Understanding the Resurrection
Resurrection from the dead is a fundamental tenet of the Christian faith. The doctrine of the resurrection is rooted in the Old Testament; but it is central to the Christian belief system. Simply put, without the resurrection from the dead, there is no Christianity. Without the resurrection, the Christian’s faith is vain and warrants pity (1 Cor 15:17, 19).
The Gospel of Jesus Christ, in its most basic form, is presented by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:3–4. The whole chapter details the doctrine of the resurrection as no other section of the Bible. The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is the heart of the Gospel of God. Remove any one of those parts, or even distort any one of them, and one is faced with false Christianity. Sound doctrine is imperative.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ came first. He is the first of humanity to die, be buried, and rise from the dead with indestructible life (Heb 7:16). The glorified body of Jesus Christ is the prototype. The Corinthian church was not as troubled by Jesus’ resurrection life and body as they were confused about their own resurrection from the dead, to occur on the last day at the glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ (Jn 5:28–29).
During His earthly ministry, Jesus taught much on this subject. The promise of His own resurrection was complemented by His promise to raise His own people in the resurrection to life. At this future event, the last day, the dead who died in Christ will be summoned by the trumpet and voice of the archangel (1 Thess 4:16). In a twinkling of an eye, having been gathered by angels from the ends of the earth (Mt 24:31), the elect will be caught up together and unto the Lord (1 Thess 4:17).
The imperishable, glorified body of each elect soul will be conjoined to the glorified soul, who has been with the Lord since the death of the perishable body. When a Christian dies, his or her soul separates from the body of death. The soul of the Christian never dies because it was granted eternal life, manifest at the moment of regeneration, when the Holy Spirit caused the redeemed soul to be born again of God (Jn 3:1–8; Eph 1:13; 1 Pet 1:3).
At the separation (death of the body), the body returns to the dust. The soul goes to be with Christ (Phil 1:23), who is seated in the heavenlies (Eph 2:6). This is very much better than staying on in the failing body of sin. For this reason, death has lost its sting because the sting of death is sin (1 Cor 15:55–56). The Christian’s last enemy, death, was defeated at the cross of Calvary. Resurrection hope of resurrection life abounds for the believer in Jesus.
Having defeated all of His enemies at Golgotha, Jesus rose from the dead, victorious over death, rulers and authorities, principalities and powers, the devil and all demons, along with the world system operating in rebellion against the rule and reign of King Jesus, the King of glory (Ps 24; 1 Tim 6:15).
The Christian hope of eternal life, in glorified bodies that will never die, finds its source in the promises of the Word of God, the Holy Bible. Early followers of Jesus did not conjure resurrection doctrine with their vivid imaginations. Rather, resurrection was revealed in both the written Word and in the living Word of God, who is Christ Jesus, our Lord.
Resurrection life had over 500 living witnesses when Jesus departed His burial tomb, provided by the wealthy Joseph of Arimathea. The risen Lord Jesus was seen by hundreds, including His core group of disciples on multiple occasions. His ministry between His resurrection and subsequent ascension into heaven provided ample encounters at the garden tomb, in Jerusalem, on the road to Emmaus, and at the shore of the Sea of Galilee.
The fact is that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead (1 Cor 15:4). He has ascended into heaven. He has been enthroned at the right hand of God the Father. He reigns over all, with all rule and authority (Mt 28:18; Eph 1:15–23). He is coming again to judge the world, which is operating in open rebellion against Him. He will judge the living and the dead (2 Tim 4:1; 1 Pet 4:5), for it is appointed once for a man to die and then comes the judgment (Heb 9:27). His kingdom is eternal (2 Pet 1:11).
The second coming of King Jesus will occur on the last day when He descends from heaven with His angels and saints. All those who were ever conceived in their mother’s womb will be resurrected with bodies that will live forever. Two very different body types will be manifest in the universal resurrection from the dead. The two groups of bodies, then conjoined with eternal souls will undergo a separation, as taught by Jesus Himself, the sheep on His right, the goats on His left will all appear at His judgment seat (2 Cor 5:10; Rev 20:11).
The goats/tares/children of the devil will be sentenced by Judge Jesus, who will declare to them, “Depart from Me, you workers of iniquity.” God hates those who do iniquity (Ps 5:5; 7:11; 11:5), which is why their eternal home is outer darkness in the lake of fire (Eccl 12:5; Rev 20:14–15). The sentence includes eternal punishment for those vessels of wrath which were prepared for destruction (Mt 25:46; Jude 7; Rom 9:22). There will be conscious torment, weeping and gnashing of teeth. His is a righteous judgment and a just punishment.
The sheep/wheat/children of God will always be with the Lord (1 Thess 4:17). We will see Him face to face; and we will be like Him in glory (1 Jn 3:2). Our eternal home will be void of sin, mourning, death, crying, separation, and the corruptions propagated by Satan, our adversary. The resurrection life is eternal life in Christ. He is in New Jerusalem, the city of God, which will descend from heaven to the new creation of a new earth (Rev 21–22). Heavenly Zion will approach the earth as a bride in all her beauty approaches her groom on their wedding day.
All of this is the resurrection hope revealed in the Bible for God’s chosen people to know and to understand (Col 3:12; 2 Tim 2:7). Our gracious God has sent His Spirit to grant us a foretaste of resurrection by means of regeneration (Jn 3:1–8; Eph 1:13; 1 Pet 1:3). He has made us (our souls) alive together with Christ (Eph 2:5; Col 2:13). This is the new, abundant, and eternal life which is ours in Christ Jesus (Jn 10:10; Rom 6:4; 2 Cor 5:17; 1 Jn 5:11–13).
Our union with Christ Jesus is inseparable. His indwelling Spirit permanently dwells in each soul that He has entered (Jn 14:17; Rom 8:9, 11), having been sent by the Father and the Son (Jn 14:26; 15:26). We hold fast to the promises of God taught to us by the Holy Spirit, our Teacher.
The Christian’s inheritance for eternity is Christ Jesus Himself (1 Pet 1:4). Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:35–39). We believe in the resurrection of our bodies from the dead because we are witnesses to the resurrection of our souls. In this, God’s elect, redeemed, regenerated, justified, sanctified saints will all soon be glorified at Christ’s second advent. Even so, come, Lord Jesus, come!
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
March 31, 2024 (Resurrection Sunday)
1 Corinthians 15
