Chapter 10. RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD
a. General. The Bible teaches that when Jesus returns
to take his people home, there will be a resurrection of the bodies
of all the dead; and that all those that are still living shall be caught
up with those that are resurrected. This resurrection will be of all
mankind and will be followed by a general judgment of all mankind. The
judgment of the Lord's children will be according to the righteousness
of Christ imputed to them and they shall stand before God justified
and as if they had never sinned; but the judgment of the wicked shall
be according to their own wicked works and they shall stand guilty before
God. Following this judgment, the happiness of the righteous in heaven
shall be eternal, and the punishment of the wicked under condemnation
shall be eternal.
b. Proof Scriptures. Included among the scriptures
that declare the resurrection of the body and the general judgment of
all mankind are the following:
John 5:28-29 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.
Matthew 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment:
but the righteous into life eternal. Dan 12:2 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.
c.
Resurrection of the Body. The resurrection will be an actual
resurrection of the physical body of all the deceased, and is not merely
a spiritual or symbolic resurrection:
i.
Through the ages there have always been some that have questioned
the doctrine of the resurrection of the body:
Luke 20:27 Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which
deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him,
Acts 17:32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead,
some mocked: and others said, We will hear thee again of this
matter.
2 Timothy 2:18-19 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying
that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith
of some. Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having
this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every
one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.
Acts 26:8 Why should it be thought a thing incredible with
you, that God should raise the dead?
ii. While
men may find the doctrine of the resurrection of the body hard to
accept or believe, and some may question it even as they did during
Christ's time on earth, God's word leaves no doubt regarding the fact
that there will be a resurrection of the bodies of the dead when Christ
returns to gather together his children and take them to heaven to
ever be with him:
1 Corinthians 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead.
It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 Behold, I shew 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
shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and
we shall be changed.
1 Corinthians 15:20-22 But now is Christ risen from the dead,
and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by
man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made
alive.
1 Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from
heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with
the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then
we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with
them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall
we ever be with the Lord.
Job 14:14 If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of
my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. Thou shalt
call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the
work of thine hands.
Job 19:26-27 And though after my skin worms destroy this body,
yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself,
and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins
be consumed within me.
d.
General Resurrection. The resurrection of the bodies of
the dead will be a general resurrection. The bodies will be raised of
both the regenerate and the unregenerate:
Acts 24:15 And have hope toward God, which they themselves also
allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the
just and unjust.
2 Timothy 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord
Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing
and his kingdom;
Ecclesiastes 3:17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous
and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and
for every work.
e.
General Judgment. When the dead are raised, there will be
a general judgment. Some teach that when this time of judgment comes,
that we will all be brought before God to be judged for our actions during
this life. If that were so, there would be none saved because all are
sinners and deserve the wrath of God, and none would be judged worthy
to dwell in heaven. However, in the final judgment, God's children are
not judged by their own deeds, but rather by the righteousness of Christ
which is imputed or given to them by the free and sovereign grace of God.
The judgment will not be according to our works in the flesh, but a separation
of those washed in the blood of the lamb and who are therefore worthy
of heaven, and those dead in trespasses and sins who are worthy of condemnation:
Matthew 25:31-33 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and
all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne
of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and
he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth
his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right
hand, but the goats on the left.
Matthew 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment:
but the righteous into life eternal.
Acts 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will
judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained;
whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised
him from the dead.
2 Timothy 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord
Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing
and his kingdom,... .
f.
Eternal Woe. The punishment of the wicked who are unredeemed
by the blood of Jesus Christ shall be eternal:
Dan 12:2 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.
Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand,
Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the
devil and his angels:
2 Thessalonians 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction
from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
g.
Eternal Joy. The happiness of God's children that shall
be judged by the righteousness of Jesus Christ which is imputed or given
to them by the grace of God shall be eternal in heaven:
John 10:27-28 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they
follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never
perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Romans 6:2 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Titus 1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie,
promised before the world began;
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