The Resurrection Day

by Joe R. Price

"Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear his voice and come forth - those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation" (Jno. 5:28-29). "Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed - in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (1 Cor. 15:51-52). These are sobering words for any who are not obeying Jesus in this life. But, they are cause for hope and joyful expectation for the Christian. Victory over death! The resurrection of mankind will surely occur when Jesus returns (1 Cor. 15:21-23). His resurrection from the dead guarantees it (1 Cor. 15:20). What can we expect on that great day?

We can expect to hear Christ's voice along with the voice of the archangel commanding death to give up its captives, "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" (cf. 1 Thess. 4:16). Christ, who has the keys of death and of Hades (Rev. 1:17), will command the dead to arise. He who is "the resurrection and the life" (Jno. 11:25), He who cried with a loud voice "Lazarus, come forth" (Jno. 11:43), will open the tombs of both the just and the unjust (Acts 24:15) in that day. Truly, there will be victory over death! "But when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory" (1 Cor. 15:54).

We can expect the dead to be raised incorruptible. The apostle Paul wrote in 1 Cor 15:42-44, "So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual (body)." Just as the stalk of grain which grows out of the ground is markedly different from the seed planted into the ground, even so the body raised from the dead will be different from the one placed into the grave. The resurrected body will be suited to live in the environs of the spiritual realm (1 Cor. 15:50). Because neither heaven nor hell are physical places, neither will resurrected bodies be physical. But, they will be our bodies, make no mistake (1 Cor. 15:49). No longer subject to corruption and the decay of mortality, we will be resurrected with bodies which are suited for eternity.

We can expect individual judgment of our lives on this earth. "For we must all be made manifest before the judgment-seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things (done) in the body, according to what he hath done, whether (it be) good or bad" (2 Cor. 5:10). With the resurrection of the dead comes the judgment of all mankind (Matt. 25:30-46; Rom. 14:12). Here is the motivation for everyone of us to give serious thought to the resurrection day. It will also be judgment day. Are you ready? Your life will be judged. Are you in harmony with the will of Christ? Those who do "the will of my Father who is in heaven" will enter the heavenly reward in that day (Matt. 7:21-23; 25:34-40). But, those who "do not know God, and...do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ" will suffer an eternal punishment which will be equally just (2 Thess. 1:8-9; Matt. 25:41-46; Rom. 2:1-11).

We can expect the resurrection to happen in the twinkling of an eye. "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (1 Cor. 15:52). Will you be ready for that day?! The beloved apostle Paul wrote, "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not vain in the Lord" (1 Cor 15:58). Obey the gospel of Christ faithfully today, in order to anticipate that day with joy!