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BOOK REVIEW: Four Views on Hell 2nd edition

...ortalised resurrection bodies for the damned, whereas the NT only promises such for the saved (Luke 20:36, 1 Cor 15). Nowhere does Scripture even imply that such immortalised “bodies that are cast into the fire have properties that make them fit for an eternal destiny” (Burk, 30) – in fact Mt 10:28 foretells precisely the opposite for them in Gehenna’s termination (apolesai) of both ‘body and soul’. On Dan 12:2-3, all Burk can offer is the ‘disgrace and everlasting contempt’ facing the resurrected wicked, noting that ‘contempt’ [deraon] occurs only here and in Isa 66: “The term evokes the same imagery in Daniel, suggesting that those r...

Does Easter Have Pagan Origins?

...ssover to resurrection, to little bunnies and chocolate eggs! The Lenten Fast A forty-day fast prior to Easter has been a long-established practice within the Church, dating back to possibly within the first century. This is well established from ancient letters we still have available, such as from Irenaeus in the second century: For some consider themselves bound to fast one day, others two days, others still more. In fact, others fast forty days … And this variety among observers [of the fasts] did not have its origin in our time, but long before in that of our predecessors.–Irenaeus (c.180) Notice here that Irenaeus mentions that this was a pract...

Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?

...Today we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! What a wonderful day to remember and praise, but not just because Jesus was raised to new life, but because in that moment it sealed the promise of our own hope in God. Through Jesus' death and resurrection, we can now be partakers in that new, eternal life! 1 Corinthians 15:54-55 When this perishable body puts on imperishability, and this mortal body puts on immortality, then the saying that is written will be fulfilled: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” "Where, O death, is your sting?" Paul write...

Jesus, Mithras and Ancient Roman Cults: Separating Fact from Fiction

...Welcome to the next instalment of my series looking at the ancient mythological gods and how they compare to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Mithras is yet another popular ancient god that people like to compare with Jesus and make wild claims about, proposing that they are the same deities with different names. But is this even remotely true? This article has ended up being a bit longer than anticipated as it’s one of the few ancient religions that was contemporary to the birth of Christianity which was seen as somewhat of a rival belief system, so there’s a lot of interesting things to cover! The Origins Mithras has his roots in ancient Persi...

Is The Rapture Biblical?

...Jesus’ resurrection that they also will be resurrected when the time comes. Therefore, do not grieve the death of a loved one as we’ll see them again on that day. It’s a passage of comfort to the Thessalonica church, not one of escapism from “the great tribulation”. Secondly, then, Paul is speaking of this resurrection event and the hope we should all have in it, using language which not only parallels his other great passage on the resurrection in 1 Cor. 15 (being changed in a “twinkling of an eye”), but also using a contemporary allusion which his readers could relate to, which also hints back to John 14:1-3 where Jesus he will come again to re...

What was so good about Good Friday?

...ubsequent resurrection. While there does seem to be some evidence to suggest that by the 2nd Century, early Christians were celebrating Easter, it sometimes feels like the Modern Church has placed more emphasis on Jesus's birth in terms of celebrations and events, than it does for his resurrection. Though that's probably partly due to Western culture and the so-called "War on Christmas" making some churches push Christmas harder. I digress. Paul makes his view on the resurrection, and thus the whole point of Christianity, quite clear in 1 Cor 15:12-19 (emphasis mine) — Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is n...