RESURRECTION
by Dr. Lloyd T. Anderson
human race with him. But the Sec ond Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ, made His cataclysmic appearance, born of the virgin Mary, in order that the human race in bondage to sin, could be delivered. Keep in mind that Paul is referring exclusively to Christians, who by personal faith in the Lord, are possessors of eternal salvation. Notice the verb in verse 22, “shall we be made alive.” That is properly translated, as John Wesley points out, “to make alive so as to remain alive.” Every time that word is used in the New Testament, it refers to believers. Those who die in unbelief, without the Lord Jesus Christ, are raised in a future day to die the second death. Christians are raised to die no more. In verse 23 we have the order of the resurrection which suggests a military movement, as though sev eral divisions of our great army are moving out to battle in prearranged ranks. First, it will be Christ Him self, as Commander-in-Chief. Then there are those who belong to Him, who represent all who have been redeemed. Only those who are “in Christ” are raised to life everlast ing. There is not just one general resurrection. After the millennium, at the Great White Throne judg ment, all who have not trusted Christ will be consigned to everlasting con demnation in hell. In verse 23, “at His coming,” can be interpreted only as signifying a literal and personal return. In the original it stands for an actual arri val and presence. This corroborates the testimony of other Scriptures that our blessed Lord is returning, not only to establish His kingdom, 13
P art I T here is no more fascinating study than the subject of what will transpire in relation to the true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ when the Rapture of the Church takes place. We find much informa tion on this matter in I Corinthians 15:51-58 and I Thessalonians 4:13- 18. When I was converted back in Minneapolis, this subject was espe cially meaningful. The pastor who led me to the Lord had on his wall a plaque with a motto of but two words: “Today, perhaps.” I have never forgotten his challenging per sonal testimony: “Every serm on , every prayer, and every thought brought to my consciousness is relat ed to the fact that the Saviour could return at any moment . . . perhaps today.” Such a view should be char acteristic of every born-again child of God. In I Corinthians 15:20-23, the Apostle Paul has had as his theme the wonderful truths of the resurrec tion. He draws a striking contrast between Adam on the one hand, and Christ, the Second Adam, on the oth er. The fifth chapter of Romans gives us a similar passage showing how that, because of Adam’s sin, all men likewise are sinners (Rom. 5:12). But the blessed truth is that Christ leads the way in resurrection, even as Adam led the way in death (I Cor. 15:22). Just as all who are con formed to the likeness of Adam are going to perish, so all who are con formed to the likeness of Jesus Christ will live forevermore. The Sec ond Adam reverses what was done by the first Adam. The first Adam was catapulted into sin, and the whole
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