What Happens After Death? ( 16)

Others who have died:

But now we have a dilemma. What happens to people who never had the opportunity to come to a proper understanding and make the needed commitment to God through Christ? Are they the ones Christ spoke of who will be resurrected to judgment?

What about infants and other young children who die long before they can understand or gain the maturity to receive the Holy Spirit and seek God's Kingdom? What about people who have lived and died in ages past or in remote regions today without ever even hearing the name of Jesus Christ, much less learning His teachings and being able to respond with any kind of commitment to Him? What about people who adhere to high moral values but don't hold to any particular religious beliefs or commitment?

What will happen to them and when? Will the treatment these people receive be just? Is God fair? Will He give everyone equal opportunity to receive eternal life? Or is He selective, offering eternal life to only some?

The first resurrection:

Let's begin with what John describes as the first resurrection. He speaks of “those who are Christ's,” some of whom had suffered martyrdom and all of whom had rejected false religions and deceptive teachings.

He writes of the vision he received in the book of Revelation: “I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshipped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. ( The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. )This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection” (Revelation 20:4-6, NIV).

Notice that some come to life after the 1,000-year reign of Christ. Those given eternal life at the beginning of that period, at Christ's return when they will reign with Him, represent the first resurrection. But here we plainly see that others, “the rest of the dead,” do not come to life again until 1,000 years have passed. If only one resurrection is to occur, John would simply have referred to it as the resurrection. However, since he uses the phrase “the first resurrection,” it is evident that at least one more resurrection must follow.

 Summary

We have learned from the highest written authority—the Bible—that at Jesus Christ's return He will resurrect His true, faithful followers and grant them the incredible gift of eternal life. They are the only ones who will have a part in this resurrection.

Yet we're told in 1 Timothy 2:3-4 that “God our Savior … desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” What, then, of the billions of people who have already died and never had the knowledge of the truth? Is it too late for them?

This brings us to a discussion of one of the most truly amazing aspects in God's plan for life and death—what God has in store for the rest of the dead.

To be cont'd. 

God bless you all.