Dear ones in Christ,
As we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we should have the belief about the resurrection. The blessed hope that a Christian have is that even if I die, I will rise again. My lowly body will be buried in the earth. But on the day of his coming, my body will be transformed and become eternal. This the root of Christianity. The mortal body will take the form of immortality. The destructive body will become nondestructive. In Revelation 20:6 Apostle John says, “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”.
Bible says about two kinds of resurrection. 1. Spiritual resurrection. 2. Physical resurrection. Those who do not take part in the spiritual resurrection cannot take part in the physical resurrection. Ephesians 2:1, (1) “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins”. In spiritual resurrection, we who were dead in trespasses and sins are resurrected. 2) There are two kinds in physical resurrection. 1) first resurrection, resurrected for thousand-year reign, this is for the saints. 2) Second resurrection, every rise up for the judgement.
In Revelation 20:11-15, we read, “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. 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. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And the death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found in written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire”.
The first resurrection will take place on the day when the earth will come to an end. And there is a gap of 1000 years in between the first resurrection and second resurrection. Those who are dead in Christ will rise up first.
Who will take part in the first resurrection?
Whose sins are covered:
Psalms 32:1 says, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” Sich will be a part of the first resurrection.
Those who are sealed :
In Ephesians 1:13-15, we read, “in whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory”. Those who are sealed by the Holy Spirit will enter.
In Galatians 5:25, we read, “if we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit”. We should live in the Spirit.
Without holiness we cannot see God:
In Hebrews 12:14, we read, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord”. Without holiness we cannot see God.
Those who do good has a part in the resurrection:
In John 5:28, 29, it is written, “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in which all that are in the graves shall hear the 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”. Those who do good will only inherit the eternal life.
Those who have divine character will enter:
In Matthew 5:3-7, it is written, “poor in Spirit, they that mourn, they that are meek, they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, and peacemakers”, they who have such Spiritual characters only will enter the heaven.
Those who are persecuted for righteousness:
In Matthew 5:10, 11, it is written, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for their’s is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake”, they who come from among such tribulations will take part in the first resurrection.
Those who die in Christ:
That is, they who stand firm till the end will take part in the first resurrection. In 1 Corinthians 15:22, Apostle Paul says, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive”. In Philippians 3:10, 11, it is written, “I count all things loss and …. dung…. that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead”.
In Ephesians 1:21, 22, 23 Paul says, “Far above all principality, and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all”. In Ephesians 3:18, it is written, “May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of the love of Christ which surpasseth all knowledge.”
In Ephesians 35:12, it is written, “In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him”.
My dear friends! We should grow in faith, and the knowledge of God… and remain in the church till we become perfect and take part in the first resurrection. God has made the church for this purpose only. In order to make us perfect in the church, God has given five kinds of ministry in the church to grow in faith. In order to get the chance to take part in the first resurrection let us live a holy life and stand firm in Christ till the end! Hallelujah!
