The Second or Last Resurrection of the Dead in Christ
Ye have read of the first
resurrection in relation to the second death. It is the resurrection of Christ
from the second death. He was the first fruit of the resurrection from the
second death. All believers will experience the second death and be resurrected
from the second death following Christ’s example – the difference is that not
all believers will be resurrected from the second death at the same time.
Some Christians will be
resurrected from the second death shortly after the rapture of the Church, but
most Christians will be resurrected from the second death only after the
1000-year millennial reign of Christ at the onset of the Great White Throne
judgment.
One might say: Here we go again with the split rapture thing!
Let me be plain; these ideas are not based on split rapture theory.
One might ask: Then how do we know that not all believers will be resurrected from the second death at the same time? The answer to this question is found below.
There are four places in
the Scriptures that mention the second death. All four are instructional for us
to read and ponder.
[Revelation 2:11] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.
Hear we have an earnest warning from the Judge, the Messiah Himself. It is what He does not say that is just as important for us to ponder as is what He does say.
Who is the Judge speaking to? Revelation
Chapter 1:18-20 tells us to whom He is speaking for He speaks to John the
revelator the following words.
“I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore *, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter *; The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. “
So, undeniably the Judge is speaking through the Apostle John to the
Churches and hence to all Christians. And then the Judge says this: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches;”
Dear reader do you find it heart-breaking that our Lord and Saviour would have to admonish those who He paid for with His own blood, to hear what He has to say? This writer does. But let us move on to the last part of the verse under our ponderance for He uses a term in description of some of those of His beloved that, to Him, has a greater significance than we might heretofore have recognized. He uses the term “overcometh”.
What could this term mean? Have we not all been taught that all Christians are considered to be overcomers because we have been bought with the blood of Jesus at the cross of Calvary? Well, yes we have, but that does not mean that we have been taught the truth. Remember? We have been warned that we live in the season of the Laodicean Church. She thinks she is rich and in need of nothing but she is really “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.”
You see dear reader; there are really two kinds of Christian. There are overcomers and there are non-overcomers.
Overcomers are those who have been faithful to their Lord and have at least made the faithful efforts to obey and practice His commandments; all of which He has provided for them in His written Word. It is the overcomer that “shall not be hurt of the second death”.
Non-overcomers have done just the opposite. They have been slothful, disobedient, uncaring, and un-believing toward Him and His written Word, even to the extent of changing His Word to suit their own putrid lifestyles and teaching other Christians those same un-truths. It is these non-overcomers that shall be hurt of the second death just as the last part of the verse implies.
Let us now move on to [Revelation 20:5-6].
But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 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.
So now we find another tidbit that gives us more enlightenment concerning the second death. Overcomers shall rule and reign with their Messiah for 1000 years and the non-overcomers will not reign with Him but rather will be hurt of the second death and live not again until the thousand years is finished. The 1000 years spoken of here is the millennial reign of Christ.
Let us move on.
[Revelation 20:14] And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Being “cast into the lake of fire” is a term used to ultimately describe separation from God and His kingdom.
For the saved, overcomer it is no longer than the moment of the twinkling of an eye. It is less than a split second.
For the un-saved, non-Christian that separation is everlasting. It will not end.
For saved, non-overcomers that separation is no less than 1000 years.
The next verse, [Revelation 21:8], also says this
concerning those who share time in the lake of fire. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Is it possible that there are believers that fit the descriptions that we have just read? Can some believers be described as fearful, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers, idolaters, and liars?
Yes, the written Word is full of examples of such believers but the best compact example would be the book of Jude. It is only one chapter but it leaves us no doubt about the truth of the verse that has just described some believers to us with un-failing accuracy. Is it possible that I the writer could fall and become as one of these? Oh yes indeed, it is very possible.
Hebrews Chapter 2 verses 1-3 says this: Therefore * * we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
In [1Corinthians 9:24-27] The Apostle Paul
himself said this: Know ye not that they which run in a race run all *, but one receiveth the prize? So run that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things *. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means *, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
So, if the writer of Hebrews and the Apostle Paul was fearful of falling this writer can without a doubt say the same thing.
Now let us turn our attention to
the out-resurrection from the second
dead. It is this
resurrection that I hope to bring to the attention of the reader for the Apostle
Paul calls this resurrection the Prize of
the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Therefore, it is my hope that it will be a prize for which we all shall strive
to obtain.
The out-resurrection
from the second dead is described in [Philippians
3:10-14]. This is the resurrection of all faithful Christians
who overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil. They will be awarded “the
Prize of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus”. They will rule and reign
with Christ for 1000 years in the heavenly realm of {the air} above the Earth
and then continue into the everlasting ages beyond the 1000 year reign of
Christ over the earth.
Some would have us think that the rule of the
bride of Christ will end at the time that the Earth’s heavenly kingdom is
restored to the Father so that His overall kingdom will be all in all. That is
decidedly not what the scripture says at all. The Scripture says that Christ
will rule together with the Father from His throne in New Jerusalem and that
Christ’s servants will reign with Him forever and ever. [Revelation 22:3-5]
But now I hear someone saying: but for what
purpose would Christ need a bride in the new heavens and the new Earth and in
New Jerusalem? And I would answer their question with a question. For what
reason would God and Christ divorce their brides. Does God condone divorce for
any other reason except the fact that a bride has committed fornication with
another? And, even then He would have us not divorce but forgive!
Is there any proof that such has ever happened in
the Scriptures concerning Israel, the wife of God the Father? No! God has put
Israel aside but He has never said He has divorced Israel. In fact, there is a
great deal of evidence that God will bring His wayward bride back into
subjection to Him during the 1000 year reign of Christ which is just out ahead
of us even now.
Is there
any proof from the scriptures that such will ever happen throughout the
everlasting ages after God has created the new heaven and the new Earth? No!
Absolutely not! In fact the following verse says just the opposite.
And there shall be no more * * curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle *, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. [Revelation 22:3-5]
I hope the
question has been answered.
Let us touch on another fallacy that the Laodicean
Church teachers would have us believe today.
Many teachers and preachers today teach that [Philippians
3:10-14] is referencing the rapture of the Church. This cannot
possibly be the case since Paul is stating in no uncertain terms that he is
striving to attain unto this particular resurrection. If this were a reference
to the rapture then why would Paul be striving to attain unto the rapture.
All believers are included in the rapture of the
Church. Just the fact that they are saved gives them a place in the rapture.
Paul, at this time in his life was saved. Indeed the Apostle Paul is considered
by some theologians to be the greatest scriptural example of a Christian to be
found anywhere in the New Testament. To many believers he is the Christian of
all Christians. He even admonishes Christians to whom he is ministering to use
his life as an example by which to live. Can any of us dare to do the same?
No, the out-resurrection of [Philippians
3:10-14] is not the rapture of the Church. The out-resurrection
occurs shortly after the rapture of the Church.
For a better understanding of this resurrection please read The Mystery of the Second Death , Will We "All" Stand Before the Judgment Seat of Christ? and Garments Clean and White.
Let us continue our discussion toward our intended
goal. There is another resurrection of Christians {a second resurrection so to
speak} revealed to us in the Word of God that many would also attribute to the
rapture of the Church of God but upon closer scrutiny we find that this again
cannot be so.
In [1 Corinthians 15], {the chapter we have chosen
as our subject matter}, the Apostle Paul
is speaking to the very carnal Corinthian Church and reassuring them that there
is a future resurrection [Greek: Anastasis] of the dead in Christ, wherein those who will
not be worthy to stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ [Luke 20:35] [Luke 21:36] and found to have spotted garments [Jude 1:23] or found to have no garment at all [2 Corinthians 5:3] [Revelation 3:17] [Revelation 16:15], their souls will be hurt of or held by the second death for the
duration of the 1000 year reign of Christ. [Jude 1:13] [Revelation 2:11] However, these believers will be resurrected just
before death is finally defeated and only after the1000 years is finished [Revelation 20:5] [Revelation 20:12].
Let’s take a
closer look now at our subject matter.
False teachers
had found their way into the church at Corinth and were spreading the lie that
there would be no resurrection from the dead at all.
15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;
15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
Now I must ask you at this point
dear reader: is Paul talking about being born again in verse two?
Do you not see how the verse is conditioned by the word “if”? And since there
is a condition then Paul cannot possibly be referencing the aspect of our
salvation that is known as being born again of the Spirit of God!
Why? Because the Scriptures assures us that we do not save ourselves but rather
it is God’s gift. Any works of our own does not save us. Christ
is the one who provides us with the initial aspect of our salvation. It is a
gift of God and not of our works at all, lest any man should boast.
Notice what the condition consists
of. “If ye keep in memory what I
have preached to you”! Is that how we are born again? Does the Scripture
say: “If ye keep in memory something I have preached to you then you are born
again of the Spirit of God? I don’t know about you dear reader but that is not
how I got saved!
The Scriptures are emphatic. Over
and over again the Word of God says: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou
shalt be saved. Belief is the only requirement for one to have
everlasting life.
If the Holy Spirit of God has
convinced you that you are a sinner, unsaved and undone, without God, outside
of God’s family and if you believe that God has revealed Himself to us as
Jesus, the Christ {God in the flesh} and died in our place on the cross of
Calvary for our sins and if you believe that Christ Jesus arose from the grave
three days and three nights later and now sits on God’s throne, at the right
hand of God the Father, as our mediator and High Priest, then you are saved and
have everlasting life as a free gift of God.
You did not have to do anything
but believe God’ Word. That is all. The stark reality is that Christ did the
work and you did not. Period!
No! Paul is merely declaring to
these believers that there is an aspect of the gospel of our salvation that is
considered to be the foundation that all believers stand upon in order to be
saved and that foundation is Christ’s resurrection.
As we will now see:
15:3 For I delivered unto you first
of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
This is the
entire gospel of the grace of God laid out in two verses. It describes the
salvation of the spirit body. It is the foundation of the Christian
faith. These verses are emphatic in that they are rooted and grounded in the
scriptures – God’s Word.
15:5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
The Apostle Peter {Cephas} and then the other Apostles seen Christ after He
arose from the grave. They are described here as witnesses.
15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
Notice
that Paul did not say ‘but some of those 500 witnesses are now dead.’ Why?
Because they are considered to be asleep in Christ Jesus and if they are
overcomers, they will be out-resurrected from the second dead later just before
the convening of the Judgment Seat of Christ or if non-overcomers, even later
just before the convening of the Great White Throne of Judgment to receive their
glorified bodies and everlasting life.
15:7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
15:8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
Paul testifies that he himself had also seen Christ with his own two eyes just before he was struck blind on the road to Damascus and then spent three years in the wilderness with our risen Lord learning the mysteries of the gospel of the Glory of Christ. Paul had been chosen of the twelve to take this mystery to the Jews first and then, if they would not listen, to the gentiles who would listen and who would form a world wide body of Christ {the Church} from which God the Father would later remove the bride of Christ [Philippians 3:10-14] and present her to His darling Son for the purpose of ruling and reigning with Christ throughout the everlasting ages.
15:12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead?
15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of
them that slept. [Ephesians 4:8-10] [1 Peter 3:19]
“Them that slept” is a reference to all those believers who had died prior to the point in time in which the Apostle Paul wrote this epistle.
15:21 For since by man (Adam) came death, by
man
(Jesus) came also the resurrection of the dead. [Philippians 3:10-14]
In other words by Jesus came the resurrection from the second death for He is the first fruit of the resurrection from the second death.
Also see: What does it mean to inherit the Kingdom of
Heaven with Christ?
15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
Now here is a key to understanding.
But not all at the same time, for overcomers will be made alive
through the out-resurrection from among the second dead {just before the
Judgment Seat of Christ} [Philippians 3:10-14] and non-overcomers will once more be
made alive at least 1000 years later, just before the Great White Throne
Judgment.
Watch carefully:
15:23 But every
man in his own order:
Christ the first fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
Here
we see two things:
1. There is an order to the resurrections [every Christian
in his own order]. The faithful Christians are to be resurrected from the
second death at the “out-resurrection from the second death” and the unfaithful,
non-overcomer Christians are resurrected from the second death at the last
resurrection or what we describe in our title as the second resurrection.
One could say it is a second resurrection from death for Christians who came
out of the church dispensation.
2. The
out-resurrection occurs almost immediately following the rapture of all
believers and is considered to be part of the first resurrection from the
second death.
15:24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when
he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
This is the end of the one thousand year reign of Christ when Christ will turn the heavenly kingdom of the Earth over to God the Father so that His kingdom will once more be all in all. Meaning, that there will no longer be any rebellious kingdoms in God’s overall kingdom such as the one that Satan rules over on this Earth and in it’s heavenly kingdom today.
15:25 For He (Christ) must reign, till He hath put all enemies under His feet.
15:26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
This verse specifically includes death as the last enemy. And it is this verse that now marries up this chapter of First Corinthians to Revelation chapter twenty allowing us to see how they tie together the resurrection of the non-overcomers with the resurrection of the unsaved. Thus, they will have had their portion with the hypocrites just as Christ had foretold. [Mathew 24:51]
15:27 For He hath put all things under His feet. But when He saith all things are put under Him, it is manifest that He is excepted, which did put all things under Him.
We all know that Christ was accepted as the one true substitute for the sins of men otherwise He would have never been resurrected and that is exactly the point Paul is making.
15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all. Reference: [Revelation 20:7-15]
15:35 But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
Paul’s answer is awesome in verse 36 but first let me just ask these two questions.
By whose power are the dead
raised? Is it not Christ’s power hence the power of God? [Philippians 3:10-14] And in what body are
the second dead to be resurrected in? Is it not the spiritual body? [1 John 3:2]
Now Paul says:
15:36
Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die:
Can you plant a
seed of corn lest when it has died the ground will raise up in it's place a
corn stalk having several ears of corn bearing many more seeds of corn liken
unto the one which died when it was planted?
The bottom line:
We must die to ourselves daily whereby the Spirit of God, working through us,
might win many more souls to Christ.
15:37 And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain:
15:38 But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.
15:39 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.
Do you remember the reference in
Jude to strange flesh? It was a reference to the flesh of Angels.
15:40
There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.
The Jews will inherit the Earthly kingdom in natural bodies and the inheritance of some Christians {the bride of Christ} is the heavenly kingdom. They will have spiritual bodies suitable for ruling and reigning with Christ over His heavenly kingdom and then throughout the everlasting ages beyond.
15:41 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.
Here Paul begins to distinguish
between the qualities of the different bodies.
{1} The body of this death:
corrupted by sin and consisting of flesh and bone and animated by blood.
{2} The natural or redeemed
body: this is the body that Adam and Eve had before they were defeated by
Satan and cast out of the Garden of Eden and it is the same type of body that Christ
walked this Earth in at His first incarnation. This is the body all Christians
will be changed into at the time of the rapture. It will consist of flesh and
bone and will also be animated by blood. And finally,
{3The spiritual body: not
corrupted by sin and consisting of flesh and bone but animated by the Spirit of
God, [not animated by blood]. This body is also known as the glorified body.
Now let’s examine another key verse.
15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
This resurrection of the
dead occurs just as the Great White Throne Judgment convenes in
Revelation 20.
[Revelation 20:12] And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Some of these are believers, from the Church dispensation, who were found unworthy to be judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ, to inherit the reward of ruling and reigning with Christ during the millennial reign of Christ, at least 1000 years earlier.
They are referred to as dead
because they have been hurt of and held by the second death. [Revelation 2:11]
They have experienced soul death for 1000
years.
The book that is opened in
[Revelation 20:12]
is the Lamb's book of life. This book has
the names of all of those who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ and have
been given everlasting spirit salvation. The books [plural] are the
books, which hold the works of all of those whom stand in this assembly, at
this time, to be judged.
Note: For more on the subject of
the book of life please read The Books of Life
These individuals are resurrected
or “stand” at this time with all believers whom have been hurt of the second
death for the season of 1000 years.
Those whom will reap the just
recompense of reward of everlasting spiritual death are resurrected in [verse 13].
The only difference in verse 12
and 13 is that those whom are resurrected in [verse 12] have been saved and their names
have been written in the Lambs
book of Life, for Judgment begins at the house of God, therefore, they are
judged first. [1 Peter 4:17]
[Revelation 20:15] And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
The dead in [verse 12 of
Revelation 20] will not be cast into the everlasting lake of fire because
they are born again of the Spirit of God and therefore possess the gift of
everlasting life. [John 3:16]
One might ask: But will they not
be in everlasting torment knowing that they also could have ruled and reigned with
Christ in the everlasting ages to come?
The answer lies in [Revelation 21:4]
And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more
pain: for the former things are passed away.
One might ask; exactly what
happens to the body of the saved person whom is hurt of the second death? Verse 43 answers that question.
15:43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
An unfaithful Christian who is hurt of the second death is slain by the
Word of Christ and held by the second death [sown in dishonor] just before the
judgment seat of Christ but they will be raised in power at the resurrection of
the dead just before the Great
White Throne convenes which is described in [Revelation 20:12].
A very succinct definition of spiritual destruction or soul death is found in the following verse. Here we see that the saved are created in the image of God who is a three fold being. Christians have a spirit body, soul body and a physical body.
[Hebrews 4:12] For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
15:44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
Here Paul tells us outright, in plain language, that the raptured natural or Adamic body dies the second death but is raised a spiritual body. The key is that the overcomer experiences this change just before the Judgment Seat of Christ and the non-overcomer experiences this change at least 1000 years later just before the Great White Throne judgment.
15:45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam (Christ) was made a quickening spirit. [1 Peter 3:18]
The last Adam is a
reference to our Lord who was made a quickening spirit at His resurrection from
the second death. This means that Christ had a body of flesh and bone but the
force that animated Christ’s body at His resurrection was not blood, but is
rather the Spirit of God. [Ephesians 2:5] [Colossians 2:13]
15:46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
The natural body is the body that Jesus possessed during His first
incarnation. It is the same kind of body that Adam and Eve had before
Satan, in the Garden of Eden, took dominion away from the Human race through
the deception of Eve.
One might then ask: What body do
men now possess? And the answer is: “the body of this death” according to the Apostle Paul. [Romans 7:24] It is the same kind of body
that Adam and Eve had after Satan, in the Garden of Eden, took dominion
away from the Human race through the deception of Eve.
15:47 The first man (Adam)
is of the earth, earthy: the second man (Christ) is the Lord from heaven.
15:48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
Here we see the inheritance of the
Jews and the inheritance of the overcomers of the Church dispensation. The Jews
will inherit and possess the Earthly kingdom in natural bodies and the bride of
Christ {the overcomers} will inherit the kingdom of the heavenlies with Christ
in spiritual bodies.
{Please refer to Revelation
chapters 2 and 3 for more details concerning the rewards of the overcoming and
non-overcoming Christian}.
15:49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
We have born the image of Adam and
we are yet to bear the image of Christ. [1 John 3:2]
Now look at the following
verses very carefully for they hold another key.
15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption
inherit incorruption.
This is why all Christians will die the second death just after they
have been raptured into the air or {kingdom of the heavenlies}. A “natural” or
redeemed body containing blood will not survive in that heavenly realm for God
has denied flesh and blood the inheritance of the kingdom of God. Did God not
remove the fallen Adam and Eve, having bodies of flesh and blood, from their
dominion of the Earthly kingdom of heaven? Does God Change?
15:51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We
shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
And now another very important
key:
The mystery is this; not all Christians will be changed at the same
time! Here Paul tells us that not all Christians will be held by the second
death {“We shall not all sleep”}. Some Christians will be worthy to be
resurrected from the second death and worthy to stand and be judged at the
Judgment Seat of Christ and will be changed into their quickened spiritual body
at that time.
Why? Because they are worthy to receive the reward of the inheritance
and enter into the Kingdom of Heaven to rule and to reign with Christ for 1000
years.
Most Christians, however, will be held fast by the second death,
reserved in chains of blackness of darkness for 1000 years and be resurrected
just as the Great White Throne judgment commences. At that time they will stand
up or be resurrected so that they also may be changed {“but we shall all be changed”} and receive their quickened spiritual
body that the over-comers, 1000 years earlier had received just before the
Judgment Seat of Christ. Only then will they be able to enter into eternity
“saved yet so as by fire”. [1 Corinthians 3:15] [Jude 1:23]
Behold yet another key!
15:52 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.
Indeed, the “last” trump. Hereby we know that this resurrection
is not the rapture of the Church for there are many more trumpets to sound
after the rapture of all Christians just before the seven years of tribulation
commences.
The dead referred to here are the same “the dead” referred to in [verse
12 of Revelation 20].
This resurrection in [verse 52] is
at the very end of time and just as the Great White Throne Judgment convenes.
It occurs just before death is defeated and therefore, this verse is the sister
verse to [verse 12 of Revelation 20].
15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
Why? Because they have
been born again of the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God has sealed the name of
God upon the spirit body of all of these Christians even though their souls had
to undergo the purging of the second death for 1000 years. Rather than rail at
God for such cruelty men should surely recognize that this speaks of the wondrous,
marvelous grace of God and His endless mercies.
This section of the
sacred text brings to mind a few things that the Lord Jesus had to say about
the resurrection at the last day and further proves that no matter what men say “What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” Men will try to tell you that believers can lose their
everlasting salvation but let’s read what Our Lord had to say about this in [John Chapter 6:39-40, 44 and 54].
And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing * *, but should raise it up again at the last day. And 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. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
And Martha when responding to our Lord had this to say about
Lazereth and the last resurrection. “ Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. “ [John 11:24]
And again it is our Lord Jesus who states “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” [John 12:48]
This
chapter of 1 Corinthians and Revelation chapter 20 discloses to us the last day to which all of these verses
allude. It is the day when all who have been saved shall put on incorruption
but is also the same day that the unsaved will be damned and that without
remedy.
15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. [Revelation 20:14]
15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? [Revelation 20:14]
Do you see how this entire chapter has been married up to chapter 20 of Revelation? Is death and hell not cast into the lake of fire and hence destroyed at the end of Revelation 20?
15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
Hence death, which is ultimately a
state of existence whereby men are separated from God by their own choices, is
defeated. Sin is destroyed along with death and the law, which has been
fulfilled, is at rest.
15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. [Revelation 20:14-15]
15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
My Christian friend, your labors
are vanity if they are a work of the flesh. Let us ever be mindful that our
works must be brought about by the prompting of the Holy Spirit and our
allowing the Holy Spirit to work through us in order for our labor to count for
the glory of Christ – not our own glory.
If we decide to go about our daily
lives creating or doing works in the flesh that God, through the Holy Spirit,
never called us to do and then pray for God to bless those efforts of the
flesh; then we have no one else to blame but ourselves when we find, in the
end, that all of those efforts were wood, hay, and stubble and therefore, in
vain.
It is my hope that this short study of [1 Corinthians 15] has been a help to any and all who are in serious pursuit of more revelation from God’s Holy Word.
Praise God!!! Holy is His name!