The difference between The Resurrection and the first resurrection.

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Spiritual Israelite

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Notice I didn't respond to him without seeing how you responded to him first because I wasn't sure if what he said was a correct presentation of what you believe. So, you agree with amils that we are in Christ's kingdom now and we are priests in His kingdom now? That's what the following passage indicates, right?

Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

This passage is speaking of a current reality, right? If you agree, then I don't understand why that wouldn't tell you something about the timing of this verse:

Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Jesus is reigning now, according to scripture. Believers, including the dead in Christ, are "priests of God and of Christ" now. So, with that in mind, why would this verse not be a current reality?
 

Spiritual Israelite

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Falsely accusing someone is not showing them they are wrong. You didn’t even know the point I was making from the start until I said this….

Stewardofthemystery said:
Exactly, I’m glad someone else can see it for what it is. They are trying to redefine the meaning of the first resurrection that is ONLY mentioned twice in scripture in Rev. 20:5-6.

Prior to this you were trying to prop up straw man arguments acting like I don’t know what it means to be born again of the Holy Spirit. All you have shown me so far is how you do not understand what it is I am talking about.
Now you know what it's like to be me talking to you and dealing with your constant straw man arguments. You reap what you sow.
 

Davidpt

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It is true, Acts 26:23 is not in the context of Rev. 20:5-6.

Let's do some comparing then, right?

Acts 26:23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

Revelation 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.
5 ----- This is the first resurrection.

Does it sound like verse 4 is involving this at the time? That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead

Does it look like Christ is rising from the dead per verse 4? Verse 5 says this is the first resurrection. What is the first resurrection? Obviously meaning what is recorded in verse 4, right? Except Amils see another option. So which is it then, meaning what is the first resurrection per this context? What verse 4 records? Or what Acts 26:23 records?

When John said in verse 5 this is the first resurrection, did he have verse 4 in mind, or did he have a passage like Acts 26:23 in mind?
 

Spiritual Israelite

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Let's do some comparing then, right?

Acts 26:23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

Revelation 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.
5 ----- This is the first resurrection.

Does it sound like verse 4 is involving this at the time? That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead

Does it look like Christ is rising from the dead per verse 4? Verse 5 says this is the first resurrection. What is the first resurrection? Obviously meaning what is recorded in verse 4, right? Except Amils see another option. So which is it then, meaning what is the first resurrection per this context? What verse 4 records? Or what Acts 26:23 records?

When John said in verse 5 this is the first resurrection, did he have verse 4 in mind, or did he have a passage like Acts 26:23 in mind?
Are you premils incapable of being representing amil accurately while completely wasting your time making straw man arguments? I do not claim that Acts 26:23 is the only verse I use to back up my view, as if Christ alone is involved in the first resurrection, but that's what you're acting like here. How can you not understand what amils believe after all this time?

It is not just Acts 26:23 that I use to support my view. I use that to support what the first resurrection is, but there is more to it than that. The question should not be what the first resurrection is since scripture explicitly teaches that Christ's resurrection was the first resurrection from the dead. Instead, the question should be how does someone have part in the first resurrection, which is Christ's resurrection?

The answer is that we all have part in his resurrection spiritually, as passages like the following indicate:

Colossians 2:12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

So, in my view, the souls of the dead in Christ that John saw live and reign with Christ because they spiritually had part in His resurrection.

So, now anyone reading along can see the whole story instead of only part of the story that you share becuase of your lack of understanding of amil.

Steward won't answer this question, but maybe you will. How many hours did Jesus say are coming when all of the dead would be resurrected?

John 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
 

Stewardofthemystery

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So, His resurrection was the first resurrection from the dead. Hello? How many first resurrections are there? I believe only one. And it does not say that Jesus is the first fruits of the first resurrection anywhere.
That speaks to the heart of Amil misunderstanding. The first resurrection as is defined in Rev. 20:5-6 is of many not just One.

You need to learn about harvest time, because the first of the first fruits to be harvested is not the entire harvest.

1 Corinthians 15:20
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

1 Corinthians 15:23
But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

Romans 11:16
For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.
 

Stewardofthemystery

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When John said in verse 5 this is the first resurrection, did he have verse 4 in mind, or did he have a passage like Acts 26:23 in mind?
Well they have to ignore the context completely in order to redefine what is clearly defined in Rev. 20:5-6.

And here is why they are ignoring the context and the definition of the first resurrection as is clearly defined in Rev. 20:5-6.

Spiritual Israelite said:
So, His resurrection was the first resurrection from the dead. Hello? How many first resurrections are there? (End quote)

So again, this confirms they believe the first resurrection is only about Jesus being raised from the dead, AND they believe the first resurrection is past.

That is why they try so hard to ignore the context of Rev. 20:5-6 as being the future resurrection of the dead in Christ being called the first resurrection.
 

rwb

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We were just shown by the LORD Jesus Christ that the "hour" is NOT a 24 hour period.

The 'hour' is a time period SPECIFIED by the GOSPEL and Governed by the GOSPEL = See here Matthew 24:14

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

This is the "hour" which JESUS specified that we are living in NOW/TODAY "If you hear His Voice" - John 5:28-29 Hebrews ch3

Yes, it is because of the hour that has NOW come that mankind might hear the Gospel, believe and have eternal life through Christ. That 'hour' came when Christ came to earth a man. As you point out the hour that WAS NOW, the first advent of Christ shall not be repeated again and again. It is NOT the hour that is NOW that goes on and on and on, but it is through that hour, the hour Christ ushered in at His birth that man MUST be born again. Surely you don't believe the hour that has NOW come when Christ came to earth a man shall be repeated again and again???
LAST TRUMPET is the Second Coming and the Resurrection of the JUST.

It is NOT the end of time which GOD created = Revelation 10:6
and he swore by the One living to the ages of the ages, who created heaven and the things in it, and the earth and the things in it, and the sea and the things in it, "There will be no more delay

KJV is Old English and has a different meaning then which you are supposing = which i used to believe until further study of TRUTH

Premillennialism comes across as the most desperate doctrine! There is NO difference between no more delay, and time no longer. Both mean the same thing. That the mystery that had been hidden in times of old, but now revealed through Christ, is that the Kingdom of God is not limited to Jews of faith only but shall also be filled with Gentiles of faith as the Gospel is preached to them and they hear and believe. Not only are Gentiles included through the Gospel, but it is after the last Gentile becomes saved, the Kingdom of God shall be complete through them.

Revelation 10:5-7 (KJV) And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his hand to heaven, And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer/no longer delay: But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.

It is the end of time symbolized a thousand years the church has been given to build the Kingdom of God as they take the Gospel of Christ unto all the nations of the world. Once the Kingdom of God is complete when the seventh trumpet begins to sound, there shall be no longer delay because this time for building the Kingdom of God has expired, and the only time left for this earth is Satan's "little season."

Romans 11:25 (KJV) For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.

Romans 16:25-27 (KJV)
Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen. Written to the Romans from Corinthus, and sent by Phebe servant of the church at Cenchrea.

Ephesians 3:3-6 (KJV) How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words, Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:

Colossians 1:26-27 (KJV) Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 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:

When the seventh trumpet begins to sound there shall no longer be delay, the time for building the Kingdom of God through ALL the nations of the world is finished, the Kingdom of God complete! Don't try to complicate the simple message here by trying to twist the meaning of the Greek word chronos to support your unbiblical doctrine.

Strong's Greek Dictionary
5550. χρόνος chronos (chrónos)

Search for G5550 in KJVSL; in KJV.
χρόνος chrónos, khron'-os
of uncertain derivation; a space of time (in general, and thus properly distinguished from G2540, which designates a fixed or special occasion; and from G165, which denotes a particular period) or interval; by extension, an individual opportunity; by implication, delay:—+ years old, season, space, (× often-)time(-s), (a) while.
 

rwb

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That same Truth from verses 24-27 is the same Truth in verses 28-30

a.) v.24 BORN-AGAIN = he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life
b.) v25 BORN-AGAIN from death of sin = 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.
c.) v28-29 BORN-AGAIN Believers whose physical bodies die are Resurrected by the SAME Voice that resurrected their spirits in vs 24-25
d.) v28-29 Those NOT born-again whose physical bodies die are resurrected by the SAME Voice unto JUDGMENT

IMPORTANT = JESUS is SPECIFIC of there being TWO separate resurrections
A) those who have done good, to the Resurrection of Life

b.) those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation

@WPM Corroborating Evidence of TRUTH = Revelation chapter 20 has TWO separate reusrrections

These resurrections are separated between the JUST and the unjust by 1,000 literal Years

Yes, the hour coming will be like the hour that now is PAST! In the hour that is coming ALL that are in the graves shall be bodily resurrected. The good to resurrection life, the evil resurrected to damnation.

Yes, the two resurrections are (1) the first resurrection, that is the resurrection of Christ (2) the bodily resurrection for ALL that are in the graves. The resurrection of Christ came when He was raised to physical life again. And the bodily resurrection of ALL that are in the graves shall be in the hour that is coming, when the last trumpet sounds, and TIME/DELAY shall be no longer because the Kingdom of God then shall be complete as the last Gentile to be saved has been born again and entered into the SPIRITUAL Kingdom of God.

Only biblical ignorance and trying to defend unbiblical doctrine tries to deny what John has CLEARLY written! There is NOT, according to what is written a separation between the just and the unjust of a literal ONE thousand years! ALL that are in the graves, means EXACTLY that, both the good & evil shall be resurrected in the hour coming when the last trumpet sounds and time/delay shall be no longer.
 

Stewardofthemystery

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Yes, the two resurrections are (1) the first resurrection, that is the resurrection of Christ
This claim above is why this warning applies to Amil doctrine…

2 Timothy 2:18
Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

Paul did not believe the first resurrection was limited to Jesus ALONE being resurrected, and thus Paul did not believe the first resurrection was completed in the past.
 

TribulationSigns

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This claim above is why this warning applies to Amil doctrine…

2 Timothy 2:18
Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

Paul did not believe the first resurrection was limited to Jesus ALONE being resurrected, and thus Paul did not believe the first resurrection was completed in the past.

Misapply of scripture and reading into scripture out of context.
 
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Ritajanice

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Short commentary.

So when we speak about resurrection past we are referring to Jesus' resurrection. It is the only true resurrection that has taken place in history. Now let's speak of resurrection future. The Bible teaches that there will be a future resurrection and judgement of the dead

People also ask
Why does Paul say Jesus was the first to rise from the dead?
1Cor. 15:8 and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. In this sense, Jesus was the first resurrection, because His resurrection was the first to result in eternal life without end.
 
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Ritajanice

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1 Corinthians 15​

New International Version​

The Resurrection of Christ​

15 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance[a]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas,[b]and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.

The Resurrection of the Dead​

12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.”[c] Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.
29 Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? 30 And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? 31 I face death every day—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. 32 If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised,
“Let us eat and drink,
for tomorrow we die.”[d]
33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”[e] 34 Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame.

The Resurrection Body​

35 But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” 36 How foolish! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. 37 When you sow, you do not plant the body that will be, but just a seed, perhaps of wheat or of something else. 38 But God gives it a body as he has determined, and to each kind of seed he gives its own body.39 Not all flesh is the same: People have one kind of flesh, animals have another, birds another and fish another. 40 There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another. 41 The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.
42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living being”[f]; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. 46 The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47 The first man was of the dust of the earth; the second man is of heaven. 48 As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the heavenly man, so also are those who are of heaven. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man, so shall we[g] bear the image of the heavenly man.
50 I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”[h]
55 “Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”[i]
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.


John 5:29
Audio Crossref Comment Greek
Verse (Click for Chapter)
New International Version
and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.

New Living Translation
and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment.

English Standard Version
and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

Berean Standard Bible
and come out—those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
 
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Stewardofthemystery

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So when we speak about resurrection past we are referring to Jesus' resurrection.

Amils are also saying “the first resurrection”as defined below is past.

Revelation 20:4-6

King James Version

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.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
 

rwb

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Amils are also saying “the first resurrection”as defined below is past.​

Revelation 20:4-6​

King James Version​

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.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

"This is the first resurrection" is NOT of "the rest of the dead". Take away the punctuation and read as it was written. "This the first resurrection blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ and shall reign with him a thousand years."

How can we know with assurance the "rest of the dead" are not of the first resurrection? (1) because they are not among the living (souls alive) and reigning with Christ a thousand years, (2) since they are not numbered among the living, nor the blessed and holy they are still among the dead who shall be called to stand before God at the GWTJ to give account according to what is found written in the books and the book of life and cast into the second death that is the lake of fire. The blessed and holy who also SHALL REIGN WITH HIM A THOUSAND YEARS. are not among the rest of the dead who shall not live again until this time symbolized a thousand years are expired, because in TIME they too, like the martyred saints, shall have part in the resurrection of Christ, who is the "first resurrection" before they physically die.

The rest of the dead who shall be blessed and holy are those who have part in the resurrection life of Christ during this time symbolized a thousand years. The rest of the dead who never reign with Christ during their lifetimes are "the dead" that John says "stand before God" to be judged according to their works.

Revelation 20:5-6 (KJV) But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Revelation 20:11-12 (KJV)
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Only the dead, those who have no part in the first resurrection and never live and reign with Christ in time are judged according to their works. Those who have lived and reigned with Christ and been martyred, and those who shall live with Christ after them, but whose death is not through martyrdom, having been judged already through the works of Christ are already judged and when called before the GWTJ already clothed with immortal & incorruptible body of flesh.
 

Timtofly

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It doesn't matter if Jesus didn't specifically say that He is the first resurrection. He didn't say He isn't, either. Are you aware that there is other scripture besides the words of Jesus? Paul said that Jesus's resurrection was the first resurrection. Do you care about what Paul taught?

The Greek words "protos" (first) and "anastasis" (resurrection) are found together in only one other verse in scripture besides in Revelation 20.

Acts 26:23 That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first (protos) that should rise (anastasis) from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.

So, scripture explicitly teaches that Christ's resurrection is the first resurrection. In the following passage Paul said that Christ's resurrection was the first in order and the next in order are those who belong to Him at His coming. So, according to Paul, the resurrection that premils call the first resurrection is actually the second resurrection in order. And we're talking about the bodily resurrections unto bodily immortality here, just to be clear.

1 Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

So, premils, in an effort to make scripture say that they want it to say, change the second resurrection in order into the first resurrection which clearly contradicts what Paul taught about the order of resurrections unto bodily immortality. Paul taught that Christ's resurrection was first in order and then next in order are "they that are Christ's at his coming".


Accepting what scripture explicitly teaches about the first resurrection, as I showed above, will lead one to the truth of Amillennialism and help them understand how premillennialism tries to change scripture to fit its doctrine.
Paul never said Jesus was the first resurrection. Paul said Jesus was the first to be resurrected. Only John in Revelation 20 defines the first resurrection. Amil change Scripture to change what John defined as the first resurrection. Was Jesus defined in Revelation 20:4-6? Paul was not defining Jesus. Paul said Jesus was the first to experience a physical resurrection. The definition of a physical resurrection is the first resurrection. There is no resurrection prior to physical death.

If you claim the first resurrection is spiritual, then Jesus did not physically come out of the tomb and someone moved his physical body and it is still buried somewhere. As you claim Jesus only spiritually resurrected, not physically.

Premil do point out Jesus was physically resurrected. That does not change the first resurrection into something other than a physical resurrection. Both the first resurrection and the resurrection of Jesus are both physical. The first resurrection happens to every soul that enters God's permanent incorruptible physical body, because that is a physical resurrection.

2 Corinthians 5 explains the process, and the very first verse gives explicit detail that one leaves Adam's body in the dust and enters God's permanent incorruptible physical body that is in the heavens. So the soul resides in the physical body in heaven, and does not continue to live on the earth among Adam's dead corruptible flesh.
 

Stewardofthemystery

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"This is the first resurrection" is NOT of "the rest of the dead". Take away the punctuation and read as it was written.
Verse 4 is talking about the dead in Christ being resurrected first, which you Amils believe is past.

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.

The rest of the dead is referring to the second resurrection of the dead.
 

rwb

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Verse 4 is talking about the dead in Christ being resurrected first, which you Amils believe is past.

Not so! Amils believe that only Christ Jesus' bodily resurrection immortal is past and that He, being physically resurrected FIRST, so that whosoever would have eternal life MUST have part in His bodily resurrection life before we die in order to overcome the second death. The saints partake of Christ's life through His Spirit in us when we are born again. Because only those who have been born again will know and enter the Kingdom of God in heaven. That is NOW in this age of TIME, a thousand years symbolizes the spiritual Kingdom of God in heaven. The problem for Premillennialists is that you, like the Pharisees of Old are clinging to this world and the things that are in it. You seem not to have any understanding of the FACT that when Christ came He came with the Kingdom of God, which now in this world is not physical but a spiritual Kingdom.
 

rwb

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The rest of the dead is referring to the second resurrection of the dead.

There is NO mention of a "second resurrection" found anywhere in Scripture. There is only the "first resurrection" which mankind MUST have part in to overcome the second death. Then there is the physical/bodily resurrection that shall be in the hour coming, when the last trumpet sounds, and time given this earth whereby man must be saved shall be no longer.
 
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