Resurrection: Essential Doctrine

The hope of salvation points toward one event! We celebrate that event tomorrow. Yes, the crucifixion is important for providing the means of salvation, but one needs to ask the question "What is it saved from?" The answer to that is "eternal death". Since the Resurrection of Jesus means that the dead can rise, we have that same "hope" as Jesus demonstrated.

Resurrection means that mortal "death" is overcome.

John 11:23 "Jesus saith unto her (Martha), Thy brother (Lazarus) shall rise again. 24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"

It's tough to admit, but the reason why we turn to Jesus is that we want to live forever! The flipside of that is that we fear being dead and tormented for eternity. It's this fear of our own fate which  calls us to our only means of salvation. It's because Jesus did what he said he can do for us in the passages above. He is "the Resurrection". He did it! Because Jesus was able to die yet live again, he tells us that we too can be revived from death and live forever!

Ironically, it is because we want to save our own god (our self) that we turn to the One True God to do the saving. Because we want our god to live forever, we call on The True God to do it for us. This act is the most humbling experience of a lifetime. We in effect are saying,  "You, God, are stronger than my god!" When our forebears fought wars it was concluded that the winning side had a stronger god. God does win in the end! Our God is stronger than our god (self)!

So your're saved? Salvation is being saved from eternal death, but we are all destined to die.

Hebrews 9:27 "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment..."

Even when you die, guess what? You aren't dead yet? You will someday walk and kneel in front of God and 'fess up! In your life if you depended on Jesus Christ for salvation, you are judged free and will live forever! If God says "I never knew you!" even after your thousands of excuses, that's when you really die! The first death is a tame event. The second death is forever, lonely and painful. No wonder the discerning people depend on Jesus! Our weak little god can't save anybody, even him or her self!

It's impossible to trust in Jesus unless we have confidence that he can resurrect us, save us from hell and give us eternal life. We can't have the latter two unless the former occurs. As such, belief in the Resurrection is a "must".  Paul taught that!

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."

We think only of the "just" being resurrected. That's not true! Everyone, even Khan, Stalin, Hitler, Dahmer and Gacy will be resurrected. Even those Sadducees who do not believe in the Resurrection shall be raised up from the dead... because they are really not dead yet! Everyone "lives" forever, but the unjust will "live" a painful existence; eternal damnation!

We "define" death as the cessation of the body functions. The systems cease to operate. God defines "death" as  just punishment of the wicked. Our little god deceives us! "I'm not wicked!" our god thinks. Unless we submit ourselves as a living sacrifice and trust Jesus, God calls our rebellion "sin". As such wicked people are those who reject Jesus. Even those "good" in a secular sense, are "evil" if they deny the fatherhood of their Creator!

Deniers of Christ are bastard children of the devil. Why would Satan's children even want to be with the Father forever. They've made their choice. They were born illegitimate children of Satan and turn their faces away form the adoption of the Father.  When God says "I will revive you from the dead and you shall live forever!" even most "good" people think "I want to do it MY way!"

Summary:

• There is a Resurrection.
• Jesus IS the Resurrection.
• Everybody, believers or not, will be resurrected.
• The just will have eternal life.
• The unjust will eternally die.
• To be "just" one must believe in Jesus and his word.
• "Salvation" is when  one is saved from eternal death.
• To have eternal life one must first be resurrected.
• Therefore, to be 'saved" one must believe in the Resurrection!

Your destiny, Your choice. Resurrection... not a choice. It's a precondition for judgment. We all shall be Resurrected and the save shall live after they are resurrected!