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The Three Resurrections

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The Three Resurrections

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The Three Resurrections

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What happens after death? How can we know? Is there a reliable source that informs us of our design and final destiny as well as the process for reaching it?

Sermon Notes

A partial list of notes and Scriptures used:

Heb 6:1  Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God,
Heb 6:2  of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

(Act 26:22)  Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come—
(Act 26:23)  that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles."

(Col 1:18)  And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
Rev 1:5

(Joh 3:13)  No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven.

(Act 2:29)  "Men and brethren, let me speak freely to you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
(Act 2:30)  Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne,
(Act 2:31)  he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption.

(Act 2:34)  "For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: 'THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, "SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,
(Act 2:35)  TILL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES YOUR FOOTSTOOL." '

THE FIRST RESURRECTION
1 - iT TAKES PLACE AT THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, at the sound of the seventh trumpet.
2 - It is a resurrection to Immortality.
Rev (Rev 20:5)  But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
(Rev 20:6)  Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
Heb 11:32  And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets:
Heb 11:33  who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
Heb 11:34  quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
3 - Only the dead in Christ and those in Christ who are alive at His coming are in the first resurrection.
4 - The sedond death has no power over those in the first resurrection.
5 - Those in this resurrection are called the "first Fruits".

(Mat 24:29)  "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.
(Mat 24:30)  Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
(Mat 24:31)  And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
(Rev 20:4)  And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
(Rev 20:5)  But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

(Luk 20:34)  Jesus answered and said to them, "The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage.
(Luk 20:35)  But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage;
(Luk 20:36)  nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
Resurrected to IMMORTALITY and eternal life.

(Php 3:20)  For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
(Php 3:21)  who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
(1Th 4:13)  But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.
(1Th 4:14)  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.
(1Th 4:15)  For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
(1Th 4:16)  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

(1Th 4:17)  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
(1Th 4:18)  Therefore comfort one another with these words.

(Rev 2:11)  "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death." '

(Rev 20:6)  Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.

(Rom 8:22)  For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.
(Rom 8:23)  Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

THE SECOND RESURRECTION
1 - It does not take place until after the 1,000 years are over.
Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
Rev 20:5  But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
" the Rest of the Dead " resurrection a thousand years later... We call it second as it is easier to keep track.

2 - It is a resurrection to MORTAL Life.
(Eze 37:5)  Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: "Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live.
(Eze 37:6)  I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the LORD." ' "
(Eze 37:9)  Also He said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live." ' "
(Eze 37:10)  So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.
(Eze 37:13)  Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves.
(Eze 37:14)  I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it," says the LORD.' "

3 - God will give those ion this resurrection the opportunity to receive the Holy Spirit and receive eternal life..
4 - Thou they will have a second mortal ife, they will have the ir frist opportunity for salvation.

(Eze 36:26)  I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
(Eze 36:27)  I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.
(Eze 36:28)  Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people, and I will be your God.

Deu 29:1  These are the words of the covenant which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which He made with them in Horeb.
Deu 29:2  Now Moses called all Israel and said to them: "You have seen all that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land—
Deu 29:3  the great trials which your eyes have seen, the signs, and those great wonders.
Deu 29:4  Yet the LORD has not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear, to this very day.

John 6:44

(Act 4:12)  Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
(Joh 5:28)  Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice
(Joh 5:29)  and come forth— those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. [gk. krisis - process of investigation]
vs, Krema

(Heb 9:27)  And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,
(Heb 9:28)  so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

1. krisis (G2920) primarily denotes "a separating," then, "a decision, judgment," most frequently in a forensic sense, and especially of divine "judgment." For the variety of its meanings, with references, see CONDEMNATION, B, No. 3.
Notes: (1) The Holy Spirit, the Lord said, would convict the world of (peri, "in respect of"), i.e., of the actuality of, God's "judgment," Joh_16:8, Joh_16:11. Cf. 2Th_8:5. (2) In Rom_2:5 the word dikaiokrisia, "righteous judgment," combines the adjective dikaios, "righteous," with krisis, the two words which are used separately in 2Th_1:5.
2. krima (G2917) denotes the result of the action signified by the verb krino, "to judge"; for its general significance see CONDEMNATION, B, No. 1: it is used (a) of a decision passed on the faults of others, Mat_7:2; (b) of "judgment" by man upon Christ, Luk_24:20; (c) of God's "judgment" upon men, e.g., Rom_2:2, Rom_2:3; Rom_3:8; Rom_5:16; Rom_11:33; Rom_13:2; 1Co_11:29; Gal_5:10; Heb_6:2; Jam_3:1; through Christ, e.g., Joh_9:39; (d) of the right of "judgment," Rev_20:4; (e) of a lawsuit, 1Co_6:7.
3. hemera (G2250), "a day," is translated "judgment" in 1Co_4:3, where "man's judgment" (lit., "man's day," marg.) is used of the present period in which man's mere "judgment" is exercised, a period of human rebellion against God. The adjective anthropinos, "human, belonging to man" (anthropos), is doubtless set in contrast here to kuriakos, "belonging to the Lord" (kurios, "a lord"), which is used in the phrase "the Day of the Lord," in Rev_1:10, "The Lord's Day," a period of divine judgments. See DAY.
4. gnome (G1106), primarily "a means of knowing" (akin to ginosko, "to know"), came to denote "a mind, understanding"; hence (a) "a purpose," Act_20:3, lit., "(it was his) purpose"; (b) "a royal purpose, a decree,"

(Mat 10:15)  Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!
(Mat 12:41)  The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.
(Mat 12:42)  The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.

(Rev 20:7)  Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison
(Rev 20:8)  and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea.
(Rev 20:9)  They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them.
(Rev 20:10)  The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
(Rev 20:11)  Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.
(Rev 20:12)  And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.
(Rev 20:13)  The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.

Dan 7:9  "I watched till thrones were put in place, And the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, And the hair of His head was like pure wool. His throne was a fiery flame, Its wheels a burning fire;
Dan 7:10  A fiery stream issued And came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him; Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The court was seated, And the books were opened.
The books  Ezra 6:18 of the Bible

(Rev 20:12)  And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.

Book of Life open and available to these people if they live by the instructions of the books.

(Rev 20:13)  The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.
51'


THE 3RD RESURRECTION
The "sea and death and hades delivered up resurrection"
3rd is not labeled as such in the Bible
1 - it is a resurrection TO DEATH.
2 - The unrepentant wicked are in this resurrection and they will be burned up.
3 - Thi is THE SECOND DEATH.

(Rev 20:13)  The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.
Mat 25:31  "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
Mat 25:32  All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
(Mat 25:46)  And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
58'

(Heb 10:26)  For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
(Heb 10:27)  but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.

Comments

  • Sparrow738
    Okay, I have a question. What about the people who are seeking God today but can’t figure out the truth or who still struggle with sin? F there is a second resurrection and the people who are proclaiming to be Christians and yet are basically “church hopping” and trying to find truth but end up dying before they fully come to a knowledge of the truth or struggle and fall away from the truth for any of the reasons that Jesus gave(like in the parable of the seeds)will these people who are proclaiming christians(most of the world today)have any hope? This is what I struggle with. I want to follow God but I am so confused on how to do so and have been “in and out” for years. I have begged God for wisdom but it is so hard for me to figure this out. I am autistic and I just want to follow God but there are so many teachings and doctrines and I know God is good but I feel like the person in Hebrews 4. I am repenting in things but I fall and fail and struggle. I so badly want to repent but I am more confused and scared that I will get it all wrong and end up following God wrongly and being destroyed and burned forever. I fear judgement horribly but I want God deeply.
  • Skip Miller
    Hello Chance, GOOD, sincere question! Our UCG booklets, What Happens After Death? and What Is Your Destiny? go into great detail. Perhaps you have read them. But let me see if I can help you, here and now. with a short summary: If you want the GIFT of Eternal Life you must accept Jesus as your Lord, King, and Savior. You have probably heard this before. But what does it really mean? In 1 Tim 2: 4 Paul writes that Jesus (He is the 'who') wants all (people) to be saved ! BUT the remainder of that verse says, "and to come to the knowledge of the truth." Most people, here and now, don't even acknowledge that there is A Truth. People pretty much just think that they know truth from fiction. Most do not . Some have been called and chosen Now but Most have not. They Will be given their first and ONLY chance (I like your name) after the 1000 year millennium. That will be their time. You have heard that there are 2 resurrections. That is the Bible truth of Rev 20. So, what are you going to do about it? We have ministers who will help you understand better and can work within the constraints of autism. But you need to ask for help. Write us again, Ask !
  • Edwin123
    In case of an imminent case of death and being in the process of following God’s Law and having been fasting and praying for a time or so, can you baptize yourself, is this possible ?
  • Skip Miller
    Hello Maximino, This question seems to imply that there is absolutely no way that a true minister of Jesus the Savior could be contacted to perform this important highly symbolic ceremony. If that is so (that a true minister cannot be found) I would think that our heavenly Father and His Son Jesus would understand the dilemma and accept the desire as being sufficient. But please understand, Baptism is only the beginning !!!! It is NOT as the Roman Catholic Church seems to me to teach : a "ticket into heaven." When we are baptized we have all our past sins forgiven but then we are to live a strenuous life of overcoming. Scripture does list a couple of instances that seem to be exceptions to the rule but completely immersing yourself in water to simulate Baptism seems to me to be "overboard." Please consider what I have said. UCG has ministers all over this world.
  • lauferrodney
    What happens to a person or people that long to be baptized but have not been at the time of their death? Are they doomed for the 2nd death?
  • Steve Johnson
    No. Those who have not been baptized and had hands laid upon them in order to receive the holy spirit, will definitely have their first opportunity at sometime in the future (1 Timothy 2:3-4). But if God is drawing you to Him now (John 6:44), you should seek out a true church of God minister for counseling and baptism -- and possibly be a part of the better resurrection (Hebrews 11:35).
  • Edwin123
    Well, hello everyone I Think,(I’m new here) that the question was about baptism and the possibility of not having a Minister to baptize you, and all of this, happening possibly in a very dangerous situation or so I think and not: What resurrection is better, because we all Christians in The Churches of God, know or should know which is the better resurrection. Now if you have but a very short period of time to live: Can you baptize yourself at home using the bathtub, or in any other circumstances? According to what I know ... I don’t think that this is possible, or is it? Thanks for clarifying this question, that I’m also asking. Edwin123
  • lewis
    Hello Maximino. This is an interesting question that many people think of. There is no example in the Bible of someone baptizing themselves. Even Jesus Christ was baptized by someone as an example for us. Also, after a person has repented and is baptized, an elder of the Church must lay hands on them and pray and ask God to give that person His Holy Spirit. Baptism is very personal, between an individual and God, but God work’s through people to serve other people. Jesus sent out His disciples to make more disciples and to baptized those disciples in His name. If a person baptized themselves, they are taking that authority into their own hands when it wasn’t given to them.
  • ChristopherL
    Man does nothing in your baptism unless you are ignorant and in this case it's necessary. Baptism is between God the father the Holy Spirit and yourself. This other person in a baptism is for the unknowing and ignorant for baptism. If you know already then you may baptize yourself rather than going without a baptism. In many ways it's probably more personal and spiritual, however, watch whom you speak with in churches as many will willingly condem you for doing so but remember this isn't about them it's about Christ God Holy Spirit and you. You'll know if it's ok by the Holy Spirit within. But should you feel bullied and shamed by some of the self righteous members just ask someone to do it with you and save yourself the headaches.
  • timpebworth
    If someone has not been baptized and received the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands, they cannot be in the 1st resurrection. However, I would not call being in the 2nd resurrection “doomed”. Those in the 3rd resurrection are the ones doomed as they have received, but later rejected God’s Spirit. The book of Hebrews speaks of a “better” resurrection, that is the 1st resurrection, so in that since people in the situation you describe are missing out on this better resurrection. If someone believes God is calling them, they should respond to that call with urgency.
  • djhixson
    what happens to the people made mortal in the second resurrection, do they stay mortal if they accept Christ or do they become spiritual? What about if some reject Christ?
  • timpebworth
    The Bible doesn’t outline specifics on this point, so we quickly move into the realm of speculation. We do know however from Revelation 20:12 and then verse 15 that this “second resurrection” judgment (or process of investigation) must end either with the person’s name being written in the Book of Life (which would imply a transformation from mortal life to spirit life similar to the first resurrection as described in I Thessalonians 4:17) or ultimately being thrown into the lake of fire (a fate similar to those in the third resurrection). Given that the term “second death” is used to describe the ultimate punishment by fire from which no redemption is possible, it is not likely that someone in the second resurrection would die a second time (the first time being when they first had mortal life) and then be resurrected spirit. This is such an interesting subject and one that gives me a lot of hope. Thank you for the follow-up question.
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