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Let us begin our study of resurrection by observing that there is a similarity between resurrection and regeneration (or the new birth).
Both are described in the words of Christ as recorded in the fifth chapter of the Gospel of John. Notice in John 5:25 these words,
"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." Verse 28 says, "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice..." First,
in verse 25, our Lord speaks of regeneration, describing it as being quickened into divine life by hearing the voice of God. They were
dead in sin but were brought to spiritual life. Such experiences are now taking place and will continue to do so. Second, in verse 28,
our Lord declares that the physically dead will be quickened into life again in the resurrection which is yet to come.
While it is evident that the two terms are vastly different, there are also some definite similarities. Both involve the dead being raised
to life; regeneration is to be raised to spiritual life and resurrection is being raised to physical life. Notice the language which Jesus used
in John 6:39, "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." The use of the word "again" denotes that we have already been raised in regeneration. We were raised spiritually
in regeneration, and in the resurrection we shall be raised up physically. God has already quickened us (Eph. 2:1) "...And hath
raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus..." (Eph. 2:6). It is no marvel that God can perform
the work of regeneration; after all, He will some day raise our dead bodies to life on the resurrection day. This doctrine of the resurrection
has become one of the most important doctrines of the church. Our hope of life after death and of eternal joy in heaven both rest
firmly upon this doctrine.
Though the idea of resurrection is a basic Christian concept, there have been many who have doubted or denied it. In the early church
the idea was often either denied or diluted, and this is understandable when you realize how difficult it must be for the carnal mind to
comprehend the concept of life returning to a dead body. Even spiritually-minded people cannot understand it fully and must rely
upon faith to grasp this truth.
Some in the early church had a great deal of difficulty dealing with and understanding this vital doctrine. Perhaps some had been
influenced by the Sadducees, who denied the possibility of any resurrection at all. They relied upon human logic to support their position
(Mt. 22:23-33). Others evidently believed that the resurrection had already taken place (2 Tim. 2:18). Possibly they had reference to the
resurrection of Christ and considered His resurrection the only one that would occur.
One of the burdens on Paul's heart was the fact that many had been deceived and therefore had departed from a belief in the
resurrection. This concern is manifested by his lengthy treatise on the subject, which is recorded in 1Cor. 15:1-58.He reestablished the
resurrection of Christ as the foundation and then built upon that foundation the hope of resurrection for us all. If Christ died and lived
again, we also shall be made alive after we die. Paul wrote, "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that
slept" (1 Cor. 15:20). He inseparably links the resurrection to faith (1 Cor. 15:17) and to salvation (l Cor. 15:18).
The importance that Primitive Baptists place on resurrection is reflected in the fact that one of our Articles of Faith is devoted to
the subject. "We believe that the bodies of all men will be resurrected from the grave and that the joys of the righteous will be eternal and
that the punishment of the wicked everlasting" (Article 7).The concept of a general resurrection which included both the saved and unsaved
is first presented in the Old Testament. Daniel wrote, "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). In the New Testament, in Acts 24:15, Paul stated that he had
hope toward God that there would be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. In the resurrection, all people will
be brought to life again. This fact is essential to the concepts of heaven and hell. All men, saved and unsaved alike, die and decay, and they
must all be brought to life in the resurrection. Having life, they will either be consigned to heaven or be everlastingly separated from the
presence of God (2 Thes. 1:8-9).In the great "white throne judgment" spoken of in Revelation 20:11-15, only the unsaved will stand before
God and be judged. The saved have no sins for which to be judged on that day because Jesus died for their sins and fully and freely paid
their debt. This should help us to understand the two phases of resurrection. Paul said, "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..." (l Thes. 4: 16).
I anticipate this sequence of events in the resurrection: first, the elect will be raised, will see Jesus as Saviour, and will be caught up together
with Him in the clouds (l Thes. 4: 17), and then the unsaved will be raised to life and will see Jesus as Judge (Rev. 1:7,2 Tim. 4:1)." Jesus
is judging the saved now in His kingdom age, and in the final judgment they will be justified by the works of Christ (Rom. 8:30). He will be
the judge of the unsaved at His appearing, and they will be judged according to their works (Rev. 20:12). When all mortals have been
resurrected, some will spend eternity in heaven as a testimony to His goodness and grace, while others will be eternally condemned as a
testimony to His justice and judgment.
If we believe in a physical bodily resurrection of the dead at the second coming of Jesus, then let us now consider some of the
remarkable events which will take place at that time. We know that our bodies will be made to live again, even though they have suffered
decay. Job not only believed that he would live again, but also that some significant change would take place at the resurrection. He said,
"If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come" Gob 14:14). He believed that being
alive again he would have a conscious perception of God. Job 19:26-27 states, "...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." The change which will occur is beautifully stated by another Old Testament writer, David. He said, "As for me, I will
behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness" (Ps. 17:15).Nothing short of divine revelation and
inspiration can explain their clear understanding of what will take place at the resurrection. We shall not only have our bodies raised
to life again, but we shall be changed from what we are today. "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be
changed ..." (l Cor. 15:51). In the resurrection we shall become like angels, according to Mt. 22:30. We shall no longer need human relationships;
but more importantly we shall become beings unaffected by time or space. We shall finally attain sinless perfection and become
like Jesus. John wrote, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when
he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is" (l John 3:2).
Let us rejoice in our hope of the resurrection, and, simply because we believe in the integrity of the God who inspired the Bible, let us
by faith accept that which we cannot fully understand. Then let us share these truths with others, that they too may enjoy the blessings
that God associated with this doctrine. Finally, let us live our lives daily endeavoring to change for the better, while we wait for our
change for the best-resurrection.
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