I. Resurrection
A. The Importance of the Resurrection
1. The promise of Jesus for believers. John 11:23-26; John 14:19
2. Testifies to Jesus� identity. Rom. 1:4
3. Without it, our faith is in vain. 1Cor. 15:12-19
B.
Who raised Christ?
The resurrection of Christ is attributed to the members of the Trinity as
follows
1. Jesus: John 10:17; 10:17
2. The Father: Acts 10:41; 10:41; Rom. 4:24; 6:4; 8:11
3. The Holy Spirit: 1Pe. 3:18
C. Details concerning resurrection were progressively revealed. Job 14:14; Job 19:25-27; Ps. 16:9-16:10; Ps. 17:15; Ps. 49:9; Ps. 49:15; Ps. 88:10; Jonah 2:6; Isa. 25:8; Isa. 26:19; Isa. 53:10 (compare with v.8); Eze. 37:13; Dan. 12:1-2; Hos. 13:14
D. Two categories of resurrection. Both the just and unjust will be resurrected. Dan. 12:2; Luke 11:31-32; Luke 14:14; John 5:22-29; John 11:24; Acts 24:15; 2Ti. 2:18; Heb. 11:35; Rev. 20:4-6; Rev. 20:13
E.
The order of resurrections.
�"It is anticipated in the prophetic
Scriptures that Christ by the power of His own resurrection will raise the dead
in a series of resurrections, probably in the following order:
1. the church at the time of the rapture (1Cor. 15:51-53; 1Th. 4:14-17).
2. Israel and the Old Testament saints at the time of His coming to the earth to establish His kingdom (Dan. 12:2; Hos. 13:14; Matt. 22:30-31)
3. the tribulation saints at the time of His second coming (Rev. 20:4)
4. the probable resurrection of millennial saints [those who live and die during the millennium] at the end of the millennium, though this is not mentioned in the Scriptures specifically
5. the resurrection and judgement of the wicked dead at the end of the millennium (Rev. 20:12-14)"[1]
F. The nature of our resurrection body. Ps 17:15; Lu 24:36,39; Ro 8:23; 1Co 15:35; Php 3:21
II. Judgment
A.
Order of Judgments
Matthew 25 provides an indication of the order of judgments.
1. Marriage supper of the Lamb (Matt. 25:1-13)
2. Judgment of the saints for rewards (Matt. 25:14-30)
3. Judgment of the living nations (Matt. 5:31-46). Those who survive this judgment will enter the millennial kingdom.
4. (Judgment of the unsaved dead occurs at the end of the millennium. Rev. 20:11-15)
B. Judgment of Individuals
1. Every person has the choice of standing before God to be judged on the basis of their deeds or on the basis of Christ�s shed blood.
2. To enter heaven, perfection is required.� Those with perfect deeds will enter heaven apart from Christ�however there are no such people![2]� Men will be judged in regard to each detail of their life. Matt. 12:36; Matt. 12:36; Rom. 14:12
3. By rejecting Christ, a person essentially rejects the opportunity to be in God�s presence forever.� John 3:18-19
4. Unbelievers
a) Acceptance of salvation must precede death. Those who die without accepting the salvation of God will �die in their sins.� Eze. 20,20; John 8:21; Heb. 9:27
b) Unbelievers get what they want - they are judged by their works �(deeds). But since all people are sinners, their deeds are not perfect. Therefore they do not meet the requirement of perfection to be in God�s presence for eternity.� God does not �grade on a curve.� Dan. 12:2; Rev. 20:11-15
5. Believers
a) Believers do not undergo judgment for salvation. John 5:24; Rom. 8:1,33-34; Gal. 3:13; 1Th. 5:9
b) Christ will judge the works of believers, but they themselves will be saved regardless of good works. 1 Cor. 3:11-15; 1 Cor. 4:5; 2 Cor. 5:10
c) Believer�s motivation and rewards are described as �crowns.� 1 Cor 9:25; 1Th 2:19; 2Ti 4:8; James 1:12; 1Pe 5:4; Rev. 2:10; 3:11
[1] �� John F. Walvoord, Jesus Christ Our Lord. Chicago (Chicago, IL: Moody Bible Institute, 1969), pp. 215-216:
[2] �� Gen. 8:21; 1K. 8:46; 2Chr. 6:36; Job 4:17; Job 9:2; Job 15:14; Job 25:4; Ps. 14:1; Ps. 16:2; Ps. 53:2; Ps. 130:3; Ps. 143:2; Pr. 20:6; Pr. 20:9; Ecc. 7:20; Isa. 64:6; Luke 18:19; Rom. 3:9; Rom. 3:12; Rom. 3:19; Rom. 3:23; Rom. 4:23; Gal. 2:16; Gal. 3:22; James 2:10; James 3:2; 1Jn. 1:8; 1Jn. 1:10