Two important things will happen to those who are "dead in Christ" and to those who are "Alive and remain in Christ" when the Lord comes the second time:

The First Resurrection:

40D.1   Who will be resurrected first when the Lord comes the second time? 

Apostle Paul gives us the answer:

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 
(I Thessalonians 4:16, NKJV)

When the Lord Jesus Christ will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God:

• The "dead in Christ" will rise first. The dead in Christ are the members of Christ's  Church who died before the second coming of the Lord. They will rise first.

40D.2   What will happen to those "who are alive and remain" at that time of Christ's second coming?

Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.  (I Thessalonians 4:17, NKJV)

Those "who are alive and remain" shall be caught up together with them (those from the first resurrection) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, thus saving them from the Wrath of God when all ungodly men will perish on the Day of Judgment. 

• They are will no longer die or experience death.   
• And thus they we shall always be with the Lord together with those "dead in Christ" who are just resurrected.

 The Salvation from God's Wrath:

40D.3   What is the great fortune that awaits those who will take part in the first resurrection?

In Revelation Revelation 20:6,  this is written:

Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection; the second death has no power over them but they will be priests of God and of Christ and reign with him for a thousand years. (New Jerusalem Bible)

Those who will take part in the first resurrection and those who alive and remain when the Lord comes, are blessed and holy because they are also saved from the full Wrath of God which is the "second death" — God's eternal punishment for the sinners.

What is the second death?

Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. (Revelation 20:14, NKJV)

The second death, is the eternal punishment in the in the lake of fire. This is the full payment of sin. The full wrath of God.

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Please Continue Lesson ► 40E.  Thousand Year Reign and the Imprisonment of Satan
 

07/11/2008 01:54 AM

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