All Things Seen & Unseen

Many believe that the resurrection accounts are merely "stories of faith". These phrase could simply mean that the gospel writers guided by the Spirit (2Tim 3:16) selected from the extant tradition elements that suited their particular purpose for writing. Furthermore, that the stories they present, view events from the perspective of faith (rather than simply recounting a historical record alone). These evangelists are believers and speak in terms of belief. However, the above phrase may have a meaning that is unacceptable to me at least. While I accept that differences are found among the accounts of the resurrection appearances, I don't accept that these differences mean that we can treat these versions as reducible to the whims and fancies of human writers. The scriptures are completely trustworthy in what they intend which is to make us "wise unto salvation" (2 Tim 3.15). One feature that NT Wright presented http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/apri...

All my life I have heard how Jesus was the Godforsaken One. And again, recently, a leader in a service said, that God the Father "turned His face away from the Son on the cross". This teaching is based on Jesus cry from the cross: 'My God, my God why hast thou forsaken me?' (Matt 27. But is that true? Was there some split in the Trinity that resulted in one Member turning away from another because of our sin? Remember, God the Father sent the Son to die for us; the Son came to fulfil the will of the Father (e.g., Jn 5.30), and the Spirit has been upon Jesus from the beginning (Matt 1.18; Lu 3.22; 4.1; etc). One treatment I have read on this matter is found at http://answers.org/theology/forsaken.html . One point made by this author is that these words are the opening words of a Messianic Psalm, Psalm 22. When so quoted, the terms of the whole psalm are being evoked. These words are the cry of the dying Messiah whose agony is fulfilling the Psalm as the true Mes...

At Belgrave Heights Convention on Good Friday, I was standing depressed in the morning service when the congregation sang, "When I survey the wondrous Cross" to a haunting melody. This band of evangelical Christians sang this hymn with such feeling and gusto that, caught up by the Spirit, I raised my hands . Now the raising of hands is relatively rare at this place and being a staid Anglican, I don't raise my hands often either but on this occasion I felt compelled. The tears pattered on my cheeks and my body shook; then I felt released. I have felt this type of release before but not for some time. The teaching given was excellent. I was challenged by it and probably enjoyed that more because of the healing work that had been done in my heart and soul. God had met me in this situation and relieved me from a pain that had been dogging me for some time. All glory to Him.