Since the time of the Protestant Reformers the original apostolic doctrines have been in the process of being restored to the Body of Christ. We now have arrived at the concepts of the resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment. Eternal judgment follows the resurrection in that we must die and then be raised before we are judged.

The resurrection to eternal life is the central hope of the Christian Church. Perhaps the most notable of the truths being restored to us is that the resurrection to the fullness of Christ's Glory, the resurrection in which evangelical believers expect to participate, must be attained.

"Of the doctrine of . . . resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment."

The Meaning of the Term Resurrection

The meaning of the Greek word a-NA-sta-sis, the word translated "resurrection," is to be raised to life again, to stand on one's feet before God.

The current emphasis on the so-called "rapture" of the believers has greatly confused and obscured the hope of the resurrection, the central hope and doctrine of Christianity, by repeatedly emphasizing the lifting of the saints from the earth rather than the resurrection.

There were forty days between the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and His ascension to the Father. Since our resurrection will be patterned after His it is not unlikely that there will be an interval of time between our resurrection and our ascension to meet the Lord in the air.

God would have us look to our resurrection, to the fullness of incorruptible life in the Presence of Christ, as being our hope and goal, not to being caught up from the earth into the air, or to eternal residence in Heaven, which are not central doctrines or hopes of the Divine salvation.

The first resurrection from the dead, the resurrection of the royal priesthood, was the hope and goal of the Apostle Paul and must become our hope and goal. The first resurrection will take place after the destruction of our last enemy, physical death, and is the climactic act of our redemption. Our journey through the air is not to be compared in importance with our resurrection and should not be emphasized to the extent that is true today.

Focusing on attaining the first resurrection has a direct, positive effect on the willingness of the believer to press forward in Christ each day. Focusing on our journey through the air, the teaching that our being caught up to the Lord is to prevent suffering and to remove us from the danger of Antichrist, is having an exceedingly harmful effect on Christian people. The saints are not preparing themselves to stand in the evil day. They are being taught there will be no evil day. They are not arming themselves with a mind to suffer and many may forsake Christ during the days of persecution and moral horrors that are at hand.

To be continued.