Tag: raised

Studies

Raising the Dead to New Life

Pete

For Our Admonition Part 5

“Raising the Dead to New Life”

Key Verses:  1Ki 17:17 – 17:24

We continue with the events recorded in 1Kings 17 regarding Elijah and the widow of Zarephath.  This is the second part of this parable (Click here for the first part) and in this study we will see the first instance of anyone being resurrected from the dead in the Scriptures.   Here are the verses and remainder of 1Kings 17 that complete this part of Elijah’s ministry.

1Ki 17:17  And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. 

1Ki 17:18  And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son? 

1Ki 17:19  And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. 

1Ki 17:20  And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? 

1Ki 17:21  And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again. 

1Ki 17:22  And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. 

1Ki 17:23  And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth. 

1Ki 17:24  And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth.

We are saved and raised to newness of life in spirit by the grace of God that is chastening us and is working through our faith.  God’s grace is what teaches and motivates us to do righteousness and perform the greater works.  The good works are the result not the cause of our salvation.

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Eph 2:10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

In the last study, Elijah came and imparted faith in the widow and that faith was blessed with a multiplication of the meal that sustained Elijah, the widow and her son.  In this study, we see what follows our initial coming to faith and in Elijah’s case, growing in faith to raise one from the dead.  This event is just a shadow of the truth because the grace of God had not yet been poured out nor the Spirit of truth given (Joh 7:39).  This story is a parable and an ensample for us, the Lord’s ministers (priests) in performing the greater works and doing unto others as is, was and will be done unto us.

Mat 10:8  Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Joh 5:25  Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.

Christ raised many from the physical dead, yet we are told our works (through  Him) are the greater works we can and will do when we operate in faith.

Joh 14:12  Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

Joh 14:13  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

This all points to the truth that physical death in the Scriptures are a shadow of spiritual death which is also likened to sleep. The truth is that death in the Scriptures symbolizes spiritual death as these words of the Bible are all spirit (Joh 6:63).  That was the primary lesson from the exchange with the carnal disciples about Lazarus and whether he was dead or just sleeping.

Joh 11:11  These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

Joh 11:12  Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.

Joh 11:13  Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

Joh 11:14  Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

Several other events and admonitions in Scripture reveal that physical death is used as a symbol of spiritual death (Luk 8:53, Mat 9:24, etc) which is outcome of our sleeping and not taking heed the narrow way.

1Co 11:29  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

1Co 11:30  For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 

The Elect of God are in the business of bringing spiritual healing and raising others from spiritual death.  That is what we do when we abide together, speaking words of fire (new tongues) freely giving what we have freely received.

Mar 16:17  And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;

Mar 16:18  they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

This miraculous story is said to be “after these things” meaning it follows our coming to faith and being sustained in the wilderness during the first half of our witness (Rev 12:6).  The Lord tries all faith by trials (1Pe 1:7) and afflictions which is where we obtain the gold (truth) and come to know the Lord and receive garments of His righteousness (Rev 3:18).  It is through these many tribulations (Act 14:22) we are building our faith muscles, increasing our patience, hope and trust in the Lord.

Jas 1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

Jas 1:4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

This OT parable is a shadow of the truth regarding the process of salvation after we have left Orthodoxy when we only know the other jesus (2Co 11:4).  As a new born babe in Christ, we are both this widow and her son.  Coming to faith releases us from the law for the lawless (1Ti 1:9) that kept us bound our entire life prior.  With that husband being dead, we are in-between the old and the new and are now free to marry Christ.

Rom 7:2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

The widow’s son is a child (1Ki 17:23), representing a babe in Christ which signifies our emerging and yet carnal and immature mindset that comes from only hearing the Word.  Faith comes by hearing and which is eating (taking to heart) the words of truth served up by the Lord’s preachers and prophets.  When we begin to hear of the real Jesus and the truth of the Lord’s commandments, it brings bitterness and woe and ultimately death to our fleshly way of life.

Rev 10:10  And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. 

Eze 2:10  And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.

The first half of our witness for Christ will end in death as we are being overcome.  It takes the second coming of Christ with grace via judgment to revive us and make us into doers and overcomers.

Rev 11:7  And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them.

Paul came to see his wretchedness (Rom 7:24) by being unable to be obey the law and reaping the wages of his sin which is death.

Rom 7:9  I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.

Rom 7:10  And the commandment, which was to bring life, I found to bring death.

Rom 7:11  For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me ……..

Rom 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. 

Only the second coming of Christ frees us when grace is poured out. The end of our disobedience is a promised destruction through the Word (Php 3:18-19) as Christ brings life through death. When we give up trying to save ourselves and can see ourselves as the chief of sinners (1Ti 1:15) then we begin to be die to our flesh and the new man is able to rise.

Joh 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

All men are sinners (Rom 3:10, Ecc 7:20) and in due time go through the process of dying and being resurrected spiritually (Mat 4:4). Sin works death in us which is necessary for us to see our need for a Savior and have no more confidence in our flesh.  This is how Satan is overcome when we become dead to self (Heb 2:14).  To get to this point we are first given to see the fruits of our own works.

Eze 18:4  Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

Yet Praise the Lord even while we are dead in sin, Christ comes to save us and raises us up to sit together in heaven sharing one mind

Eph 2:5  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

Eph 2:6  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

When we are touched by the Lord’s prophets and given to partake of the Word, it brings darkness to the light and produces death.  Our reaction is the same as the woman as we first stumble in in our judgment.

1Ki 17:18  And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son? 

Saying and doing are two different things.  When the going (faith trials) gets tough, we first fall down our seven times (Pro 24:16) until we learn to trust the Lord and His working righteousness within us (Phi 2:13, Isa 64:8).  But when our son is slain we have not counted the costs and our weak faith is manifested.  It is not until we can look behind us where Lord has brought us that we can see His wondrous works to the children of men in all of our trials.  A mature mindset knows that being faithful to death is how receive the prize.

Rev 2:10  Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

This is where the Body of Christ is brought together to minister and comfort each other during our times of weakness and unbelief.  When we see a brother or sister in error, abiding in death, we are to go to them to correct and restore them.  The woman turns to Elijah and his righteous prayers, which along with the process, succeed in time with bringing the child back to life.

1Ki 17:19  And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into a loft, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. 

1Ki 17:20  And he cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? 

It is Christ’s Christ, the Body, who are the instruments of judgment and salvation for all men including ourselves now (1Co 11:31-32, Mat 19:28) and the rest of mankind in the Lake of Fire (1Co 6:2, Rev 20:4).   James cites Elijah and the power of his prayers with these instructions.

Jas 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Jas 5:17  Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

Jas 5:18  And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

Jas 5:19  Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;

Jas 5:20  Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

These verses may not seem like they relate to judgment, but they very much are speaking about our day of the Lord in type and shadow.  The Lord’s people are being saved (redeemed) only by going through the process of judgment.

Isa 1:27  Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness.

Rev 15:8  And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

Truly amazing, how Orthodoxy reading the same Bibles we do,  think salvation means avoiding judgment and the lie of eternal hell.  Our spiritually dying is the prerequisite for judgment to begin at the house of God which house we are.  This is the Lord’s purpose in causing us to sin (Isa 63:17) so we reap the wages of sin which is death. This provides Him the occasion sought to cleanse His Temple and raise us up in new life.  That is very good news!!!

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Our judgment like the son’s judgment here requires us to be weaned off the bosom (the milk) of his mother and move beyond the basic oracles of God.  We have to be drawn away from the bosom of our immaturity and taught to eat the strong meat.

Isa 28:9  Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

Heb 5:13  For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

Heb 5:14  But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Other resurrection’s from the dead stories (2Ki 4:34, Act 20:8, Act 9:37) also take place in the upper chambers of the dwelling.  We are the temple of the Lord (1Co 3:16) and it is in us, in heaven (our mind) where Christ sits.   In due time, we are called up to heaven (Eph 2:6), gathered in the upper room (Act 1:12) and seated with Christ (Rev 11:12).  In type and shadow this is what Elijah’s actions in bringing the child upstairs into his abode signify.  It is the one who judges all things according to the spirit, that knows the mind of the Lord and can instruct others by example.

1Co 2:15  But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

1Co 2:16  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

A bed is a place of rest and where we lay our bodies for support and comfort.  Carnal thoughts and beliefs keep us bound to a bed of flesh and is death (Rom 8:6).  In the positive the bed upon which God’s people rest in His Word is a place of repentance from our “carnally minded” and dead works.

Heb 4:10  For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

Heb 4:11  Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.

Repentance from these dead (carnally minded) works precedes the coming of Christ with judgment.  The spirit of Elijah is the spirit of John that brings us to repentance by laying us onto the resting place of the Lord, preparing us for judgment and the trials to follow (Mat 3:11-12).  When judgment comes, the old man will be taken away and the righteous man rises in his place.

Luk 17:34  I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.

Elijah then acts to save the woman’s son.

1Ki 17:21  And he stretched [H4058] himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again. 

1Ki 17:22  And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. 

When it says Elijah stretched himself upon the boy three times, it really is saying Elijah measured the son three times.  The usage of H4058 “madad” in the KJV English translations make this perfectly clear.

 H4058, mâdad

Total KJV Occurrences: 51

measured, 40

measure, 7

mete, 3

stretched, 1      1Ki_17:21

The number three symbolizes the process of our spiritual completion through judgment.  Knowing this, there is no mistaking what these activities in the upper room are symbolizing.  They symbolize judgment which is reviving us from the dead, awakening us to righteousness.

Hos 6:2  After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

Isa 51:17  Awake, awake! Stand up, O Jerusalem, You who have drunk at the hand of the LORD The cup of His fury; You have drunk the dregs of the cup of trembling ….

The Lord hears our prayers if they are made according to His will.  He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Mar 11:22  And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

1Jn 5:14  And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

1Jn 5:15  And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

Elijah now returns the son to the mother who has now experienced two miracles and as a result she now believes in Elijah and the words of the Lord he speaks.

1Ki 17:23  And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother: and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth. 

1Ki 17:24  And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in thy mouth is truth. 

We pass from death to life by coming through judgment now in this age.  That is how we do not come into judgment in the lake of fire to come.

Joh 5:24  “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

Christ is now ascended into the heavens of His people.  His words are now being heard when spoken by the Body of Christ who are His instruments of salvation and the greater works.  Those who hear our words are being judged and they will rise from the dead.

Joh 5:25  Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.

Elijah returns the son to the house and delivers him to his mother.  This is symbolism of us being brought hearing the words of Christ in the Body of Christ who is the mother of us all.

Mat 12:49  And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

Mat 12:50  For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. 

Receiving back a son or daughter in Christ, brought to life and raised from the death of being carnally minded is indeed a miracle.  This is indeed a proof text of knowing whether someone is truly a man of God or not.

Mat 7:20  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Heb 10:24  And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

This resurrection story in Kings is a shadow of the truth and grace that would only come later by Jesus Christ.  The first raising from the dead by the Lord in the gospels was raising the widow of Nain’s son.

Luk 7:12  Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.

Luk 7:13  And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.

Luk 7:14  And he came and touched the bier (open coffin): and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.

Luk 7:15  And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.

Luk 7:16  And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.

Jesus Christ came with all authority and power in heaven and in earth (Mat 28:18).  The resurrections in the New Testament are immediate at the speaking of the Word to “arise”, “come forth” etc.  We are the Body of Christ including His Mouth thru which the Lord is speaking and His hands through which we are touching those He has prepared to hear and arranged to meet Christ.

Eph 2:10  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

We have been called and separated from the world to work in His Kingdom now and in the ages to come.  May we remember why we have been raised from the dead?  It is so we can do unto others what has been done unto us.  Such a high calling we have been given

Mat 10:6  But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Mat 10:7  And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Mat 10:8  Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Rev 22:17  And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

Sincere comments and questions are always welcome.  You can also email me directly at peterjwilson56@gmail.com

Articles

The Doctrine of Resurrection from the Dead

Ronel

These notes compiled from the teachings of the church elders

Heb 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

Heb 6:2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of Resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment.

Heb 6:3 And this will we do, if God permit.

What is resurrection?

Resurrection is being raised from death and given life.

Joh 11:14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

Joh 11:17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.

Joh 11:43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

Joh 11:44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

What is death?

Rom 8:6 For to be carnally (G4561) minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh (G4561) are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Death is primarily a spiritual state when we have a carnal mind/disobedience and are doing the evil works of the flesh. There is also a physical state of death that God uses to teach us what spiritual death is about. The shadow and reality.

Joh 11:11  These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

Joh 11:12  Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.

Joh 11:13  Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

Joh 11:14  Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

Christ calls death sleep because it is not a permanent state. He knows that Lazarus would be raised, so to Christ, Lazarus was just sleeping for a period of time.

Ecc 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

The dead know nothing of life as long as they are dead. The physically dead do not know physical life, and the spiritually dead do not know spiritual life. It is important to understand that when a person physically dies, they are “asleep” with no awareness of anything until they are awakened (resurrected).

What is life aionios?

We have seen that an “aion” is an age or any period of time and “aionios” is the adjective form meaning “pertaining to an age”.

Thus, “life aionios” means life in this present age. The present age discussed in Scripture is our life in these physical bodies of flesh. So, what does it mean to have “life” in this current age of flesh?

Joh 17:3 And this is eternal (aionios) life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

1Jn 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

Knowing Jesus Christ and His Christ is to have life in this age. When you know Jesus Christ, you keep His commandments.

1Jn 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

So, when we are resurrected to life we go from doing the works of the flesh to obeying His commandments and bearing the fruit of the Spirit TODAY.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Resurrection in the NT:

We’re going to look at the explanations of resurrection in the NT. In order to understand what is being said, we must first realize that Christ’s Body is the people that He calls to be obedient to His commandments in this life.

Therefore, everything that Christ went through when He was here on earth, His “Bride” is going through as well.

1Jn 4:17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

Paul Explains Resurrection:

Rom 6:3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?

Rom 6:4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

The word baptism in the Greek language means “to wash”, and this is done with the Word of God.

Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

It is by being washed by the WORD that we are killed that we may live. The Word of God is also a sword that kills us.

Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Before we can be resurrected, we first have to die spiritually. As we saw earlier we are already dead spiritually because we have carnal minds. If we are already dead how do we die again? When we are dead spiritually and carnally minded, we still have a way of life which the Scriptures call “walking”. We have to cease this old way of life, die to it, that we may be resurrected to a new life with a renewed mindset.

Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation (lived this way) in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

Leaving this old way of living life is how we are dying. This is the life we must leave that we may gain new life, to know Jesus Christ, obey Him, and bear the fruits of the Spirit.

Joh 12:24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

Joh 12:25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal (aionios).

Joh 11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;

Joh 11:26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Joh 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal (aionios) life.

The correlation between the Body of Christ and Christ himself continues.

Rom 6:5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

Rom 6:6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

Rom 6:7 For one who has died has been set free from sin.

Rom 6:8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

So just like Christ was crucified physically, so we are being crucified spiritually. Just as He was raised from the dead, so are we being raised from the dead. The whole purpose of this process is to set us FREE from sin, and to give us new life that we may be obedient.

Rom 6:9 We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Once we “die” to our old way of life and repent, we are now heading in a new direction. Resurrection changes us from a natural person to a spiritual person, thus being able to understand spiritual things.

1Co 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

1Co 2:15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.

1Co 2:16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

When we die, and are resurrected there is a COMPLETION in one sense and just a BEGINNING in another.

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

When we are being resurrected “is, was and will be” (a process), Christ is now dwelling in us and we have His mind, this has been accomplished. Yet this is just the beginning of us being given life. We are now a new born baby (John 3:3).

Once we are born again, then we can see the Kingdom of God. What is the Kingdom of God?

Luk 17:21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

As we saw earlier in Gal 2:20, after being resurrected Christ lives within us. Being born again is another way of saying we are BEING resurrected. This is how we have HOPE that we will glorify the Father by being obedient, because Christ is going to do it through us. As we mature Christ increases and we decrease, so we are being resurrected.

This is a complete change in focus from our old way of thinking. This life is no longer to be spent thinking primarily about the RESURRECTION TO COME IN THE FUTURE, THE SHADOW, but rather to focus on OBDIENCE NOW (THE REALITY). We are now to live our lives to God. We hope for our CONTINUED resurrection and for the resurrection of all mankind, but we focus on what God is doing NOW TODAY.

Rom 6:10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.

Rom 6:11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies, to make you obey their passions.

Rom 6:13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

After being given life we now have a new purpose, GLORIFYING the Father and Christ through OBEDIENCE.

Here is the contrast between life and death.

Rom 6:19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification

When the Lord IS COME to raise us to life and we begin to lament the loss of our old life, it is important to remember the FRUITS that our old life produced.

Gal 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Rom 6:20 When you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.

Rom 6:21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The end of those things is death.

Israel complained as the Lord was leading them out of bondage and toward the promised land, just what we do for a season.

Num 11:4 And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?

Num 11:5 We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick:

Here is what God is causing us to remember.

Rom 6:22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.

Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Gal 6:9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Resurrection is a wonderful way of explaining what Christ does to us because it reveals so clearly that we have nothing to do with the process. A dead person knows and does nothing. They have no part in their being brought back to life. This is true for us spiritually as well. Christ raises whom He chooses, when He chooses.

Php 2:13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

Rom 9:15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
Rom 9:16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

All of mankind will be raised from the dead and given life, but there is an order in which they will be raised from the dead. Christ first, then His Body, and then the rest are raised. This will be done in our own lives as Christ makes us spiritually minded, and it happens outwardly as Christ will make all of mankind spiritually minded. God uses those that He raises first to teach the rest of mankind the Truth and raise them to life as well at the appointed time.

1Co 15:20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

1Co 15:21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.

1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

1Co 15:23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

The FAITHFUL are being used by Christ to judge the rest of humanity when the appointed time comes.

Rev 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and [I saw] the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received [his] mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Everyone who is not resurrected spiritually in this life will be raised with a spiritual body from the dead when the time comes to be judged so they may be given a spiritual mind.

1Co 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

1Co 15:43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:

1Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The “lake of fire” is what Christ uses to destroy our carnal minds. And just as we all must be experiencing the destruction of our flesh inwardly, so too must we see this accomplished outwardly. This climactic event will bring all flesh to an end. At that time, there will be a general resurrection of every person that has ever lived. All who have ever lived, except for those who are in that blessed and holy… first resurrection, will be brought up to face a judgment called the great White throne judgment. All those that were raised spiritually during this life will be raised with a spiritual body to assist in judging those that are still carnally minded.

Now what happens at any judgment?

1Co 11:32 … When we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.

That is right; “when we are judged we are chastened of the Lord…” So, the lake of fire is God’s chastening of all of mankind along with the chastening of Satan and His angels WITHIN AND WITHOUT.

We cannot know for sure in this life that we are the elect and will be a part of the first resurrection, yet we are to STRIVE to be faithful to Christ.

Php 3:10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

Php 3:11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Php 3:12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

Php 3:13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

Php 3:14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Php 3:15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.

Php 3:16 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

Being a part of the first resurrection is more than just being born again and having a spiritual mind. The Lord must also give us the ability to remain faithful during our lives.

Mat 24:10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.

Mat 24:11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.

Mat 24:12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.

Mat 24:13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

Rev 17:14 They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.

The people in the Old Testament were not raised from the dead spiritually during their lives because they were still carnally minded. They experienced physical events that were designed by Christ to later explain His Truths to those whom He has chosen.

1Co 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

These things in the Old Testament are also called a “shadow” of things to come. A shadow is created when an object is obstructing light. The shadow is not the object itself, but rather a rough outline of its shape. When the Old Testament was written, Christ already ordained for the true resurrection to take place in the future, so that true event cast a shadow in the Words of the Old Testament. The people in the Old Testament lived in the darkness of that shadow, not able to see the Light (Christ) or understand what was to come.

Col 2:16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:

Col 2:17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Here is the shadow of being created a natural body. Those in the first resurrection experience the reality when we are born in bodies of flesh like Christ himself.

Gen 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

The only time you see dry human bones is when someone has died. When we are carnally minded, we are just like the Pharisees who were carnally minded and spiritually dead.

Mat 23:27 (NKJV) Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed appear beautiful outside, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

Eze 37:1 The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones,

Eze 37:2 And caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.

Eze 37:3 And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest.

The Lord raises dead, carnally minded men through allowing us to HEAR His Word.

Eze 37:4 Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD.

When we are dead (carnally minded), we do not know God. We are dry bones, dry means without water, which is the Word of God (Eph 5:26).

Ecc 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.

Eze 37:5 Thus saith the Lord GOD unto these bones; Behold, I will cause breath (ach- H7307- spirit) to enter into you, and ye shall live:

Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Eze 37:6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will bring up flesh upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and ye shall live; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

Life is to know God and Jesus Christ (John 17:3). You know God and Christ by hearing the Words of Christ.

Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

We must have FAITH in Christ in order to really know him. Here is the prophecy of the Spirit being given on Pentecost (Acts 2:2).

Eze 37:7  So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.

Eze 37:8  And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.

Eze 37:9  Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.

Eze 37:10  So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

Breathing upon the dead in Ezekiel is the same thing as the Holy Ghost (Spirit) filling the followers of Christ on Pentecost in Acts 2.

Who is Israel?

Rom 2:28 (YLT) For he is not a Jew who is so outwardly, neither is circumcision that which is outward in flesh;

Rom 2:29 but a Jew is he who is so inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart, in spirit, not in letter, of which the praise is not of men, but of God.

Eph 2:22 (ESV) In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Php 3:3 (ESV) For we are the [real] circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh

The true Israel, the true circumcision, the true Jews, they are the chosen ones of God.

Eze 36:23  And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.

Eze 36:24  For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.

Eze 36:25  Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.

Eze 36:26  A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Eze 36:27  And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

Paul discusses the fulfillment of this prophecy.

Rom 6:17 (ESV) But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,

Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

2Co 1:22 Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

1Jn 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. God also gives his people fruit.

Eze 36:28 And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

Eze 36:29 I will also save you from all your unclean nesses: and I will call for the corn, and will increase it, and lay no famine upon you.

Eze 36:30 And I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the increase of the field, that ye shall receive no more reproach of famine among the heathen.

Prophecies of Christ’s Resurrection

Hos 6:2 (ESV) After two days he will revive us; on the third day, he will raise us up, that we may live before him.

Hos 13:14 I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

Psa 16:10 (ESV) For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. Psa 16:11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence, there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Here is the fulfillment in the NT:

1Co 15:3 (ESV) For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 1Co 15:4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

Luk 18:31 (ESV) And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished.

Luk 18:32 For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon.

Luk 18:33 And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.”

Act 2:25-33 (MKJV) For David speaks concerning Him, “I foresaw the Lord always before me, because He is at my right hand, that I should not be moved. 26 Therefore my heart rejoiced and my tongue was glad; and also My flesh shall rest in hope, 27 because You will not leave My soul in Hades (grave), nor will You allow Your holy One to see corruption. 28 You revealed to Me the ways of life. You will fill Me with joy with Your countenance.” 29 Men, brothers, it is permitted to say to you with plainness as to the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, He would raise up Christ to sit upon his throne, 31 seeing this beforehand, he spoke of the resurrection of Christ, that His soul was not left in Hades, nor would His flesh see corruption, 32 God raised up this Jesus, of which we all are witnesses. 33 Therefore being exalted to the right of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured out this which you now see and hear.

We are given victory over death.

Hos 13:14 (ESV) Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol? Shall I redeem them from Death? O Death, where are your plagues? O Sheol, where is your sting? Compassion is hidden from my eyes.

1Co 15:53-57 (ESV) For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O grave, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 10 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

What happens when we’re raised to life?

Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

1Jn 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

Summary:

We are moving away from the shadow, the resurrection being “out there” to the resurrection being today, the reality if Christ is working with us in this age. As He increases more and more and we decrease more and more every day, we “see” Him more clearly.

2Co 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Being resurrected today, is coming out of “death”, the state of disobedience to His Word, to sit with Him in the heavens ruling the nations within with a rod of iron and without at the appointed times.

Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.