You won't learn about the resurrections in school or university. You won't read about them in scientific or medical journals. You won't hear about them on the news or from your Internet service provider. And, surprisingly, they are preached by few of the world's religions, including mainstream Christianity.

And there's a reason. Christianity claims to get its teachings from the Bible, but centuries ago it adopted the doctrine of the immortal soul from pagan philosophers like Plato and others. The prophets of the Old Testament, the apostles of the New Testament and Jesus Himself taught that we are mortal souls—that we can die, that we do not have an immortal soul hiding in us somewhere. In fact, to receive eternal life we must first "put on immortality" when God resurrects us from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:53).

Resurrection means "to stand up"—to come back to life—and the Bible shows that it's a key to the mystery of life, the future and everything.

But the immortal soul doctrine creates a nonbiblical theology that does not need a resurrection to impart eternal life because the supposedly immortal souls of the dead have already gone to heaven.

We believe God reveals His plans in the Bible, and the Bible does not teach the immortal soul. Instead it reveals the resurrections.

Through the resurrections of the dead God provides equal opportunity for salvation to all peoples of all eras and delivers eternal life to all who choose His way.

Resurrection overview

Read what Jesus taught about the resurrections that sounded incredible to some in His audience: "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation" (John 5:28-29).

So those who've done good—meaning repented of their sins, believed, been baptized, received the Holy Spirit and so been converted to Jesus Christ—inherit eternity by a spiritual resurrection to eternal life. But the evil—those who fully and knowingly refused to repent and accept God's forgiveness for their sins—will be brought back to human life (not eternal) to receive the just penalty of their sins, and that is death forever (Romans 6:23).

These are the two types of resurrections—one to eternal life and another back to human life for God's particular purpose. Let's take them in order as they unfold in God's plan for all mankind.

Jumping to spirit speed

Like making the science fiction jump to light speed, the spiritual resurrection makes the jump to spirit speed. This event is called the "first resurrection." By it those who are Christ's at His coming will then rule the world with Christ for a thousand years and beyond to eternity (Revelation 20:6). Those either waiting in the grave or alive at the second coming of Christ will be changed from physical, flesh and blood to spirit "in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye" (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). May we be among them!

Being in the first resurrection means entering eternal life in the Kingdom of God. These will find the meaning of and fulfill the purpose for life—to be made a divine son or daughter of God. They will be immortal with perfect character and love, unable to sin (1 Corinthians 15:35-49). And so the adventure of eternity begins.

All who will live forever in God's divine family must experience the spiritual resurrection, "but each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. Then comes the end . . ." (1 Corinthians 15:23-24). During His coming millennial (thousand-year) rule, Jesus and His resurrected saints will lead to repentance and salvation the surviving people on earth and their subsequent, burgeoning generations. But what about all those humans who have lived and died knowing little or nothing of God's truth, way and Kingdom?

The rest of the dead go vertical

If there is a first resurrection, there must at least be a second. Via this second resurrection the rest of the dead will receive their judgment—their opportunity for salvation.

Revelation 20 explains: "But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished" (verse 5). John, the apostle, saw the vision of the Great White Throne Judgment (another name for the second resurrection): "And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God . . ." (verse 12).

This judgment means these billions of people will live a second human lifetime. This will not be a second chance but their first and only time to truly know God the Father and Jesus Christ. They will come to understand God's expectations of humans. This will be these people's day of salvation. God will leave no person behind. Everyone will in due time receive a full spiritual opportunity.

Mainstream Christianity does not understand this Bible teaching. Instead of teaching this inspiring truth, it consigns all who don't respond to God at this time to an ever-burning hell (yet another story) for existing at the wrong place in the wrong time. However, God is "not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). Yet in spite of all God's mercy, it seems some still reject Him. What about them?

The third resurrection—eternal death

Jesus compared the true hell to the fire lit in ancient Jerusalem's landfill, located in an adjacent valley called Gehenna. He called it Gehenna fire. Just like the city's refuse was burned to ashes, so will be the wicked who have received their spiritual opportunity for divine judgment and completely, tragically rejected it (Malachi 4:3).

Remember, like the good, the evil have no immortal souls. They will be resurrected to see what they have chosen to miss for eternity. Then they die swiftly in a lake of fire that consumes the earth. They will not suffer endless torture as taught by mainstream Christianity and countless other religions.

Mercifully the wicked become non-resurrectable ashes, with no pain, no consciousness and no existence beyond the final, fiery death. So this third resurrection is only for the particular purpose of final condemnation and administration of the wages of sin.

"This is the second death" from which there is no return (Revelation 20:14-15). Yes, we are all appointed to die once (Hebrews 9:27), and from that death we will all be resurrected. The good news is that we don't have to die twice. We want to seek God and follow Him faithfully so we may experience the first resurrection at Christ's return because, "Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power" (Revelation 20:6).

The vertical challenge

What you've just read from the Bible constitutes the most amazing truth about God's plan for you and me and all of mankind. This written snapshot of loving generosity and ultimate equity brought by God's resurrection of the dead simply befuddles the religious leaders of this world. But now you know about it—it's a part of you. The question remains, what are you going to do about it? What you should do is prove it, believe it and stand up for it so you can make the jump to spirit speed to live forever via the resurrection! VT