We continue looking at the basic principles of our faith - Heb 6:1-2. The writer of Hebrews mentions six principles:
Faith towards God.
Repentance from dead works.
The Doctrine of Baptisms.
Laying on of hands.
The resurrection of the dead.
Eternal Judgement.
This week we will look at the resurrection of the dead. No one gets out of this life alive! We will all die if Jesus does not come back. Death of our bodies is part of what sin did to us. The wages of sin are still death - Rom 6:23. The great truth is that death does not have the final say. Everything has an expiration, even sin, but we can have eternal life through the sacrifice and blood of Jesus. God raised Jesus from the dead to prove that Jesus took the keys and power away from the very one that enslaved us. We have hope.
1 Cor. 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
The one truth distinguishing our belief from every other religion is that Jesus died and rose again. The most significant opposition to the resurrection of Christ is from satan because the resurrection completed his demise. The apostles defended the resurrection vigorously to show that it is not a fable but truth. More than 2200 historical documents support the case for Christ's resurrection. The Gospels and the Epistles were all written by people that have personally seen and were eyewitnesses of the resurrection of Jesus. Scripture alone records eleven accounts of eyewitnesses that saw Jesus after his resurrection. Apart from appearing to Mary and the disciples, we know that Jesus appeared to over five hundred at one time after his resurrection - 1 Cor 15:6.
More than just proclaiming the resurrection, the apostles declared that what they experienced in ministry was proof of it. Let scripture speak for itself.
First, Peter, after Pentecost, commands a lame man to walk - Acts 5. Then, when questioned about the healing that took place by the Pharisees, he makes a statement to them. Peter states that the healing the lame man received was proof that Jesus was alive.
Acts 3:12-16 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? Or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus, whom ye delivered up and denied him in the presence of Pilate when he was determined to let him go. But ye denied the Holy One and the Just and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; and killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; of which we are witnesses. And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
Signs and wonders were proof of the resurrection. After this incident, the disciples kept preaching the resurrection, which did not sit well with the religious folk. The disciples are threatened and told not to preach the resurrection anymore. Their response to the religious leaders was that they must be more obedient to Christ. They are threatened again and let go. Do you think the threats would stop them? No, Peter prayed and asked for more signs to prove the resurrection.
Acts 4:29-30 And now, Lord, behold their threatening’s: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, by stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.
Acts 4:33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
The resurrection also proves that God has forgiven our sins and that we can preach forgiveness as the apostles did. On the day of Pentecost, Peter stands up and preaches about the resurrection and forgiveness of sins. Peter gives the reason why sins can be forgiven.
Acts 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain.
Acts 2:32 This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
Acts 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men, and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Peter preached the same message to the Gentiles when God sent him to the home of Cornelius. At first, Peter did not want to go to the Gentiles, but God showed him a vision, so he went. Peter keeps the message the same when he preaches to the Gentiles.
Acts 10:39-40 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day and showed him openly. Him God raised up the third day and showed him openly.
Paul also preached it to the Gentiles in Antioch and confirmed that the resurrection proves that sins can be forgiven, just like Peter preached.
Acts 13:29-31 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a sepulcher. But God raised him from the dead: And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.
After establishing the truth of the resurrection, Paul preaches salvation to them and the forgiveness of sins.
Acts 13:37-38 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption. Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.
Jesus himself predicted his resurrection. He said that no man takes his life; he lays it down and then takes it up again - Matt 12:39-40, John 10:17-18. Paul confirms that the resurrection demonstrates that Jesus is the Son of God with power.
Rom. 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.
Jesus' resurrection guarantees our resurrection and eternal life. Anyone that believes in him will not perish but have eternal life - John 3:15. The Apostle John says that he who has the Son has life - 1 John 5:11-13. Jesus said that he is the resurrection and the life - John 11:25. We were crucified with him, but we were also raised with him in newness of a better life and hope - Gal 2:20. This is also referred to in scripture as the first resurrection or our resurrection from spiritual death. Jesus states this as recorded in the book of John.
John 5:24-25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 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.
We know that the people hearing Jesus were not physically dead but spiritually dead. This statement clarifies that when you believe the word and receive Jesus, you receive a resurrection and eternal life. Essentially, being born again is our first (spiritual) resurrection - Rom 6:3-6.
John the Apostle tells us what this resurrection does for us.
Rev. 20:6 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.
There is also a physical resurrection that happens for believers when Jesus comes back. This resurrection will be for the righteous and those who physically died, knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior - 1 Thess 4:13-18. We will put off the mortal flesh and be changed into immortality in a moment in the twinkling of an eye - 1 Cor 15:51-54
1 Th. 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(believers) in Christ shall rise first.
But what about the dead people that did not believe in Jesus when they passed away? According to scripture, they will not be resurrected until the time of the Great White Throne's judgment.
Rev. 20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.
Rev. 20:11-13 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 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. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Few believers know that the Bible states that the unrighteous will also experience a resurrection. Both Jesus and Daniel tells us that.
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.
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.
The righteous are resurrected before the thousand-year reign of Christ. The unbelievers are resurrected after the thousand-year reign to stand before God and give account for everything they have done - Rev 20:12-13. They are then cast into the lake of fire with hell and death. This is called the second death. First, they died without Christ, now they will live without Christ eternally.
Rev. 20:14-15 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
The life that God offers is available to us today. Today we can call on his name and be saved. Today we can have life and have life more abundantly - John 10:10. What do you want to do about it?
Call on him while you still have a chance. He is waiting to give you the life he promised to all that would believe and receive him.