While I was in graduate school, two realizations highlighted for me how precarious the doctrine of the physical resurrection is in today’s world. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not(BF)—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. Nothing comparable had ever happened before; and even though the Savior had given ample hints and direct statements about His resurrection, the Apostles initially failed to grasp the significance of what He was saying. We know, for example, that the Pharisees believed in a resurrection, [18] and there are hints that the inhabitants of Qumran also anticipated one. 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world(AP) through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save(AQ) those who believe. The events on the road to Damascus, however, proved to be a dramatic course correction for this young persecutor. (AK) 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;    the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”[c](AL). The power of Christ’s resurrection is not just that He overcame death, but that He opened the doors for all of humanity. [22] QGen. And last of all he was seen of me also” (1 Corinthians 15:5–8). Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. Jesus Christ is a central figure in Christianity, one of the world’s major organized religions. Polycarp indicates that there were many Christians (ton pollori) who taught that there was no resurrection, [23] and Tertullian wrote an entire treatise to defend the doctrine of the resurrection of the flesh against those who taught that only the soul received immortality. 23 we are preaching a crucified Christ: to the Jews an obstacle they cannot get over, to the gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who have been called, whether they are Jews or Greeks, a Christ who is both the power of God and the wisdom of God. Why doesn’t he give a more detailed description of his conversion in his personal letters? Catholicism is the largest denomination of Christianity.All Catholics are Christians, but not all Christians are Catholics. . 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness(AH) to those who are perishing,(AI) but to us who are being saved(AJ) it is the power of God. Paul’s testimony to us, therefore, is that we can have faith in Christ because, ultimately, He has faith in His Father. [20] 2 Maccabees 7:9, 11. For example, the text does not indicate why the Lord chose to appear to Paul and not to others. Paul knew that under the Mosaic law, “in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established” (2 Corinthians 13:1; see also Deuteronomy 19:15). Elder Bruce R. McConkie has noted the following: “Nothing [Paul] had done on earth qualified him for what was ahead; but his native spiritual endowment, nurtured and earned in [the] pre-existence, prepared him for the coming ministry.” [2]. : Harvard University Press, 1985), 322. [26] Although scholars have suggested numerous interpretations for the phrase “fight with beasts in Ephesus,” it is difficult to know precisely what Paul is referring to. In each of these situations, faith was both a principle of action and of empowerment. Death was not cheated just once by Christ’s resurrection. The Apostle Paul is one of the great witnesses of Christ. 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