That we would each resurrect one day is not something easily accepted and understood by many. Doubts still linger in the minds of those who see this life as a theatre wherein will unfold the panorama of a life well-lived and that’s that. Their imagination cannot take them beyond the reality of life and the raison d’être for living. However, for the Christian, resurrection should be a certainty not only because our Lord Jesus raised the dead to life during his lifetime, but because He Himself conquered death; thus openly showing that death was not the final point of call.
The psalmist declared: “But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself.” (Psalm 49:15) Yes, our souls will return where they came from. The apostle Paul on trial before the Roman governor in Caesarea - after having been wrongly accused as stirring up trouble - declared: “…and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.” (Acts 24:15)
Several incidents are recorded in the Bible when people were resurrected; all of which goes to confirm that being raised from the dead and being given another lease of life is possible in Christ Jesus. Prior to raising his friend Lazarus from the dead after the latter had died and had been buried for four days, he assured Martha, Lazarus’ sister by saying: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies; and whoever believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? (John 11:25-26) That is the question each individual must answer today. Is Christ able to resurrect our lives and save us from eternal damnation in hell?
Just as there are two ways of being born, of living and dying, there are equally two ways of resurrecting. It is not a question of whether we would like to resurrect after death or not. The debate is whether we merit being resurrected from the dead. After all, where we would end up is played out here on earth; as we would only reap that which we have sown. On judgement day - referred to often in the Bible as the Day of the Lord, - humankind will stand judgement and each will render account of how s/he had lived.
Somehow the Sadducees in Jesus’ day did not believe in the resurrection and once quizzed him on the issue, intending to embarrass him. They wanted to know whose wife she would be after a woman dies having been married to seven brothers and having had children by them? The answer came back from Jesus: “Those who are worthy of taking part…in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die;” (Luke 20:27) Our Lord Jesus added: “… for if Moses calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob,’ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all are alive.” (Luke 20:37-38)
Our Lord Jesus himself revealed: “…for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear His voice and come out - those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.” (John 5:28-29)
“How can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” (1 Corinthians 15:12-14) The resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus constitutes one of the pillars of the Christian faith. That He has conquered sin and death by virtue of His resurrection gives one the assurance that we also will resurrect and live again. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3)
The Bible paints vivid pictures of the resurrection that are captivating. “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) Every soul in Christ will be freed from eternal death because death would have lost its sting. That liberation will be so violent it will shake graves open and those who believe in Christ will be given new bodies, glorious bodies to forever be with Christ. We who have hope “know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence.” (2 Corinthians 4:14)
We are told there will be another resurrection - the second resurrection much later. This would be based on our deeds here on earth – whether good or bad. “The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.” Those who do not qualify will be thrown back into the lake of fire. “The lake of fire is the second death.” (Revelation 20:14)
We are children of the resurrection; we who believe in Christ. We shall no longer die; for we will be like the angels. (Luke 20:36) Maybe a number of things are not yet clear in your mind about where you will spend eternity. Some of Jesus’ disciples did not believe this either. “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.” (Luke 24:25) Is this your case? Are you one of them? Daniel, a prophet of the Old Testament, declared; “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.” (Daniel 12:2) Think on these things!