Expert: LEBoyd - 7/7/2009

Question
Mr Boyd,

      Hello Mr. Boyd. It has been sometime since our last dialog. I trust all is well with you and your family.  I hope you still can tolerate young Christian minds such as myself. Thank you in advance. Now, I know of a pastor who assumes the title of Apostle and has claimed to have seen the risen savior. As the story goes, he was in church one evening after having toured the neighborhood with no success of bringing anyone to service. During his despair the doors of the sanctuary blew open, and while the others in the church ( a handful of people )looked back they didn't see anyone, but the pastor claims to have seen a figure dressed in shiny white head to toe. I can't quite remember the rest, but he affirms that it was Jesus. Please help me understand the bible's position on Christ citing? I don't fully understand the bible concerning this but something is telling me this is so false.

Answer
Zacchai,

It's always interesting to me when people indicate that they have send Christ and/or someone else who has previously passed.

I wouldn't question whether someone thinks they see someone else, even Christ, but is it real?

The first question I would ask is, "Why would Christ manifest himself to this man?"  We know the purpose of the Apostles was to introduce and spread the Gospel to a world that didn't know Christ.  Other than the eye witnesses during Jesus' life the only other Apostle was Paul - as I'm sure you are well aware - who witnessed Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9).

What was the purpose of appearing to Paul?  Paul's mission was to take the Gospel primarily to the Gentiles, which we see that he did.  Who better, than a man who was a Pharisee and probably well on his way to being a member of the Sanhedrin.  Remember that during this time there was no "Bible".  The only method of spreading the Gospel was through the accounts of the eye witnesses.

Additionally, Apostles had the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit and were able to pass this on with the laying on of hands.  Can this man do miracles?

The Bible teaches us everything we need to know to glorify God and to become His child.  What more is necessary?

As I said, I don't question whether the man thinks he saw Christ, I question whether he did. I believe the Bible indicates in Paul's writings that when Christ does return everyone will know and see Him.

Hope this helps.