Quickening and Resurrections (Part 3)

Maybe people don’t understand death. Death is the continuing experience of a soul that is infected with sin and the resulting penalty. IT IS NOT EXTINCTION. A physical death is a change of location whereby a soul enters into a different world of one kind or another. When Jesus referred to death He said this about sinners; their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched. Mark 9:48 People that have not served God in the correct way will live in torture and anguish forever. Death is the place where people are held until Judgment Day. No one wants to be held for judgment because we know how bad we are naturally. In Revelation we read that there is a “second” death.  See Rev 20:14 People will be taken out of the first death for judgment and then many of them will be placed into the second death of eternal condemnation. This terrible place is even worse than Hell is today. Scripture says that the fire will never be extinguished and it is punishment without end. We must help people to understand that the life they are living today will determine their place in eternity.

The Old Testament believers that entered death before the Christian era will be totally (body and soul) resurrected after waiting until the last days of this world. The Scriptures say that the first (in death) will be last (to live again). See Matt 19:30 This is why Hebrews talks about the fear of these people. Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. Heb 2:14,15 The reason Christians don’t fear death is because we don’t enter it. When they lay our body in the ground our soul simply sleeps in the Lord. Someday in the rapture our body will stand up as a super body. Our sanctified soul/spirit will be joined with it for eternity. Not only was sin and death destroyed by Jesus after entering death for us but He destroyed the power of the Devil himself. After judgment day the Devil will be chained in torment forever. How wonderful that Satan cannot rebuild death again because his power over us has been broken.

Scriptures actually talk about the reason Christians have such a special place among the children of God. Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits (a gathering of the earliest part of a crop) of those who have fallen asleep.(in Him)…  ²² For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.  ²³ But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 1 Cor 15:20-23 We will be the first part of a harvest that God is raising as His own family. The Christians are gathered first on rapture day and then at a later time Jesus will return to earth for the remaining believers. Note: There are three firstfruits in the New Testament. First Jesus himself, second Christians of the rapture, third the 144,000 male Jews. Actually, Christians are only a “kind” of firstfruits. The Scripture says; He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. James 1:18  This is true because we are “in” Jesus Christ who was the firstfruit of all the redeemed. At the end of time there will be a resurrection day for all those that were not in the rapture with Jesus Christ. The last resurrection will bring people “out” of their earthly death.

The firstfruits of another resurrection consist of a 144,000 Jewish men. See Rev 7:4 These special men are talked about several times in the Revelations of John. For example; They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. Rev 20:5 This is the first resurrection to take place after the rapture of all Christians. The standing-up of this firstfruit is at the beginning of the 1000 years and the final resurrection is at the end of the world. These men’s lives are described in more detail in another place; No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they kept themselves pure. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. Rev 14:3,4 These firstfruits are harvested from the nation of Israel as God fulfills His promises to the nation He selected as His own from the beginning.  

How privileged the Spirit-filled person is because they do not need to enter death. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice and now he is the perfect source of eternal life. Our Savior lives today in Heaven and is always helping his friends to become a part of life eternal. Jesus satisfied the Father during His stay on earth; Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered  ⁹ and, once made perfect,(then) he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him  ¹⁰ and was designated by God to be high priest Heb 5:8-10 Salvation is provided by our perfect High Priest and Jesus lives in us by the Spirit. This is a wonderful time to become a believer. Jesus Christ is alive and well on his throne in Heaven and at the same time, He lives in us by the Spirit. In effect, our soul/spirit was resurrected the day we became born-again. The Bible says; Since, then, you have been raised (quickened) with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  ² Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  ³ For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  ⁴ When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Col 3:1-4

Yes, it is true, we (as a soul) are already resurrected if we are born again. Christians will bi-pass the entrance to spiritual death because of Jesus Christ. We only wait to be brought into the glory of God. It is possible to meet the chosen ones of God today and find a fellowship that is really out of this world. That’s because a life that is lived under the power of the Spirit can easily join with others in the same Spirit.. ¹⁴ We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. ²³ And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.  ²⁴ Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us: We know it by the Spirit he gave us. 1 John 3:14,23 God’s Spirit joins with our soul and we become a part of the body of Jesus Christ. How much do you love other Christians? Hopefully, we love them enough to know that we have not remained in death.  

Salvation is not simply about forgiveness of our sins. It is also about the life of Christ that dwells in us. For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Ro 5:10   This verse is very important to people of faith because it includes everything Jesus has done on our behalf. Everything in the perfect life of Jesus can be brought into us if we have faith. There are many places telling people how the life of God’s son saves us from death. It must be our soul first and then our body later. John really sums it up;  God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.  ¹² He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. 1 John 5:11 To “be in” Jesus Christ results in the eternal life of our body and soul. Christians do not enter death we simply wait or sleep until our bodies are gathered when Jesus comes for us.