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Back to The First and Second Resurrection
These are the believers who have left all, who have taken up their cross and followed Christ. These are part of the family of saints described in Hebrews, Chapter 11 of whom the world is not worthy.
The martyrs and those who have rejected Antichrist through the ages are in this holy band. These are the victorious saints, the conquerors, the victorious saints of all ages, the rulers of the world to come.
This is the true Christian Church, the Wife of the Lamb, the Body of Christ, the Israel of God. This is the "firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb."
By comparing Revelation, Chapters Two and Three, and Revelation 20:4-6 we understand that it is the victorious saints, and only the victorious saints, who will participate in the first resurrection from the dead.
It is obvious from the text that these are strong, consecrated saints. They include those who were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the Word of God. They refused to have anything to do with Antichrist, who has been with us at least from the first century (I John 2:18). They loved not their lives to the death—again, the mark of the victorious saints (Revelation 12:11).
There is nothing in Revelation 20:4-6 suggesting this is the general resurrection of salvation and that all who have made a profession of belief in Christ will participate in it. The standards of conduct set forth are very high.
The majority of the Christian believers in Sardis do not qualify for the first resurrection from the dead, according to what is written in the Book of Revelation.
The profession of belief in Christ does not, according to the Scriptures, qualify the convert for participation in the first resurrection from the dead. The first resurrection, which is associated with the rewards assigned to the overcomer, must be attained to by running the Christian race with diligence. The first resurrection is the crown given to the winners of the race.
It appears that the Apostle Paul toward the end of his life still was striving to attain to the resurrection from among the dead, and that the first resurrection is a mark, a prize is given to those who are "perfect."
If by any means I might attain unto [arrive at] the resurrection [out-resurrection] of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: (Philippians 3:11,12)
The term resurrection (used above) has, in the Greek text, a preposition prefixed to it that suggests Paul was referring to a special resurrection. The idea is that of the out-resurrection .
To our knowledge, the noun with the prefix is found only in this passage of Scripture.
Philippians 3:11-14 implies strongly that the resurrection (out-resurrection) of the dead is a mark toward which each Christian is to be pressing with diligence.
It follows, then, that the nonvictorious saints of Sardis and of the other six churches in Sardis are not candidates for the first resurrection from among the dead.
There is a commonly-taught doctrine, which we mentioned previously, that insists only those who participate in the first resurrection will be saved. All other persons who have ever lived on the earth are doomed to eternal torment in the Lake of Fire.
Yet it appears from Revelation 20:4-6 that participation in the first resurrection from among the dead is limited to God’s saints of all ages—the firstfruits of His royal priesthood. We know from the Old Testament and New Testament writings, and from the evidence today, that the true saints always are but a remnant of "Israel"—and sometimes a small minority of God’s people.
If it is true, as the current doctrine suggests, that only those who participate in the first resurrection will be saved, we must assume that only the true saints of God, a small remnant, will be saved and that all other persons, including most of spiritual Israel, most of the Christian believers, and all of the remainder of mankind, will be assigned to the Lake of Fire for eternity.
The Scriptures, as we understand them, do not teach this. This is what we meant by saying the current teaching that all who are saved will participate in the first resurrection gives rise to a serious problem with respect to the second and third chapters of the Book of Revelation.
The rewards that will be given to those who attain to the first resurrection from the dead are fabulous beyond the dreams of any emperor who has ever lived. He who overcomes will inherit the "all things" of God. No relationship, circumstance, or thing of true value will be withheld from the person who walks uprightly before God.
There is no cost, no suffering, no delayed gratification, no prolonged painful service any saint ever has endured that can compare with the stupendous inheritance that has been assigned to God’s victorious sons. Whoever does not lay down his present life and follow Christ with every molecule of his being is making a choice of unequaled shortsightedness and loss. Even Esau fared better.
The rewards to the victorious saint are marvelous beyond all dreams of glory and joy. But to state that every other human being who has ever lived (all of those who are raised in the second resurrection) is doomed irrevocably to the Lake of Fire is to run counter to what is written in the Scriptures.
We will be examining some of these conflicts in a moment, but first let us introduce another concept. Historically our understanding as Christians has been that being a member of the Church, the Body of Christ, is synonymous with salvation. No doubt it is this understanding that lies at the root of the belief that all those whom God will save will rise in the first resurrection and all other persons are doomed.
The Kingdom of God consists not only of the Church, which is the center of government of the Kingdom, but also of the subjects of the Kingdom. Being fully "saved" with all the term implies, in the present hour, means attaining to the fullness of union with God through Christ. Being "saved" after the first resurrection has taken place involves being willing to submit to the Lord’s saints (Isaiah 60:12).