Paul & The First Resurrection

PAUL AND THE FIRST RESURRECTION

4-11-2018

Philippians 3:10-12 NET My aim is to know Him, to experience the power of His resurrection, to share in His sufferings, and to be like Him in his death,

(11) and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

(12) Not that I have already attained this -- that is, I have not already been perfected -- but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me.

In Philippians 3:11 Paul makes the following appeal:  “somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead”.  Did Paul actually think he would not be resurrected from the dead?  No, he did not.  In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul makes the following statements:  12 Now if Christ is being preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead?, and then in a later verse he says:  16 For if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised.

1Corinthians 15:12-16 NET Now if Christ is being preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? (13) But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. (14) And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is futile and your faith is empty. (15) Also, we are found to be false witnesses about God, because we have testified against God that he raised Christ from the dead, when in reality he did not raise him, if indeed the dead are not raised. (16) For if the dead are not raised, then not even Christ has been raised.

Paul was fully aware that everyone who has ever lived will be raised from the dead at some point in time.  There will be two resurrections.  The first will occur at the end of this age at the return of Christ to rule over the millennial Kingdom of God.  John delineates the second resurrection which will occur at the end of the millennial Kingdom age i.e. after a thousand years have passed. 

Revelation 20:4-6 NET Then I saw thrones and seated on them were those who had been given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. These had not worshiped the beast or his image and had refused to receive his mark on their forehead or hand. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. (5) (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were finished.) This is the first resurrection. (6) Blessed and holy is the one who takes part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

As outlined above, there will be two resurrections.  What are the qualifications for obtaining the first resurrection?  As listed in Revelation 20: 4 the prerequisites will be:  beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus; spreading and teaching the word of God; those not worshipping the beast or his image (i.e. the Pope/Papacy/Catholic images); refused the mark (i.e. the adulation and reverence of wealth, money, and property).  These are the ones who will receive the first resurrection and this is the status that Paul was desiring.

Will all so-called professing church members receive the first resurrection?  No they will not.  Jesus clearly explains in Matthew 7:21-23 that religious types and church types who are law breakers and do not adhere to the requirements specified in Revelation 20:4 will not be included in the first resurrection.

Matthew 7:21-23 NET "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter into the kingdom of heaven -- only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. (22) On that day, many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and do many powerful deeds?' (23) Then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!'

The ones outlined in the preceding paragraph will be included in the second resurrection.  Jesus said that He “did not know them” concerning their possible request to be included in the first resurrection although they will be included in the second resurrection and will be given some type of “just” punishment for correction purposes.  The exact nature of this correction is unknown.

To my knowledge, Jesus gives information concerning two different resurrections, but does not differentiate between them.  Occasionally, it appears that He lumps both of them together, although the resurrections themselves do not occur at the same time.  John in the Revelation does specify two resurrections, their timing, and their specific purposes.

In Luke 12 42-43 Jesus speaks of the first resurrection in which the blessed ones will be put in charge of sub-ruling the Kingdom under the authority of Jesus Christ.  He refers to them as “the faithful and wise managers” who are working for the benefit of the Kingdom until they die or the Master returns.  In the book of Daniel they are called the “saints (or the Holy Ones) of the Most High”.  Jesus and Paul refers to them as the “elect”.

Luke 12:42-48 NET The Lord replied, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his household servants, to give them their allowance of food at the proper time? (43) Blessed is that slave whom his master finds at work when he returns. (44) I tell you the truth, the master will put him in charge of all his possessions.

Some servants (or slaves) may profess the things of God (or may not in some cases) but are willfully breaking the laws of God and Christ will receive some type of corrective punishment which is metaphorically described as stripes (with a whip or strap) or a beating.  The level of corrective punishment depends on the nature of the law breaking.

(45) But if that slave should say to himself, 'My master is delayed in returning,' and he begins to beat the other slaves, both men and women, and to eat, drink, and get drunk, (46) then the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not foresee, and will cut him in two, and assign him a place with the unfaithful. (47) That servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or do what his master asked will receive a severe beating. (48) But the one who did not know his master's will and did things worthy of punishment will receive a light beating. From everyone who has been given much, much will be required, and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be asked.

Dan 7:18 KJV  But the saints (holy ones) of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.

Mark 13:27 NET Then he will send angels and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of heaven.

Colossians 3:12 NET Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with a heart of mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,

Stripes, or a whipping with a strap, were a form of punishment for some crimes in the Old Testament laws of God given to Moses.  More severe crimes such as purposely set fires or destruction of property were punished with enslavement for a certain period of time, if applicable.  Other crimes such as rape or murder were so horrendous that the punishment was death.

The laws of God never mentioned or allowed a prison system or any form of incarceration.  It was explained by one particular commentator that God was saying to the Israelites, “There is no need to contend with a psychopath.  Just put them to death and I will deal with them at the second resurrection.”  This statement could also apply to the heathens and so-called savages that God supposedly allowed to be killed during the Israelites settlement in Canaan.