RESURRECTION

The resurrection is one of the great themes of the Bible. From the Old Testament up to the New Testament, this subject has been taught.

The Lord Jesus taught about it:

Matthew 22:30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.

Matthew 22:31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, 32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.

Luke 20:35 But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:

Luke 20:36 Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.

John 5:29 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.

John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

The apostle Paul taught about it:


Romans 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

1 Corinthians 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?

1 Corinthians 15:13 But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:

1 Corinthians 15:21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.

1 Corinthians 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

Philippians 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

The resurrection is the hope of the believers.

Apostle Paul taught in 1 Thessalonians 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 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 in Christ shall rise first:

The Old Testament dead saints up to saints in 70 A.D. slept in their graves. No one went to heaven when they died.

Ecclesiastes 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.
6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

But their hope of resurrection came to fulfillment when Christ returned in 70 A.D. For it is written, For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
1 Cor 15: 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
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.

Now, after 70 A.D. all the saints that die in Christ do no more sleep in the graves, but they go directly to the presence of the Lord in heaven.

So we teach that the resurrection is an ongoing reality. It is the experience of all believers in Christ. Every believer is now resurrected.

This resurrection is not and will never be a physical resurrection. This resurrection is spiritual in nature.

1 Cor 15:
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
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.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
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.
55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our hope today as Christ's Body, the Church is not to be physically resurrected, but to be with the Lord forever, how?

Colossians 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

When Christ appears, we shall appear with him in glory. This appearing is not the second coming of Christ. The appearing is the manifestation of Christ. We will also manifest with him. One by one. 1 Cor 15:23 "But every man in his own order".

We will never manifest with him while we are alive. We must experience physical death. Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.

After death comes the resurrection. So our manifestation with Christ will happen at our death. The moment we die, we go directly to Christ's presence in heaven. It is described by Paul as "being caught up" to be with Christ (1 Thess. 4:17).

Resurrection is our experience. We have been raised with Christ. We are clothed with resurrection body. But we will only experience the manifestation of this kind of body when we die.

A saint in Christ is already resurrected and will live forever with the Lord Jesus Christ.