Leaves of Gold

",,,earnestly contend for the faith..."

Year four, number 8 AUGUST 2010

CHAPTER FIFTEEN The Resurrection

By E. C. Gillentine, "Baptist Doctrine" Bogard Press, Texaskana, Ark.

The Resurrection

The word "resurrection" means rising again, or to rise again from the dead; a springing into new life and freshness, and occurs no less than forty times in the New Testament Scriptures. It occurs in: Matthew five times, Mark two times, Luke five times, John ,three times, Acts ten times, Romans two times, I Corinthians four time, Philippians two times, II Timothy one time, Hebrews one time, I Peter two times, and in Revela­tion two times.

The word "raised" is used thirty-five times with reference to the resurrection.

"The resurrection of Christ from the dead is the ONE MOST IMPORTANT item in the whole fund of human knowledge: the ground even of the ages, to­ward which all previous history moves, and in which all subsequent history finds its meaning." The resur­rection of the dead is a fundamental doctrine of the Christian faith. The hope of the resurrection is pre­eminently a Christian hope without which the future would hold no joy for eternal happiness and peace with the Lord. The raising of the dead is everywhere ascribed to Christ, and is represented as the last work to be undertaken by Him in His great work of re­deeming man.

1. THERE ARE THREE KINDS OF RESURREC­TIONS SPOKEN OF IN THE SCRIPTURES.

1. A National Resurrection. This refers to Israel, in her restoration to her covenant land, Palestine, Hos. 6:1-2, 4; Ezek. 37:1-11; 36:24-38. This has no refer­ence to Israel being raised from the dead, but being restored to the land of Palestine.

2. A Scriptural Resurrection. This takes place in regeneration. All died in Adam, that is, all were sep­arated from God in Adam, all are dead in sin, in Adam. When we are saved, born again, we are made alive in Christ, Eph. 2:1-6; Rom. 6:11; I Cor. 15:22. Every time a soul is born of the Spirit there is a passing from "death" into "life," spiritual life, hence, a spir­itual resurrection from the dead.

3. A Material, or Bodily Resurrection. Our bodies will all die a physical death, and when Christ comes all the saved will rise and go up to meet Him in the air, I Thess. 4:14-17.

II. THE DOCTRINE OF THE RESURRECTION.

The Doctrine of the Resurrection is not just a New Testament doctrine but it is a Bible doctrine, believed by all Old Testament saints and spoken of by many Old Testament writers, a few of which we shall here mention:

1. Enoch. Enoch not only believed in the doctrine of the resurrection, but also in the glorious doctrine of the second coming of Christ with His saints. In Jude 14-15 we read: "And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are un­godly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him."

2. Abraham was a believer in the resurrection and was about to offer his onlv son as evidence of this fact, Gen. 22:5; Heb. 11:18, 19.

3. Job believed in the resurrection and wrote of it as follows: "For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day (and at last he will stand) upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body (and after my skin, even this body is destroyed), yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be con­sumed within me," Job 19:25-27. Let us observe here what Job says:

(1) "My redeemer liveth." Christ was dead, but He is now alive for evermore. Rev. 1:18: "He ever liveth to make intercession for them" (His redeemed saints), Heb. 7:25.

(2) "He shall stand upon the earth." Christ is now in heaven, but He is coming again and shall stand upon the earth, Zech. 14:4: "And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives."

(3) "After my skin worms destroy this body.' .. in my flesh shall I see God." After decomposition of the body, there shall be a resurrection and we shall see Christ as He is and be like Him, I John 3:2.

(4) "I shall see for myself." Each one shall have a real, personal contact with and view of Jesus in that day. We will not have to take what others say of Him; we shall see Him for ourselves. No doubt, we will all exclaim as did Thomas, "My Lord and my God."

4. Moses believed and taught concerning the resur­rection, Deut. 32:39.

5. Samuel, I Sam. 2:6; David, Psalm 17:15; Isaiah, Isa. 25:8 and 26:19; Daniel, Dan. 12:2, 13; Hosea, Has. 13:14, et aI, believed in and wrote concerning their faith in the resurrection.

A. It was endorsed and assured by Jesus:

(1) By reference to the Old Testament. See Matt. 22:31, 32; Mark 12:26-27; Luke 20:37.

(2) As recorded in the Gospels, Luke 14:14; John 5:21, 25, 28, 29; 6:39-40, 44, 45; 11:23, 25; 14:19.

(3) :By prophesying His own resurrection, Matt. 17:9; Mark 8:31; 10:34; Luke 13:32; 18:33; John 10:17-18.

B. The Universal Resurrection assured. That is, both the saved and the unsaved will be raised.

(1) He called it by several different names: (a) The resurrection of life, John 5:29. (b) Resurrection of the last day, John 6:39; 11:24. (c) Resurrection of the just, Luke 14:14.

(2) Christ places this resurrection as a separate event, John 5:25, 28, 29. Christ Himself will raise them, John 5:21; 6:39, 40, 44, 54. All these are to be where Christ is, John 12:26; 14:3; 17:24.

(3) The saints are to be rewarded, Luke 14:14; Matt. 6:4-6; 16:27.

(4) 'The wicked as well as the righteous shall be resurrected, John 5:29: "The resurrection of damna­tion." See also Rev. 20:11-15.

C. Jesus not only taught by precept concerning the resurrection, but He proved it by raising several from the dead:

(1) The woman's son in the city of Nain, Luke 7:11­18. He, possibly, raised this youth to prove to John and His disciples that He was the Christ.

(2) Jairus' daughter, Matt. 9:18-26. Jesus, perhaps, raised this young girl to prove to His own disciples that He was the Christ, Matt. 8:23-37.

(3) Lazarus, John 11:42-44. He, possibly, raised Laza­rus to prove to the Jews that He was the Christ and to glorify His Father in heaven. See John 10:24.

IV. THIRTEEN RESURRECTION INCIDENTS.

There are thirteen resurrection incidents mentioned in the Bible as follows:

(1) The son of the Sarepto widow, raised by Elijah, I Kings 17:17-23.

(2) The son of the Shunammite woman, raised by Elisha, II Kings 4:32-37.

(:3) The bones of Elisha revived when the body of a dead man was cast into the grave, II Kings 13:20-21. (4) J arius' daughter, Matt. 9:18-26.

(5) The young man in the city of Naih, Luke 7:11- 18.

(6) Lazarus, John 11:42-44.

(7) Jesus Himself, Matt. 27:52-53, et al.

(8) Many saints after Jesus arose, Matt. 27:52-53.

(9) Dorcas, raised by Peter, Acts 9:40.

(10) Eutychus, raised by Paul, Acts 20:9.

(11) The first resurrection at the coming of Jesus for His people, I Cor. 15:23, 51-52; I Thess. 4:14-17. This is also called the resurrection of the "just," Luke 14:13, 14; the resurrection "of life," John 5:29.

(12) The tribulation saints raised at the end of the tribulation period, Rev. 20:4-5.

(13) The second resurrection, Rev. 20:11-14. This is also called the resurrection "unto damnation," John 5:29 and "to shame and everlasting contempt," Dan. 12:2.

In reality, there are only two resurrections:

1. The First Resurrection, embracing: Christ and all those who were raised immediately following His resurrection, those who rise when Jesus comes for His saints, and those who rise at the end of the tribmlation period, Matt. 27:52-53; I Thess. 4:14-17; I Cor. 15:51-52; Rev. 20:4-5.

2. The Second Resurrection which includes all the wicked of all time, Rev. 20:11-15.

That the bodies of all men will rise there is no doubt according to the following Scriptures: I Cor. 15:35-52; Dan. 12:2; I Thess. 4:16-17; I John 3:2.

22. HOW WE MAY KNOW THERE IS A RESURRECTION.

We know that our bodies will be raised because Jesus said, "I· am the resurrection and the life." If Jesus is the resurrection and the life; and we know He is, for He said He was, we know He was raised from the dead, and if He is the resurrection and the life and He was raised, therefore we know that we will rise also.

I close this chapter with the following quotation from W. E. Biederwolf:

"Everything depends on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That's the corner stone upon which the whole superstructure of Christianity rises; undermine it and the whole business drops. It's the keystone of the arch; knock it out and the whole thing falls with a crash.

"If Jesus Christ did not rise from the dead, how do I know that He is the 'way, the truth, and the life?' "How do I know that he that believeth on the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved?

"How do I know that the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin?

"How do I know that He has gone to prepare a place for me and that He will come again and receive me unto Himself?

"How do I know that death has lost its sting and the grave has been swallowed up in victory?

"How do I know that the Spirit of God who raised Jesus Christ from the dead shall also quicken my mor­tal body?

"How do I know that when He shall appear I shall be like Him?

"How do I know that 'the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in me?

"How do I know that the promises of this Book are worth any more than the ink it took to print them or the paper it takes to hold them?

"I don't know. There's no way to know. If Jesus Christ did not rise from the dead, then I have nothing to do but to take a chisel and go out to the grave of my loved ones and chisel away the beautiful words, 'I am the resurrection and the life,' and cut in their place the cold, icy and heartbreaking words, 'I don't know; I have no way to tell.' 'If Christ be not risen,' Paul says, 'Our preaching is in vain and your faith is vain also,' and 'Of all men we are most miserable.'

"But thank God He did rise. They sealed His tomb, but it couldn't hold Him."

Just as sure as Christ rose, just that sure will all those who believe in Him rise also. Notice these final words from the pen of the Apostle Paul: "For if we be­lieve that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him," I Thess. 4:14. Just as sure as Jesus died and rose again, just that sure will those who believe in Jesus rise when He comes. That is Paul's conclusion of the matter. It is ours also. Thank God for the hope of the resurrec­tion.

This is a ministry of Evangelist James A. Nelson, Salina, Kansas EE. UU., jan23@cox.net and is sponsored by David Pickett, drpickett@hotmail.com. Our Web Master is Martin Gutzmer, mrgutzmer@gmail.com