INTRODUCTION

I Corinthians 15:50-55
God’s Word teaches the resurrection of the dead as clearly as the immortality of the soul. Every individual who has ever lived will be resurrected, some to honour and glory, and others to shame and everlasting contempt (Job 19:25-27; Psalm 71:20; Isaiah 26:19; Daniel 12:2; John 5:28-29; I Corinthians 15:12-57; I Thessalonians 4:13-16; Hebrews 6:1-2; Philippians 3:8-11; Revelation 20:4,6,12-13).

The resurrection of the dead is a cardinal and important doctrine of the Bible. All who die in this world will undergo physical resurrection before the Great White Throne Judgment. This doctrine shows that there will be a resurrection of the body, joined with the soul, to meet the LORD either in peace and joy or to face Him as a Judge in condemnation, eternal punishment, and torment of hell fire.

SUB TOPICS:

1. BIBLICAL FOUNDATION FOR THE DOCTRINE

   Jesus, the Prophet come from God, declared in John 5:25: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” The fact of the resurrection of the just and unjust runs throughout the teaching of Jesus Christ (John 6:40; Matthew 16:21; 22:23-32). Job spoke of his eyes and flesh seeing God after worms have destroyed his body (Job 19:25-27). Isaiah spoke of the earth casting out the dead (Isaiah 26:14-19). Daniel spoke of the awakening of many who sleep in the dust, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt (Daniel 12:2). In like manner spoke David (Psalm 16:10; 17:15). Old and New Testament saints (Hebrews 11:35; Matthew 28:1-20; Mark 16:1-18; Luke 24:1-49; John 19-21; Acts 17:18,32; I Peter 1:3; 3:21). Even Herod the wicked king and the generality of the people of his day believed in the resurrection of the dead (Mark 6:14-16).

2. THE SOUL AND THE RESURRECTION

   In the intervening period between death (when the body and soul are separated) and the resurrection, one may ask, “Where is the soul?” The soul of a saint of God goes immediately to meet God in heaven. The repentant thief on the cross received forgiveness and assurance from Jesus: “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” (Philippians 1:21-23). Many other references confirm that the soul of the saint will rejoice in God’s presence after death (II Corinthians 5:1-8; Ecclesiastes 12:1,7). But when a sinner dies, his soul proceeds to hell. In hell fire, he is conscious, can see, feel, and hear (Luke 16:19-31).

   The form to be associated with the resurrected body of the just is exemplified by the glorified body that Jesus, the first fruit, had after his resurrection (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:11-20,24-31; I John 3:2). All resurrected bodies will be immortal (Daniel 12:2; Mark 9:42-48). The resurrected bodies of saints will 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” (I Corinthians 15:39-54).
3. THE TIMING OF THE RESURRECTION

   The timing for the resurrection to life of the just and resurrection to judgment of the unjust is well spelled out in Scripture in accordance with the ordained programme of God. The resurrection of life (John 5:28-29), resurrection of the just (Luke 14:13-14), a better resurrection (Hebrews 11:35), or the first resurrection (Revelation 20:4-6) has four phases:

   • The resurrection of Christ, the first fruit (I Corinthians 15:3,4,12,20,23)
   • The resurrection of the Church-age saints at the Rapture (I Thessalonians 4:13-16)
   • The resurrection of the tribulation period saints (Revelation 20:3-5)
   • The resurrection of Old Testament saints at the second advent of Christ to the earth (Daniel 12:2; Isaiah 26:19)

   All the saints of God who ever died shall rise in the first resurrection (Revelation 20:6). The second resurrection deals with the unsaved dead — the resurrection to damnation (John 5:29), who shall be punished with eternal torment in the lake of fire (Daniel 12:2; Revelation 20:11-15). There is a difference of one thousand years between the first and second resurrections (Revelation 20:5-15).

   Just as in the Early Church when Hymenæus and Philetus erred about the resurrection (II Timothy 2:17), there are many false teachings today such as annihilation and purgatory. Nevertheless, the doubt or error of man cannot alter God’s timetable. Whether men repent and get saved or not, just as Jesus’ resurrection did not depend on the faith of men, the dead shall surely rise (Acts 23:8; II Timothy 2:15-18; I Corinthians 15:12-23; Romans 3:3-4).

   The challenge is for you as an individual to make sure you are ready for the first resurrection, so that the second death will have no power over you. To partake of the first resurrection, there must first be a spiritual resurrection here on earth. As a sinner dead in sins and trespasses, you must first be made alive by the Spirit of life from above, and brought into the newness and holiness of life (I Thessalonians 4:14,16; II Corinthians 5:17-19; Hebrews 12:14).