aches for mankind. The answer is in God’s divine Love. Having lost the divine likeness God created humans to possess, He now calls upon man to seek his true destiny in returning and regaining the glorious life that is his rightful birthright through Jesus and His cross. Paul, by saying, “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Cor.15:22), he was declaring God’s purpose of reversing the effect of Adam’s fall through Jesus His Son, and bring man back to his first estate in Paradise.

When Jesus was resurrected He effectively raised man to his former glory of human immortality in Eden. Only this time, on this side of Eden, we have Jesus in the role of man’s High Priest seated at God’s right hand, performing the ongoing task of Savior and Warrior on man’s behalf. (see my previous post dated March 01 2016, “Easter 101 – Know The Full Story”). This is necessary so Jesus will remove the effect (penalty) of the tree of good and evil (sin/death) forever. Jesus’ parting words to His followers were, “Go, and spread this good news from the Father to the whole world, and make believers of everyone, and I will be with you to the end of time” (Mark:16:15; Matt.28:20, emphasis mine).

The Bible speaks of our own resurrection where the sting of death no longer reigns over us, “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed – in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? (1 Cor. 15:51-55). We have come full circle and brought back to our Edenic birthright through Christ who is the firstborn of many humans made human immortal. (Rom.8:29)

“Fountain of Eternal Life,” Cleveland, Ohio, Depicting Resurrection to Immortality (Wiki Commons)

As for death, the Bible says this, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor.15:55-57). Yes, that victory is the resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ. His resurrection signals the human triumph of true life over sin and death.

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die” (john 11:25). Jesus died the death of all of us on His cross so we may live – yes, even in the grave death’s gripping tentacles has no power over us – death has been defeated in Christ’s death and resurrection.

John was made to see a vision of this future Edenic paradise on earth where God will dwell with His human children, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God.  He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away…And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him: And they shall see His face; and His name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God gives them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent His angel to show His servants the things that must soon take place” (Rev.21:3-4; 22:1-6).

The world we read in the above passage of scripture cannot possibly come to pass without the resurrection of God’s people to immortality. This is the new earth transformed into an Eden-like world. The tree of life will be there, but the tree of the knowledge of good and evil will be no more, for Jesus has defeated sin and death once for all time. This is the wonderful and glorious message of Jesus’ own resurrection to bring mankind to a world so staggering and spectacular beyond words. This is what we celebrate during Easter. This is the essence of the Gospel.

Paul ends with these encouraging words of Love from our heavenly Father, “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Cor.15:58).

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to write me in the space provided below, or email me on bulamanriver@gmail.com. Thanks for visiting.

Blessing:

Until we meet again in my next post, may the blessings of the season of Easter and Passover be with you all and your families, and may God who ceaselessly expresses Himself in His dependable Triune Love, help you to receive Jesus as your personal Savior and live the “Triune Life” in the Spirit. May the Spirit enliven you and make all things concerning you possible in Triune Living as a Bulamanriver.*

Kiang,                      

* Bulamanriver” is the metaphor describing the union of man with the Love of the Triune God flowing in humans, making possible the “Triune Life” – the source of the miraculous life in man. To read the many facets of life of the Bulamanriver, go to my website www.bulamanriver.com where you can order a copy of my Book.

See the BULAMANRIVER Video at: http://youtu.be/8uA0Bq7UoYA

All scriptures are taken from the NIV Version 2011, unless stated otherwise.

Note: Any information obtained from this website that is used for publication should be acknowledged by citing the website address, date of acquisition and information pertinent to original authorship. For general guidelines regarding web citations see The Guide for Citing Electronic Information

“神爱世人，甚至将他给了他唯一的儿子，谁信他的，不至灭亡，反得永生”（约翰福音3:16）

(“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16))

问候世界各地的朋友。复活节是一年中最重要的基督教季节它是为了纪念救主和救赎，耶稣基督的死亡和复活。

(Greetings friends around the world. Easter is the most important Christian season of the year for it commemorates the death and resurrection of the Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.)

基督在十字架上，通过德拉克洛瓦 – 沃尔特斯艺术博物馆（维基共享）

(Christ on the Cross, By Eugene Delacroix – Walters Art Museum (Wiki Commons)

上帝的约诺显示神的亲密爱人的人，“因为我要宽恕他们的不义，他们的罪，他们的罪孽，我要记住没有更多的”（Heb.8：12;约翰福音3：16-17）。当然，罪恶将永远有一个价格，耶稣付出了生命代价在十字架上。耶稣不是一个普通的人 – 他是预言以马内利，神人肉。（Isa.7：14; Matt.1：23）由于希伯来书9:14说：“基督的血，谁借着永远的灵，将自己无瑕无疵神，从死作品清除你的良心，以服务永生神。而对于这项事业他是新约的中保，既然受死的方式……他们被称为可能获得永恒的生命的承诺。“他变得一劳永逸，完美的牺牲精神没有罪能打败。

(God’s covenant promise shows God’s intimate Love for man, “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more” (Heb.8:12; John 3:16-17). Of course sin will always have a price, and Jesus paid the price with His life on the cross. Jesus was no ordinary human – He was the prophesied Immanuel, God in the human flesh. (Isa.7:14; Matt.1:23)  As Hebrews 9:14, says, “The blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God. And for this cause He is the Mediator of the New Covenant, that by means of death…they which are called might receive the promise of eternal life.” He became once and for all, the PERFECT SACRIFICE which no sin can defeat.)

罪和圣洁不能并存。神，在他的圣洁，永远灭绝罪，因为罪不能在圣洁的神的存在存在。你见过一个强大的泛光灯照亮漆黑的舞台？当光线进入竞技场，因为黑暗与光明不能共存，就像罪恶和神的圣洁的爱不能并存的黑暗出逃。耶稣说：“我是世界的光。跟从我的，就不在黑暗里走，必要得着生命的光。“（约翰福音8:12）。耶稣通过他的牺牲的光就足以取人从黑暗，让他无罪。如果没有，那么他是一个救世主不足，冒名顶替者。但他却是全足够了，剩下的就是我们相信，悔改，接受他为救主。听先知以赛亚的，“来我们的父亲的鼓励的话给我们，让我们谈谈这些事情。你们的罪虽像朱红，他们可以像雪一样白。虽然你的罪是深红色的，也可以是白如羊毛“（Isa.1：18-19）。

(Sin and holiness cannot co-exist. God, in His holiness, will always exterminate sin, because sin cannot exist in the presence of the Holy God. Have you ever seen a powerful flood lamp light up a pitch dark arena? Darkness flees when light enters the arena, because darkness and light cannot co-exist, just as sin and and God’s holy Love cannot co-exist. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). The light of Jesus through His sacrifice is enough to take man out of darkness and keep him sinless. If not, then He is an inadequate Savior, an imposter. But He is all-sufficient, all that remains is we believe, repent, and receive Him as Savior. Listen to our Father’s encouraging words to us through the prophet Isaiah, “Come, let us talk about these things. Though your sins are as scarlet, they can be as white as snow. Though your sins are deep red, they can be white like wool” (Isa.1:18-19).)

各各他（“骷髅山”），耶稣受难的网站（维基共享）

(Golgotha (“Skull Hill”), Site of Jesus Crucifixion (Wiki Commons)

信徒可能会说，“但我还是人，我犯罪的所有时间。”这是真的。约翰告诉我们，“如果我们宣称自己是没有罪，我们欺骗自己，真理不在我们。如果我们承认我们的罪，他是信实的，并会赦免我们的罪，一切的不义洁净我们“（约翰一书1：8-9）。我们仍然罪，通过人性的弱点，我们无意中罪的大部分时间，我们都无知的罪过 – 罪孽我们还没有看到。（Psa.19：12-13）。然而，我们置身在上帝的怜悯和恩典，对他说：“我要宽恕他们的不义，他们的罪，他们的罪孽，我要记住没有更多的”（Heb.8：12）。换句话说，耶稣牺牲包罗万象的，他不仅需要我们过去的罪孽的关心，但我们的现在和未来的罪孽。保罗说，这样，“上帝使他（耶稣）谁没有罪对我们的罪，让他在我们可能成为神的义”（林后5:21）。是的，这是耶稣的这不再是黑暗​​可以侵入光。

(A believer may say, ‘but I am still human, and I sin all the time.’ That’s true. John tells us, “If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1John 1:8-9). We still sin, through human weakness, we sin inadvertently most of the time, we all have the sin of ignorance – sins we do not yet see. (Psa.19:12-13). Yet, we place ourselves at God’s mercy and grace, for He says, “I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more” (Heb.8:12). In other words, Jesus sacrifice is all-encompassing that He takes care not only of our past sins, but our present and future sins. Paul said it this way, “God made Him (Jesus) who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21). Yes, it is the light of Jesus which no darkness can invade.)

瞧，这是不能否认的一颗普通的事实，神不能团结自己在与一个人爱的工会，如果他或她是一个罪孽深重的条件（生存状态）。信徒是在圣灵保存的条件。（2 Cor.1：22）太多次信徒看着他或她个人的罪，发音本人“因噎废食。”但我们的过犯，无论是通过无力，无意或无知，是不是问题 – 这是照顾通过耶稣的牺牲，当我们请求宽恕和悔改。我们的注意力必须集中在我们这些将我们团结在一起与神我们慈爱的父亲“保存条件”。（Eph.2：18）

(Look, there is one plain fact which cannot be denied, God cannot unite Himself in Loving union with a human if he or she is in a sinful condition (state of existence). The believer is in a saved condition in the Holy Spirit. (2 Cor.1:22)  Too many times a believer looks at his or her individual sins and pronounce himself or herself “unworthy.” But our trespasses, whether through weakness, unintended, or ignorance, is not the issue – that’s taken care of through Jesus sacrifice when we ask for forgiveness and repent. Our attention must be focused on our “saved condition” which unites us with God our Loving Father. (Eph.2:18) )

墓园耶稣的尸体被特＆复活（维基共享）

(Garden Tomb Where Jesus Body Was Laid & Resurrected (Wiki Commons))

这是什么意思是“保存条件？”这意味着圣灵住在信徒为他的寺庙。保罗说：“你不知道你的身体是圣灵的殿，谁是你的，你从神接受谁的？你是不是自己的;你是有代价的（耶稣）收购。因此，荣耀上帝与你的身体“（1Cor.6：19-20）。耶稣告诉门徒，他被钉十字架前，“我会问父亲，他会给你一个代言人来帮助你，并和你永远在一起 – 真理的圣灵”（约翰福音14：16-17a）。圣灵的出现改变了从被有罪的是基督义人的病情。从黑暗的光线条件。这是它派生该条件许可的活动的条件。那是什么活动？它是什么，但爱我们的父亲和他的人类的小孩之间​​的活动。什么是精神的作用？圣灵的目的是圣信徒让他/她总是能够统一通过耶稣的父亲。（Rom.15：16; 1 Cor.6：11），我们一直生活共鸣我们生活在耶稣在天上通过我们的圣灵的力量歌颂人类，所以我们可以在爱情统一与父 – 永远。我来把这称为“三位一体生活”为所有三个，父，子，灵都参与了我们的救恩。

(What do I mean by “saved condition?” It means the Holy Spirit is living in the believer as His temple. Paul said, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price (Jesus). Therefore, honor God with your bodies” (1Cor.6:19-20). Jesus told the disciples before He was crucified, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to help you and be with you forever – the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16-17a). The Spirit’s presence changes man’s condition from being sinful to being righteous in Christ. From the condition of darkness to light. It is the condition which spawns the activities which that condition permits. And what is that activity? It is nothing but the activity of Love between our Father and His human children. What is the role of the Spirit? The Spirit’s purpose is to sanctify the believer so he/she can be always unified to the Father through Jesus. (Rom.15:16; 1 Cor.6:11) We are always living our lives vicariously in Jesus’ glorified humanity in heaven through the power of the Spirit in us, so we can be unified in Love with the Father – always. I have come to call this the “Triune Life” for all three, Father, Son, and Spirit are involved in our salvation.)

然而，我们仍然生活在存在自己的弱点和堕落的人类状态。这确实给我们的生活中不小心放弃许可证？（罗7：18-25）。人的倾向罪是没有任何借口licentiously活着，但开导他需要的人一个永久性的调解员。耶稣在洁净他的灵（字），在美国流动的水清洗我们的心。（约翰福音7：38-39），这是一个过程，需要一辈子，但在相同的过程中，我们生活在我们真实的自我，新的人谁在保存条件（Rom.7住在耶稣的条件：24 -25）。如果耶稣是无罪的，那么我们;就这么简单。约翰告诉我们在这两个条件的差异时，他说，“圣灵所赐的生命;肉算个什么​​“（约翰福音6:63）。

(Yet, we are still living in our weak and fallen human state of existence. Does this give us the license to live in careless abandon? (Rom. 7:18-25). Man’s propensity to sin is no excuse to live licentiously, but to enlighten man of his need for a permanent Mediator. Jesus cleanses our hearts in the washing of the water of His Spirit (Word) that flows in us. (John 7:38-39) It is a process that will take a lifetime, but in the same process we live in the condition of our true self, the new man who lives in Jesus in a saved condition (Rom.7:24-25). If Jesus is sinless, then we are; it’s that simple. John tells us the difference in these two conditions when he says, “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing” (John 6:63).)

海洋，启用条件海洋生物，像精神，是神生活的人的有利条件（图片：维基共享）
(The Ocean, Enabling Condition for Marine Life, Like The Spirit Is the Enabling Condition for God-Life in Man (Pic: Wiki Commons) )

精神是人谁的作品，使他更像耶稣成圣。（约翰福音16：12-15; Rom.8：29）所有的人的罪，非法侵入，过去，现在和将来，都判决耶稣的条件为救主和中保，在天上他的大祭司的作用。我们在耶稣的生活条件使我们与神（林前1:30）的权利。

(The Spirit is the sanctifier of man who works to make him more like Jesus. (John 16:12-15; Rom.8:29)  All man’s sins and trespass, past, present, and future, are adjudicated in Jesus’ condition as Savior and Mediator, in His High Priestly role in heaven. The life condition we have in Jesus keeps us right with God (1 Cor. 1:30).)

施洗约翰说，这耶稣，“他会为你们施洗圣灵与火”（Luk.3：16）。施洗手段，就像沉浸覆盖。记住这一点，永远不会忘记：“……爱应包括许多的罪”在上帝面前，我们的生活和沉浸在他的爱，因为“上帝是爱”，而圣经告诉我们，（约翰一书4 ：8; 1 Pet.4：8）爱情是灯，罪是黑暗。是不是很神奇呢？为了统一上帝，我们必须清白，我们是因为耶稣给他的生活和死亡在髑髅地十字架！在耶稣，我们借着圣灵沉浸在他的爱。“上帝的爱已经借着圣灵，谁一直给我们浇在我们心里”（Rom.5：5）。现在就去朋友，住在那种心境下 – 在我们的天父的存在快乐生活。这就是为什么我们庆祝耶稣的生命，死亡，复活，升天，在每年的这个时候我们称之为复活节。

(John the Baptist said this about Jesus, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Luk.3:16). To baptize means to immerse like a covering. Remember this, and never forget it: In the presence of God we live and are immersed in His Love, for “God is Love,” and the Bible tells us, “…Love shall cover a MULTITUDE of sins.” (1 John 4:8; 1 Pet.4:8) Love is light, sin is darkness. Isn’t that amazing? In order to be unified to God, we must be sinless, and we are because Jesus gave His life and died on the cross upon Calvary! In Jesus we are immersed in His Love through the Spirit. “God’s Love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Rom.5:5). Go now friends, and live in that frame of mind – live joyfully in the presence of our heavenly Father. That’s why we celebrate Jesus life, death, resurrection, and ascension, at this time of year we call Easter.)

德芙，人的圣灵成圣的符号（维基共享）

(Dove, Symbol of the Holy Spirit and Sanctifier of Man (Wiki Commons))

如果你有任何问题，请不要犹豫，我写在下面的空白处，或者给我发电子邮件的bulamanriver@gmail.com。感谢您访问。

(If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to write me in the space provided below, or email me on bulamanriver@gmail.com. Thanks for visiting.)

祝福：

直到我们在我的下一个职位再见面，也许上帝的眷顾谁不停地表达自己，他的可靠三位一体爱与你同在这个复活节季节，可能他的祝福您永远。愿灵搞活你，让你就可能在三一的生活作为Bulamanriver所有的东西。*

藏野驴，

(Blessing:)

(Until we meet again in my next post, may the blessing of the God who ceaselessly expresses Himself in His dependable Triune Love, be with you this Easter season and may His blessings be with you always. May the Spirit enliven you and make all things concerning you possible in Triune Living as a Bulamanriver.*)

(Kiang,)

* Bulamanriver“是描述人的联合与三一神在人类中流动，使人们有可能的爱情隐喻”三位一体的生活“ – 在人类神奇的生命之源。要阅读Bulamanriver生活的许多方面，去我的网站www.bulamanriver.com在那里你可以订购我的书的副本。

(* Bulamanriver” is the metaphor describing the union of man with the Love of the Triune God flowing in humans, making possible the “Triune Life” – the source of the miraculous life in man. To read the many facets of life of the Bulamanriver, go to my website www.bulamanriver.com where you can order a copy of my Book.)

见BULAMANRIVER视频在：http://youtu.be/8uA0Bq7UoYA

所有的经文是从2011年NIV版本拍摄，除非另有说明。

注：本网站是用于出版获得的任何信息应由援引的网站地址，收购和有关原始作者信息的日期进行确认。有关网络引文的一般准则看到的指南引用电子信息.

(All scriptures are taken from the NIV Version 2011, unless stated otherwise.

(Note: Any information obtained from this website that is used for publication should be acknowledged by citing the website address, date of acquisition and information pertinent to original authorship. For general guidelines regarding web citations see The Guide for Citing Electronic Information.)

注：通过谷歌翻译翻译

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