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DOCTRINAL STATEMENT
1] The hope of all mankind and the
promise to the Christian is the resurrection from the dead. There are
references to four resurrections in the Bible: 1) the resurrection of
Jesus Christ, the firstborn from the dead and the pioneer of our
salvation; 2) the resurrection of the saints at the return of Christ
when the true believers shall become spirit-composed members of God's
family; 3) the resurrection back to physical life of all who have ever
died without having understood God's way, for their first opportunity
for salvation; 4) the resurrection of all those who have refused to
repent and have rejected God's way, to be consumed in the lake of fire
(called the second death).
DOCTRINAL OVERVIEW
2] The
resurrection from the dead is the only real hope of man, whether he
believes it or even knows about it. It gives him final, ultimate victory
over death which is the common enemy of every human being (I Corinthians
15:26). Paul referred to the "hope of eternal life which God, who never
lies, promised ages ago" (Titus 1:2). When Paul was brought before Felix,
he admitted that "according to the way, which they call a sect, I
worship the God of our fathers. believing everything laid down by the
law or written in the prophets, having a hope in God which these
themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the
just and the unjust" (Acts 24:14-15).
3] The
resurrection was the central theme of the apostles' message which they
preached powerfully. It was often controversial. Paul was called a
"babbler" by certain Greek philosophers "because he preached Jesus and
the resurrection" (Acts 17:18); the resurrection from the dead was
subjected to ridicule by some, and it intrigued others. "Now when they
heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; but others said, We
will hear you again about this" (Acts 17:32).
4] And hear
again they shall; not only those ancient Greeks, but every man, woman
and child who ever drew breath on this earth. None who have ever died-in
whatever place at whatever time-are forgotten by God. Numerous
scriptures make plain that a resurrection from the dead is an integral
part of God's plan for all mankind (Job 19:25-27; John. 5:21-29; John.
11:23-25, etc.).
5] Jesus
Christ was the first to be resurrected from physical death to eternal
life. He was in fact "designated Son of God in power according to the
Spirit of holiness by His resurrection from the dead" (Romans 1:4).
His resurrection is extremely important to the Christian because it
proves the viability of God's plan. We have "a living hope through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and to an inheritance which
is imperishable" (1 Peter 1:3); but "if Christ
has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in
vain" (1 Corinthians 15:14).
Christ's resurrection demonstrates positively that God can and shall
resurrect a person who has God's Spirit dwelling within him. It is the
faith and belief that God shall resurrect the Christian as Christ was
resurrected that encourages one to continue along the path of salvation.
"For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall
certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His"
(Romans 6:5).
6] Jesus
Christ is called the "firstfruits" of the dead, because He was the first
of many who shall follow Him in the resurrection, but "each in his
own order." 1 Corinthians 15:20-26 explains further:
"But in fact Christ has been raised from the
dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as
by man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of
the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be
made alive, but each in his own order: Christ the first fruits;
then at His coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the
end, when He delivers the Kingdom to God the Father after
destroying every rule and every authority and power. For He must
reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last
enemy to be destroyed is death."
7] The
scriptures record three resurrections for three different
classifications of persons. The first is prophesied to occur at the
return of Jesus Christ. A comparison of the pertinent verses indicates
that this first resurrection shall include all saints that have lived
and died from Adam's time until Christ's second coming, including those
still alive when He comes (although technically, they shall be "changed"
rather than resurrected-1 Corinthians 15:51). This resurrection is from the
nothingness of physical death to the incredible majesty of spiritual
life as members of God's family. "Blessed and holy is he who shares in
the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but
they shall be priests of God and of Christ. and they shall reign with
Him a thousand years" (Revelation 20:6).
8] Another
resurrection is prophesied for the multiple billions of human beings who
have lived and died never having had a chance for salvation. This
resurrection is from physical death to a second physical life during
which a person shall be given God's Spirit and the knowledge of
salvation. The truth of God shall be opened to their understanding at
this time and their lives shall be lived according to the biblical
precepts. Ezekiel 37:1-14 paints a breathtaking picture of this
resurrection to physical life, "Behold, I will open your graves, and
raise you from your graves" (verse 12). Though only Israel is discussed,
this is because it shall be the example-the nation that shall show how
God's plan works; thus, all nations and peoples of the earth are
included in Ezekiel 37 by implication. This is confirmed in Revelation
20:11-12:
"Then I saw a great white throne and Him who
sat upon it; from His presence earth and sky fled away, and no
place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small,
standing before the throne, and books were opened. Also another
book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were
judged by what was written in the books, by what they had done."
9] The
scriptures record one final resurrection. It is mentioned in various
passages (e.g. Daniel 12: 2-3; John. 5:21-29; etc.) but is explained most
precisely in Revelation 20:14-15. Here John explains that the
unrepentant-those who have had a chance for salvation but have adamantly
rejected it-shall be resurrected to physical life and cast into the lake
of fire where they shall be consumed. The death they suffer is called in
Revelation 20 "the second death" (v. 14), which occurs only for those
whose names are not found written in the book of life-that is, those who
have not obtained salvation (v. 15). This final resurrection is in a
sense a mercy killing for those to whom eternal life in their state of
rebellion would eventually mean extreme agony and misery.
10] The
first resurrection of saints to eternal life and the subsequent
resurrection of the innumerable multitudes to physical life will be
moments of unimaginable emotion when loved ones who thought they were
separated forever-parents and children, husbands and wives, brothers and
sisters, friends and relatives-shall be suddenly reunited. To all of
them it will be as though no time had passed, like awakening in the
morning after a solid night's sleep without dreams; it will be the next
instant of their consciousness from the instant of their death no matter
how they might have died or how long ago it might have been.
11]
Immediately it is to be expected that numerous questions about these
awesome events will be raised. Paul asked and answered the most obvious
one himself. "But some one will ask, How are the dead raised? With what
kind of body do they come?" (1 Corinthians 15:35). He then explains that, just
as different animals have different types of bodies, so the body of the
resurrection is different from all others. It is celestial,
imperishable, glorious and spiritual.
12] "So is
it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable, what
is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in
glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. It is sown a
physical body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a physical
body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, The first man
Adam became a living being; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
But it is not the spiritual which is first but the physical, and then
the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the
second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so are those who are
of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so are those who are of
heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall
also bear the image of the man of heaven. I tell you this, brethren:
flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, nor does the
perishable inherit the imperishable. Lo! I tell you a mystery: We shall
not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the
twinkling of an eye, at the last trump, For
the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we
shall be changed. For this perishable nature must put on the
imperishable, and this mortal nature must put on immortality. When the
perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality,
then shall come to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed
up in victory. O death, where is thy victory? O death, where is thy
sting? The sting of death is sin, and, the power of sin is the law. But
thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus
Christ" (1 Corinthians
15:42-57).
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