Is Everyone Guaranteed A Resurrection?

In the book of Job, a question was asked: “If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come”. (Job 14:14 KJV).

The correct answer to the question is “Yes”, based on the dialogue between Jesus Christ and Martha. Jesus said to Martha when he visited Lazarus who died four days earlier. “Thy brother shall rise again” (John 11:23) to which Martha said to him, “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day” (vs. 24). Jesus did not correct what Martha said, but instead he remarked, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.” (vss. 25 and 26). Obviously, the Lord Jesus was referring to spiritual life, not physical life, which is affirmed by what he said, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Again, he is referring to spiritual life, not physical life. How can we have eternal life?

Again, the Lord Jesus emphasized, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my Word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death to life” (John 5: 24 KJV).

Significantly, the second phrase of Job 14:14 says, “all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come”. This is reinforced by Job 19:26 which says, “And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God”. In Psalm 17:15, which is a prayer of King David, the prince of all psalmists, he said, “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness”. Meaning when the believer resurrect or live again, he will have a glorified physical body like that of the Lord Jesus when he resurrected from the grave.

Obviously, the second phrase of Job 14:14 refers to rapture at the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus spoke of his second coming in John 14:1-3 when he said, “Let not your heart be troubled: Ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you, And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. Then, He (Jesus) concluded, “Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also (vs. 19).

On the other hand, Apostle Paul said:

^“13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

¹⁵ For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (or precede) them which are asleep.

¹⁶ For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

¹⁷ Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (1 Thess. 4:13-17 KJV)

The Lord Jesus said, “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 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 (John 5:28-29 KJV). The latter mentioned to be resurrected shall be thrown in the lake of fire, or hell. This is the second death. That is, those who have not repented of their sins; they have not accepted Jesus Christ as their only Savior; those that do not confess or acknowledge their sins shall not be forgiven. The promise of the Lord to the believer-sinner is that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9 KJV). “If we say that we have not sinned, we make him (Jesus Christ) a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:10 KJV). Why, because it is written, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

In the teleserie, “Walang Hanggan”, the ending of the love story of Daniel and Katerina, was that they both died and resurrected and in heaven they were together joyous and loving and enjoying the company of each other. Notably, the doctrine of the Lord Jesus as to what life will be in the second life in heaven is written in Matt. 22:23-30 (KJV). The doctrine is completely stated thus:

^“23 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,

²⁴ Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.

²⁵ Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:

²⁶ Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.

²⁷ And last of all the woman died also.

²⁸ Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.

²⁹ Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

³⁰ For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.” (Matt. 22:23-30)

Angels are sexless. They therefore do not feel the urge for sex as ordinary human beings do. This could be the very reason why they do not marry. Many wives and some husbands do not marry for the second time after the death of their spouse, because they say, it is troublesome to be married. Although some, especially men, get married again. Because the action is on earth, no longer in heaven. The atmosphere in heaven is different from the earth. It is a place of paradise. Inhabitants of paradise/heaven do not have the trouble of making money for a living. They just pick the fruit of the tree of life for their food. They do not need any transportation, inasmuch as they can go any place they want to, like Jesus Christ and the angels. They will just appear suddenly when necessary, so no one will boast he rides in a Mercedes Benz or Rolls Royce, etc. Everybody is equal. No more sickness, so no physician is needed; no more evil people, so there is no need for lawyers. No one engages in business anymore, so there is no need for accountants or managers or clerks. Everybody is like an angel—messengers/servants of God, and always fellowshipping with God forever – without end. The choice is ours: when we resurrect will we want to be in heaven or hell?

(FGBMFI Davao City Chapter Bulletin, November 3, 2012)