Two Resurrections

Heb 6:1 "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this will we do, if God permit."

The resurrection as a fact of the gospel cannot be disputed. Paul emphasized it in all his preaching, both in his first epistle: 1 Thess 1:10 "And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come"; and in his last: 2Tim 2:8 "Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:"

Much can be said of the resurrection, How Jesus was raised up, how we are raised up with Him, and the fact that if Jesus is not raised up we are yet in our sins. (1 Cor 15:17) The doctrine is expounded on in detail in 1 Cor 15; Rom 4-8 and all throughout Acts; which we will not detail here.

The point of this post is to establish the fact that there are two resurrection, divided by time and containing different people. The first, of the just, a resurrection of life. The second, of the unjust, and that brings men to the second death.

Two Resurrections 

John 5:24 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that hears my word, and believes on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 25 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. 26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 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."

There are in fact two resurrections. One for the just, and one for the evil.

Acts 24:15 "And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust."

Luke 14:14 "And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just."

The following passage in revelation speaks of the end of the first resurrection, It begins with Jesus and ends with those killed for their witness to the word of God. There is a thousand year separation between the end of the first resurrection and that for "the rest of the dead".

Rev 20:5 "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years."

The first resurrection brings a people who will be reigning during the thousand years that must pass before the rest of the dead will be raised to judgment.

Rev 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations ...11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that 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, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. ...14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

So, clearly, there are two resurrection, one to life and one to death. The call is to believe on Jesus and to be a part of those blessed and happy to be a part of the first resurrection.

Freedom from Sin

Rom 6:20 For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. 21 What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

What does it mean to be free from sin? The testimony of some is that they have sin repeated in their lives, even though they are "Christians", how does this reconcile with the statements that we are made free from sin found in multiple contexts throughout the word of God.

The concept of redemption; to be bought back.

The concept of salvation; to be saved from death and bondage.

The concept of a change of life; to no longer be bound to our life, but to live in Jesus' life

To  be called OUT of darkness, and brought into marvelous light.

It is important to note, even the redeemed can backslide, or commit sin because of temptation. Even Jesus was tempted; yet he never sinned. Do not think that there are not trials and testings and assaults of the powers of darkness, there are.

The grace of God empowers us. It gives strength in time of need, strength to endure temptation. There is no endurance when temptation is succumbed to, only sin and therefore death.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.

What do I do if I find myself here? Do I conclude that since I failed to resist that I have no hope of resisting? That somehow there is within me a power which prevents my endurance? 

Lets back up in Romans 6

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. 13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

Grace includes the power to resist. Repentance is the power to be forgiven and brought back to right standing with God. The salvation of God is complete!

2Cor 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

bottom line:

This is not meant to be exhaustive, just illustrative; I have been saved from sin, not to continue in bondage, but to live in the life of Christ Jesus. A life so complete that power exists for every eventuality, free from Sin and the death which results from it, not because I can sin and still be acceptable, but because I can resist sin, endure temptation and show forth the righteous ways of God, and because I can repent if I fail, and the conviction of the Holy Ghost will lead me to that repentance, and I can be restored because of the power of the blood of Jesus.

If I had wrought salvation for myself, I would have something to boast in, but boasting is excluded, because all of this was provided for me by the offering of Jesus. I in no way have earned it, but I have received it because of the God who loves me.

So rejoice in this, we have been given the power to live free from sin, not free IN sin, but free FROM it. We have been given the gift of the Holy ghost to lead us into all truth, and the empowerment of the grace of God to help us to endure temptation, and at the end of it all is a crown of life.