Baptized for the Dead

There are approximately 33,000 Christian denominations in the world. Even if that number is inflated it is certainly obvious that there is a plurality of beliefs within the larger Christian community. If there are so many churches can any one denomination claim to be God's church? Does God even have a visible corporate institution? That's certainly a question that many ask both without and within Christianity. I would like to posit that there is and that this church is not just a system of beliefs but a visible church. Let's go to two passages. The first passage comes can be found in Revelation 12:17 and it says: And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Revelation 12:17 The dragon in this passage is a symbol for the devil. We know this because a few verses earlier in the same chapter we read: And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpe...

Jesus said: 4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. John 17:4,5 What glory did Jesus have before the world was? Ellen White said in Desire of Ages p23: Had (Christ) appeared with the glory that was His with the Father before the world was, we could not have endured the light of His presence. That we might behold it and not be destroyed, the manifestation of His glory was shrouded. His divinity was veiled with humanity,—the invisible glory in the visible human form. {DA 23.1} And yet Jesus at the close of His earthly ministry asked His Father to give Him the glory that He had with the Father before the world was. Why did Jesus ask for this revelation of His glory if people could not endure it? Turn with me in your bibles to Matthew 16:27,28. Here Jesus is speaking to His disciples and He says: 27 For t...

The apostle Paul says: 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.  1 Corinthians 15:19-22 Where would we be without the resurrection of Christ? If Jesus had not come forth from the tomb what hope would you and I have? The resurrection of Christ is so important. In fact it is more important than people realize. All of the sufferings of the cross, all of the loneliness in the life of Christ, all of the provisions made for humanity would be for nothing unless Jesus rose from the grave.  It is through the resurrection that God unleashed the power of the cross. And it was at the resurrection that Jesus truly became the only begotten Son of God. How do we know that? Well t...