Bible Students and Seventh Day Adventist, Part 36
We continue once again with our subject,
Death and Resurrection
Let us once again consider each of the following statements made by our Adventist friends.
They state:
“The first resurrection happens when Christ returns. This resurrection is for those who were faithful to Christ and died. These resurrected people will join all the faithful Christians who are still living. Together they will go to Heaven.”
Having in our previous post shown the true meaning of the word “resurrection” and what it implies, as well as determined that there are to be two resurrections, one for the just and one for the unjust, it should be evident which of those resurrections the living saints will participate in at the return of our Lord. The living saints will experience their resurrection change immediately upon the faithful completion of their covenant (Psa 50:5; Rom 12:1) even as did those who went before them. The same requirements must be met, they must be proven faithful even UNTO DEATH (Rev 2:10), no exceptions.
There will be no mysterious rapturing away to avoid this as many believe. This is what they consecrated themselves to do when they agreed to follow in the Master’s footsteps. The servant is not above his master, as it was required that our Lord finish his course (consecration) in death, so too they. It was the flesh, the earthly nature that they agreed to sacrificed, it must be surrendered, fully and completely as a pleasing (acceptable) sacrifice upon the Lord’s altar. Sacrifices placed upon the altar cannot be taken back.
The only difference is that it will no longer be necessary for them to sleep in death as have all the saints previous to our Lord’s second advent, but now immediately upon death, in the twinkling of and eye they will be translated (or rapture if you will), and joined with their Lord and the rest of their faithful brethren in the air, this will continue until the prescribed number of the elect, the body of Christ is complete.
This is all taking place even now, but as they are resurrected in their new spirit bodies (which are invisible to the eye as are all spirit beings) it is completely unseen and unknown by the world.
They continue:
The Second Resurrection
“The second resurrection happens after the thousand years have passed. This resurrection is for those who were unfaithful to Christ. These are the lost people who decided not to follow Christ during their life on earth.
“The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection” (Revelation 20:5, ESV).
Unfortunately, these people are not raised to eternal life, but instead will face the second death.”
What is the Second Death?
Those who are raised in the second resurrection will face judgement. They will die a final death that lasts forever.
“Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:14, ESV).
It is evident from foregoing statements that our Adventist friends have not studied the Scriptures and for that matter prophecy in general as well as they should have. They appear to be completely ignorant of the whole reason why our Lord died in the first place and why the Church is even called. They are missing out on half the Gospel, the part which pertains to the rest of the world, and as such have simply consigned them all to second death.
At least they are generous enough to simply consigned them to extinction of being, rather than the alternative proposed by most of the rest of the professing church, viz., everlasting or eternal torment.
They appear to have a very limited view of the atonement work of Christ, believing that it pertains only to professed believers living during the Gospel age, as there is no mention made of those of the past ages, viz., the age before the flood, the patriarch age or the Jewish age, billions of lost souls there including all the great prophets of the past.
For how could any of these had been judged faithful or unfaithful to Christ, when they had never even heard of the one name under heaven by which we are saved?
As stated, they appear to be unaware of the other half of the gospel,
That “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,” not simply to save the Church, but the entire world, “For He Himself is the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” For “…God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them…” (John 3:16; 1 John 2:2; 2 Cor 5:19)
“Simon has declared how God at the first visited the Gentiles to take out of them a people for His name (The Church, the Elect). And with this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written: ‘After this (After the gathering of the elect Church is accomplished, favor returns to Israel) I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, And I will set it up; So that (or “in order that”) the rest of mankind (the non-elect) may seek the Lord (in the Millennial age), Even all the Gentiles who are called by My name, Says the Lord who does all these things.’” (Acts 15:14-17)
“For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, ESPECIALLY of those who believe.” (1 Tim 4:10)
Here the Two Salvations are pointed out.
God is the Savior of all men as respects the common or general salvation (Jude 3), but especially of those who believe now during the acceptable time, the Gospel age. Such as agree to the terms, a full consecration and presentation of their bodies a living sacrifice (Rom 12:1) are saved to the special or great salvation, our salvation, the heavenly calling. (2 Cor 6:2; Heb 2:3; Rom 13:11)
Compare the meaning of the word “especially” here with that found in Gal 6:10
“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” (Gal 6:10)
Here too a distinction is made between “all men” and “the household of faith”, “those who believe”. We are to do good to both, but especially to the latter.
But we are getting ahead of ourselves here let us in the next post go back once again and consider what they have to say point by point concerning the second resurrection.
For further review please see the following: