The Speciality, Generality, and Practicality of the Church Life

[Sons to Glory!]

I used to think believing the resurrection was the key thing too. But then a brother told me about a person he worked with who was a very intelligent PhD. This person eventually said that he believed the resurrection happened. However, the brother said, he saw no change in this one's heart, speech or anything. He just believed that the resurrection was a historical fact. So he may have believed in the fact, but this alone - without acceptance & confession - did not translate to regeneration.

Now maybe for fellowship with other believers the resurrection is paramount - is that what you're saying?

[aron]

Originally Posted by Sons to Glory!

...a brother told me about a person he worked with who was a very intelligent PhD. This person eventually said that he believed the resurrection happened. However, the brother said, he saw no change in this one's heart, speech or anything. He just believed that the resurrection was a historical fact.

Good point. So my statement, of itself, may have been inadequate. But the second and necessary part may also be in Peter's speech in Acts 2.

Verse 37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Believe the gospel (of Jesus' resurrection, given by Peter in Acts 2), repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

[UntoHim]

Originally Posted by Sons to Glory!

I used to think believing the resurrection was the key thing too.

Actually the resurrection, and most specifically, our belief in it, are one of the keys to the Gospel, at least to the apostle Paul it was. Here's some verses from 1st Corinthians 15, a chapter we should all be very familiar with:
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, (vrs 3,4 -emphasis mine)

Unfortunately for the followers of Witness Lee, he pretty much ignored the beginning of this wonderful chapter (considering it "the low gospel") and instead chose to over-emphasis the latter part, and in the process completely misinterpreted what the apostle Paul was teaching. The entire chapter is speaking of resurrection, with the bodily resurrection of our Lord being the catalyst, the initiation, the inauguration of the resurrection of those who would believe in him. Paul couldn't have been any clearer - - it wasn't about what Jesus Christ became, but rather what became of his physical body. Through the resurrection - the raising, life-giving power of the Holy Spirit - Christ gained "a spiritual body". "It is raised a spiritual body" (vr 44) If Lee is right about verse 45 saying that Jesus Christ became the Holy Spirit, then it would follow that all the believers will become life-giving S(s)pirits at the resurrection. Thankfully, Lee's crazy teachings only have an influence on that tiny little sect down the street from Disneyland.
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