Articles
Principle - Resurrection of the Dead
Principles of the Doctrine of Christ (Hebrews 6:1-2)
i) Repentance from dead works, ii) Faith toward God, iii) The doctrine of baptisms,
iv) The laying on of hands, v) The resurrection of the dead vi) And eternal judgment
In recent articles we are looking at principles of the doctrine of Christ. We will now look at the Resurrection of the Dead. A fundamental part of being a Christian is having faith in Christ's death, burial and resurrection. Christians also have faith that they too will some day be resurrected, face judgement, and if found faithful live eternally with God.
The Bible mentions the concept of first fruits. When crops yielded in Biblical times, the first ones yielded were given to the Lord. An accompanying thought was just as sure as the first fruits were offered, more crops were certain to follow. Christ's resurrection is likened unto these first fruits. Acts 26:23 says That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. Similarly, just as Christ was resurrected, others are certain to be resurrected later.
Christ gives us insight into this resurrection. He tells us an 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 (John 5:28-29). The phrase an hour basically means “a point in time” or “within a short time span”.
Paul gives us some more information. But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words (1 Thess 4:13-18).
Once again it is amazing that we have a principle of the doctrine that is misunderstood. A common doctrine is that there will be “multiple resurrections”. At least one doctrine claims there will be 1,000 years between the resurrection of the good and of the evil. Yet Jesus says on hour is coming when both they that have done evil and they that have done good will be resurrected.
Those who doubt the resurrection of Christ have been around since the first century. The Saduccees did not believe in the resurrection. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, neither angel, nor spirit: but the Pharisees confess both (Acts 23:8). There are still those who do not believe today. They have many theories to deny Christ's resurrection. To save space we won't list the theories but you can study about the Swoon Theory, etc.
The resurrection is a principle of the doctrine of Christ. This is a matter that even a babe in Christ should understand. God had the power to create life, He has the power to take life, and He has the power to restore life. He can restore physical life as well as spiritual life. Have you let Him restore your spiritual life yet by obeying the gospel?
