There is a better resurrection for those of us who qualify. To achieve that better resurrection, we must listen (obey) and believe and Jesus gives us the Life of the Ages (that better first resurrection). The dead here refers to the unsaved or the ungodly who are still alive to listen. Those who listen, believe, and complete their obedience are judged righteous in this life and do not face judgement again.
Those in the grave (naturally dead) are those sinners who believed but did not complete full obedience. This is referring to the Great White Throne judgment (second resurrection) when the sinners will have a chance to complete their obedience to enter the New Earth that is to come.
To qualify for the first resurrection, we must be holy and righteous in Christ. Those who are beheaded means they have made Christ their head. They are resurrected and rule with Christ for a thousand years before the second resurrection (The Great White Throne Judgement).
Martha refers to the resurrection on the last day (the second resurrection) but Jesus tells her about the first resurrection qualified believers that will never die. The Father births Christ’s resurrection life within us unto a living hope, sanctification and obedience unto righteousness. We are begotten again that we might purify our souls in our obedience to the truth. We must continue to press forward unto our perfection (maturity) that we may attain unto the resurrection of the dead. (that better resurrection)
Heb 11:32-38 RV
(32) And what shall I more say? for the time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah; of David and Samuel and the prophets:
(33) who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
(34) quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, waxed mighty in war, turned to flight armies of aliens.
(35) Women received their dead by a resurrection: and others were tortured, not accepting their deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
(36) and others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
(37) they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were tempted, they were slain with the sword: they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, evil entreated
(38) (of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves, and the holes of the earth.
There is a better resurrection for those of us who qualify.
Joh 5:21-25 Weymouth
(21) For just as the Father awakens the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to whom He wills.
(22) The Father indeed does not judge any one, but He has entrusted all judgement to the Son,
(23) that all may honour the Son even as they honour the Father. The man who withholds honour from the Son withholds honour from the Father who sent Him.
(24) “In most solemn truth I tell you that he who listens to my teaching and believes Him who sent me, has the Life of the Ages, and does not come under judgement, but has passed over out of death into Life.
(25) “In most solemn truth I tell you that a time is coming–nay, has already come–when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear it will live.
Joh 5:26-29 Weymouth
(26) For just as the Father has life in Himself, so He has also given to the Son to have life in Himself.
(27) And He has conferred on Him authority to act as Judge, because He is the Son of Man.
(28) Wonder not at this. For a time is coming when all who are in the graves will hear His voice and will come forth–
(29) they who have done what is right to the resurrection of Life, and they whose actions have been evil to the resurrection of judgement.
Rev 20:4-6 Weymouth
(4) And I saw thrones, and some who were seated on them, to whom judgment was entrusted. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded on account of the testimony that they had borne to Jesus and on account of God’s Message, and also the souls of those who had not worshipped the Wild Beast or his statue, nor received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands; and they came to Life and were kings with Christ for a thousand years.
(5) No one else who was dead rose to Life until the thousand years were at an end. This is the First Resurrection.
(6) Blessed and holy are those who share in the First Resurrection. The Second Death has no power over them, but they shall be priests to God and to Christ, and shall be kings with Christ for the thousand years.
Joh 11:20-27 Weymouth
(20) Martha, however, as soon as she heard the tidings, “Jesus is coming,” went to meet Him; but Mary remained sitting in the house.
(21) So Martha came and spoke to Jesus. “Master, if you had been here,” she said, “my brother would not have died.
(22) And even now I know that whatever you ask God for, God will give you.”
(23) “Your brother shall rise again,” replied Jesus.
(24) “I know,” said Martha, “that he will rise again at the resurrection, on the last day.”
(25) “I am the Resurrection and the Life,” said Jesus; “he who believes in me, even if he has died, he shall live;
(26) and every one who is living and is a believer in me shall never, never die. Do you believe this?”
(27) “Yes, Master,” she replied; “I thoroughly believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”
1Pe 1:1-5 ASV
(1) Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the elect who are sojourners of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
(2) according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
(3) Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
(4) unto an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
(5) who by the power of God are guarded through faith unto a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
1Pe 1:17-23 ASV
(17) And if ye call on him as Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to each man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning in fear:
(18) knowing that ye were redeemed, not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, from your vain manner of life handed down from your fathers;
(19) but with precious blood, as of a lamb without spot, even the blood of Christ:
(20) who was foreknown indeed before the foundation of the world, but was manifested at the end of the times for your sake,
(21) who through him are believers in God, that raised him from the dead, and gave him glory; so that your faith and hope might be in God.
(22) Seeing ye have purified your souls in your obedience to the truth unto unfeigned love of the brethren, love one another from the heart fervently:
(23) having been begotten again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, through the word of God, which liveth and abideth.
We are begotten again that we might purify our souls in our obedience to the truth.
Php 3:10-14 ASV
(10) that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed unto his death;
(11) if by any means I may attain unto the resurrection from the dead.
(12) Not that I have already obtained, or am already made perfect: but I press on, if so be that I may lay hold on that for which also I was laid hold on by Christ Jesus.
(13) Brethren, I count not myself yet to have laid hold: but one thing I do, forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before.
(14) I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Image by Jessica Wilson on Unsplash.com
I love the subject of resurrections. The subject of resurrection is regarding whether an individual pursues life or death thereby, judged to life or death. Richard’s explanations and scriptures point this truth out. Christ in His ministry also made this truth clear. A few more examples are:
“This is the will of the Father who has sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:39,40)
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.” ( John 6:44)
“I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35)
“Most assuredly I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (53,54)
We have a choice given to us. We can either Eat and Drink life into our souls or Eat and Drink death into our souls. What we pursue in this life judges us to eternal life or death. Paul wrote to the Philippian assembly regarding this truth.
The writing to the Philippians that Richard pointed out, show us that God has called, all who believe to the mark (perfect or complete) and that like Paul we should press (pursue) to attain that mark which is to know Christ and the power of His resurrection. Amen.