The First Resurrection and the Perfect Man

In this two-part article I will explain the first and second resurrection and the period in between. 

Let’s begin in Revelation 20

6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power…

The fact this verse mentions the “first” resurrection, suggests there’s more than one.

Further down this same chapter we see the second resurrection described.

12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

This second resurrection, is called the “resurrection of the dead” in Philippians 3 and 1 Corinthians 15.

However, to understand the "first resurrection” we need to examine Romans, Colossians and Ephesians.

Romans 6

4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be -- also in the likeness of his resurrection:

6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Once our “old man” is “crucified” and “buried” with Christ through repentance, we are “raised up” or resurrected to “walk in newness of life”. 

“Walk” 4043. περιπατέω peripatéō means manner of life. 

Being “raised up” with Christ results in a new manner of life, which is to “not serve sin”.

Colossians 2&3 sound very similar to Romans… 

Colossians 2

11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

Colossians 3

1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

4 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Here Paul describes “putting off the…sins of the flesh”, being “dead”, “buried” and “risen” with Christ who sits on the right hand of God.

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, is similar to both Romans and Colossians….

Ephesians 2

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by (grace ye are saved;)

6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

In summary, once crucified and buried with Christ through repentance, we are “raised up” or “quickened” with him to sit in heavenly places, in the sense that our “affection” is set on “things above” and we no longer “serve sin”.

This is the “first resurrection”.

Now, I’m going to share with you something that was a recent revelation to me.

The “first resurrection” pertains to “the mystery of the kingdom of God” (Mark 4:11) which is “Christ in you” (Colossians 1:27) and all things gathered together as “one…in Christ” (Ephesians 1:10). 

This mystery was “made manifest to his saints” (Colossians 1:26) at Pentecost when the Spirit was poured out (Acts 2:17). 

HOWEVER, it was not “finished” at that point. 

Not until “the resurrection of the dead” was “the mystery of the kingdom of God” “finished”.

Revelation 10

7 But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished…

To explore the period between the first and second resurrection, let’s continue through Ephesians.

Ephesians 2

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

11 Wherefore remember that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel… 

13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

19 Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in the Lord:

22 In whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God through the Spirit.

At Pentacost the “one new man” was formed, consisting of Jews and Gentiles joined together by one Spirit. 

The “one new man” was the “house hold of God”, a “holy temple” and “habitation of God through the Spirit”.

HOWEVER, the house was still being built, the temple was growing and the “one new man” had yet to mature into a “perfect man”.

Ephesians 4 describes this process or maturation.

11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13 TILL we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:

15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

Back in Ephesians 2, Paul had to tell the Jews that salvation was “not of works”, meaning dead religious works and that Christ’s death on the cross had “abolished’ carnal ordinances because they still had a Jewish mind-set.

Hence the “one new man” required apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to help it “grow up” into a “perfect man” and “come in the UNITY of the faith”.

1 Corinthians 13

8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

10 But when that which is PERFECT is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a MAN, I put away childish things.

Here again, Paul referred to the “one new man” maturing into a “perfect man”.

In verses 8&9 “prophesy” and “knowledge” mean direct revelation knowledge, as received by the apostles. 

Such was required “TILL we all come in the unity of the faith”. The word TILL suggests there was a definitive point at which the “one new man” became a “perfect man” and “childish things” were “put away”.

Let’s now consider Paul’s words in Philippians 3…

5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;

6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

9 And be found IN him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death

11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. 

12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an example.

20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ:

21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

In this chapter Paul made the point that he had been the model Jew, yet he chose to let all that go. He counted it as dung compared to the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus. 

The saints in Philippi were to follow his example in letting go of their old Jewish mind-set.

Paul was striving for the prize, the “resurrection of the dead” in which his “vile” body would be changed.

He said, “not as though I had already attained, either was already made PERFECT…” 

Here, the word “perfect” is used in the context of Paul encouraging the Philippians to let go of their Jewish mind-set. 

Thus I don’t think he was speaking of himself becoming “perfect”, he was alluding to how the “one new man” must grow into a “perfect man” and come into the UNITY of the faith, to attain unto the “resurrection of the dead”.

To understand why the “resurrection of the dead” was so tantalising to Paul, we should consider how death was described in the Old Testament.

That’s what we’ll do in part Two. We’ll also explore 1 Corinthians 15, 1 Thessalonians 4 and Matthew 24 in which Paul described the “resurrection of the dead” in detail. 

How does this relate to the “one new man” growing into a “perfect man”? You’ll find out in my next article.

Until then, let us each work out our own salvation in fear and trembling. God bless.

The Day of the Lord- part three

In part one and two we looked at 1 Thessalonians 5 which says “the day of the Lord” would come as “a thief in the night” and as “travail upon a woman with child”.

Then in 2 Thessalonians 1, Paul comforted new believers by saying that God would “recompense…THEM that trouble YOU…in flaming fire taking vengeance”.

In Acts 17 we saw that it was unbelieving JEWS who troubled the Thessalonians by bringing them before the city rulers and accusing them of having treasonous ideas.

Luke 21, the equivalent of Matthew 24, mentions “the days of vengeance”…

20 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

22 For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

Here Luke explains that the “days of vengeance” would look like Jerusalem being “compassed with armies”. 

Thus the days of vengeance were when Roman soldiers sacked Jerusalem.

It’s important we now proceed to the book of Revelation.

Revelation 6

12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood;

13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.

14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places.

17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Here we see here the same cosmological language used in Isaiah, Joel, Acts 2 and Matthew 24 that is associated with “the day of the Lord”.

12…the sun became black…the moon became as blood;

17 For the great day of his wrath is come…

Also, if we look at the two verses prior to the ones I just read in Revelation 6, we see the same REASON for God’s “wrath” as in Matthew and Thessalonians. It is to avenge the blood of his saints. Those martyred for the sake of his kingdom.

Revelation 6

9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:

10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

This takes me to Revelation 17, which was truly a revelation to me.

5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus:

Also Revelation 18

24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.

It was these scripture that led me to consider that Mystery Babylon represents the city of Jerusalem which was destroyed because the Jews beat, stoned and slew not only God’s servants but God’s own son.

Furthermore, Revelation indicates that God put it in the heart of Roman soldiers to fulfil his will and destroy their temple.

Revelation 17

16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

Fire and famine characterised the Roman siege, when the temple was “thrown down”.

Revelation 18

8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

21…with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.

The following is an excerpt from `The Wars of the Jews, Book 6’ Chapter 8, by first century historian Flavius Josephus, which vividly describes the sacking of the Jewish temple.

So the Romans…when they went in numbers into the lanes of the city, with their swords drawn, they slew those whom they overtook, without mercy, and set fire to the houses wither the Jews were fled, and burnt every soul in them, and laid waste a great many of the rest; (405) and when they were come to the houses to plunder them, they found in them entire families of dead men, and the upper rooms full of dead corpses, that is of such as died by the famine; they then stood in a horror at this sight…they ran every one through whom they met with, and obstructed the very lanes with their dead bodies, and made the whole city run down with blood, to such a degree indeed that the fire of many of the houses was quenched with these men's blood. (407) And truly so it happened, that though the slayers left off at the evening, yet did the fire greatly prevail in the night…

Before I proceed any further in Revelation I want to address 2 Peter 3, which is similar to 1 Thessalonians 5, in that they both use the phrase “a thief in the night”. 

For many, 2 Peter 3 is PROOF that “the day of the Lord” will occur at the literal end of the world, so let’s read that portion of scripture.

2 Peter 3

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

First of all, take note that 2 Peter 3 describes heaven being “on fire” and earth “burned up”. 

Similar to how Malachi 4 says that the “great and dreadful day of the Lord” shall “burn as an oven” and “burn them up”. 

Similar to how John the Baptist warned of unfruitful trees being “cast into the fire” (Matthew 3). 

Similar to the parable Jesus spoke, in which a king “burned up” the city of those who slew his servants (Matthew 22).

Similar to Paul’s words to the Thessalonians, that God would “recompense” the Jews who persecuted them “in flaming fire” (2 Thessalonians 1). 

And similar to how Mystery Babylon was “burned with fire” (Rev. 18:8)

So 2 Peter 3 has to be weighed against all those scriptures, which as I’ve shown you, point to the destruction of the Jewish temple. 

What you may not know is that, according to Josephus, Jews regarded their temple as “heaven and earth”. 

Let me read you an excerpt from his book `Antiquities of the Jews’ Chapter 6 (Concerning the Tabernacle which Moses built in the wilderness, for the honour of God: and which seemed to be a Temple).

Now the room within those pillars was the Most Holy Place: but the rest of the room was the Tabernacle, this was open for the Priests. However this proportion of the measures of the Tabernacle proved to be an imitation of the system of the world. For that third part thereof which was within the four pillars, to which the Priests were not admitted, is, as it were, an Heaven, peculiar to God. But the space of the twenty cubits, is, as it were, sea and land, on which men live: and so this part is peculiar to the Priests only.

So basically Josephus was saying that the outer court of the tabernacle represented the sea, the holy place represented earth and the holy of holies, heaven.

With that in mind let’s read a little further in 2 Peter 3

12 Looking for and hasting unto the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?

13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Is “righteousness” relegating to a future kingdom that only manifests after the literal end of the world?

Revelation 21 describes the New Jerusalem that is associated with this new heavens and new earth wherein dwells righteousness.

Revelation 21

1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God…

Now consider Paul’s words in Galatians…

Galatians 4:22-26

…Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman…

Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants…

…Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all.

Here we see two cities contrasted against each other, “Jerusalem which now is” and “Jerusalem which is above”. The former is associated with the old covenant, the latter, the new covenant.

Revelation also contrasts two cities…

The Old Jerusalem (Mystery Babylon) and the New Jerusalem. Which again represent the old and new covenant.

The destruction of the Jewish temple in 70AD was very significant because it marked the point at which the old covenant system passed away and the New Jerusalem, representing the New Covenant was fully manifest.

Hebrews 9

8 …the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:

Once Jesus died and his spirit was poured out, there was no more use for the “first tabernacle” in which the high priest sprinkled the blood of animals upon the mercy seat and communed with God.

Through the blood of Christ WE can enter the holiest and commune directly with God.

In conclusion,

You might agree that God brought judgement upon the Jews for killing and stoning his prophets, even crucifying Christ and refusing to bring forth fruits worthy of repentance. You might agree that the kingdom of God was taken from them and given to a spiritual nation bringing forth fruit.

You might even be willing to call the destruction of the temple and the slaughter of over a million Jews in 70AD the “day of the Lord” as prophesied by Malachi, John, Jesus, Peter and Paul but then you say “how does that apply to me?” “Does that mean I don’t have to repent? Does that mean there’s no “wrath to come” for me? Is there no future judgement?

Hebrews 9

27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

God still judges and he’ll judge every one of us. We still need to bring forth fruits meet for repentance if we want to be part of his glorious kingdom, the New Jerusalem wherein dwells righteousness. 

God is long-suffering but if we continually reject “the door” to the kingdom (John 10:9), the time will come when “the door” will be permanently shut to us. 

Isaiah 55:6 Seek the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near 

Let us each work out our own salvation. God bless.