Eternal Life

After the destruction of this world, God will create a new heaven and a new earth to serve as the dwelling place of God with his people (Isaiah 65:17; Revelation 21:1). There in God's presence will be freedom from sin and all its consequences (Revelation 21:27), fullness of joy, and, at his right hand, pleasures forevermore. "I shall be satisfied with your likeness" (Psalm 17:15).

In describing the transcending joy and glory of heaven, the Bible often uses symbolic language (Revelation 21; Isaiah 65) and analogies familiar to present existence. Eternal life is dwelling in the Father's house where there are many rooms, where Christians will live in his presence (John 14:2). It is being the bride of the Lamb and attending the marriage supper (Revelation 19:7-9). It is being part of God's royal family, sitting on thrones, eating and drinking at Christ's table in the heavenly kingdom (Luke 22:29-30). It is being awarded the "crown of life" (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10; 2 Timothy 4:8). It is being granted "to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God" (Revelation 2:7).

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The End of the World

The first coming of Christ marked the beginning of the end of the present era and of the creation as it now exists. The second coming of Christ will mark the end of this era. Scripture uses a variety of terms to describe this momentous event. The gospels describe heaven and earth as passing away (Matthew 24:35; Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33). Saint Paul writes: "The present form of this world is passing away" (1 Corinthians 7:31). Again, "The creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God" (Romans 8:21). The apostle Peter states: "The heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed" (2 Peter 3:10). The book of Hebrews adds that the earth and the heavens will perish, "like a garment they will be changed" (Hebrews 1:10-12). Scripture stops short of stating that this world will be totally annihilated. Whether the destruction of this world will be total annihilation or renovation is debatable. It is certain, however, that the world as it now exists, bearing the marks of sin and "subjected to futility" and decay, will cease to exist (Romans 8:20).

The Final Judgment

At the final judgment all earthly dominion, authority, and power, including death, will be destroyed. The Savior, despised and rejected by the world, wil be seen in all his divine majesty and glory, reigning over all things until he has put all his enemies under his feet. Every knee will bow to him, and every tongue will acknowledge that he is Lord (Isaiah 45:23; Matthew 25:31; Romans 14:10-12; 1 Corinthians 15:25-27; Philippians 2:10-11; Hebrews 2:8). On the day of the final judgment, the one true God will be revealed as the Lord of all things in heaven and on earth. When Christ "delivers the kingdom" to the Father, the triune God will be manifested as "all in all," as the Lord beside whom there is no other. His eternal purposes as he puts everything under Christ's feet will be made known, and God will be manifested as holy and just but also merciful and gracious (1 Corinthians 15:24, 27-28; Isaiah 40:6-26).

Scripture does not indicate the precise day and hour of the final judgment. It does, however, reveal that it will occur as one in a series of historical events that will begin with Christ's second coming and the resurrection of the dead. It will be followed by the end of the world and the creation of a new heaven and a new earth (Isaiah 65:17; Matthew 24:3, 30-31, 36; Matthew 25:31-33, 46; Mark 13:26-27, 32; Luke 21:27-28; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17; 2 Peter 3:4, 10; Revelation 20:11-15; Revelation 21:1). Scripture does not reveal the precise sequence of these events, but it does imply that they will occur in one time frame. The Bible gives no reason to conclude that there will be more than one such day when Christ will return to this earth for judgment, when the dead will be raised, and the world will be destroyed.

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The Final Judgment

The final judgment is the divine act by which Christ publicly separates the just from the unjust and pronounces his verdict before all the world (Matthew 13:40-43; Matthew 25:31-46). While on earth the righteous and the unrighteous are permitted to exist together, in the final judgment a separation will occur. Judgment will be administered on the basis of their deeds. The wicked will be condemned on the basis of the law, which they have not kept (Revelation 20:12). They will be seen in the shame of rejecting the Savior, and they will be looked on with contempt (Daniel 12:2; Isaiah 66:24). For the faithful people of God, however, it will be a day of redemption. Having been declared righteous through faith, they will be pronounced blessed by the Father and will inherit his everlasting kingdom (Matthew 25:34). They will be publicly vindicated, and their good deeds will be seen as a service to Christ and as evidence of their faith. Their exalted and glorious status as the children of God will be seen by all the world.

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The Resurrection of the Body, Part 4

While the resurrected body of those who died with faith in Christ will be the same substance as the body that died, it will undergo change. It will be free of sin and glorified, shining with the reflected glory of Christ and bearing his image (Daniel 12:3; Matthew 13:43; 1 Corinthians 15:43, 49; Philippians 3:21). It will be a spiritual body, for it will have new characteristics and new qualities that will enable it to live in the presence of God. The body that is placed in the grave is a "natural" body. Its life and strength are sustained by God through eating and drinking. It bears all the marks of sin: it is unable to live in the presence of the holy God; it is perishable, weak, and lacking the glory of God's original creation. At its resurrection, however, the same body will be restored to its original condition: imperishable, immortal, and freed from sin and its consequences (1 Corinthians 15:42-49).

The children of God who are alive at Christ's second coming will experience a similar transformation. Their mortal bodies will be clothed with immortality and freed from sin and all its consequences (1 Corinthians 15:51-54).  First John summarizes its description of Christian's glorified state: "What we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is" (1 John 3:2).

Scripture does not describe the nature of the bodies of those who are raised to condemnation. It is clear, however, that while their bodies will continue to exist forever, terms such as "imperishable," "immortal," and "glorified" are inappropriate for describing them in their lost state. Those who in this life rejected Christ will awaken to "shame and everlasting contempt," where there will be "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Daniel 12:2; Matthew 24:48-51; Matthew 25:30-46; Revelation 20:11-15). The final judgment will follow immediately after the resurrection of the dead.

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The resurrection of the Dead, Part 3

The resurrection on the last day will include all of the dead, both the just and the unjust (John 5:28; Acts 24:15; Revelation 20:12-13). There is no indication in Scripture that the wicked will be annihilated by death. Nor does God's word teach that the resurrection of the just and the unjust will occur at different times. The resurrection spoken of in Scripture will occur in the context of Christ's second coming, and it will be followed immediately by the final judgment. The just and the unjust will arise simultaneously, and all will stand before the judgment throne of God to receive the verdict of eternal life or eternal punishment (Daniel 12:2; Matthew 25:31-32, 41-46; John 5:28-29; Revelation 20:13). The "first resurrection" spoken of in Revelation 20:5-6 refers to those who during their lives on earth did not worship "the beast of his image" (Revelation 20:4) but have "passed" from spiritual death to spiritual life through conversion (John 5:24-26). They are "blessed and holy," and after their death "they came to life and reigned with Christ" and the second death has no power over them (Revelation 20:4-6).

The devil will arise with their bodies. The same bodies that died will be brought back to life (Job 19:26-27; Isaiah 26:19). The identity of every individual who lived will be preserved in death. Moreover, that individual will appear in human form, as the clear precedent of Scripture indicates. Moses and Elijah on tge Mount of Transfiguration are the same persons who lived and served God in the Old Testament (Matthew 17:2-4). After his resurrection the Savior identifies himself as the one who was nailed to the cross and pierced with a spear. The risen Chrust has a human form that can be recognized and touched by his disciples. He had hands and feet, flesh and bones (Luke 24:39).

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The Resurrection of the Dead, Part 3

The fact of the resurrection is even more clearly attested in the New Testament. Jesus spoke of it in such familiar passages as John 5:26-29; John 6:39-40; John 11:23-26; Matthew 22:29-32 and Luke 20:27-38. The book of Acts contains a number of references to the resurrection, indicating it was taken for granted in the early church (Acts 4:2; Acts 17:18; Acts 23:6; Acts 24:15; Acts 26:8). The epistles of Paul explain in even greater detail the nature and significance of this mysterious event that will occur at the close of the age (Romans 8:11; 1 Corinthians 6:14; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22, 42-44; 2 Corinthians 4:14; Philippians 3:21; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). The creeds and confessions of the Christian church confess belief in the resurrection of the dead.

The resurrection of the dead is a fundamental doctrine of Scripture. It stands in direct relationship to both the identity and the work of Christ, for if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised (1 Corinthians 15:13). If that were the case, it would destroy the Christian faith. Jesus would have turned out to be a liar, being neither the Christ nor the Son of God. There would be no atonement and nor forgiveness of sins, and those who died trusting in Christ would be lost ( 1 Corinthians 15:14-19). On the other hand, with Christ risen, the Christian faith is guaranteed, and the resurrection of all the dead has been assured (1 Corinthians 15:20-23).

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