1.The resurrection of Jesus was not a reincarnation!

Every year articles are published in which doubts are expressed about the trustworthiness of the Biblical resurrection stories about Jesus Christ. Some call the stories on the Gospel ‘pure nonsense.’ Some who want to be polite say that the stories about the resurrection of Jesus were an invention of His disciples to keep courage and to continue with their ministry, otherwise the three-and-a-halve years with Jesus had been in vain. Some – even some scholars - think that in the coolness of the tomb the body revived – Jesus had not really been dead, but had been near death. The disciples made some deal with the Romans to get Him out off the tomb and cared for Him.

I want to react to that last suggestion: I cannot understand how these critics dare to make this suggestion for the wounds and terrible injuries of Jesus were that serious that if He had still lived in the tomb He should according to our present understanding immediately have been taken to the intensive care unit of the best hospital in the neighbourhood to have a possibility to come back to a normal life!

Many cannot believe in- and accept a personal resurrection from death whereby the identity of the person is preserved. Those who believe in the possibility of reincarnation, say that living creatures as men and animals return several times to this planet, but each time as another individual or even as some Eastern religions say, as another living creature,  an animal or insect. Believing in reincarnation as another individual leads to absurd decisions as opening a saving account for the next life so that they will be not be then without a some financial security. But you have to prove in your next life that you are that person that opened that savings-account in your former life.

Some like to think about the risen Lord Jesus as a kind of reincarnation of the former person. However, the risen Lord was not a reincarnation, tLet this be clear from the Gospel records. The risen Lord was the same individual as before with the same identity and the complete characteristics of His body and personality. The physical wounds and injuries were still in His body and His disciples could after they recovered from their shock recognize Him again as their Lord, (John 20:24-29). But there was a great difference as we look at sensational qualities He had now. He could suddenly appear, come into room while the doors were shut and suddenly disappear. When He went to heaven He rose from the surface and floated higher and higher until He disappeared in a cloud.

It is clear that the risen human being will enter a different dimension of existence, which I would call as the Scriptures do, a glorified, heavenly body. You could call this: a super-physical life, still human, still having the same identity and qualities. This kind of existence is above our intelligence and cannot be understood in a scientific way. All who believe in Him will be raised in the same kind of existence as Christ was, having an eternal, glorified or heavenly body, (Philippians 3:20,21).

A new, heavenly life after death shall always have to face unbelief for it cannot be proved on a scientific way. But this is also true for those so called remembrances of a former life, that seem to come to the surface of consciousness in certain therapies.

The conclusion is unavoidable. The resurrection life that Jesus demonstrated before the eyes of His disciples cannot be called a reincarnation. He had the same body that was recognized by His disciples, but it had a new quality of existence. If I make a comparison between the quality before and after death, I say that in the present life the body of man determines where his spirit is present and in the new, resurrected and heavenly life his spirit determines where his body and consciousness are present. The risen Lord Jesus is the first human being that demonstrated this new way of human existence before the eyes of His disciples. Those who believe in Him now will after death and at their resurrection receive the same new quality of life, (1 Corinthians 15:20, 44-49). We do not hesitate to declare and confess with great joy with all Christians, (Lucas 24:34): The LORD is risen indeed!

T. J. De Ruiter,  April 2012

A report of R. Bonnke and D. Kolenda, CfaN

What in amazing week we have had here in Monrovia, Liberia. 260,000 people attended tonight's final meeting - that's nearly 30% of the entire population of this capital city. The state president attended the meeting along with other top dignitaries and government officials. Evangelist Bonnke preached the Gospel tonight and prayed for the sick. We heard wonderful testimonies - deaf ears, blind eyes and crippled legs healed to the glory of God. Another fascinating testimony came from a self-proclaimed witch. She said she has killed 10 people in the past using spells and juju (including two of her sisters) and a couple of nights ago her coven sent her to the crusade to kill me. When she tried to place the curse on us, to her amazement she said our prayers were too powerful. Suddenly she fell to the ground and began manifesting demons. The ushers carried her out to the deliverance tent where they cast out the demon. She repented, confessed her sin and received Jesus Christ as Savior!

After the testimonies, evangelists Bonnke prayed a prayer of blessing over the people, the leaders and the nation. It was a powerful moment. What has happened this week is actually hard to quantify. But one thing is certain... Liberia has been impacted by the Gospel on an enormous scale. We are rejoicing and we thank the Lord for your partnership in the harvest.

A short time after the closing of the campaign the number of decision cards was 540.400. We praise the Lord for this harvest!

Yours in the Gospel,

Evangelists Daniel Kolenda and Reinhard Bonnke. Together with the whole CfaN team

For messages and news: Site of ‘Christ for All Nations’  http://www.cfan.org

I am the LORD, your Healer
Exodus 15:26b

Twenty-five years I have suffered from varicose veins in my right leg. The leg became in many places blue and later the varicose veins appeared and got inflamed in several places. I got medical support stockings, but they did not really help me. After a number of years I went for special injections, but the inflammations returned again and again. At last an surgical operation was advised, it brought some relief and the leg looked much better. But after a while the misery started again: New varicose veins, tired legs, inflammations and pain, so much pain that I could often not sleep.

A surgeon ordered a special examination of my leg and the findings were: “Very deep varicose veins, with some still left of the former operation. The valves in the veins didn’t function properly, and because of that the blood did not circulate sufficiently." The surgeon said: "Madam, it does not look good at all, your leg is in a very bad state, I can really do nothing for you. I rather would not perform an operation on your leg, for the varicose veins are deep within your leg. It would have to be a very long and complicated operation. If the pain becomes worse, then you may come back.” So, there I was, with the pain, and it became worse...

A Dutch evangelist, Jan Zijlstra, which is used for healing by the Lord in a mighty way came to our church in June of this year. At the end of the service he asked everybody, who needed healing, to stand up. At that moment I had pain in my leg as if somebody pricked me with needles. While I stood there with my eyes closed, I suddenly felt a hand on my head, a voice commanded the sickness to go and I felt a power going through me.

That night I had no pain and it has never come back since that healing touch! I always wore support stockings - even in summer. But, praise the Lord, I have walked this summer without those special stockings. Brother Zijlstra did not know why I stood for prayer, but Jesus knew. He used br. Zijlstra to heal me. You can understand how thankful I am for this healing touch of Jesus. He is able to do far above what we ask or think - please, believe it!

Leusden, The Netherlands, 23 November 1999, updated 1 December 2011

Baptism for the dead?

Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf?

1 Corinthians 15:29 (RSV)

There are a number of expositors of the New Testament that think that this Bible verse is the most difficult one to understand. The difficulty is that they think that we cannot say with certainty over whom Paul was writing here. But there is now sufficient historical material to know about whom Paul was writing here. Below you can read to whom Paul referred here in verse 29.

Just north of Corinth was in that time a city that had the name Eleusis. It was the place where a certain religion baptized in the sea. The heathen believers were baptized in the hope that if they were baptized on behalf of the dead a good life in the hereafter was guaranteed. Homer wrote about this religion to Demeter in 478-79 AD.

It is well known that the people of Corinth were influenced  by the other religious practices, for they were part of a great economic area where people from other countries lived.  The Christians to whom Paul was writing knew more than likely also of this heathen ritual that was being practised in Eleusis of being baptized for the dead.

The Church of the Latter Day Saints (The Mormon Church) has her doctrine of baptism for the dead based in this bible verse, (1 Corinthians 15:29). It is however not correct to base such a ritual on this Bible verse, for it was not practised at all in the early church at Corinth, as they believe. The ‘they’ (people) to whom Paul referred were more than likely not members of the Church. However, it cannot be totally excluded that there were some young Christian converts from that heathen religion in the Church that still practised for a while that ritual of being baptized for the dead, specifically for somebody who died as a Christian before he had been baptized.

T. J, de Ruiter, pastor and teacher.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Nothing, totally nothing is worth living for without love; life is only meaningful if there is love.