April 1998 New Horizons

"I Believe in the Resurrection"

by Charles Wingard

"The Lord is risen!" For two thousand years, Christians have gathered weekly to honor the risen Savior Jesus Christ. Across the world, men, women, and children unite their voices in affirming that "on the third day he rose again from the dead." Of the four major world religions centered around persons, only Christianity claims a leader who is not now dead and buried. Certainly, the Lord Jesus was crucified, died, and was buried, but at a point in human history (about a.d. 30) he emerged victorious from the grave. When Christians proclaim the Resurrection, they identify Christianity as more than a collection of ideas concerning human spirituality. Christianity is established upon the historical reality of the crucified, risen, and reigning Jesus Christ. Although every Lord's day testifies to the risen Jesus, many Christians have made Easter a time of focused celebration of his resurrection. I hope that, during Easter 1988, you will rejoice and encourage yourself in these great truths about the ... Read more

Resurrecting the Resurrection

by G. I. Williamson

One of the undoubted articles of our historic Christian faith is surely the resurrection of the body. And it is my contention that in selecting this item of biblical teaching rather than the destiny of the soul at death, the ancient creed that we know as "the Apostles' Creed" correctly reflects the emphasis of the Bible. Paul the apostle, for example, makes it very clear that his central focus for the future is not on what we call the intermediate state-when the soul is absent from the body and present with the Lord-but on the final state, when he will have part in the resurrection! For "indeed," he says, "I also count all things loss ... that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ ... that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection ... if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead" (Phil. 3:8-11). I realize that what I have pointed out here is so commonplace that you could well be ... Read more

How Many Resurrections Are There?

by James W. Scott

Many years ago, one summer, I was asked to lead a midweek Bible study at an evangelical church. Being eager to do battle for the truth, I chose to do a series on eschatology. My plan was to gently wean these people away from premillennialism by looking at Bible texts, not at systems of interpretation. Everything was going well until we had a visitor. This person denounced me for undermining one of the key doctrines of the faith (the premillennial return of Christ) and explained at length (with references to the original Greek) that there would be a resurrection of the saints "from" the dead at Christ's return, and, after the millennium, a resurrection "of" the remaining dead. I don't remember what I stammered in reply. But now that I have fully recovered from my state of shock, I can take up the issue again. One, Two, or Three? Premillennialists teach that Christ will return before ("pre-") the millennium, as is clearly set forth (they say) in Revelation 20. From this passage they also deduce ... Read more

Not Just Another Phone Book

by Linda Porter Foh

Where is your copy of the 1998 OPC Directory? If you haven't picked one up yet, there should be copies at church (or write to the Stated Clerk at the address on the back cover of New Horizons for a copy). Take time to browse through it. This is no ordinary phone book—it's a valuable reference tool. Visit Use the Directory to plan your next vacation. There are many places in North America where you can find a sister congregation and hear the Word of God faithfully proclaimed on Sunday and midweek. The Directory lists about 240 congregations in thirty-eight states and one Canadian province, each with an address and phone number. Orthodox Presbyterian churches are located near some of the finest beaches on both oceans, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Great Lakes. Pick a mountain range from the Cascades to the Appalachians and worship at an OP church on Sunday. Hike along the Appalachian Trail and pass within twenty miles of eleven OP churches; six others are a little farther away. There are OP ... Read more