POST OVERVIEW. A study of miscellaneous New Testament passages about the resurrection, particularly emphasizing the fact that all believers will be glorified in the resurrection, whether living or dead.

Another chapter in my upcoming book, “The Resurrection: when the church is glorified.”

Having covered the major New Testament passages about the resurrection, we now turn to other places where this event is mentioned or referenced. In reviewing these verses we will emphasize that all believers will be resurrected, whether they are physically still alive or “have fallen asleep.” This is consistent with what we have already seen in other New Testament passages, that there is one resurrection event of both the living and the dead (see 1 Thess. 4:15-17; 1 Cor. 15:51-55).

1 Corinthians 6:14 – Now God has not only raised the Lord but will also raise us up through His power.

This verse makes clear that “raised” or “raised up” speaks of resurrection, for “God has ‘raised’ the Lord” definitely refers to the resurrection of Jesus. Paul then makes the declaration that, as certainly as God has raised (resurrected) the Lord Jesus, so He will also “raise us up” (resurrect us) through His power. As God raised up Jesus in glorious resurrection on the third day, so He will raise up all believers in glorious resurrection on the last day.

Philippians 3:20-21 – ²⁰ For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; ²¹ who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

Those whose citizenship is in heaven are all those who have put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, whether they are physically living or dead. These are the ones who eagerly wait for the coming of our Savior. When Jesus comes, He “will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory.” All believers currently dwell in “a body of humble state,” whether their body is living (and groaning; 2 Cor. 5:2, 4), or their body has already died. But at the resurrection, all those whose citizenship is in heaven will be glorified. There is no distinction made between the living and the dead. When He comes, He will transform all believers into His glory.

1 John 3:2 – Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

The “we” that John is addressing in this verse about Jesus’ return and the resurrection is obviously all Christians because he calls them “beloved” and “children of God” (John 1:12). There is no distinction made between the living children of God and the children of God who have already died.

Thus when Jesus appears in power and glory, “we will be like Him.” All believers, whether dead 1,900 years like the Apostle John or still living like you and me, will be glorified when Jesus appears. This is the resurrection, which applies to all believers equally.

Colossians 3:4 – When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

Here Paul expresses the same idea that John expresses in 1 John 3:2 (above). Every believer, whether alive or “asleep,” is now in a state of eager anticipation (Phil. 3:20) as we await the coming (παρουσία) of the Lord Jesus. We await in our humble state, where we appear very ordinary and where our bodies groan (2 Cor. 5:2, 4). But when Christ appears, we will all be changed (1 Cor. 15:52). All believers will be resurrected and will appear with Him in our glorified bodies.

Matthew 24:37-41 – ³⁷ For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. ³⁸ For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, ³⁹ and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. ⁴⁰ Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. ⁴¹ Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left.

In this passage from the Olivet Discourse, only Matt. 24:40-41 concern the resurrection of the saints but 24:37-39 are given to show that the context is the coming of the Lord Jesus on the last day. We know from our entire study of the resurrection and from the two passages which we have just considered that the coming of the Son of Man and the resurrection of the saints are simultaneous events. When Christ is revealed, then the saints will be glorified. This is explicitly what Jesus is teaching in this text.

24:37-39. Jesus speaks about the state of the world when He returns in glory. As when Noah was building the ark and was also preaching righteousness (2 Peter 2:5) to the world of the ungodly, so will the world be before the coming of the Son of Man. In that day the world will be living in rebellion to God and will go through their daily routines as if there is no God and as if God has not given laws and commandments which must be obeyed. While the faithful church proclaims the righteousness of Jesus Christ and the need for repentance, the world indulges their sin and their wickedness, denying God and living as if there will never be a judgment. The wicked world will not “see all these things,” so they will not “recognize that Jesus is near, right at the door” (Matt. 24:33). They refuse to repent (Rev. 9:20-21) and so are surprised when the day of the Lord comes upon them with sudden destruction (1 Thess. 5:2-3), and they will not escape the judgment. The world will be terrified at the coming of the Son of Man (Rev. 6:12-17).

24:40-41. But while 24:37-39 tells of the judgment of the unsuspecting ungodly at the coming of the Son of Man, 24:40-41 speaks about the resurrection of the righteous who are on the alert and are ready for the Lord’s coming. In the first scene (24:40), two men are in the field. At the coming of the Lord, the believer is “caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thess. 4:17) in the resurrection while the unbeliever is left on the earth to face the wrath of the Lamb in terrifying judgment (Rev. 6:15-17; 19:21). The second scene is similar as two women are grinding at the mill (24:41). As the Lord descends from heaven with a shout (1 Thess. 4:16), the believing woman goes up in glorious resurrection while the unbeliever faces “the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty” (Rev. 19:15).

The two verses describe the same truth. At the coming of the Lord, those believers who are alive and remain will be “taken,” meaning they will be gloriously resurrected and will meet the Lord in the air.

CONCLUSION

This study has demonstrated that the resurrection of the saints on the last day at the coming of the Lord is a common theme throughout the New Testament and has shown that the teaching about the resurrection is consistent between the various New Testament authors.

Soli Deo gloria            rmb                 7/2/2024                     #707