Resurrection of the dead
materials on hand . Say , will he ever own a house in which he can find shelter from the uncontrollable forces of the raging elements when the winter storms come ?
What use to you in a storm are all the best-founded knowledge and understanding about what well-built walls of a house can offer as resistance to a storm , as a result of which those living in the house are fully secure from its power , if you do not own a house and on your travels across the harsh desert of your life you cannot reach any other one anymore ?
Yes , My dears , knowledge and faith however pure has no firm walls which can protect you in times of storm ; but the works of true love for one ‘ s neighbor can indeed . They are the true , enduring body of the soul , its house , its land and its true world . Remember this well , not alone for your own sakes , but also above all for the sake of those to whom you will preach the gospel after Me ! If they will ever know and believe the word of salvation , admonish them to do the true works of neighborly love that I so often bid you do .
For truly I tell you : If someone says he loves God but does not heed the misery of his poor brother , he will not ever behold God in his flesh ! For the Pharisees and doctors of the law also say that they serve God in the fullest measure and sense and that they continually reconcile sinful mankind with God through their prayers and sacrifices . On the other hand , they rob the people , and neighborly love is far from them . Of what benefit is this ? It benefits neither the Pharisees nor the people .
For one thing , God has never needed any human service , much less any burnt offerings of slaughtered animals . However , God looks kindly on the sacrifice offered Him in good works of love by true neighborly love and always gives His blessing in such a case . - Do you now understand , Peter , what it means to see God in your flesh ?”
Peter says , „ Yes , Lord , now I am perfectly clear ; for You , oh Lord , have now shown it to us so clearly that we have seized it already with our hands and feet . We thank You for it ! But now we are back at the place again – yet instead of midday it will already be closer to evening !”
I say , “ That matters nothing ! We will take some bread and wine and then head on our way immediately ! Therefore let ‘ s go the little path only very quickly !” From THE GREAT GOSPEL OF JOHN - BOOK 5 , chapter 238 . * Said the innkeeper : “ Yes , I now pretty much understand it , although I must admit that this subject is something new to me and in a way unheard of . So one can forget about the final rise of the flesh in which all Jews firmly believe . That is why they bury the corpses at certain cemeteries and are of belief that they will be awakened by the angels on Judgment Day and will be reunified with their souls . What Your are teaching will hardly be believed by the Jews . I do believe it because you , o Lord , told us so and explained it thoroughly . But if somebody else had explained it to me I would scarcely believe him because that diverts too mightily from the current belief . And still I have to openly admit that , according to experience things cannot be otherwise . What are you old and new disciples saying to this ?
Said one of the Greek Jews : „ As far as we are concerned , we are entirely of your opinion . We , too , do see the truth of what has been said , but also the difficulty of presenting this new teaching as comprehensible and true to the people of our time .”
Said I : „ I did not give you this teaching so that you should pass it on to the Jews . If you want to teach it to somebody else , you may do so anyway , but it does not matter at present whether or not he believes it . Later on My true followers will in any case be led into all truth and wisdom by My Spirit which will be poured out over them .
It can be easily comprehended that the physical body , once it is dead , cannot ever rise and be revived in all its parts . Should this be the case , on the said Judgment Day , all the parts cast off by the body during the whole , sometimes rather long , life would also have to be raised and revived , such as the hair , the nails , the lost teeth and all the coarser skin particles lost
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