DHK:
You give me no Scripture. You ignored the Scripture I posted, as did Yeshua1.
Instead you give an emotional response coupled with an unfair association with cultists.
And then you do the end-run with the heresy label. "End-run" because you didn't even bother with the fuss and muss of invoking Scripture.
I love God's Word (as I'm sure you do too). It keeps us all accountable. It also provides a basis for meaningful and productive discussion.
Leave the cultists, Islam, and Hitler out of this. Unless you do indeed see me as synonymous with them. Speak to me as a fellow brother in Christ. Respect my argument by at least dealing with the Scriptural points I raised.
Is that too much to ask?
No, it isn't.
Your posts indicate that you believe in the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without that we cannot be saved. We have a point of agreement there. Right? (1Cor.15:1-4)
Now when Jesus came to see the disciples a second time, Thomas was with them. Thomas had doubted the resurrection. Jesus said to him: Come hither, touch the prints in my hands, my feet, my side. Be not faithless but believing. Thomas fell down and said: "My Lord and my God."
He believed when he saw the resurrected Lord.
Note again how "resurrection" refers to the body.
In 1Cor.15, Paul lists the different ones that Christ appeared to: Cephas, James, the twelve, and over 500 brethren "the greater part of whom are with us to this day," and "last of all to me as one who is born out of due time."
Again, this refers to a physical resurrection, not a "spirit" for they could all see Him. I am not questioning your faith here. I know you believe this. I am only establishing a base from which to work from--that the resurrection is always physical. When referring to Jesus Christ it never referred to spiritual.
Now later, approximately 40 days later the ascension took place.
Acts 1:9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
10 And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;
11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
--While they were looking he was taken up, physically. He was physically among them, and then started to arise toward the clouds.
--A cloud received him. That is he went into the cloud.
Wycliffe translated it this way:
Acts 1:9 And whanne he had seid these thingis, in her siyt he was lift vp, and a cloude resseyuede him fro her iyen.
--He was lift up.
In verse 10 he went up. As they were gazing, watching in astonishment this amazing event two angels appear (another astonishing event in itself), and ask them why they keep on staring.
It was a rhetorical question, for they reassure them that Christ, whom they saw physically arise into heaven will come the same way. The only time that he will come that specific way back to this earth is during that event that we call the rapture.
The Second Coming itself will occur a little later when he will come in power and glory with the glory of the Father and the holy angels.
Again:
1 Thessalonians 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive
and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive
and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
--Note how Paul, in verse 18 says these are words of comfort, just as they were words of comfort from the angels in Acts one.
What will happen? Christ will come as he went in Acts one. He will descend "in the clouds." A bit more detail is added here. There will be a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God. Then those in Christ shall arise; not spiritually, but physically. The dead in Christ will come out of their graves to meet Christ, and then we which are alive will ascend to meet him also. A resurrection is always physical. This is the first resurrection. All of those who have already died, their spirits have already separated from their body, and have risen. Take the apostles for example. Where are their spirits now? But at this time their bodies will arise from the graves and be once again joined with their spirits in a new and glorified body.
Again:
1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
Again, the rapture; the first resurrection. Christ shall appear. It will be physical with that same body that he still has. When we see him we will be like him. We also will receive a glorified body. We shall see him as he is (in a glorified body), and we also will have one.
We will have a celestial body as promised in 1Cor.15. It will still be physical, but heavenly at the same time.
The resurrection cannot be denied. Not His; not ours.
Revelation 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This
is the first resurrection.
Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy
is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
--I am blessed to know that I will take part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over me. I will not be present for the second resurrection.
Revelation 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet
are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Revelation 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is
the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
--The above is the second resurrection; the resurrection of the dead. They will have bodies, and body and soul will be cast into the lake of fire. John sees them standing before the Great Judge; people, not spirits.
"Fear him who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell."