The Resurrection Of The Dead
About 2 things we
can be sure:
Let us answer 5
important questions, which many young Christians
ask.
Can I be sure
that Jesus rose from the dead?
Yes, you can: because
the New Testament is reliable. For example,
Luke who wrote not only a Gospel, but also
the book of Acts, took a special interest
in history and noted carefully the evidence
of Jesus’ resurrection.
“I myself have
carefully investigated everything from the
beginning so that you may know the certainty
of the things you have been taught.”
Luke 1:3,4 “After his sufferings he
(Jesus) showed himself to these men and
gave many convincing proofs that he was
alive.” - Acts 1:3
Jesus said several times
that he would rise from the dead. The Old
Testament predicted his death and resurrection.
His friends did not take in this promise
or expect it to happen. However, his enemies
took special precautions to prevent this
promise coming true.
“The high priests
were worried that Jesus’ body would
be stolen. ‘Take a guard’ Pilate
said, ‘Go and make the tomb as secure
as you know how’. So they went and
made the tomb secure by putting a seal on
the stone and posting a guard.” -
Matthew 27:65,66
In spite of Pilate’s
security measures, on the third day the
tomb was found empty. Jesus’ grave
clothes were left undisturbed, but his body
- gone! Luke 24:22-24.
Soon after this Jesus
began to appear to his disciples. They saw
Jesus alive many times and in many different
places. “Jesus showed himself to these
men and gave many convincing proofs that
he was alive. He appeared to them over a
period of forty days and spoke about the
Kingdom of God” Acts 1:3. “He
appeared to Peter, and then to the twelve.
After that he appeared to more than five
hundred of the brothers at the same time,
most of whom are still living.” -
1 Corinthians 15:5,6
Because the disciples
were not expecting to see him alive he had
to speak or show some characteristic or
mannerism before they recognized him. “Jesus
showed them his hands and his side. The
disciples were overjoyed when they saw the
Lord.” John 20:20
One Christian writer
says, “there were at least eleven
occasions, recorded in the Gospels and Acts,
on which one or more people saw Jesus alive
after being dead and buried. The witnesses
were people who had known Jesus well during
his life on earth; they were witnesses chosen
and prepared beforehand by God; and they
were especially anointed by the Holy Spirit
to be witnesses and to interpret what they
saw; Acts 1:8,21,22; 10:39-41. In every
case a resurrection appearance changed the
person.”
Can I be sure
that Jesus rose with a physical body?
The answer is ‘Yes’.
Jesus had a physical body that could be
touched and handled after the resurrection.
“Look at my hands and my feet…”
he said to his doubting and troubled disciples,
“…it is I myself, touch me,
and see; a ghost does not have flesh and
bones, as you see I have.” Luke 24:39
Peter said that the disciples
“…ate and drank with him after
he rose from the dead.” Acts 10:41.
Your belief that Jesus rose from the dead
and is alive today is based on the solid
rock of historical events. You can be confident
of this conviction.
Paul’s changed
life and John’s prophecies on the
Island of Patmos make sense only if you
accept their own testimony. Jesus, risen
and ascended appeared to them personally:
“Do not be afraid, I am the First
and the Last. I am the Living One; I was
dead, and behold I am alive for ever and
ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.”
Revelation 1:17,18
What about my
own death?
The pictures in the Bible
can build up your hope concerning your own
death. Paul speaks of being “…away
from the body.” when he dies in order
to be “…at home with the Lord.”
in heaven. - 2 Corinthians 5:8
He likens death to a
sleep - a release from care, anxiety and
temptation and trials; 1 Corinthians 15.6;
1 Thessalonians 4:13,14.
Death is pictured as
a departure - a pulling up anchor to sail
to a bigger and better place; 2 Timothy
4:6.
Death is likened to an
exodus - leaving for the promised land;
also to taking down our temporary earthly
tent to receive a permanent dwelling more
suitable to soul and spirit: “Now
we know that if the earthly tent we live
in is destroyed, we have a building from
God, an eternal house in heaven, not built
by human hands… Now it is God who
has made us for this very purpose and has
given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing
what is to come.” 2 Corinthians 5:1,5
What will happen
to me when I die?
Death will involve
3 important changes.
Because you have
been born again, you need not fear this
transition from earthly existence. Your
soul and spirit will be taken into God’s
presence (paradise).
Unbelievers will
be taken to a place separated from God (Hades
or Sheol) to await the final judgment.
Will I still
be me?
Resurrection is a rising
to life again after death. After your body
and soul and spirit have been separated
by death - even if your body has already
decomposed - God will reunite them. Your
own identity will be restored, including
memory, recognition, the ability to communicate,
etc.
While the body you receive
in the resurrection will be unmistakably
your own, it will not be the same body,
which was buried or cremated. It will be
changed by the power of God to be like Jesus’
glorified body. “Our citizenship is
in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior
from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who by
the power that enables him to bring everything
under his control, will transform our lowly
bodies so that they will be like his glorious
body.” Philippians 3:20,21
When you are raised from
the dead you will continue to have your
unique personal identity. You will recognize
your friends, they will recognize you.
When will I
receive my brand new body?
Jesus’ resurrection from the dead
is called “the first fruits of those
who have fallen asleep.” 1 Corinthians
15:20-22.
This means that he is the first in a series
of resurrections. He is like the pledge
and guarantee of more to follow-like the
sheaf of corn waved before the Lord, the
first cutting, which represented the entire
harvest to follow.
We can list the order of resurrection as
follows:
First fruits
The resurrection of Jesus
and those who came out of their graves at
the same time; Mathew 27:52,53.
Those who are
Christ’s at His coming
“For the Lord Himself
will come down from heaven with a loud command,
with the voice of the arch-angel and with
the trumpet call of God, and the dead in
Christ will rise first. After that, we who
are still alive and are left will be caught
up with them in the clouds to meet the Lord
in the air, and so we will be with the Lord
forever. Therefore encourage each other
with these words.” 1 Thessalonians
4:16-18 “They came to life and reigned
with Christ a thousand years… This
is the first resurrection.” Revelation
20:4,5
The resurrection
of the unrighteous dead at the end of the
age
“The rest of the
dead did not come to life until thousand
years were ended.” Revelation 20:5
What difference does
all this make to me now?
We have already said
that the promise of life after death, first
as soul and spirit in heaven, then in a
brand new body on earth, is the foundation
rock of Christian hope. Some people’s
hopes are wishful thinking or without any
foundation on revelation from God (for example
re-incarnation). Your hope is founded on
the solid rock of Jesus’ resurrection,
and on clear teaching and promises from
him, and his Spirit-inspired Apostles and
Prophets.
Here are some other benefits
to you:
You can be confident
that you are born again
Peter says that “we
have been born anew to a living hope through
the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the
dead.” 1 Peter 1:3.
He connects Jesus’
resurrection to our new birth. When Jesus
rose from the dead, he had a new quality
of life, a ‘resurrection’ life
in a human body suitable for fellowship
with the Father.
In his resurrection Jesus
earned for us a new life like his. When
we become Christians our spirits are made
alive with new resurrection power: we are
‘born again’. “God who
is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ.
God raised us up with Christ in the heavenly
realms…” Ephesians 2:4-6
You can be confident
that you are justified
Paul connects Christ’s
resurrection with our justification (that
is a declaration that we are not guilty
but righteous before God). If God “…raised
us up with him.
” Ephesians 2:6, then, by virtue of
our union with Christ God’s declaration
of approval is also his declaration of approval
of us.
When the Father said
to Christ. “All the penalty for sins
has been paid and I find you not guilty
but righteous in my sight,” he was
making a declaration that would also apply
to us once we trusted in Christ for salvation.
In this way Christ’s resurrection
also gave final proof that he had earned
our justification.
You
can be confident that God’s power
is available to you
Paul connects resurrection
of Jesus with spiritual power at work within
us when he tells the Ephesians that he is
praying that they would know, “…what
is the immeasurable greatness of his power
in us who believe, according to the working
of his great might which he accomplished
in Christ when he raised him from the dead
and made him sit at his right hand in the
heavenly places.” Ephesians 1.19,20
He says that as Christ
was raised from the dead we too might walk
in newness of life.
This resurrection power
includes power to gain victory over sin
in our lives, Romans 6:14, and power for
ministry in the work of the Kingdom: proclaiming
the gospel, working miracles and triumphing
over the opposition of the enemy. All this
power was given to the disciples after Christ’s
resurrection from the dead and was a part
of new resurrection power working in the
disciples’ lives.
We can have the same
goal in life as Paul had: “to know
him and the power of his resurrection.”
Philippians 3:10
You can know
health and strength
God wants you to die
fit. “If the Spirit of him who raised
Jesus from the dead is living in you, he
who raised Christ from the dead will also
give life to your mortal bodies through
his Spirit, who lives in you.” Romans
8:11
“I pray that the
eyes of your heart may be enlightened in
order that you may know his incomparably
great power for us who believe. That power
is like the working of his mighty strength,
which he exerted in Christ when he raised
him from the dead.” Ephesians 1:18-20
You need not fear
your own death
You can face death with
confidence. “Since the children have
flesh and blood, he (Jesus) shared in their
humanity so that by his death he might destroy
him who holds the power of death - that
is, the devil - and free those who all their
lives were held in slavery by their fear
of death.” Hebrews 2:14,15
“Death has
been swallowed up in victory… thanks
be to God! He gives us the victory through
our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians
15:54,57
You can put your
heart and soul into your work for the Lord
None of this will be
fruitless, a waste of time or go unrewarded.
“Therefore, my dear brothers, stand
firm. Let nothing move you. Always give
yourselves fully to the work of the Lord,
because you know that your labor in the
Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians
15:58
You can be at peace
concerning your loved ones who have died
as believers
They have gone to be
with the Lord and await their brand new
bodies. You will see and love them again.
“Brothers, we do
not want you to be ignorant about those
who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest
of men, who have no hope. We believe that
Jesus died and rose again and so we believe
that God will bring with Jesus those who
have fallen asleep in him.” 1 Thessalonians
4:13,14
You can be encouraged
in your faith
You can be encouraged
and built up in your faith, even if the
world around you becomes more wicked and
violent, and others do not receive your
witness to the Lord. He has hold of you,
and will be faithful to his word.
“God did not appoint
us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation
through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for
us so that, whether we are awake (that is,
alive) or asleep (that is, dead), we may
live together with him. Therefore, encourage
one another and build each other up, just
as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians
5:9-11
A deposit
One final word: because
you have become a new person spiritually,
on the inside, and have the Holy Spirit
living within you, you have ‘inside
information’ and inside experience
concerning the resurrection. The Bible calls
the Holy Spirit a down-payment, or deposit,
or guarantee given by Father. He will give
you all that remains when you receive your
brand new body.
“Now it is God
who has made us for this very purpose and
has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing
what is to come.” - 2 Corinthians
5:5
“You also
were included in Christ when you heard the
word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.
Having believed, you were marked in him
with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who
is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance
until the redemption (that is of the body)
of those who are God’s possession
- to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians
1:13,14
The Final
Judgment
There are other events
ahead besides receiving new resurrection bodies,
which answer our question ‘Where will
it all end?’
These are major events that will effect the
entire universe: the second coming of Christ,
the millennium, the final judgment, eternal
punishment for unbelievers and eternal rewards
for believers, and life with God in a new
heaven and a new earth.
Come, Lord Jesus
There will
be a visible, sudden, bodily return of Christ.
Immediately after Jesus ascended to heaven
two angels said to the disciples
“This
Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven,
will come in the same way as you saw him go
into heaven.” Acts 1:11
During
his life on earth Jesus himself promised “If
I go and prepare a place for you I will come
back and take you to be with me…”
John 14:3
Paul taught
“The Lord himself will come down from
heaven, with a loud command, and with the
voice of the archangel and with the trumpet
call of God.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16
The book
of Revelation says in several places Jesus
will return. It begins with the insistence
“He is coming with the clouds, and every
eye will see him.” Revelation 1:7, and
ends with Jesus’ promise “Yes,
I am coming soon” and John’s reply
“Amen, Come, Lord Jesus.” Revelation
22:20
The term
‘Maranatha’ in 1 Corinthians 16.22
means ‘Our Lord, Come!’
We should
eagerly long for Jesus’ return, be prepared
for this and keep one eye open to see the
promised signs which will precede his return:
“Our citizenship is in heaven. And we
eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord
Jesus Christ.” Philippians 3:20
“No
one knows about that day or hour, not even
the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only
the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do
not know when that time will come.”
Mark 13:32.33
“The
sun will be darkened, and the moon will not
give its light… at that time the sign
of the Son of Man will appear in the sky,
and all the nations of the earth will mourn.”
Matthew 24:29,30
Finals - the examination
of believers
When Christ
returns you, together with all other believes
down through history will be personally examined
by the Lord Jesus. This examination will include
your character, stewardship, and work for
the Lord.
Because
you are saved by trusting in Jesus for salvation
you will not lose this salvation, but you
could lose your reward. “We must all
appear before the judgment seat of Christ,
that each one may receive what is due to him
for the things done in the body, whether good
or bad.” - 2 Corinthians 5:10
Rewards
You will
pass this final examination and be rewarded
if you have been faithful in small things,
used your gifts and opportunities well, shown
a profit by good stewardship of your talents.
This reward will include praise and recognition
by Jesus; seeing the lasting results from
your service; receiving more responsibilities
from the Lord.
You will
fail your finals if you have done your own
thing, been lazy and undisciplined, shown
little profit from your God-given talents,
not used the opportunities your have been
given, and refused to take on responsibilities
for others. Your life on earth will have little
to show of lasting effect. “If any man
builds using wood, hay or straw, his work
will be shown for what it is… If it
is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself
will be saved, but only as one escaping through
the flames.” “If any man builds…
using gold, silver, costly stones… if
what he has built survives he will receive
his reward.” - 1 Corinthians 3:12-15
In the
book of Revelation rewards are spelt out for
Christians who have overcome the world, the
flesh and the devil. In the letter to the
Hebrews we are urged, “…not to
throw away our confidence; it will be richly
rewarded. You need to persevere so that when
you have done the will of god, you will receive
what he has promised.” Hebrews 10:35,36
One thousand years
- the Millennium
The word
Millennium means ‘one thousand years’.
The term come from Revelation 20.4,5, where
it says that believers “…came
to life, and reigned with Christ for a thousand
years. The rest of the dead did not come to
life until the thousand years were ended.”
Just before this verse, we read that an angel
came down from heaven and seized the devil
“…and bound him for a thousand
years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked
and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving
the nations any more until the thousand years
were ended.” Revelation 20:2,3
Points of view
There are
several different interpretations concerning
the millennium. A fairly recent interpretation
(Post-millennialism) says that Christ will
return after a thousand years of tremendous
growth of the Church and progress of the Gospel:
so that a larger and larger proposition of
the world’s population will be Christian.
At Christ’s
return to earth, believers and unbelievers
will be raised, the final judgment will occur,
and there will be a new heaven and new earth.
Another
point of view says that Christ will come back
before the millennium. (Pre-millennialism)
This view-point has a long history from the
first century onward (and is the interpretation
of the Bible held by the author of this ‘Solid
Rock’ course). According to this view
point, the present Church age will continue
until, as it nears the end, a time of great
tribulation and suffering comes on the earth.
At the
end of the Church age, Christ will return
to earth to establish a millennial kingdom.
When he returns, believers who have died will
be raised from the dead, their souls will
be re-united with their bodies. These believers
will reign with Christ on earth for one thousand
years together with believers still alive
when Christ returns.
Unbelievers judged
At the
end of the one thousand years there will be
a great final judgment of unbelievers. They
will stand before the judgment seat of Christ
in resurrected bodies and hear his proclamation
of their eternal destiny.
This final
judgment of unbelievers at the end of the
thousand years is vividly portrayed in John’s
vision in Revelation: “Then I saw a
great white throne and him who was seated
on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence,
and there was no place for them. And I saw
the dead, great and small, standing before
the throne, and books were opened. Another
book was opened, which is the book of life.
The dead were judged according to what they
had done as recorded in the books. The sea
gave up the dead that were in it, and death
and Hades gave up the dead that were in them,
and each person was judged according to what
he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown
into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is
the second death. If anyone’s name was
not found written in the book of life, he
was thrown into the lake of fire.” Revelation
20:11-15
Throughout
history God has brought judgment on those
who persisted in disobedience and unbelief:
such as the flood, and the destruction of
Sodom and Gomorrah.
Peter says
that these preliminary judgments remind us
that a final judgment is yet coming, for “…the
Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials
and to hold the unrighteous for the day of
judgment, while continuing their punishment.
This is especially true of those who follow
the corrupt desire of the sinful nature and
despise authority.” 2 Peter 2:9,10
The final
judgment will occur after the Millennium and
the rebellion that occurs at the end of it.
John pictures
the millennial kingdom and the removal of
Satan from influence on the earth in Revelation
20.1-6 and then says that, “…when
the thousand years are ended, Satan will be
released from his prison and will go out to
deceive the nations… to gather them
for battle.” - Revelation 20:7,8
Satan’s
final defeat
God will
decisively defeat this final rebellion. “Fire
came down from heaven and devoured them, and
the devil was thrown into the lake of burning
sulfur where the beast and the false Prophet
had been thrown. They will be tormented day
and night for ever.” Revelation 20:9,10
Every single word
and deed will be judged
Before
the throne of judgment, every wrong deed done
will be remembered and taken into account
in the punishment that is given out on that
day, “Men will have to give an account
on the day of judgment for every careless
word they have spoken.” Matthew 12:36
“…for God will bring every deed
into judgment, including every hidden thing,
whether it is good or evil.” - Ecclesiastics
12:14
All who
have not been born again will be re-united
with their bodies. They will not be wiped
out into non-existence. ‘Second death’
means that they will be separated from the
presence of God in the ‘lake of fire’.
This will be a place of everlasting imprisonment;
a condition of everlasting rejection by God
for all men and angels who have rejected his
revelation given them through creation, their
conscience or the Gospel.
The lake of fire
The lake
of fire is a place prepared for the devil
and his angels together with all men who have
refused God’s grace and salvation; Daniel
12:1,2; 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10; Matthew 25:41.
Pray for
revelation about God’s judgment and
hell. God’s ways are not our ways, and
his thoughts are not our thoughts. He is love.
But he is also holy, righteous and just.
Because
of this he has to judge and punish every offender
to the full extent of the penalty he deserves.
Christ bore that punishment, but those who
refuse to be identified with him by repentance
and faith must suffer their own penalty, the
experience of God’s wrath.
“Whoever
believes in the son has eternal life, but
whoever rejects the Son will not see life,
for God’s wrath remains on him.”
John 3:36
A new heaven
and a new earth
We can
look forward to what will happen after the
final judgment. We will live in a new heaven
and a new earth.
The creation
will be renewed and we will live there in
our new bodies. We will live in the presence
of God in a beautiful city, the New Jerusalem,
greater and more wonderful than we can imagine.
The promises below give some idea of what
God will bring about.
Time will
continue and we will serve him in specific
places in the new heaven and earth. The Bible
does not teach that time will cease, but that
we will continue to serve him in time, a day
at a time.
John refers
to the passing of time when he writes of the
tree of life standing in the Holy City, the
New Jerusalem. He describes this tree as bearing
twelve crops of fruit, “…yielding
its fruit every month.” Revelation 22:2
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth…
I saw the Holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming
down out of heaven from God, prepared as a
bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
‘Now the dwelling of God is with men,
and he will live with them. They will be his
people and God himself will be with them and
be their - Revelation 21:1-3
What difference
does God’s final judgment make to you
now?
A deep concern
You will
have a deep concern for the lost, especially
for your family and friends not yet born again
by the Holy Spirit. You will do all you possibly
can see others saved, at home and overseas.
“Since,
then, we know what it is to fear the Lord,
we try to persuade men… for Christ’s
love compels us… we are Christ’s
ambassadors, as though God were making his
appeal through us: we implore you on Christ’s
behalf: Be reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians
5:11,14,20
Look forward
You will look forward to
seeing further changes in your life. The course
began with repentance - a change of mind,
an about turn. We conclude this course with
eternal judgment. This will motivate you to
further change: through the fear of the Lord,
faith in his grace to please him and the hope
of his rewards.
On to maturity
Trust the
Holy Spirit to build up your life and to make
you an effective member of this Church.
Stay open to the Holy Spirit to take you on
towards Christian maturity and love for one
another.
“Continue
to work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling…” urges the Apostle
Paul: “…for it is God who works
in you to will and to act according to his
good purpose.” Philippians 2:12,13
The
writer to the Hebrews has a last word on this
‘Solid Rock’ course we have followed
together: “Let us leave the elementary
teachings about Christ and go on to maturity…
and God permitting we will do so.” Hebrews
6:1,3
