PROF. BEN ONYEUKWU (REV)
NCE(Eng.) ND/HD (Journalism); BA (Hons)
MA, PhD.
BE SURE OF YOUR RESURRECTION
“Do
not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves
will hear His voice and come out - those who have done good will rise to live,
and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned”, (John 5:29)
INTRODUCTION:
The Christian concept of
resurrection is the bodily raising of the dead from the grave, similar to the
resurrection of Christ. In line with this, Herbert Lockyer (1964:273) remarks
that, “the New Testament teaches the immortality of human nature, as well as
that of the soul, as against the view of “ancient philosophers”, who believe
the latter, but deny the former”.
Lockyer, as well posits that, the
Bible does not teach a general resurrection, that is, all the dead, whether
saved or lost rising at the same time, as he notes that under the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul, distinctly teaches that, “the dead in
Christ shall rise first”, (1Thessalonians 4:15-16). In confirmation, Prophet
Daniel, also, hints on two resurrections, when he says, “many of those who sleep in the dust of the
earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting
contempt”, (Daniel 12:2), and by this, therefore, the writer calls on every
reader of this gospel project to ascertain their resurrection status, as there
will be the;
RESURRECTION OF
LIFE
Jesus Christ is the springboard for
the resurrection of life (John 11:25), as well as the first fruit of resurrection
(Matthew 28:5), which is the basis for the Easter celebrations. But, the
biblical notion of Easter connotes the newness of life in Christ, which is
shared and demonstrated, and not just celebrated. The Apostle Paul sheds this
light when he says,... “Just as Christ was raised from the dead through the
glory of the Father, we also may live a new life”... (Romans 6:4). In a similar
admonition, the Apostle Peter remarks that, He Himself bore our sins in His
Body on a tree, so that we might die to sins, and live for righteousness”,
(1Peter 2:24).
Therefore,
“if we have been untied with Him like this in His death, we will certainly also
be united with Him in His resurrection. For we know that our old self was
crucified with Him, so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we
should no longer be slaves to sin” (Romans 6:5-6), which implies that those who
celebrate Easter without the demonstration of the life of righteousness are
really a misrepresentation of the scriptural ideal of Easter, and cannot be
part of the resurrection of life, unless they repent, (Luke 13:3). This also
buttresses the fact of the;
RESURRECTION OF
DAMNATION
Prophet Daniel in the Bible cites
that there will be resurrection of damnation after the resurrection of life, and
this, he refers to as the resurrection to “shame and everlasting contempt”
(Daniel 12:2), and so, those who are engrossed with the celebrations of the
resurrection of Jesus Christ without identifying with practical essence of it,
should better have a rethink, as well as take urgent steps towards embracing
Him as Lord and personal Saviour (John 1:12), for the scripture cannot be
broken, as it says,... “a time is coming, when all who are in their graves will
hear His voice and come out - those who have done good will rise to live, and
those who have done evil will rise to be condemned”, (John 5:28-29).
According to Lockyer (1964:274),
“while the Bible declares the resurrection of the Christ-less, it gives no
information as to the nature of the resurrection bodies of those who die in
their sins”. All the same, “whatever may be its form or nature, it will be
fitted to endure the quenchless fire of judgment”, Lockyer concludes. On this
note, Dr. W. J. Townsend in Lockyer (1964:270) raises hope for every sinner who
desires the resurrection of life, instead of that of damnation, as he tells us
that, “a reconstruction of the whole man; body, soul and spirit is in the plan
and purpose of Redemption. Sin and Death, he says, “are not to triumph over
man, even to the extent of retaining possessions of the material of the body,
but it shall be restored”... if they repent (Acts 3:19), and surrender to Jesus
(John 1:12), who is the Resurrection and Life, (John 11:25).
STEPS OUT OF THE
RESURRECTION OF DAMNATION
The prime purpose of this gospel
discourse is to draw the attention of every reader of the work to the facts of
the resurrection of life and damnation, as a way of helping them ascertain,
whether they are on the right track or not, as well as inspire those who are
found wanting to make necessary adjustments, before it is too late. To this
end, the Bible reveals that those who must be part of the resurrection of life,
must;
1. REPENT AND BE CONVERTED: Repent,
therefore, and turn to God, so that
your sins may be wiped out”... (Acts 3:19).
2. BE BURIED WITH CHRIST: “We were
therefore buried with Him through
baptism (a graphic picture of conversion) into his death”, (Romans 6:4B)
3. RESURRECT WITH HIM INTO NEWNESS OF LIFE:
“In order that, just as Christ was raised from the death through the glory of
the Father, we too may live a new life”,
that is, living a life of victory
over sin, (Romans 6:4B).
4. WORSHIP GOD IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH: God is
Spirit, and His worshipers must worship in Spirit and in truth”, (John 4:24).
In
conclusion, “and I saw the dead, great and small (at the final
resurrection), standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book
was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what
they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in
it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was
judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the
lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not
found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire”,
(Revelation 20:12-15). SECURE THE
RESURRECTION OF LIFE TODAY.
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