The Glorious Liberty of the Children of God - Part 2

Enjoying Christian Liberty

Titus 1:15 – “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.”

Three times in the New Testament, the subject of Christian liberty arises. It arises because strong Christians were enjoying their Christian liberty, and weak Christians were offended by it. In the case of Titus chapter 1, Christian liberty is seen in contrast to the commandments of men. In Romans 14 and I Corinthians 8, the subject of Christian liberty is raised in the issue of meat – whether or not Christians can eat meat that had been offered to idols.

Meat Sacrificed to Idols – I Corinthians 8

Allow me to paint a picture of what is happening in the New Testament. Some Christians purchased meat from a pagan temple. When weaker Christians saw this, they were offended. They thought that, by purchasing the meat, those Christians were taking part in idolatry. The weaker Christians were offended even more when some of the Christians would not only purchase meat from pagan temples, but they would also sit down and eat the meat inside the pagan temple (I Corinthians 8:10)!

Please note that Paul never condemns purchasing or eating meat that had been offered to idols. He doesn’t even condemn eating the meat inside of a pagan temple! As a matter of fact, Paul describes those who can eat such meat without feeling guilty as being strong. Those who feel guilty for eating such meat, however, he describes as weak (I Corinthians 8:10), having a weak conscience (I Corinthians 8:12).

Notice this. This is very important. The stricter ones – the ones who abstained from meat offered to idols – were considered to be weak Christians, while the ones who could eat of the meat without any sense of guilt were considered to be strong Christians (I Corinthians 8:7). I have seen this reversed in many churches. Some people think that they are more spiritual because they are stricter. In reality, however, the strictest are often the weakest.

Now, let us apply this to some issues of Christian liberty that are prevalent in today’s church. Today, we are not concerned with meat sacrificed to idols, but there are some issues with which the church today must deal. I get tickled when I look on Facebook, and someone announces that they are deleting their Facebook account in order to be more spiritual. There are actually preachers who preach that having a Facebook account is wrong. Some preach the same about the internet, claiming that it is a sin for an individual to access the internet. Though there are many issues with which I could deal, let me deal with the issue of Facebook as an example.

Let us use the principles found in I Corinthians 8, and apply those principles to the internet and Facebook in particular. Like the meat offered to idols, the internet and Facebook are not sinful in themselves. You may say, “Some people get on Facebook to gossip.” I say, “Some people don't get on Facebook to gossip!” It is a sin to be a talebearer (gossiper) either on or off Facebook. But if a person gets on Facebook to gossip, then Facebook is not the problem; gossip is the problem! I do acknowledge that anyone with a Facebook account ought to access Facebook with caution. People have met old acquaintances on Facebook and ended up shattering a family with adultery. But even then, Facebook is not the problem. The problem lies in the heart of the individual who is accessing a Facebook account. In Paul’s day, it was no doubt a sin to engage in idolatry (as it is today). If eating meat offered to idols caused one to worship an idol, then the meat was not the problem; idolatry was the problem! Strong Christians could eat the meat without any guilt because they had no idolatry in their hearts. And strong Christians can have a Facebook account without misbehaving.

You see, weak Christians in Paul’s day were stricter than the strong Christians. They deprived themselves liberties that Christ had given them. They had the liberty to eat any meat, whether it had been sacrificed to an idol or not. This is because, as strong Christians understood, an idol is nothing. Strong Christians knew that false gods are powerless figments of their worshippers’ imaginations. Because of this, it didn’t matter whether the meat was sacrificed to those idols or not. Paul explains this in I Corinthians 8:4-6. Paul goes on to say that those who do not know that an idol is nothing, and consequently refuse to eat meat sacrificed to idols, are the ones with a weak conscience.

This brings me to another point about the weak Christians in the Corinthian church. The Corinthian epistle was the only New Testament epistle that addressed the gift of tongues. When it came to the gifts of the Spirit, the Corinthians claimed to be spiritual. Yet, they were the most unspiritual church in the New Testament. They were divided instead of united (chapter 1); they were carnal (chapter 3); there was fornication among them (chapter 5); they were taking each other to civil court (chapter 6); they had issues concerning marriage (chapter 7); they had weak Christians who condemned themselves for eating meat sacrificed to idols (chapter 8); they had an authority problem (chapter 11); and they were devoid of teaching regarding the Lord’s supper (chapter 11). The same ones who showed how much “Holy Ghost power” they had by speaking in tongues didn’t have enough power to eat a slab of meat because it was offered to a powerless, pagan idol. And my, do we find this today! The ones who claim to have the most “Holy Ghost power” are some of the strictest ones. They abstain from everything! They can’t go somewhere if sinners are there. They can’t go to a restaurant that serves alcohol. I am convinced that Paul, who didn’t mind eating meat in a pagan temple (I Corinthians 8:10), wouldn’t mind eating a meal at Texas Roadhouse. But some can’t go to a place like that. Where’s all that Holy Ghost power they talk about? If they had real Holy Ghost power, they would be able to go to the gates of hell to win souls and not worry about being contaminated by the sins of others! But, like the Corinthians, they don’t have the power like they think they do! Since someone needs to say it, I’ll go ahead and say it – if you do not have enough power to get on Facebook without gossiping or committing adultery, then your power is pretty useless.

Now, let me go ahead and tighten this on down. It is clear that the strong Christians were the ones who could eat the meat sacrificed to idols. It was the weak Christians who could not do so, lest they defiled their conscience. I have brought this out several times in several different settings. I have had people, in defending their strict lifestyle, brag about how weak they are. Now, it sounds humble to hear someone talk about how weak they are. But Paul was not commending the Corinthians for being weak. It was a sharp rebuke when the Hebrew writer told the Hebrews that they should have been strong enough to teach the principles of God, but instead were weak and needed milk. When a Christian admits to being weak, they are admitting to being disobedient to God. We are commanded in Ephesians 6:10 – “Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.” You’re not supposed to be weak; you’re supposed to be strong! And if you claim to be filled with the Holy Ghost, you above all others should be strong! You should be strong enough to go around sinners without being defiled! You should be strong enough to get on Facebook without sinning! You should be strong enough to win souls in the red light district! You should be strong enough to go to a wicked workplace and live for God! You shouldn’t have to abstain from everything in the world if you are as strong as you should be!

One more point before I move on. What about these preachers who preach that Facebook is a sin? What about those who refuse to have a Facebook account, thinking that they are more spiritual because of their abstinence? Let me say that the Bible gives a clear answer regarding them. What about the weak Christians who refused to eat meat sacrificed to idols? Were they better off? NOT ONE BIT! Look at what Paul says regarding the weak Christians who thought they were spiritual by abstaining from meats:

I Corinthians 8:8 – “But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.”

Meat is not the problem! Idolatry is the problem! If you can eat the meat without partaking in idolatry, have at it! You were no more spiritual for eating or for rejecting the meat! That’s the Bible answer. You may think you’re spiritual because you have no Facebook account. I am here to tell you that it doesn’t make you one bit spiritual to either have or delete a Facebook account.

Now, how do I feel personally about ministers who abstain from Facebook, thinking they are more spiritual as a result of it? Or those ministers who abstain from restaurants that serve alcohol? First of all, I feel that they will stand before God for themselves. They can do whatever butters their bread. Do I commend them for abstaining from things that are not sinful to start with? No. I don’t admire them; I don’t look up to them. To be truthful, I pity them. I feel badly for them because they have such elementary understanding (if any) of the Biblical doctrine of Christian liberty. Please note that I do not hate such ministers. But I am convinced that their abstinence from “meat” does not make them one bit spiritual, whether or not they think it does. On the contrary, it betrays the fact that they are weak when they have been commanded to be strong.

Conclusion

When a person loves the Lord with all their heart, they want to draw close to Him. However, instead of drawing close to God in a Biblical manner (prayer, the word of God, attending church, soul winning, etc.), many times they try to get closer to God by giving up “things.” However, these people often show their instability when they do this. They get rid of Facebook for a while, and then they get back on. They abstain from the internet for a while, and then they get hooked back up. What would end the turmoil and instability is an understanding of Titus 1:15:

Titus 1:15 – “Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.”

Unto the pure all “things” are pure. You can clearly see that “things” are not the problem. If you want to draw closer to God, then getting rid of “things” is not the way to go. Seek God in prayer and in His word. Now, if God instructs you to get rid of anything, then do it by all means. “Things” in themselves are tools that can be used for either good or evil. In context, Titus 1 is speaking of “commandments of men” (Titus 1:14). Getting rid of “things,” such as meat offered to idols, a Facebook account, or a restaurant that sells alcohol, are often the result of “commandments of men.”

Please understand that these principles found in I Corinthians 8 regarding meat offered to idols may apply to a lot of issues, not just Facebook or restaurants that serve alcohol. I only used these issues as examples because they are familiar to some with which I am acquainted. They can apply to nearly any issue where someone preaches a particular behavior to be a sin though the Bible does not condemn such. These principles apply to preachers who think they are spiritual because they do not wear a necktie; Christians who think they are spiritual because they abstain from putting up a Christmas tree; and on and on the list could go.

Also, please note that I am not angry with any of you who simply do not wish to have a Facebook page or go to a restaurant that serves alcohol. If you abstain from such because it makes you feel more spiritual, then I wish you the best. I say that with an honest heart. I only ask that you realize that you have more liberty in Christ than you are enjoying. Consequently, I ask you to refrain from doing as the false teachers of which Paul spoke who “came to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 2:4). If you are going to forfeit your liberty in Christ, please do not grow ill toward us who choose to enjoy our liberty in Christ.

It would be beneficial if preachers today would stop treating symptoms and start treating the root of the problem. If a pastor has a man in his church who met someone on Facebook and split up that person’s family, I wish that pastor would advise the man to delete his adulterous heart instead of advising him to delete his Facebook account. Many preachers who spend their time preaching against “things” usually miss the weightier matters of the heart. Unto the pure all “things” are pure.

In Romans 14, the subject of meat and Christian liberty is again the subject of discussion. In verse 22, Paul says, “Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.” If there is no Bible that declares it to be a sin, God said you are happy person if you can partake of it without any sense of guilt. This is the liberty of which God wants His children to partake.

Counting My Blessings

The way to be thankful is to be “thinkful.” Dr. Curtis Hutson said, “The more you think, the more thankful you will be. So, the folks who are not thankful don’t think much.” I have been thinking, and it has prompted me to give thanks. Allow me to briefly give a few things in life for which I sincerely thank God.

1. First and foremost, I am thankful for the salvation of my soul. Along with this, let me say that I am thankful that, when I was lost, I learned the truth regarding salvation. You can ask the next ten people how to be saved and go to heaven, and you will get fifteen different answers. Some say that observing sacraments is the way to be saved (and even then, you do not know for sure whether or not salvation has been attained). Others say that salvation is a process of saying a prayer, being baptized, and joining a certain church. Others say that one must repent of one’s sins, be baptized, and speak in tongues in order to be saved. Some cling to law-keeping, commandment-keeping, and a system of good works for salvation. There are many churches, but very few know soup beans from apple butter about the Biblical manner of salvation. I am thankful that, as a boy, I attended a church that preached the unadulterated gospel of Jesus Christ. That pastor preached that all that was needed to secure my salvation was provided by Jesus Christ. He preached that I could perform no single work of my own to receive salvation; I must fully trust Christ’s finished work to be saved. I placed all my faith in Jesus Christ, and because of His shed blood, my sins are paid in full. The moment I placed my faith in Christ, I “believed on Jesus Christ” and was saved in a moment’s time! My salvation is solely in Jesus Christ! Christ is my Saviour! In the word of God, Jesus said, “He that believeth on me hath everlasting life” (John 6:47). John the Baptist said, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life” (John 3:36). John the apostle said, “But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31). Peter said, “Whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins” (Acts 10:43). Paul said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). The only way I could die today and not be saved is if the word of God is false or if the blood of Jesus Christ turns out to be insufficient. That’s why I won’t lose any sleep tonight worrying about my salvation! I thank God for His unspeakable gift!
2. I am thankful for the assurance of salvation. I won’t spend a lot of time here, but I must speak of it. I am thankful that, not only am I saved, but I know it! When God blessed me with salvation, He also blessed me with a good dose of assurance! Suppose an angel was to come to me tonight and say, “Bob, I just came from heaven. I just looked into the Lamb’s book of life, and your name is not found there.” I have all the right in the world to look that angel in the eye and tell him that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about! God’s word says I’m saved! If an angel from heaven tells me otherwise, I am instructed by scripture to let that angel be accursed (Galatians 1:8)! I’m not only saved by the grace of God, but I know it, and there’s not an angel from heaven or a devil from hell that can convince me otherwise.
3. I am thankful that God has met every material need in my life. I have a comfortable place to live. Every time I am hungry, I always have plenty to eat. I do not know what it is to have to go to bed hungry. When I wake up in the mornings, I have plenty of clean clothes from which to choose to wear. On Sunday mornings, it is not an issue of whether or not I have a suit to wear, but which suit I wear becomes the question. I must decide if I will wear a brown pair of dress shoes or a black pair. When it is time to go somewhere, I have a vehicle to drive (that is paid for). When bills are due, I have always been able to sit down and write a (good) check to pay for them!
4. I am thankful for friends and family. Having attended many funerals and conducted many of them, I know how fragile life can be. I know firsthand that just because someone in my family is here this year is no indication that they will be here next year. It may be dismal, but it makes me thankful for the friends and family in my life.
5. I am thankful that both my parents are yet living. I know of some who have buried a parent who was younger than my parents are. I hate that anyone has ever had to bury their parents, but I am thankful that my parents are alive and well.
6. I am thankful for my health. I do not have congestive heart failure; I do not have diabetes; I do not have high cholesterol; I do not have a terminal illness. I have a strong heart and strong lungs. Again, I know that I am better than no one who may not be as blessed in the area of health. But I am compelled to stop and give thanks to the One who sustains me.
7. I am thankful for my physical senses. I am glad that when I open my eyes, I can see. I am thankful that I am able to walk and talk. Though it is impaired, I thank God for my hearing. As I type this, I am enjoying instrumental music. Not everyone is able to enjoy the gift of sound. I would be sinning to enjoy the use of my ears without thanking God.
8. I am thankful for my congregation. Serving as pastor has its challenges, but it sure makes it easier when you have good people to pastor.
9. I am thankful for my library. I own a good collection of books. I do not know how many I have because I am always buying them. I have a good collection of books on my shelves, books on my laptop, and books on my Kindle Fire. Among the genres of books I have are commentary, reference, history, biography, sermon books, and a small handful of fiction. If all I had was a Bible, there’s no doubt I would enjoy good fellowship with God. But how my life has been enriched because of good reading material!
10. I am thankful for Facebook. It has been a source of blessing in my life. Because of Facebook, I have been able to connect with people from the past; many of which I would have most likely never seen or heard from again. It has been a blessing to connect with former classmates, former teachers, and people whom I have met in my travels. It has been a blessing to keep up with the lives of many friends through the means of Facebook.

There are many other blessings for which I could give thanks. But for the sake of time, I will conclude. Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

Psalm 100:4 – “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.”

The Glorious Liberty of the Children of God - Part 1

The Fact of Christian Liberty

Romans 8:21 – “Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.”

Introduction

In our text, Paul speaks explicitly of the “glorious liberty of the children of God.” It is a fact that God’s children have liberty. The next few posts have been born out of a concern for so many Christians who have liberty, but thinking it to be a mark of spirituality, they forfeit their Christian liberty. This forfeiting of Christian liberty originates often out of a heart that loves God. They love God so much that they desire to be close to Him. However, since they do not know how to draw close to God, they get rid of “things,” cease to take part in various activities, delete their Facebook accounts, and put restraints on themselves – restraints that are neither instructed nor commanded by the scripture. The “things” they are giving up to get closer to God are not sinful; but because it makes them feel spiritual, they strip away their own liberty. However, as we will see later, stripping away your own liberty does not make you any more spiritual than the one who enjoys his liberty. As a matter of fact, the Christian who enjoys his liberty is referred to as the strong Christian; the Christian who condemns himself unnecessarily is considered the weak Christian.

Some who are reading this right now are already objecting to my words because they have stripped themselves of their Christian liberty, and they do not want anyone else to have liberty either. But the liberty we have in Christ was given to us to enjoy. When the apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, he instructed Timothy to charge them that are rich not to trust in their riches, but rather to trust in the living God. He then reminds Timothy that God richly gives us all things to enjoy (I Timothy 6:17). It is hard for those who constantly strip themselves of their liberty to enjoy anything! But God richly gives us all things to enjoy!

Of course, when I speak of Christian liberty, I am not speaking of liberty to sin. As for the individual who hears the term “Christian liberty” and automatically assumes that liberty to sin is what is meant, that person does not know anything about the Biblical doctrine of Christian liberty. So, what is meant by the term “Christian liberty”? Let us see.

Liberty from What?

It is interesting that, on the day of Pentecost, Peter quoted from the prophet Joel. Toward the end of Joel’s prophecy, Peter quotes it this way – “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:21). In the book of Joel, however, Joel records a slightly different wording. Joel writes, “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be delivered” (Joel 2:32). Now, there is no contradiction here at all. Calling upon the name of the Lord brings salvation, and that salvation is deliverance – a setting free.

Real, Biblical salvation is deliverance. Those who have been saved have been set free! But the question now arises – set free from what? There is a host of various types of bondage from which the Christian has been set free – and these freedoms compose the sum of what is meant by the phrase “Christian liberty.”

First, it must be noted that the man who is saved by the grace of God is delivered from the bondage of corruption. Our text, Romans 8:21, speaks of the creation itself which shall one day be delivered from the bondage of corruption. Believers have already enjoyed such deliverance. When I was born the first time, I was born of corruptible seed. I was born of the flesh. The seed of which I was conceived was a corruptible seed. I was first born of a seed that is capable of dying – and this flesh will one day die. However, when I was born again, my inner man was born of an incorruptible seed – a seed that will never die. Therefore, my inner man will never die. This is called everlasting life. The liberty that the creation of God will one day enjoy is a liberty that the children of God already enjoy – the liberty from the bondage of corruption. Our text calls this liberty THE GLORIOUS LIBERTY OF THE CHILDREN OF GOD!

Second, the child of God is delivered from the Law of Moses. Romans 7:6 declares, “But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.” Many Christians do not enjoy this freedom. They say and believe that they are under the Old Testament law. The law could never give life (Galatians 3:21). The law condemns, declaring guilt (Romans 3:19). Therefore, those who are under the law are under its guilt and condemnation. You cannot have it both ways. You cannot be bound to the law and yet be free from its guilt and condemnation. Such a state does not exist. The only way to be free from the guilt and condemnation of the law is to be free from the law itself. And such liberty has been granted to the Christian.

Third, the Christian is delivered from not only the law, but also the curse that the law brings. Galatians 3:13 says, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.” Three verses earlier, Paul defines the curse of which he is speaking – “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” Those who are under the law are under the curse (Galatians 3:10). And the curse is defined as the obligation to keep the whole law. Everyone I know who claims to be under the law picks and chooses what portion of the law they want to keep and what portion they want to say is fulfilled in Christ. The very law they say they are under does not permit them to do this! The very law they claim to keep says that they are under the whole law or none at all! I do not have to keep the whole because Christ kept the whole law, delivering me from the law and its curse.

Fourth, Christians are delivered from the fear of death. Hebrews 2:15 says, “And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” I do not know of a greater bondage than living in fear of death. What a blessing to know that, since I have been saved, I have no need to fear death. It will be better on the other side of death than it is on this side! Only Christians have this assurance.

Fifth, Christians are delivered from sin. Matthew 1:21 says, “And thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins.” Romans 6:18 says, “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” Unfortunately, many who have had an experience from the wells of salvation do not enjoy the freedom from sin. Many Christians stumble, often repeatedly, over the same obstacles. They spend their lives getting what appears to be victory over a sinful habit, only to succumb to its temptation yet again. I would tell such a believer that this does not have to be the story of your Christian walk. There is victory over sin!

Sixth, the children of God find in their salvation deliverance from men. Though many Christians do not enjoy this liberty, it is available to the redeemed. I Corinthians 9:19 says, “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.” Paul made himself a servant to all men, but only to win souls. Outside of winning souls, Paul was bound to no man. No man controlled what Paul preached. Unlike Matthias, Paul was not chosen by man to be an apostle (Galatians 1:1). Paul was not interested in pleasing man. Every believer has the right to enjoy this liberty. Although we should submit to the authority of man so long as it does not interfere with the authority of God (Romans 13:5), when it comes to the Christian life, we should seek to please God. It is noteworthy that, when the issue of Christian liberty arises in the New Testament, it is most always because weak Christians condemned themselves because they had broken one of the commandments of men. We will look at this further in the next post.

Last, in the package of salvation comes deliverance from this present, evil world. Look at Galatians 1:4 – “Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father.” Many Christians know little of separation from the world. The man who has been saved is a new creature in Christ, and should be different from the world around them. As a Christian, you should not look like the world. As a Christian, you should not behave as those in the world. You should not sorrow as those in the world sorrow. You should not pattern yourself after the world’s heroes. You should not entertain yourself with God-hating, Christ-hating, church-hating entertainment. Do you wish to be a soul winner? Do you wish to win your family to Christ? You will never do it until you live separated from the world. If you’re in the same muck they’re in, you have nothing to which to win them. Jude said in Jude 22, “And of some have compassion, making a difference.” Do you want to make a difference? You will never make a difference if you’re not different. Liberty from the pull of this world is available to, and should be enjoyed by, every Christian!

Simple Truths Regarding the Resurrection

1. By “the resurrection,” I am speaking of Christ’s resurrection from the dead, as well as the final resurrection of saints and sinners. The physical bodies of every saint and sinner will be resurrected, or brought to life again.
2. The resurrection is clearly taught in the Old Testament. In Psalm 16:10, David prophesies concerning the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Job prophesies concerning the bodily resurrection of the saints in Job 19:25-26 – “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.” It is no wonder that Martha told the Lord that, though her brother Lazarus had died, she expected to see him again “in the resurrection at the last day” (John 11:24).
3. Jesus Christ, after having died, was buried. Three days after His burial, Christ rose again from the dead. His resurrection was physical, meaning that the same physical body that died and was buried was the same physical body that resurrected. After Christ resurrected, the disciples believed that the resurrected Christ was just a spirit, as the Jehovah’s Witnesses claim. Christ, however, corrected them, saying, “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have” (Luke 24:39).
4. Because Christ’s resurrection from the dead was a physical, bodily resurrection, believers will experience a physical, bodily resurrection from the dead, as our physical bodies will be changed into a body like His body (Philippians 3:21).
5. Christ taught that believers experience a spiritual resurrection when they believe. In John 5:25, Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” From this, it is clear that some who are dead (in trespasses and sins; Ephesians 2:1) will hear the voice of the Son of God, and live.
6. Christ, also in John 5, taught the physical resurrection of every individual. In John 5:28-29, Jesus said, “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 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.”
7. Between the first resurrection and the second resurrection is a period of one thousand years (Revelation 20:1-6).
8. When speaking of the physical resurrection of all men, Christ said it this way in John 5:28-29 – “The hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth.” Since Christ stated that all men would be resurrected in a certain hour that is coming, some have concluded that both the just and the unjust will resurrect simultaneously. This is not so. A few verses earlier, in John 5:25, when speaking of the spiritual resurrection of believers, Christ stated that “the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” Let me ask a question. As for this “hour” in which people hear the voice of the Son of God and live, how long has this “hour” lasted? Those who lived during Christ’s time lived in that “hour,” and that “hour” is still going today. Those who hear His voice today are still resurrected from the death of trespasses and sins. As for the spiritual resurrection of believers, the “hour” in which “they that hear shall live” has spanned more than two thousand years. And, all believers who have passed from death unto life did not do so simultaneously. Therefore, as for the physical resurrection of all men, it is no contradiction to believe that there is a thousand years between the resurrection of life and the resurrection of damnation. Revelation 20 clearly teaches that the resurrection of life and the resurrection of damnation will occur at different times, not simultaneously.
9. The individuals who believe in a “general resurrection,” or the resurrection of all men simultaneously, have great difficulty with Luke 14:14, where Christ said, “And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.” Listen to what Christ said – “Thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.” If the just and the unjust are raised simultaneously, then Christ’s statement is senseless. Since I believe that none of Christ’s statements are senseless, I must believe that the just and unjust must be raised at different times. If the just and the unjust are raised together, it would have made much more sense for Christ to speak simply of being recompensed at the resurrection. Instead, Christ specifies which resurrection at which we will be recompensed – the resurrection of the just.
10. In I Thessalonians 4, Paul the apostle speaks of the rapture of the church and the resurrection of the righteous that occurs at that time. In I Thessalonians 4:16-17 – “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: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” In this passage, the “dead in Christ,” that is, those saved individuals who have died, will rise first. Then, we Christians who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air. Not one mention is made of unbelievers. Very odd indeed, if in fact believers and unbelievers are raised from the dead together. One may object that the context of the immediate passage is concerning the rapture of the church, and since the rapture does not concern the lost, Paul would naturally speak only of the saved. However, if the saved and the lost are raised simultaneously at the rapture, then the rapture would concern the lost, for they, too, would be raised from the dead at that time. Hence, Paul’s statement that the “dead in Christ shall rise first” would be senseless and inaccurate: senseless, because it makes no sense to specify the “dead in Christ” if the unsaved dead are raised at the same time; and inaccurate, because it would not only be the “dead in Christ” that are raised from the dead at the time of the rapture, but the unsaved dead as well. Paul’s use of the term “dead in Christ” shows that the unsaved dead are not raised at the same time as the “dead in Christ.” Someone else may object that Paul is writing to a church, and would therefore only speak of the rapture as it relates to the church. There would be no need, then, to mention the lost in a discourse addressed to a church. This objection is unsubstantiated because, just a few verses later, Paul speaks of the lost in regard to the day of the Lord, saying that “they shall not escape” (I Thessalonians 5:3). He goes on to speak of those who “sleep in the night” and those who “are drunken in the night” (I Thessalonians 5:7). When Paul speaks of the day of the Lord in chapter five, he has no trouble mentioning the lost, because they will “not escape” the day of the Lord, as it will come upon them suddenly. He does not mention any resurrection of the unsaved in chapter four because, at the rapture, only the “dead in Christ” will be resurrected.
11. When the saved are resurrected, we will go to the judgment seat of Christ to be “recompensed at the resurrection of the just” (Luke 14:14; Romans 14:10; I Corinthians 3:11-15; II Corinthians 5:10). When the lost are resurrected, they will go to the great white throne judgment to be judged. Their final destiny is the lake of fire, which is the second death (Revelation 20:11-15).
12. The most important aspect of the study of the resurrection is to remember, first, that the resurrection of the just is a resurrection to eternal life; and second, that the resurrection of the unjust is a resurrection to damnation (John 5:29). The only way to avoid the condemnation of the resurrection of the unjust is to believe on Jesus Christ for salvation. In John 5:24, Jesus promised that those who believe on Him need never fear the condemnation of the second resurrection – “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” Winning souls to the resurrection of the just should the priority of every Christian. Rather than arguing with amillennialists about a general resurrection, why not contend with the lost regarding their souls? If they die lost, it won’t matter when they come out of the graves; but it will matter that they will eternally condemned to die forever in the lake of fire.