The Resurrection To Eternal Life

1.      We believe that when humans die they are dead, mortal, finite. The only hope they have of eternal life (or immortality) is to be raised back to life by the power of God… the power of His Holy Spirit.

2.      We believe this return to life happens when Jesus Christ returns to earth and not before. Those who are Christ’s at His return will be raised to eternal life… at His return… and will never die.

3.      Scripture indicates that Christ will begin His rule on earth with a designated period of 1,000 years. The end of that initial period triggers a second raising to life for all those who were not included in the first 

4.      At that time the vast majority of humanity who have ever lived will be raised… not to eternal spirit born life… rather a return to temporary physical life.

5.      They will live this resurrected physical life with full knowledge of God and access to His Holy. After this opportunity they too will have the option to receive eternal spirit life if they choose to.

6.      We also believe that those who reject God’s offer of eternal spiritual life… having full knowledge, and full access to His Spirit will die a second death in the flesh which is permanent and irrevocable.

God’s Message To You Is That You Can Have Hope

Ephesians 4:4 - this is the only hope there is for humans

Hope is an English word that has changed its meaning over time. Today we use it to indicate desires… or wishes… “I hope we get ice cream tonight”… or, “I hope you’re feeling better soon”.  A better word to get across the meaning intended in the original language might be “expectation”. We enter into a covenant with God… the new covenant… and if we live up to our part of the bargain our expectation is to be raised to life. Mom says that if you vacuum the carpet after school you can have ice cream after dinner… so you have an expectation of ice cream after dinner… not just a wish or desire.

Acts 24:14-15

Ephesians 1:18-20

The Hope, or Expectation, God Offers is For Eternal… Permanent Life 

When you die you do not carry on living somewhere else… in heaven… or hell… or purgatory… or as a ghost… or as a wandering spirit. These would all constitute a form of immortality although potentially in a very unpleasant way. God’s word indicates eternal life is not something you currently have. However, the good news is that eternal life is something you can have… and God is willing to give it to you under the terms of His covenant.

Matthew 19:16-17

Titus 1:2; 3:7

Romans 8:23-25 our hope is for something we do not already have

Romans 6:23 eternal life is something God is willing to give to you

You Do Not Possess Life – You Receive Life From God

Genesis 3:19 at the end of your physical life you can expect your body to dissolve back into the chemical compounds from which it was made.  The spirit which is in you returns to God who gave it (Eccl. 12:7).

1 Corinthians 15:53-54 Your natural state is mortal… but you can be made immortal, or eternal. That spirit component in you can be put in a new body and live again.

Your New Body is Eternal

That spirit in you, which returns to God at death, does not possess life. It has no thoughts or consciousness… it knows nothing… thinks nothing… but it is clearly YOU. Think of it as a record of who and what you are… the essence of you… However, it must have a body to live. You are currently a life… an integrated unity of body, mind and spirit. The complete package you have now is temporary… what God has in store for you is permanent and eternal. 2 Corinthians 5:1-5

The body God will give you is different from your present physical body - 1 Corinthians 15:35-38.

Your new body will be a body composed of spirit. Verse 43-49

This Return To Life is Accomplished By the Power of God

Romans 8:9-11 - You can have that power of life at work in you now… you can enter into a process of being recreated from within. His Spirit will work with your spirit forming you into something new and different than before. This is the power of God at work— a power preparing you to be resurrected to a divine, eternal life as a child of God.

The scriptures speak of Christ dwelling in you… the spirit of God dwelling in you… the mind of Christ in you… an inward person who is renewed day by day… that God’s laws are written upon your heart. These are not referring to a series of separate processes taking place. They just different ways of expressing the same central truth.

The work of this great power… Holy Spirit…  is happening NOW among those who are His… But its work is not complete until the moment you are raised back to life. And there is a day set aside for this to occur.

This Resurrection Takes Place at The Return of Christ

1 Corinthians 15:22-23 There is a progressive order to the raising of the dead. 1) Christ’s resurrection which is past event in human history. 2) The resurrection you and I are looking forward which is yet in the future. Until that day arrives our spirits are not alive somewhere. They are inert… not thinking dreaming, planning, observing… nothing. That spirit which left us upon death is not alive… and it has no body.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 first those who have already died… then a special category: those who are still alive in their physical bodies at the time of Christ’s return. Note: Christ does not swoop down to zip us off to heaven. We are with Him, we stay with Him where He is, and He is returning to earth to take care of some very important business!

1 John 3:1-2 The work of the Holy Spirit (in those who are Christ’s) will be completed. We will come into the fullness of our inheritance as children of God. We will receive our glorious new bodies… not flesh and blood which is temporary… but bodies of glory… spiritual bodies… as He has.

This is Not The Only Resurrection For Humanity…

Revelation 20:4-6  Calling it a “first” resurrection implies that there is indeed a second. 

Hebrews 11:35 Calling it a better resurrection implies there is another resurrection to consider.

This first and better resurrection is for those who in this physical life we now have… opt in to the deal, that convent God is offering right now.  Believe, repent, be baptized, receive the Holy Spirit in you, grow in grace, knowledge and the fullness of Christ… the Father will raise you back to eternal life.

Jesus Christ Will Rule On Earth for 1000 years 

Daniel 2:44 all the rulerships, powers and authorities established on earth will then be subject to Jesus Christ…

Daniel 7:27 the people who were part of that “first resurrection” will have a part to play in helping Christ govern and rule… on planet earth. 

Revelation 20:4-6 Christ’s rule is never ending… but there is an initial period that is marked off with a beginning and an end. It is a period lasting 1,000 years. 

After That First  1,000 Years Comes Another Resurrection! 

Revelation 20:4b-5 “They came to life and reigned with Christ for 1,000 years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished”.

This “second” resurrection is different from the first one we have just spent so much time discussing. Like the previous resurrection the spirits of humans are given a body again. But it is ony a physical body like the one they had before. This is not a resurrection to a eternal life in an eternally living spirit body. This is a resurrection in the flesh only. As such it’s still a form of life that is temporary.

Ezekiel 37: 1-14 all the people who have ever lived will be raised up again to physical life.

What’s The Point of Restoring People to Physical Life only?

The vast majority of humanity who have ever lived have never had access to the word of God… and even more important they have never had access to the Holy Spirit of God. Now they will have both.

Why didn’t God just make all that available in the first place?

It’s a big subject and worthy of an entire sermon on its own. God always allows people to choose. Sadly, from the time of the very first people who ever lived, humanity has chosen to live their lives… to build their societies… to raise their children,  apart from… or cut off from God. God will not allow this to go on forever… only long enough to prove a point.

When the time is right God will raise all people to life. They will live in a society built and governed by Christ… with total access to His truth… and unimpeded access to His Holy Spirit. They will also be able to contrast and compare the way of life they led before, with the way of life God provides… if you are willing.

It will not be party time for everyone… it will be time to make a choice. His desire is that all chose life!

Matthew 10:15 & Matthew 11:21-22 – the time when people are raised to life and given temporary physical bodies once more is a period of judgment.

Revelation 20:12 The book of life is opened in this judgment—so these people will have the opportunity to make an informed decision and choose to enter into eternal life. God is no respecter of persons, so all eventually will have their chance for eternal life. 

2 Peter 3:8-9 All will have the same chance, including those in this (second) resurrection.  We believe that, after these people have had an opportunity to experience all this, if they become converted they, too, will receive eternal life. I expect they too will be changed and receive new bodies made of spirit. It seems logical but scripture is not explicit on this. The primary focus of scripture is to persuade people like you and me to opt in for the “better” resurrection.

Those who reject God’s offer of salvation will reap eternal death 

Revelation 20:14-15 The second death is for those who reject God’s offer of salvation. 

Matthew 10:28 God, who gives life, can end it in the lake of fire. 

Revelation 21:8 The second (eternal) death is for these people.

Summary:

Resurrection from the dead and the gift of eternal life is the “hope” of all mankind. To no longer fear or anticipate death. The scriptures teach that ALL will be raised (John 5:28) but that there is an order in which the dead will be resurrected.

The path to life everlasting begins with the work of Jesus Christ who reconciles humanity to God… and  by the power of the Holy Spirit… convicting us of right and wrong… giving us courage to obey God and make those difficult choices… and the commitment to stick with the program.

Resurrections are possible because God has the ability to give life… He wants to give it to you.

The question is… will  you choose life?