Ancient stone shelter overlooking a valley at sunset

The Resurrection of Life: Hope for Believers

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Ancient stone shelter overlooking a valley at sunset

For true Christians, this is what we’ve been waiting for!

We’ll be changed in a moment! Then we will have heavenly bodies.

But most importantly, we’ll see Yeshua face to face in all of His glory!

Glory to God!

According to Scripture, the resurrection of the just, also called the resurrection of life, occurs at Christ’s coming! (This is commonly called the rapture, but Yeshua referred to it as the resurrection of the just! (Luke 14:14)

1COR 15:23 But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.

VICTORY over DEATH

Christ defeated death as He was the firstfruits, the first one to be resurrected and changed from His earthly body into a heavenly body where He could appear at will and seemingly walk between walls. (Luke 24:36-39; John 20:26) Christ was the firstfruits. Then we should have a similar celestial body!

1COR 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell 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 trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will 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 has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

Other people, such as Lazarus, had been resurrected but not changed into their heavenly bodies. The saints who passed on into glory are also waiting for this event.

1THES 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. 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.

Spiritually, we, born-again believers, are in Christ. We are “seated in heavenly places” (EPH 2:6) even now but this is our spirits, not our soon-to-be new celestial bodies.

And this will occur on some glorious Feast of Trumpets in the future.

Two Choices

JOHN 5:28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 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.

ACTS 24:15 I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust.

CHOICE #1 – the Resurrection of Life

When one accepts Christ into his heart, that is a good choice, the best!

JOHN 6:29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”

It is not a matter of how good you try to be, because we have all sinned. Christ paid the penalty for our sins. Yet, it is as if you never sinned because it is forgotten!

ISA 43:25 “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins.

PSA 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

So believers in Christ are destined for the resurrection of life for we are His elect.

MATT 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. 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 20:5 … This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection.

CHOICE #2 – the Resurrection of Condemnation – the Second Death

The unfortunate unbelievers who were not willing to come to the LORD for forgiveness, will be judged for their sins and evil. This would be at the end of the Millennium.

(When reading this, be mindful that the believers will be alive and with Christ! 1THES 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.)

REV 20:5 But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. … 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. 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. 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. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

I wouldn’t want to be judged for my works, no matter how good they are! For we have all sinned. Thank God, that my sins are forgiven!

So which resurrection do you choose? I pray the one where we will be eternally with Christ!

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More relevant Scriptures:

DAN 12:9 And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. 10 Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.

Yeshua explains the Parable of the Tares

MATT 13:37 He [Yeshua] answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. 39 The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. 40 Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age. 41 The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, 42 and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

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