MBC has adopted the American Council of Christian Churches' 11-point statement of faith, being an excellent yet succinct summary. The 6th point includes key phrases worthy of further discussion; it reads –
- His resurrection from among the dead in the same body in which He was crucified, and the second coming of this same Jesus in power and great glory;
Notice the emphasis on the same body and this same Jesus. First, those are Biblical phrases, spoken by the angels at Jesus' ascension, which also said, ° this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven. (Acts 1:11). Jesus Himself declared the entire planet shall see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory (Luke 21:27).
There are a couple of common but false teachings about Jesus which, if entertained by the true child of God, would cause reasonable doubt of the basis for their salvation. For instance, if Judas not Jesus died on the cross, then who came out of the tomb, if anyone? Why would God find that an acceptable sacrifice? Or, what if Jesus was merely an apparition? Some claim that Michael the Archangel, not Jesus, returns to earth.
The Bible presents the true account of God concerning His Son. Jesus resurrected in the same body because He whom God raised again saw no corruption, being sinless (Acts 13:37). God required a man to pay for man's sins, for it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins (Heb 10:4); and when Jesus arose from the dead, it shows men's sins are fully atoned. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead (1Cor 15:21), and thus our whole spirit and soul and body is preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ(1Thes 5:23). This same Jesus returns in a glorious spiritual body, rarely seen while on earth (Mt 17:1-2). He first came as the suffering Servant; He comes again as the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; Whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to Whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen! (1Tim 6:14-16)
