Our Assurance of Eternal Life

GOLDEN TEXT: “Jesus said unto her, 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.” —John 11:25,26

I CORINTHIANS 15:3-10, 53-58

ALL the promises of God pertaining to the resurrection of the dead are made sure by the fact that Jesus, the world’s Redeemer from death, was himself raised from the dead. Because he lives we also shall live. And not only “we,” the believers of the present Gospel age, but by the resurrection of Jesus, assurance has been given that all men will have an opportunity to gain life during the future judgment day.—Acts 17:31

Jesus’ statement to Martha, recorded in our Golden Text, assures an opportunity of life to believers of this age, as well as believers of the next age. “He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.” In John 5:24 Jesus is quoted as saying, “He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation [Greek, judgment]; but is passed from death unto life.” This conforms to the statement in our Golden Text—“Though he were dead, yet shall he live.”

However, this entering into life through belief in Jesus, and in the Heavenly Father who sent him, is upon the basis of faith. It will become a reality only in the resurrection. In John 5:28,29 Jesus emphasizes this, saying that all in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; and that those who have done good, the believers, shall come forth to a resurrection of life. The others, those who believe not in this life, shall come forth to judgment.

The word here translated “judgment” is krisis, meaning a trial time, which, of course, culminates in a decision. God’s decision as to the eternal status of these will depend upon whether or not they then believe. So in our Golden Text the Lord says to those who are restored to life in the resurrection that he that then “liveth and believeth in me shall never die.” Those who, under those favorable conditions of full knowledge and understanding, fail to believe will be destroyed from among the people.” (Acts 3:23) Thus seen, the Golden Text speaks of two classes. First, those who believe and receive life everlasting (immortality) in the resurrection without further trial, and those who, awakened from the sleep of death, then become believers and are given lasting life on earth at the conclusion of their judgment period.

Verses 3-8 of I Corinthians 15 review some of the proofs that Jesus was raised from the dead. Luke refers to these in Acts 1:3 as “many infallible proofs.” Paul went into considerable detail in presenting these proofs because there were some in the church at Corinth who, like the Sadducees, did not believe in the resurrection.

Verses 53-55 sum up the glorious hope of the resurrection for both the church and the world. In verse 23 Paul states the order of the resurrection—“Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.” According to the Greek text the last clause of this text would more correctly read, “Afterward, they who become Christ’s during his presence,” and his presence is during the time of his thousand-year kingdom. “For,” Paul continues, “he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.”—vss. 25,26

This entire chapter is written especially for the encouragement of Christians, who are promised exaltation to immortality in the resurrection. Nevertheless Paul reminds us that in the resurrection there will be “terrestrial” or earthly bodies, as well as “celestial” or heavenly bodies.—vs. 40

Those who will be among the “firstfruits” of the resurrection will be given celestial bodies—“This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.” After explaining this, Paul returns to the order of the resurrection, saying that “when” this mortal shall have put on immortality, “then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.”—vss. 53,54

Paul is not saying that the exaltation of the “firstfruits” to immortality will fulfill the saying, “Death is swallowed up in victory,” but that this promise will be fulfilled “when this mortal shall have put on immortality.” In other words, this promise of the destruction of death—the last enemy to be destroyed during Christ’s kingdom reign—must await fulfillment until the work of the present age is completed, when all the “firstfruits” class will be united with Christ.

The promise that death will be swallowed up in victory is a part of one of the Old Testament kingdom prophecies. In it the kingdom is pictured as a great “mountain” in which the Lord makes unto all, people a “feast of fat things.” It is in this kingdom that the Lord “will swallow up death in victory.”—Isa. 25:6-9

QUESTIONS

How important to the plan of God is the resurrection of Jesus?

Explain the relationship of thought expressed by Jesus in our Golden Text and in John 5:24.

Will those who die in unbelief ever have an opportunity to believe?

What is the order of the resurrection as set forth by Paul in I Corinthians 15:23?

Who are the “firstfruits,” and who the “afterward” class in the resurrection?

Who, in the resurrection, will receive heavenly bodies, and who will receive earthly bodies?

How is the order of the resurrection again stated by Paul in verse 54? When will death be swallowed up in victory?

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