Anglican Morning Devotions, 7 April 2022 Anno Domini
a ministry of the Anglican Orthodox Communion Worldwide
“There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 41There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. 42So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 44It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 46Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 47The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.” (1 Cornthians 15:40-47; all scripture quoted is from the King James Version)
Perhaps the most disturbing consideration of the godless people who reject God is the realization that there comes a Last Day – a Day of Judgment and consummation of all things mundane. There seems to be something akin to the ostrich complex that causes the supposed atheist from admitting there is a God. If they deny strongly enough, they may convince themselves and thereby forego the dread of the Judgment. But such theatrics will not annul the fact. There is a God, and there is a Judgment! “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 3If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 4For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 5Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. . . . 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5:1-5,10)
There is not only a room of death awaiting all who read this devotion, but a borrowed tomb of resurrection for all who are found in Christ at the Last Day. “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22) If we are to rise with Christ in the resurrection, we must be IN Christ in our end of this life. He is our Ark of Salvation by which we shall rise above the devastation of that Day. All the remnant of Israel shall be saved, and that remnant is all who are called and chosen by God through grace by faith – not the children of Abraham by the flesh, but the children of faith who have believed the promise made to Abraham. “Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 7Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. 8And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. 9So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.” (Galatians 3:6-9) “. . . for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.” (Romans 14:10) and, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” (2 Corinthians 5:10)
There comes a day when all will appear before the Great White Throne of Judgment, but we, if we believe, will appear with our Advocate (defense attorney). “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. 12And 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. 13And 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. 14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:11-15) The Adversary (the devil) will not be there for he will have already been cast into the Lake of fire. “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 20:10) All that awaits the elect, however, is the Presence of the Lord in Heaven. “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” (Revelation 21:1-4)
