Disciples Global Network

Christ’s Death and bodily Resurrection are foundational and indispensable to the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles . The Apostle Paul discusses the future resurrection of believers in his second letter to Timothy in response to denials of this “ sound teaching ” by false teachers. Faith in the future resurrection is central to the doctrine of salvation proclaimed by Jesus and his Apostles. This teaching is undeniably reliable since it is based on the historical Death and Resurrection of Jesus.

The saints will be assembled before Jesus on the Last Day, and the wicked will be collected for judgment and cast from his presence . On the Last Day, the righteous and the unrighteous will be “ gathered ” before Jesus, the former for vindication and salvation, and the latter for judgment and condemnation. This event is linked in the New Testament to Christ’s “ arrival ” at the end of the age when he will resurrect the dead, judge the dead and living, terminate the “ Last Enemy, Death ,” and consummate the Kingdom of God.

In explaining the resurrection, Paul lists key events that will precede or coincide with the arrival of Jesus at the close of the present age . Paul outlined the events that will occur at or shortly before the “ arrival ” of Jesus in  1 Corinthians . The Greek noun ‘ Parousia ’ or “ arrival ” is one of several terms Paul applies to the future coming of the Lord in his letters. Regardless of which term is used, the Apostle always refers to one “ coming ,” one “ appearance ,” one “ revelation ” and one “ appearance ” of the Son of God, not two or more.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ liberates men and women of every nation from the stain of sin and the fear of death . The Epistle to the Hebrews begins by presenting Jesus as the ultimate expression of the Word of God. God has provided his ultimate answer to sin and death in His Son. By his one-time sacrificial death , Jesus cleansed God’s people of the stain of sin and freed them from Satan’s tyranny; therefore, the Father exalted Jesus and made him our “ High Priest forever ” who mediates life and salvation to his “ brethren ” – (Hebrews 1:1-4).

Jesus grants the Life-Giving Spirit to men and women without which there is no enduring life. His words are spirit, and they are life . “ The Spirit makes alive.   The flesh profits nothing. The words which I have spoken to you, they are spirit, and they are life. ” Christ’s declaration echoes the biblical principle that life and the Spirit of God are inextricably linked. The flesh has no lasting life apart from the Holy Spirit as was demonstrated in the original creation. The Spirit is essential for the bodily resurrection of believers and life in the coming age – (John 6:63).

Paul outlined the events that will occur at the “ arrival ” or ‘ Parousia ’ of Jesus in his first letter to the Corinthians. The Greek noun ‘ parousia ’ is one of several Greek terms Paul applied to the future coming of the Lord. Regardless of which term he used, he always described one “ coming ,” “ appearance ,” “ revelation ,” or “ appearance ” of Jesus at the end of the age.

The arrival of Jesus will mean the resurrection of the dead, the commencement of the New Creation, and the final judgment . Several Greek terms are applied by the New Testament to the return of Jesus, including ‘ Parousia ’ (“arrival”), ‘ erchomai ’ (“coming”), ‘ apokalupsis ’ (“revelation”), and ‘ epiphaneia ’ (“appearance”). Regardless of which one is used, it is always singular in number, it always refers to only one future “arrival,” “appearance,” “revelation,” or “coming.”

The Good News announced by Jesus of Nazareth provides salvation and life for men and women of every nation and people . After his resurrection, Jesus declared: “ All authority in heaven and on earth is given to me, therefore, go and make disciples of all nations !” Thus, he sent his disciples to announce his lordship and salvation to the “ ends of the Earth .” Christ’s Death and Resurrection are the foundation of the “ Good News ” of God’s kingdom and gracious salvation, and this life-giving message must be announced to all men and in every nation under heaven.

The arrival of Jesus at the end of the age will mean the resurrection and the end of the Last Enemy, namely, Death  - 1 Corinthians 15:24-28. Certain members of the congregation in Corinth denied the future resurrection of the righteous. Paul responded by stressing how necessary our resurrection is and by appealing to the past Death and Resurrection of Jesus. His resurrection was and remains the precedent for our future resurrection and life in the coming age. We will be raised bodily when he “ arrives ,” and his appearance will mean nothing less than the end of Death itself.

Foundational to our future hope is bodily Resurrection when Jesus arrives in glory at the End of the Age . Paul’s description of the “ arrival ” or ‘ Parousia ’ of Jesus in his first letter to the Thessalonians was written to comfort believers over the fate of their compatriots who die before Christ’s return. We need not sorrow “ like the others ” since   the righteous dead will be resurrected when the Lord “ arrives ” from Heaven.

Jesus will return from Heaven at the “ end ” of the present age accompanied by great power and glory. His “ arrival ” or  Parousia  will result in the consummation of the Kingdom of God, the judgment of the ungodly, the resurrection and vindication of the righteous, the unveiling of the New Creation, and the termination of Death. Thus, the coming of the “ Son of Man on the Clouds ” will be an event of  GREAT FINALITY .

The biblical faith is forward-looking and foundational to its doctrine of salvation is the future resurrection of the righteous dead. That event will also mark the arrival of the New Creation. The New Testament links this to two events. First, the past Resurrection of Jesus. Second, his future arrival at the end of the age. Our salvation remains incomplete without our resurrection.

The fourth seal releases “Death,” and “Hades” follows gathering the dead in its wake  –  Revelation 6:7-8 .  The “victims” harmed by the first three seal openings have not been identified, although details from the tasks assigned to each “ rider ” provide clues. Nothing has been said about the enemies of the “ Lamb ,” or about judgments against the “ inhabitants of the earth .” Moreover, the actions of the “ four riders ” are never labeled “plagues,” “wrath,” or “judgments.”

Paul responded to concerns about the dead in Christ by pointing to the resurrection that will occur when Jesus arrives from Heaven .  In his first Letter to the Thessalonians, Paul reassured the congregation concerning the participation of saints who die before the ‘ Parousia ’ in the glories of that day. According to him,  BOTH  dead and living saints will assemble and “ meet ” the Lord as he descends from Heaven. Thereafter, they will be with Jesus “ forevermore .” He wrote these words in response to believers who were sorrowing over the deaths of fellow saints.