STS Volume 76 - Lesson 986
TOPIC: RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD
Memory Verse: "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” (John 5:28,29).
Text: 1 Corinthians 15:1-58; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-16
The resurrection of the dead is a cardinal doctrine of the Bible. God's word teaches the resurrection of the dead as the immortality of the soul. Since God imparted His undying breathe into man at creation and he became a living soul, every human being born into this world has a never-dying soul.
Death is, therefore, not the end of life. After physical death, everyone will live forever, either in a desirable or damnable eternity. Every individual who has ever lived will resurrect; some to honour and glory and others to everlasting shame and contempt. "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” (Daniel 12:2).
Question 1: Explain the meaning of the resurrection of the dead.
As a matter of fact, all who die in this world will undergo physical resurrection before the Great White Throne Judgment. The body will be resurrected to join with the soul to meet the Lord, either to be admitted to His bosom in peace or to be eternally banished to hell to face punishment and torment.
SCRIPTURAL TRUTH ON EXPECTED RESURRECTION OF ALL MEN (John 6:40; 11:25; Matthew 16:21; 22:23-32; 28:1-20; Job 19:25-27; Isaiah 26:14,19; Daniel 12:2; Psalms 16:10; 17:15; Philippians 3:8-11; 1 Peter 1:3; 3:21; Revelation 20:4,6,12,13)
Christ declared that the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and live again (John 5:25). This truth of resurrection of the just and the unjust is revealed through the teaching of Jesus Christ. He says, "this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day”. Christ's discussion with Martha after the death of Lazarus shows that she believed in the resurrection of the dead (John 11:24,25). Rather than rebuke her for expecting her brother to resurrect in the future, He declared that: "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” Shortly after this, He demonstrated His teaching by raising Lazarus to life – a foretaste of the final resurrection of the dead.
The Sadducees heard and understood Christ's teaching on this subject but they did not believe it. In order to ensnare Him, they asked to know the status of a woman who got married to seven different brothers and died one after the other, including the woman. Their enquiry was: "in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her”. Responding, Christ said, "Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven...” (Matthew 22:29-32).
Christ reaffirmed His message as divine by predicting that He would rise from the dead the third day after His crucifixion; and it happened (Luke 18:33; 24:7,46). On the other hand, it was said that an occult man, Lauron William de Lawrence of Chicago, United States, attempted to equate himself with Christ by boasting that he would rise the third day after his death. But on the set date of his resurrection – September 11, 1936 – a thunder-strike silenced him as a mortal, forever.
Question 2: Cite some specific statements of Christ and other saints on resurrection of the dead.
Glorious resurrection was the hope of Old Testament saints. They believed and spoke about it. Job spoke specifically of his eyes and flesh seeing God after worms have destroyed his body; Isaiah did not mince words about the earth casting out the dead; Daniel pointed to the awakening of many that slept in the dust, some to everlasting life and others to shame and everlasting contempt; and David also expressed his hope and joy of seeing God's face after death. These and other saints in the Scripture, because of their expectation of resurrection, endured severe persecution so "that they might obtain a better resurrection” (Hebrews 11:35).
Many New Testament saints and the angels who witnessed Christ's resurrection believed and proclaimed it (Mark 16:1-18; Luke 24:1-49; John 20:19-21). Prior to His death and resurrection, Herod, a wicked king and the people of his day believed in the resurrection of the dead (Mark 6:14-16). Paul and Peter believed and proclaimed it as pivotal to the Christian life and hope (Acts 17:18,32; 1 Peter 1:3; 3:21). As a matter of fact, Apostle Paul reveals that no one can be saved without faith in Christ's resurrection, which is the basis and guarantee of our future resurrection. "And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins... But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept... Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming” (1 Corinthians 15:17-23; Romans 10:9). As a result, he contended with those who discountenanced this truth and encouraged epicurean living among Corinthian believers. He said, "And why stand we in jeopardy every hour? I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me, if the dead rise not? let us eat and drink; for to morrow we die” (1 Corinthians 15:30-32). The hope of future resurrection makes believers persevere in faith and in the Lord's service in spite of all odds.
Question 3: How should believers live in the light of the truth of future resurrection of the dead?
The form to be associated with the resurrected body of justified saints is exemplified by the glorified body of Jesus, the firstfruit, after His resurrection (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:11-20,24-31; 1 John 3:2). All resurrected bodies of saints will be immortal (Daniel 12:2; Mark 9:42-48) and possess different degrees of glory. "There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead” (1 Corinthians 15:39-54).
In the intervening period between death (when the body and soul are separated) and the resurrection, the soul of a saint of God goes immediately to meet Him in heaven. For example, the repentant malefactor on the cross received forgiveness and assurance of Jesus. Christ assured him, "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:39-43). Righteous Lazarus died and was "carried by angels into Abraham's bosom” where he was comforted (Luke 16:19-31). Stephen, at death, said, "I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God” ready to receive him (Acts 7:54-60). Paul was "willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:1-8). Many other Scripture references confirm that the soul of the saint rejoices in God's presence at death (Philippians 1:21-23; Ecclesiastes 12:1,7). On the other hand, when a sinner dies, his soul goes immediately to hell. In hell, he is conscious and can see, feel and hear (Luke 16:19-31).
The timing for the resurrection of the just and resurrection of the unjust is well spelt out in the Scriptures in accordance with the ordained programme of God.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FIRST AND SECOND RESURRECTION (John 5:28,29; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-16; Revelation 20:4-6; John 5:29; Daniel 12:2; Revelation 20:11-15)
The resurrection of the saints of God, variously described in the Scripture as resurrection of life (John 5:28,29), resurrection of the just (Luke 14:13,14), a better resurrection (Hebrews 11:35) and the first resurrection (Revelation 20:4-6) has four phases namely, the resurrection of Christ, the Firstfruit (1 Corinthians 15:3,4,12,20,23); the resurrection of Church age saints at the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:13-16); the resurrection of tribulation saints (Revelation 20:3-5); and the resurrection of Old Testament saints at the second advent of Christ (Daniel 12:2; Isaiah 26:19).
All the saints of God that ever died would rise in the first resurrection; not a soul will be left behind. "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years” (Revelation 20:6).
Question 4: Highlight the four phases of the first resurrection.
The second resurrection is still part of God's programme but deals with the unsaved dead. There is a difference in time of one thousand years between the first and second resurrection (Revelation 20:5-15). The second resurrection is also described as the resurrection of damnation (John 5:29). There will be everlasting punishment and torment in the lake of fire for all who partake in the second resurrection, who missed the first resurrection and whose names are not found in the book of life (Daniel 12:2; Revelation 20:11-15). Those who peddled or believed the false teachings on the resurrection of the dead (2 Timothy 2:17,18; Matthew 22:23-32; 1 Corinthians 15:16-20) and other doctrinal untruths will also be part of the second resurrection. As in the early church when Hymenaeus and Philetus erred concerning the truth by teaching that the resurrection was past already, thereby making a shipwreck of their faith and that of their followers, there are many false teachers today who "know not the scriptures nor the power of God” and overthrow the faith of many.
Many false teachings on the resurrection of the dead abound having the same devastating effect on all who believe. Among such doctrines are proponents of annihilation and purgatory. Annihilation simply means "total destruction” or "complete obliteration” of an object. As a false teaching, peddlers say the final punishment of unbelievers results in their total destruction rather than an everlasting torment. They believe that God will grant immortality only to those who are saved but will destroy sinners completely. Purgatory, as a false doctrine, is said to be an intermediate state after physical death where those destined for heaven "undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven”.
Both doctrines of annihilation and purgatory are not supported in the Scripture. Christ spoke repeatedly about hell as a place where no one is exterminated (Matthew 25:46; Mark 9:44,46,48) while purgatory is a doctrine of licence to live without restraints and seeking to be purged in this world. No verse of Scripture supports purification after death.
The doubt, unbelief and scoffing of sinners will not prevent the complete resurrection programme of God for both the saved and the unsaved, the same way it did not alter the resurrection from the dead of our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 23:8; 2 Timothy 2:15-18; 1 Corinthians 15:12-23; Romans 3:3,4). Those who disbelieve and contend against the resurrection of Christ are not saved and do not have the hope of future resurrection because the resurrection of Christ and the future resurrection of the saints form the foundation of our Christian faith. "For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (1 Corinthians 15:16-19).
Question 5: What should sinners and believers do to avoid the resurrection to damnation?
HOW TO PARTAKE OF THE RESURRECTION OF LIFE (Ephesians 2:1,2,4-6; 1 Thessalonians 4:14,16; 2 Corinthians 5:17-19; Romans 16:17; Luke 21:36; 1 Timothy 4:13,15,16; Hebrews 10:25; 12:14)
Getting to heaven on the last day is a matter of choice, which everyone must make. People who hope to partake of the resurrection of life must take conscious steps to qualify. First, there must be a spiritual resurrection in this present life, whereby the spirit is quickened from death in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1), and the whole being renewed in the glorious likeness of Christ to a life of righteousness. Second, believers must "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). Third, followers of Christ must avoid erroneous teachers and overcome the temptation to follow their teaching. Fourth, we must pray, watch, feed on and be filled with God's undiluted word. Fifth, we must abide in Christ's doctrines and endure temptations till the end.