Having learned about the First and Second
Resurrection, we will also come the
understand the dual reason why God will
resurrect the dead.
40I.1
How can we sure that the Resurrection of the
Dead will surely happen?
In Matthew
22:31-32, the Lord Jesus explained:
"But concerning the resurrection
of the dead, have you not read what
was spoken to you by God, saying .
`I am the God of Abraham, the God of
Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? God is
not the God of the dead, but of the
living.''
(Matthew 22:31-32, NKJV)
Surely, the
dead will be resurrected to life, for
God is not God of the dead, but God of
the living.
40I.2
Why did our Lord Jesus Christ said that "God
is not God of the dead, but of the living"?
In Isaiah
38: 18-19, the reason is given, thus:
For the grave cannot praise you,
death cannot sing your praise; those
who go down to the pit cannot hope
for your faithfulness.
The living, the living--they praise
you, as I am doing today; fathers
tell their children about your
faithfulness. (NIV)
The dead
cannot worship and serve God, only the
living can worship and serve Him.
Therefore, the dead will be resurrected
to life, so they can serve and worship
the living God.
Why should God and Christ resurrect the
dead?
Because, this will be the fulfillment of
God's purpose in creating man and that
is to love, worship, and serve God in
truth with all his heart, with all his
soul and with all his mind.
40I.3
If the "dead in Christ"
will be resurrected (I Thess.
4:16-first resurrection) to serve the
Living God, why should the ungodly men also
be resurrected
(Rev. 20:5-second resurrection)?
In
Deuteronomy 24:16, God's law on sinners
is very clear:
The fathers shall not be put to
death for the children, neither
shall the children be put to death
for the fathers: every man shall
be put to death for his own sin.
(Dt:24:16, KJV)
The ungodly
will be resurrected so that God's law on
sinners will be fulfilled, that
"every
man shall be put to death for his own
sin". The ungodly will be
resurrected in order to suffer the
"Second Death" which is the as wages or
full payment for their sins.
The following verses will clearly
explain:
For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal
life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans
6:23,
NKJV)
And death and hell were cast into
the lake of fire. This is the second
death. (Revelations
20:14,
KJV)
And the devil who had deceived them
was thrown into the lake of fire and
sulfur, where the beast and the
false prophet were, and they will
be tormented day and night forever
and ever. (Revelation 20:10, NRS)
40I.4
What then, is God's dual purpose in
resurrecting the dead?
In Romans
6:22-23, the answer is given as Apostle
Paul explains the ultimate goal of our
faith:
but now that you have been set free
from sin, you are slaves to God.
You get something good for being
holy--the goal is eternal life! The
pay for sinning is death, but God's
gift is eternal life in Christ
Jesus, our Lord. (IEB)
The same
verse in another version of the
Bible:
But, now you are set free from
sin and bound to the service of
God, your gain will be
sanctification and the end will
be eternal life. For the
wage paid by sin is death; the
gift freely given by God is
eternal life in Christ Jesus
our Lord. (NJB)
First Reason:
To give eternal life to those who had
been set free from sin. To those who
have been sanctified or made holy by the
blood of Christ. They are those who
believed and followed the Gospel of
Christ.
Second Reason:
To subject
the sinner to the Second Death, the
eternal punishment in the lake of fire
where the sinner will tormented day and
night forever and ever.
(Revelation
20:10) They are those who were
deceived by the Devil and the false
prophets. (Revelations 20:10) They are
those who did not come to believe in the
Gospel of Christ. (Romans 1:16)
_________________________________________________________
End Of Lesson
■
Thank You For Your Time!
We hope the
lesson "The Resurrection Of The Dead And The
Eternal Punishment In The Lake Of Fire" was
made clear and meaningful to you by the
verses of the Holy Bible.