What did Christ mean saying, God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

[Hobie]

There is no question Christ said it, as we find it in several places..
Mark 12:27
He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.

Luke 20:38
For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.

So lets begin in Matthew..

Matthew 22:23-33
23 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:
26 Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.
27 And last of all the woman died also.
28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
33 And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.

Look at what Jesus said to the Sadducees in verses 30-32: "For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?' He is God not of the dead, but of the living" .

The whole passage if you look is a discussion between Jesus and the Sadducees about the resurrection. They denied that there would be a resurrection of the dead and came to see what Christ would say. They posed a hypothetical case of a woman who married seven brothers in turn and asked Jesus which of the brothers would be her husband after the resurrection. Jesus' answer focused on the resurrection: "For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like the angels in heaven" in verse 30. Then he added: "But as for the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read what was said to you by God, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is God not of the dead, but of the living". What did Christ mean?

 

[Arial]

Then he added: "But as for the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read what was said to you by God, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is God not of the dead, but of the living". What did Christ mean?

He meant there is a resurrection because God is still the God of those who have died. So they must still be living already resurrected from the dead. The better question might be why were the crowds astonished at His teaching? (v. 33)

 

[Red Baker]

The cause of "Election or Predestination" ( not one and the same, but close ) is not in the creature elected, but in God’s own Sovereign Will! God purposed in Himself to elect a certain people, not because of anything good in them or from them, either actual or foreseen, but solely out of His own mere pleasure. As to why He chose the ones He did, we do not know, and can only say, “Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight.”

 

[atpollard]

What did Christ mean?

Jesus was pointing to an event in Exodus:

[Exodus 3:6 YLT] 6 He saith also, `I [am] the God of thy father, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob;' and Moses hideth his face, for he is afraid to look towards God.

GOD was speaking to Moses.
Abraham. Isaac, and Jacob had long ago died and been laid in tombs.
God said He IS [present tense] the God of Abraham. Isaac, and Jacob ... not WAS [past tense].
Those rotting in a grave with no afterlife, have no need of a God ... and God is not the God of corpses.

Thus Jesus point was GOD himself claimed that Abraham. Isaac, and Jacob, although long dead, were still His [still alive in some sense].
God settled the question of "Is there an Afterlife?" Himself.
That is what Jesus was pointing out.

 

[Hobie]

He meant there is a resurrection because God is still the God of those who have died. So they must still be living already resurrected from the dead. The better question might be why were the crowds astonished at His teaching? (v. 33)

Yes, He is the life and resurrection, so they dont have to fear death. But they are not living till the resurrection, they are lying in the grave awaiting the voice of Christ at the Second Coming to raise them up. The astonishment was how did Christ without any 'religious schooling' know all this when the learned teachers, Pharisees and scribes didnt.

 

[Hobie]

The cause of "Election or Predestination" ( not one and the same, but close ) is not in the creature elected, but in God’s own Sovereign Will! God purposed in Himself to elect a certain people, not because of anything good in them or from them, either actual or foreseen, but solely out of His own mere pleasure. As to why He chose the ones He did, we do not know, and can only say, “Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight.”

Everyone must choose, and this will happen till probation closes, then the saints are sealed (and the wicked sustain the mark of damnation) and await Christ at the Second Coming to receive their reward, or shame depending on what they chose...

Revelation 22:11
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

Daniel 12:2
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

 

[Red Baker]

Everyone must choose, and this will happen till probation closes, then the saints are sealed (and the wicked sustain the mark of damnation) and await Christ at the Second Coming to receive their reward, or shame depending on what they chose...

Revelation 22:11
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

Daniel 12:2
And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.

Hobie, I do not expect a reply from you, since you seldom do, nevertheless I have a word or two for you.

You said~"everyone must choose and this will happen until the probation closes"~well, I hate to inform you, but you are a few thousand years too late with your doctrine! You chose sin and disobedience in your father Adam! God foresaw this and by his mercy and grace elected some from being eternally damn/destroyed in the second death.

 

[donadams]

Jesus was pointing to an event in Exodus:

[Exodus 3:6 YLT] 6 He saith also, `I [am] the God of thy father, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob;' and Moses hideth his face, for he is afraid to look towards God.

GOD was speaking to Moses.
Abraham. Isaac, and Jacob had long ago died and been laid in tombs.
God said He IS [present tense] the God of Abraham. Isaac, and Jacob ... not WAS [past tense].
Those rotting in a grave with no afterlife, have no need of a God ... and God is not the God of corpses.

Thus Jesus point was GOD himself claimed that Abraham. Isaac, and Jacob, although long dead, were still His [still alive in some sense].
God settled the question of "Is there an Afterlife?" Himself.
That is what Jesus was pointing out.

Call no man father?

 

[donadams]

Yes, He is the life and resurrection, so they dont have to fear death. But they are not living till the resurrection, they are lying in the grave awaiting the voice of Christ at the Second Coming to raise them up. The astonishment was how did Christ without any 'religious schooling' know all this when the learned teachers, Pharisees and scribes didnt.

Lk 16:22 not soul sleep

 

[donadams]

The new covenant is the communion of saints united on earth and those being purified and those in heaven have union and pray and intercede for those in need

 

[jeremiah1five]

4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. Jn 1:4.

God is literally 'life.' He is alive. He is life and living.

For Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God in covenant gives life to those with whom He has covenant. His giving in the case of covenant is life and life in and with Himself. Being in covenant as these three patriarchs are means that although they die physically in this present existence in the material world by virtue of covenant they will live after death and before the resurrection of the body which is still future.

If I may add, the Law is type and shadow of the Holy Spirit. It is He whom God Promised to put in the inward parts of His covenant people (the kingdom of God is within you.) The kingdom of God is not a place or location but a Person: Christ, the Eternal Logos. Being post-cross and post-Pentecost and in a 'dispensation' of the Advent of the Holy Spirit in the world, the Holy Spirit cannot be in the inward parts of God's covenant people except only after the atonement has been made, and it has been made through the finished work of the Son on the cross at Calvary. It is only through this finished work that in real-time the Holy Spirit can now be put in the inward parts of His covenant people and the people do not die.
No man can approach God without two things: being called and being anointed by/with the Holy Spirit. Queen Esther is the example of this. She spent at least six months being washed, cleansed, anointed with oils, herbs, fragrances before she could have audience with the king. That is the lesson I take away from this record. Another thing is for the unatoned God 'sees' their prayers to Him as sin (missing the mark.)

Without atonement applied to those whose names are in the book of LIFE of the lamb slain from [before] the foundation (creation) of the world the Presence of the Holy Spirit brings death to the natural man. This also leads to my understanding of the "blasphemy of the Holy Spirit." This sin is not a sin of the tongue but of the 'heart'/life. What is in the 'heart' comes out of the mouth and a 'heart'/life of men in the world today who are not saved (anointed) or will never be saved (anointed) is an offense to the Holy Spirit to be in the world in the presence of unholy men. But it is the totality of atonement in which the Holy Spirit 'bears' their presence. This is His Ministry in the world today. It was the Father's Plan, the Son implemented the Plan, and the Holy Spirit in the world today applies the Plan to God's elect. Everyone else left untouched shall die in their two-fold existence (body and soul) and cast into hell and eternal separation from God. And because God is life those who are touched can go boldly to the throne of grace and obtain mercy in their time of need. Because of the anointing which is life the person anointed in now alive because of this association with God through personal involvement.

 

[Eleanor]

He meant there is a resurrection because God is still the God of those who have died. So they must still be living already resurrected from the dead. The better question might be why were the crowds astonished at His teaching? (v. 33)

Their spirits are still living until they are reunited with their bodies in the resurrection.
See the parable of Lazarus and the rich man, where their spirits are still alive after their physical death.

 

[atpollard]

Call no man father?

I don’t think that applies to your own biological father … but whatever floats your boat.
(although I am at a loss to see what that has to do with either my post or Jesus’ point.)

 

[donadams]

I don’t think that applies to your own biological father … but whatever floats your boat.
(although I am at a loss to see what that has to do with either my post or Jesus’ point.)

You must have been calling a man father?

 

[atpollard]

You must have been calling a man father?

Yes, but not YOU (because you are not my "father" ... biological or spiritual).

Matthew 18:8-9 [NKJV] "If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire."​

Has you hand ever caused you to sin and did you cut it off?
Has you eye ever caused you to sin and did you pluck it out?

 

[donadams]

Yes, but not YOU (because you are not my "father" ... biological or spiritual).

Matthew 18:8-9 [NKJV] "If your hand or foot causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life lame or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet, to be cast into the everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire."​

Has you hand ever caused you to sin and did you cut it off?
Has you eye ever caused you to sin and did you pluck it out?

I never said I was your father, btw the bunker mentality is not need I’m not your enemy either

 

[atpollard]

btw the bunker mentality is not need I’m not your enemy either

Based on a handful of interactions with you in this topic, a "bunker mentality" appears to be warranted.

You seem to be trolling ...(NOT like the creature under the bridge, but like the fishing technique) ... You dangle some curious non sequitur response to to a post, then watch to see if anyone "bites" by responding to it so you can set a hook to drag them down a trail of more off-topic non sequitur responses and a one-sided conversation where you ask questions but never offer any exposition (answers or opinions to anything). Then when the "catch" begins to fight, you sit back in feigned shock and enjoy your little sport.

You may not be my enemy, but your conversation thus far does not feel like "talking with my friend", therefore, I am inclined to waste no more time on you.

To quote the blessing for the Tzar from "Fiddler on the Roof": "May God bless you and keep you ... far away from me."

 

[donadams]

Based on a handful of interactions with you in this topic, a "bunker mentality" appears to be warranted.

You seem to be trolling ...(NOT like the creature under the bridge, but like the fishing technique) ... You dangle some curious non sequitur response to to a post, then watch to see if anyone "bites" by responding to it so you can set a hook to drag them down a trail of more off-topic non sequitur responses and a one-sided conversation where you ask questions but never offer any exposition (answers or opinions to anything). Then when the "catch" begins to fight, you sit back in feigned shock and enjoy your little sport.

You may not be my enemy, but your conversation thus far does not feel like "talking with my friend", therefore, I am inclined to waste no more time on you.

To quote the blessing for the Tzar from "Fiddler on the Roof": "May God bless you and keep you ... far away from me."

One day f my favorite movies

No just obeying Jude 1:3 contend for the faith

Thanks