The "FIRST resurrection" - THE Focus of the NT saints?

In 1Thess 4 Paul tells us to focus on certain end-time facts regarding the "DEAD in Christ" who are "raised FIRST" so that we DO have hope and are NOT like "those who have NO hope".

Peter tells us to "Fix our hope COMPLETELY" on that future event.

John tells us Christ has gone away but "Will come AGAIN to RECEIVE us unto Himself in order that WHERE He is THERE we will be ALSO".

And in Rev 20 John goes into detail telling us about the "FIRST resurrection" for those over whom "The SECOND DEATH has NO power" -- the "blessed and holy ones".

The question is -- why is THE focus of the NT saints as described in scripture - so confusing to Christians today?

The Dead in Christ rise FIRST.

The FIRST resurrection is that of the "Blessed and holy" over whom "the second death has no power".

This could not be any more obvious friends.

What say you?

in Christ,

Bob

 

To get the ball rolling I am adding a post on this subject that was submitted by Eliyahu --

 

In Rev 20 Satan is thrown alive into the lake of fire at the END of the 1000 yearsl.

In Rev 20 the "Second DEATH" is the lake of fire event at the END of the 1000 years.

In Rev 20 the ONLY ONES who are raised and NOT subject to the SECOND death lake of fire are those who are raised BEFORE the 1000 years is ended - those raised in the "FIRST resurrection". They alone are listed as the "blessed and holy".

in 1Thess 4 they are called the "DEAD in CHRIST" and they are "raised FIRST".

Since we know that 1Thess 4 is the rapture event and in Rev 19-20 we have the second coming - it is clear that we are taken to heaven in the rapture AT the second coming just as Matt 24 describes it! That is why this is THE FOCUS of the NT church !!


1Peter 1
6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,
7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.


10 As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries,
11 seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.[/b]
12 It was [b]revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but you[/b], in these things which now have been announced to you through those who preached the gospel to you[/b] by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven things into which angels long to look.

13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, [b]fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.[/b]

In Christ,

Bob

 

The Bible teaches us that the body parts “return to the dust” by “contrast” to the “PERSON” that rises again. The body parts “decay and return to the dust” whereas the “person” is the one who has “fallen asleep” according to Paul.

“Those who (persons) are asleep” are the saints “the Dead in Christ” – by contrast “their body parts” simply decay and return to dust.

1Thess 4
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.

Paul points out the “solution” for those who might otherwise grieve “as those who have no hope” when they encounter the death of a loved one.
Paul states that the key is “being infomed about those who ARE asleep”.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who(persons) have fallen asleep in Jesus.

God will “bring with him those who (persons) have fallen asleep”

Is Christ “bringing dead bodies with him”??? some claim that this is the case for “those who sleep” for they claim this is only a reference to “dead bodies”.

But we know this is not true! We know that bodies “return to DUST” in decay – they do not “sleep” in death.

It is the PERSON who is “asleep in death”. They are referred to as “THOSE WHO are asleep”

Paul shows us that the difference between those who grieve having no hope -- and those who do not, is in understanding the truth regarding those "who ARE asleep".

Paul has the entire NT church focused on this 1Thess 4 resurrection event as "THE hope" and "the focus" of the church "in hope".

 

As we see Paul focus the entire "hope" of the NT church on the resurrection event of 1Thess 4 - which is the 2nd coming and resurrection of the saints.

In the same way we saw Peter focus the entire "hope" of the NT church on the "grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ"

Paul is fully focused himself on that same future resurrection event --

The "dead in Christ rise FIRST" 1thess 4

The FIRST resurrection is that one that occurs at the start of the 1000 year (Rev 20:4-5)

And so Paul is focused on that single event


Phil 3
10 [b]that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings[/b], being conformed to His death;
11 [b]in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.[/b]
12 Not that I have [b]already obtained[/b] it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of[/b] by Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, [b]I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet[/b]; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
14 I [b]press on toward the goal for the prizeof the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

 

All those wicked who are ALIVE at the Rev 19 second coming of Christ (those upon whom the birds are feasting in Rev 19) die "the first death" and all those wicked raised to life "after the 1000 years are complete" are to suffer the "second death".

 

Heb 11 descrives the saints of the OT the same way.

They are all called "the dead in Christ" because all of them died in faith regarding the Messiah (Christ - Greek for the Hebrew word Messiah).

1 Cor 10 states that they were all baptized inot Christ - and that the Rock was Christ.

1 Corinthians 10

1 For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea;
2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
3 and all ate the same spiritual food;
4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock (Petra) which followed them; and the rock (Petra) was Christ.[/b]

 

The "beast" is not a person nor is the "false prophet" they are institutions destroyed at the 2nd coming. THE PEOPLE we see raised before and after the 1000 years are "PEOPLE" the devil is the devil -- but as we saw in Dan 7-8 the BEASTS represent nations and religious systems.

"Better doctrine through more Bible reading" -

in Christ,

Bob

 

I gotta admit that sounds pretty wild to me too!

Where did you "dig that dirt up"?

Do you have any actual facts to go with it?

(Aside from the one actual fact you DID mention "it is all very strange"

in Christ,

Bob

 

First class story telling sir.

in Christ,

Bob