Here is what many brethren have missed in their Bible study about the coming resurrection on the day of Christ's future return.
John 5:28-29
28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice,
29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
KJV
That above Scripture by Lord Jesus is rarely referred to by those who wrongly teach 2 different times in Revelation 20 for the raising of the dead.
Granted that mere mention of the ordinal "first" in "first resurrection" automatically infers at least one more resurrection. And bypassing what Lord Jesus said above in John 5:28-29 ought to confuse those thinking that. It often does, so they just bypass John 5 altogether. Yet what is Lord Jesus showing with that John 5:28-29 Scripture?
Jesus revealed that on the day of His future coming, ALL... the 'dead' are raised.
That means, there is NO second raising of the dead later. On the day of His coming, the dead are raised to... what kind of body? Well, what type... of body did Apostle Paul teach that the resurrection is? "Oh no", some might say, "Paul was ONLY speaking of those in Christ there!" No, that's wrong. Paul was pointing to the type body of the resurrection, period.
Now what did Lord Jesus say again, in John 5:29 about the dead being resurrected, who all it includes?
John 5:29
29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
KJV
Do you notice that word "resurrection" there brethren, for those wicked? How can that be, IF what Paul was teaching in 1 Corinthians 15 about the resurrection is meant ONLY for those in Christ Jesus? Obviously there's a problem with men's interpretation, they are missing something that Paul was teaching about the resurrection, because Jesus showed the wicked will receive a RESURRECTION BODY also on that day!
So what is it that men's traditions are missing about this? And believe me, what is most often taught about the resurrection is men's traditions, and not in-depth Bible study Truth. The status quo line from the seminaries is what pastors under Church organizations are under, so that is what you get. But there's a lot missing which God's Word reveals that they don't teach...
This gives me better understanding of the doctrine you are espousing here, and what you lack understanding of.
When reading this passage from John 5 you must consider the hour that is coming with the hour that now is "
when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live." If you don't understand the hour that now is for "the dead" to hear the Son of God and they that hear shall live, then you will never understand the first resurrection to life from death is NOT physical, but spiritual.
Christ tells us this when he says, "
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." Christ is speaking to those alive, not the dead, yet He says unless they hear His Word and believe they are DEAD! How are they DEAD Davy? Do you think Christ is speaking to physically dead bodies Davy? And telling the physically dead they must hear His Word (Gospel) and believe to have everlasting life?
I agree, there will be only ONE physical resurrection of those in the graves who will ALL (both good & evil) hear His voice and come out of the grave physically resurrected for everlasting life, or physically resurrected for damnation at the GWT.
What you don't seem to understand is the "first resurrection" that comes in TIME of which the thousand years is. In the first resurrection those having part in it have lived and reigned with Christ in TIME or shall in TIME live with Christ. Therefore, the first resurrection is not the physical resurrection of the dead in the graves that will be of both those who have done good and those who have done evil.
You fail to make any distinction between the first resurrection in TIME, and the physical resurrection that shall be when TIME shall be no more. Paul is not ONLY speaking of the physical resurrection of ALL in the graves when time shall be no more in 1Cor 15. Paul goes into great detail explaining how death of those who are of faith is not the end for them. Paul answers the question about the kind of body the dead will be raised in when the man of faith physically dies. There would be no question about the kind of body believers shall have when they are physically resurrected from the graves.
Paul says, "
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." The dead Paul speaks of here are the physically dead believers who are part of ALL that shall be physically resurrected when the last trumpet sounds time shall be no more. Immortality and incorruption will only be given to those of faith. The rest of the physically dead in the graves will be resurrected to damnation, so they will not be changed to immortal and incorruptible body of flesh.
Before speaking of the physical resurrection, Paul also explains what kind of body those who physically die in faith receive when their body dies and is buried. These who die in faith have in life partaken of the first resurrection which is partaking of the resurrection life through Christ. They are indwelt with the life-giving Spirit, having been born again, or born from above and according to Christ they can never die. Therefore, when their body dies, Paul says the natural, physical body that dies is raised a spiritual body, because there is both a natural body and a spiritual body and the two are not the same. After physical death the believer is raised a spiritual body because he/she will ascend to the kingdom of God in heaven where corruptible flesh and blood cannot inherit.
1 Corinthians 15:35 (KJV) But some
man will say,
How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
1 Corinthians 15:43-44 (KJV) It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15:45-50 (KJV) And so it is written,
The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit t
hat was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
After physical death believers become spirit beings, as are the angels in heaven. This is how John is able to see people martyred for their faith in heaven after they have physically died. And he tells us they are there because in TIME (a thousand years) they lived and reigned with Christ by having part in the first resurrection through Him. Because God is NOT the God of the dead but is God of the living.
Matthew 22:28-32 (KJV) Therefore
in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her. Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. For
in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven. But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.