{"id":77,"date":"2011-07-10T17:32:12","date_gmt":"2011-07-10T17:32:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/?page_id=77"},"modified":"2011-07-10T17:32:12","modified_gmt":"2011-07-10T17:32:12","slug":"step-13-resurrection-of-the-dead","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/?page_id=77","title":{"rendered":"Step 13 Resurrection of the Dead"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Instruction about<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>the Resurrection of the Dead<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">The Fifth of Six<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">&#8220;Elementary Teachings about Christ&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">from Hebrews 6:1,2<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>We are studying Hebrews 6:1-2:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Therefore let us leave <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">the elementary teachings <\/span><\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">about Christ<\/span><\/em><\/strong><strong><em> and go on to maturity, not laying again <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">foundation<\/span> <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 of repentance from acts that lead to death, and <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 of faith in God, <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em><sup>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0<\/sup><\/em><\/strong><strong><em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">instruction<\/span><\/em><\/strong><strong><em> about <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>baptisms, <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the laying on of hands, <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><em>the resurrection of the dead<\/em><\/strong><\/span><strong><em>, and <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 eternal judgment.<\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Topic Headings:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u00a0<strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Three Kinds of Death<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Spiritual Death<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Physical Death<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>The Second Death<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>\u00a0<strong>Three Kinds of Resurrection<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Spiritual Resurrection<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Resurrection of the Soul after Physical Death<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Resurrection at the Last Day<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>What Should You Do?<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Closing Thoughts<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Introduction<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The greatest resurrection was the resurrection of Jesus Christ!<\/p>\n<p>He lived.<\/p>\n<p>He died.<\/p>\n<p>He came back to life!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Three Kinds of Death<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Spiritual death<\/li>\n<li>Physical death<\/li>\n<li>The Second death<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Spiritual Death<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>God warned our first parents: \u00a0\u00a0<strong><em>But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">in the day<\/span> that you eat from it you will surely die.&#8221;<\/em><\/strong> (Genesis 2:17)<\/p>\n<p>They ate the forbidden fruit.\u00a0 Did they die that day?\u00a0 Day can mean a period of time that is longer than a 24-hour period, depending on the context.\u00a0 Perhaps the word <strong><em>day<\/em><\/strong> here means the period of time after they ate.\u00a0 No matter how we understand this, suddenly they knew that they were naked.\u00a0 Suddenly they did not want to see their Life-giver.\u00a0 Suddenly they were blaming someone else for their own faults. Suddenly, they were\u00a0 <strong><em>\u201cdead in transgressions and sins.\u201d<\/em><\/strong> (Ephesians 2:1)<\/p>\n<p>Their vital connection with God was cut off; their good relationship with God died.\u00a0 Since God is the source of life, they surely had begun the process of dying.\u00a0 Physical life without a good relationship with God can be called \u2018<strong>spiritual death<\/strong>.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>All descendants of these first two people inherit this condition!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Physical Death<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In Genesis 5:5 we read:\u00a0 <strong><em>So all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years, and he <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">died<\/span>. <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0This most magnificent of all God\u2019s creatures, created originally in God\u2019s own image, created to live for ever \u2013 this man DIED!\u00a0 His body ceased functioning.\u00a0 The immaterial part of his being separated from the material part of his being.\u00a0 This can be called \u2018<strong>physical death<\/strong>.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Except for those who are alive when the Last Day comes, all descendants of Adam die physically.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Second Death<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The apostle John describes the Second Death in the last book of the Bible:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars\u2014their place will be in <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">the fiery lake<\/span> of burning sulfur. This is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">the second death<\/span>.&#8221; <\/em><\/strong>(Revelation 21:8)<\/p>\n<p>The Lord Jesus teaches us that this horrible place has been <strong><em>\u201cprepared for\u00a0 the devil and his angels.\u201d<\/em> <\/strong>(Matthew 25:41) \u00a0It is a place of <strong><em>\u201ceverlasting punishment\u201d <\/em><\/strong>(Matthew 25:46). where <strong><em>\u201ctheir worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.\u201d<\/em><\/strong> (Mark 9:44)<\/p>\n<p>All mankind must experience these three kinds of death:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\u00a0Spiritual Death,<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0Physical Death, and<\/li>\n<li>\u00a0The Second Death,<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>UNLESS God intervenes and helps us!<\/p>\n<p>God did intervene; He does help us!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Three Kinds of Resurrection<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u00a0 1. Spiritual Resurrection<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0 2. Resurrection of the Soul after Physical Death<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a03. Resurrection at the Last Day<\/p>\n<p><strong>Spiritual Resurrection<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Just as there is spiritual death, there is also spiritual resurrection.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>As for you, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">you were dead<\/span> in your transgressions and sins , . . . but because of His great love for us, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">God<\/span>, . . . , <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">made us alive<\/span> with Christ. \u00a0And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, <\/em><\/strong>(Ephesians 2:1,4a,5a,6)<\/p>\n<p>Here is an illustration of this idea:<\/p>\n<p>This spiritual resurrection is connected to baptism.<\/p>\n<p><em><br \/>\n<strong>Or don&#8217;t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? <sup>\u00a0<\/sup>We were therefore buried with Him <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">through baptism<\/span> into death in order that, just <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">as Christ was raised<\/span> from the dead through the glory of the Father, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">we too may live a new life<\/span>. \u00a0<\/strong><\/em><strong>(<\/strong>Romans 6:3-4)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Resurrection of the Soul after Physical Death<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection of God\u2019s people after this life.\u00a0 Here\u2019s what Jesus told them:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Now about<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"> the dead rising<\/span>\u2014have you not read in the book of Moses, in the account of the bush, how God said to him, &#8216;I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob&#8217;? He is not <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">the God<\/span> of the dead, but <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">of the living<\/span>. You are badly mistaken<\/em><\/strong>!&#8221; <strong>\u00a0<\/strong>(Mark 12:26-27 )<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0Abraham died in 1876 B.C.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Isaac died in 1771 B.C.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Jacob died in 1744 B.C.<\/p>\n<p>God spoke these words to Moses in1462 B.C.<\/p>\n<p>Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were living with God in 1462 B.C.!\u00a0\u00a0 And still are!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Resurrection at the Last Day<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Martha\u2019s brother Lazarus had died.\u00a0 <strong><em>Jesus said to her, &#8220;Your brother will rise again.&#8221;\u00a0 Martha answered, &#8220;I know he will rise again in <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">the resurrection at the last day<\/span>.&#8221; <\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(John 11:23, 24)<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s what will happen at the last day:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">the dead in Christ will rise<\/span> first. <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><strong><em>Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. <\/em><\/strong>(1 Thessalonians 4:15-17)<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s more:<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. . . .That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. <sup>\u00a0<\/sup>But in keeping with His promise we are looking forward to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">a new heaven<\/span> and <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">a new earth<\/span>, the home of righteousness.<\/em><\/strong> (2 Peter 3:10a,12b-13)\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong><\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>On the Last Day all believers will be raised to life bodily.\u00a0 Then they will begin to live with God in a New Creation!<\/p>\n<p><strong><\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>What Should You Do?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">You ought to live holy and godly lives<\/span> as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. <\/em><\/strong>(2 Peter 3:11-12a)<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him<\/span>. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Bear in mind that our Lord&#8217;s patience means salvation<\/span>, . . . Therefore, dear friends, since you already know this, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position<\/span>. But <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ<\/span>. To Him be glory both now and forever! Amen. <\/em><\/strong>(2 Peter 3:14-15a,17-18)<\/p>\n<p>In summary, here is what you should do:<strong><em><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>You ought to live holy and godly lives.<\/li>\n<li>Make every effort to be found spotless, blameless\u00a0and at peace with Him.<\/li>\n<li>Bear in mind that our Lord&#8217;s patience means\u00a0\u00a0salvation.<\/li>\n<li>Be on your guard so that you may not be carried\u00a0\u00a0away by the error of lawless men and fall from\u00a0\u00a0your secure position.<\/li>\n<li>Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and\u00a0\u00a0Savior Jesus Christ.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Closing Thoughts<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Jesus said to her, &#8220;I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?&#8221; <\/em><\/strong><strong><em><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 She said to Him, &#8220;Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world.&#8221; \u00a0(John 11:25-27)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 For the wages of sin is <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">death<\/span>, but the free gift of God is eternal <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">life<\/span> in Christ Jesus our Lord. \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(Romans 6:23)<strong><em><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em><\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a9 copyright 2011<\/p>\n<p>Lyra Publications<\/p>\n<p>Preston, Minnesota<strong><em><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Instruction about the Resurrection of the Dead The Fifth of Six &#8220;Elementary Teachings about Christ&#8221; from Hebrews 6:1,2 \u00a0 We are studying Hebrews 6:1-2: Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings \u00a0 about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the foundation \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 of repentance from acts that lead to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/77"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=77"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/77\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":78,"href":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/77\/revisions\/78"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/firststepsontheway.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=77"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}