The theological fallacy of a spiritual 'resurrection'

This is a subject that requires me to give the scriptural facts as to why the title of this thread is indeed the case, and because that will make it a long subject, it will be divided into four different posts.

It will be divided in two parts:

1. New Testament words used in reference to the resurrection; and
2. New Testament words in reference to living or being made alive by the Spirit ("quickened").

1. New Testament words used in reference to the resurrection:

Noun: ἀνάστασις anástasis (“The Resurrection”): A standing up again, i.e. (literally) a resurrection from death (individual, genitive case or by implication, (its author)), or (figuratively) a (moral) recovery (of spiritual truth):--raised to life again, resurrection, rise from the dead, that should rise, rising again.

Noun: ἔγερσις égersis: A standing up again, i.e. (literally) a resurrection from death (individual, genitive case or by implication, (its author)), or (figuratively) a (moral) recovery (of spiritual truth):--raised to life again, resurrection, rise from the dead, that should rise, rising again.

Verb: ἐγείρω egeírō: To waken (transitively or intransitively), i.e. rouse (literally, from sleep, from sitting or lying, from disease, from death; or figuratively, from obscurity, inactivity, ruins, nonexistence):--awake, lift (up), raise (again, up), rear up, (a-)rise (again, up), stand, take up.

Verb: ἀνίστημι anístēmi: To stand up (literal or figurative, transitive or intransitive):--arise, lift up, raise up (again), rise (again), stand up(-right).

Verb: συνεγείρω synegeírō: to rouse (from death) in company with, i.e. (figuratively) to revivify (spirtually) in resemblance to:--raise up together, rise with.

* The verbs are sometimes employed for normal use, for example as in "Rise up! Let's go!", but the nouns are always talking about the bodily resurrection from the dead.

The Greek noun used in the New Testament for The Resurrection is ho anástasis: ("the resurrection"). Without fail, each and every time anástasis is used in the New Testament, it's referring to the bodily resurrection:

|| Matthew 22:23, 28 & 30-31; Mark 12:18 & 23; Luke 2:34; Luke 14:14; Luke 20:27, 33, 35-36; John 5:29; John 11:24-25; Acts 1:22; Acts 2:31; Acts 4:2; Acts 4:33; Acts 17:18, 32; Acts 23:6, 8; Acts 24:15, 21; Acts 26:23; Romans 1:4; Romans 6:5; 1 Corinthians 15:12-13, 21, 42; Philippians 3:10; II Timothy 2:18; Hebrews 6:2; Hebrews 11:35; I Peter 1:3; I Peter 3:21; Revelation 20:5-6. ||

Continued in next post.

All of the following verses below use one or more of the following words, and all are speaking about the bodily resurrection:

égersis; anístēmi; egeírō:

|| Matthew 9:25; Matthew 10:8; Matthew 11:5; Matthew 14:2; Matthew 17:9; Matthew 16:21; Matthew 17:23; Matthew 20:19; Matthew 26:32; Matthew 27:52-53 & 63-64; Matthew 28:6-7; Mark 6:14 & 16; Mark 12:26; Mark 14:28; Mark 16:6 & 14; Luke 7:14; Luke 7:22; Luke 8:54; Luke 9:7 & 22; Luke 14:13-14; Luke 20:37; Luke 24:6; Luke 24:34; John 2:19-21; John 5:21; John 5:28-29; John 6:39, 40 & 44; John 11:23-35; John 12:1, 9 & 17; John 21:14; Acts 1:22; Acts 2:24, 31-32; Acts 3:15 & 26; Acts 4:1-2, 10 & 33; Acts 5:30; Acts 10:40; Acts 13:30 & 33-37; Acts 17:18 & 31-32; Acts 23:6-8; Acts 24:15 & 21; Acts 26:8; Romans 1:4; Romans 4:23-25; Romans 6:4-5; Romans 6:9; Romans 7:4; Romans 8:11; Romans 8:34; Romans 10:9; 1 Corinthians 6:14; 1 Corinthians 15:4, 12-23, 35-36, 42-45, 50-57; 2 Corinthians 1:9; 2 Corinthians 4:14; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Galatians 1:1; Ephesians 1:20; Ephesians 2:5-6; Ephesians 5:14; Philippians 3:10-11; Colossians 2:12-13; Colossians 3:1 (Compare with Romans 6:5); 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-16; 2 Timothy 2:8 & 18; Hebrews 6:1-2; Hebrews 11:35; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 1 Peter 1:21; 1 Peter 3:18 & 21. ||

Not one of all the above New Testament verses employing any of the above listed words associated with The Resurrection is NOT talking about the BODILY resurrection. Not one.

But there is ONE MORE place where the word anástasis is used: Revelation 20:5-6, and many believe that this is referring to a spiritual 'resurrection'. So we need to look at this twice, three times and four times.

Continued in next post.

2. New Testament words used in reference to living or being made alive by the Spirit ("quickened")

záō: a primary verb; to live, to be quick.
zōopoiéō: Used in reference to the Spirit's quickening, making alive again, giving or imparting (eternal) life. Also used in reference to the quickening of the mortal body (see below).
syzōopoiéō: Made alive again together with Christ, quickened together with Christ.

The New Testament never uses the Greek word zao in reference to anyone who has died or is not alive and living in his body.

Below is a list of New Testament scriptures using the Greek word zao:

|| Matthew 16:16; Matthew 22:32; Matthew 26:63; Matthew 27:63; Mark 5:23; Mark 12:27; Mark 16:11; Luke 2:36; Luke 4:4; Luke 10:28; Luke 15:13; Luke 20:38; Luke 24:5; Luke 24:23; John 4:10; John 4:11; John 4:50; John 4:51; John 4:53; John 5:25; John 6:51; John 6:57; John 6:58; John 6:69; John 7:38; John 11:25; John 11:26; John 14:19; Acts 1:3; Acts 7:38; Acts 9:41; Acts 10:42; Acts 14:15; Acts 17:28; Acts 20:12; Acts 22:22; Acts 25:19; Acts 25:24; Acts 26:5; Acts 28:4; Romans 1:17; Romans 6:2; Romans 6:10; Romans 6:11; Romans 6:13; Romans 7:1; Romans 7:2; Romans 7:3; Romans 7:9; Romans 8:12; Romans 8:13; Romans 9:26; Romans 10:5; Romans 12:1; Romans 14:7; Romans 14:8; Romans 14:9; Romans 14:11; 1 Corinthians 7:39; 1 Corinthians 9:14; 1 Corinthians 15:45; 2 Corinthians 1:8; 2 Corinthians 3:3; 2 Corinthians 4:11; 2 Corinthians 5:15; 2 Corinthians 6:9; 2 Corinthians 6:16; 2 Corinthians 13:4; Galatians 2:14; Galatians 2:19; Galatians 2:20; Galatians 3:11; Galatians 3:12; Galatians 5:25; Philippians 1:21; Philippians 1:22; Colossians 2:20; Colossians 3:7; 1 Thessalonians 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 3:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:15; 1 Thessalonians 4:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:10; 1 Timothy 3:15; 1 Timothy 4:10; 1 Timothy 5:6; 1 Timothy 6:17; 2 Timothy 3:12; 2 Timothy 4:1; Titus 2:12; Hebrews 2:15; Hebrews 3:12; Hebrews 4:12; Hebrews 7:8; Hebrews 7:25; Hebrews 9:14; Hebrews 9:17; Hebrews 10:20; Hebrews 10:31; Hebrews 10:38; Hebrews 12:9; Hebrews 12:22; James 4:15; 1 Peter 1:3; 1 Peter 1:23; 1 Peter 2:4; 1 Peter 2:5; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Peter 4:5; 1 Peter 4:6; 1 John 4:9; Revelation 1:18; Revelation 2:8; Revelation 3:1; Revelation 4:9; Revelation 4:10; Revelation 5:14; Revelation 7:2; Revelation 7:17; Revelation 10:6; Revelation 13:14; Revelation 15:7; Revelation 16:3; Revelation 19:20 (cast alive into the lake of fire); Revelation 20:4. ||

EXAMPLE:

"But I would not have you ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, that you be not grieved, even as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will also bring with Him all those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.
For we say this to you by the Word of the Lord, that we who are alive (zao) and remain until the coming of the Lord shall not go before those who are asleep.
For the Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God. And the dead (nekros) in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive (zao) and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. And so we shall ever be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words." (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).


zōopoiéō: Used in reference to the Spirit's quickening, making alive again, giving or imparting (eternal) life. Also used in reference to the quickening of the mortal body (see below).
syzōopoiéō: Made alive again together with Christ, quickened together with Christ.

The word zōopoiéō ("quicken") refers to being made alive by the Spirit, and it is used in the following verses:

|| John 5:21; John 6:63; Romans 4:17; Romans 8:11; I Corinthians 15:22, 36 & 45; II Corinthians 3:6; Galatians 3:21; I Timothy 6:13; I Peter 3:18. ||

The following words do not refer to the same thing:

syzōopoiéō: Quickened together with Christ.
synegeírō: Bodily raised up together with Christ's bodily resurrection.

The word syzōopoiéō is used twice in the New Testament, once it is used with the word synegeírō:

"But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in sins has made us alive together with Christ [συζωοποιέω syzōopoiéō] (by grace you are saved), and has raised us up together [synegeírō] and made us sit together in the heavenlies in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:4-6).

Compare the above with:

"But if the Spirit of the One who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the One who raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken [zōopoiéō] your mortal bodies by His Spirit who dwells in you." (Romans 8:11).

Continued in next post.

Both zōopoiéō (being made alive by the Spirit) and syzōopoiéō (being made alive with Christ) is the power of God for the anástasis (the bodily resurrection of Christ and of the saints), and occurs because of spiritual birth, not spiritual 'resurrection':

"That which is born [gennáō] of the flesh [sárx] is flesh; and that which is born [gennáō] of the Spirit [pneûma] is spirit.” (John 3:6).

"It is the Spirit that makes alive [ζωοποιέω zōopoiéō] the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit and are life." (John 6:63)

"For Christ also once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, indeed being put to death in the flesh [sárx], but made alive [zōopoiéō] in the Spirit; in which also He went and preached to the spirits in prison." (1 Peter 3:18-19)

"And so it is written, "The first man, Adam, was made a living soul, "the last Adam was a life-giving [ζωοποιέω zōopoiéō] Spirit." (1 Corinthians 15:45).

"Do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father; even so we also should walk in newness of life.
For if we have been joined together in the likeness of His death, we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection." (Romans 6:3-5).

The second of the only two times the word syzōopoiéō is used in the New Testament:

"And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with [syzōopoiéō] Him, having forgiven you all trespasses" (Colossians 2:13).


"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has begotten us again [anagennáō] to a living hope (Greek: záō elpís) through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." (1 Peter 1:3) *

* anagennáō ["begotten us again"] is a combination of the words gennáō (beget) and aná (again)
* Living hope (záō elpís): The word záō means to live, and the word elpís means to anticipate. And this is what we anticipate:

"And not only so, but ourselves also, who have the firstfruit of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, awaiting adoption, the redemption of our body." (Romans 8:23)

"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit." (Titus 3:5).

The word "regeneration" in the above verse is a translation of the Greek word palingenesía [StrongsGreek G03824]. It's a combination of the words pálin (anew) and génesis (i.e generation).

Thayer's dictionary definition of palingenesía: new birth, reproduction, renewal, recreation, regeneration.

The word is also found in Matthew 19:28:

“And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

The words used in the New Testament in reference to resurrection, rising again etc, are all without exception referring to a bodily resurrection from death.

We cannot be spiritually resurrected from death before we are even born of the Spirit.

All humans born into this world ("born of the flesh") are not "born spiritually dead". Rather, we are born without eternal spiritual life, and must be born of the Spirit from above. To say that anyone is "born spiritually dead" is a misnomer, it's using completely faulty terminology, and implies that we had (eternal) spiritual life, but died spiritually before we were born. It's ridiculous.

Many (if not most) Christian churches teach a theology based on the conflating of the quickening of the Spirit with the resurrection, falsely asserting that we are spiritually 'resurrected' when we are in fact quickened by the Spirit. This fallacy has given rise to faulty theology in many churches, and also affects the way they interpret some prophetic portions of scripture (such as Revelation 20:4-6). It's also the basis of false doctrines (for example Preterism; another example being the teaching that the resurrection is spiritual only and has nothing to do with the body that died that will be raised a non-flesh-and-blood, incorruptible, immortal spiritual body).

Episkopos said:

We are quickened in the Spirit in order to seek the full measure of grace which is to walk in the resurrection life of Christ. We are justified and sanctified only as we walk in His perfected humanity in His holiness.

A resurrected body is for later. We have this treasure in earthen vessels in the meantime.

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Yes. Galatians 5:16; John 15:4-5; Galatians 5:22; Galatians 5:19-23.

Enoch111 said:

There has never been any doubt that "resurrection" means bodily resurrection. So which heretical groups believe otherwise?

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I'm answering the many times people resort to speaking of a spiritual 'resurrection' in threads in this board. This happens especially for example when they attempt to explain away the word anastasis in Revelation 20:4-5, which refers only to a bodily resurrection wherever it is used in the New Testament. See for example Post #734 here: The many errors and contradictions found in Amillennialism.

There is also one other person who asserts that the resurrection is not a bodily resurrection but it's a spirit that is raised.

GEN2REV said:

I think the underlying purpose of the thread is to support Pre-Mil in some way.

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Your post implies that this thread is to support Amil, i.e I have an ulterior motive. I'm not surprised, coming from the one who has been very good at hurling insults and false accusations at me in these boards (and little else).

The thread and the first 4 posts is to ensure people are aware of the difference between biblical doctrine and doctrine that is not biblical regarding the resurrection. I'm not surprised you don't seem to like it. Not surprised at all.

GEN2REV said:

Not one bit of that is true.

Seeing that your thread is about proving that the resurrection is physical, and not spiritual, can you tell us what difference that would make if not to support a specific doctrine like the Millennial doctrine?

No insults, no accusations.

Can you answer the question with the same level of objectivity or will you dodge it, Roger?

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Care to address any of the points made in the four posts in the title?

I doubt you will because you seem to be too afraid where that might lead you to with regard to the the millennium (you've now made THAT 100% obvious).

So if you can't stick to the subject of the OP, you are on ignore until you do.

GEN2REV said:

The subject is a spiritual vs physical resurrection.

That is what I have addressed.

Off ignore, Roger?

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No, you have not. All you've done thus far is to pull the thread off-topic into the tropic of the millennium of Revelation 20, making it 100% obvious that all you're concerned about is the terror you feel about how the facts raised in the first four posts of this thread might cause you to interpret the millennium. You also produced insults and false accusations with it. I'm not going to tell you how that makes you look.

But you've taken not one scripture or statement made in the first four posts of this thread with regard to the theological fallacy of spiritual 'resurrection' and replied to that.

So this is why you are on ignore until you do.

"Roger"?

Who's Roger?

ewq1938 said:

Can Amillennialists even provide a scripture that speaks of being born again using the word resurrection?

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No, they can't, because resurrection implies the bodily resurrection from death, and this is the case with each and every New Testament verse talking about resurrection, without exception.

Notice the silence regarding the first four posts (the OP) of this topic. They seem to know they cannot produce anything to refute any of it. It's almost as though the terror they feel at the prospect of how that might cause them to interpret the resurrection mentioned in Revelation Chapter 20 has paralyzed them, and made them completely incapable of even trying to refute any of the facts or scriptures listed in the first four posts of this thread.

ewq1938 said:

Being born is very different than resurrecting.

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Yep.