38.What is true of the seed that is sown? .

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It does not resemble what will come from the ground, but is bare grain.

And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain (I Corinthians 15:37).

The above verse can be confusing. It seems to be saying that the body we have now will not be part of the resurrection. But if our present body is not to be raised from the ground, then there is no resurrection from the dead.

If the body we have now is not to be part of the resurrection, then what is it that will come forth from the ground in the Day of the Lord?

The body of Jesus came forth from the dead. The nailprints are in His hands and feet to the present hour, as we understand it. The nailprints are not in His heavenly body but His earthly body. The Scripture says we have a heavenly body.

For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven (II Corinthians 5:2).

This is true. But the heavenly body will not be raised from the ground because it is from Heaven.

We see, then, that we have an earthly body and a heavenly body. The earthly body will be raised from the ground. The heavenly body will clothe our earthly body. The gold will cover the wood, as was true of the Ark of the Covenant.

And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about (Exodus 25:11).

At what point the house from Heaven will clothe our physical body we are not certain. The house from Heaven is the reward the Lord will bring with Him. It is the treasure we have laid up in Heaven by our conduct.

The proponents of the "rapture" neither understand nor preach the resurrection—only the ascension. They assume that the resurrection will take care of itself on the basis of faith and grace.

This is an error. The first resurrection from the dead, the resurrection of the royal priesthood, must be attained. It is attained as we enter the power of Christ’s resurrection and share His sufferings.

If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection [Greek, out-resurrection] of the dead (Philippians 3:11).

The body from Heaven, that which will clothe our mortal body, is the reaping of what we sow. If we sow to life our heavenly body will be life. If we sow to the desires of our flesh our heavenly body will be corruption. We shall reap corruption whether or not we name the name of Jesus.

For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting (Galatians 6:8).

The saints will be clothed in their own deeds—righteous or wicked.

And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness [righteous deeds] of saints (Revelation 19:8).

God cannot be mocked. If we call Jesus, Lord, and then do not do what He says, we will not be clothed in a body like His.

Our hope is to be like Jesus so we can see Him as He is. This hope shall not be realized unless we purify ourselves as He is pure.

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we will be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we will be like him; for we will see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure (I John 3:2,3).

Those who are teaching we will be caught up in a "rapture," whether or not we walk in the Spirit, are deceiving themselves and their hearers. They shall reap corruption at His coming even though they are screaming, Lord! Lord! There will be two resurrections: the first at the return of the Lord from Heaven; the second at the end of the thousand-year Kingdom Age.

The first resurrection must be attained. It is attained by entering the spiritual resurrection today; by forsaking the present world, taking up our personal cross, and following Jesus; by counting the present world, and all our accomplishments, as trash; by endeavoring every day of our discipleship to enter the rest of God, the place where we are not seeking our own ways or speaking our own words, but entering God’s ways and speaking God’s words.

Christ must be won!

Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ (Philippians 3:8).

The first resurrection is for the royal priesthood only. All other people, whether or not they name the name of Jesus, will be raised in the second resurrection. This is our understanding in the present hour.

But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years (Revelation 20:5,6).

To announce to every person who attends church that he will be caught away in a "rapture" is a cruel hoax. We are pampering the church-attenders now, but the terrible reality of persecution and tribulation is nearly upon us.

The second resurrection is not the resurrection of the lost, as some maintain, but of everyone who does not attain the first resurrection from the dead.

Every individual will be judged fairly at the second resurrection. Those who are found written in the Book of Life will enter eternal life. Those who are not found written in the Book of Life will be cast into the lake that burns with fire and sulfur.

The second resurrection does not need to be attained. Every human being, wicked or righteous, who does not attain the first resurrection will be raised at the second resurrection. Those who have practiced righteousness will live. Those who have practiced wickedness will be judged fairly.

This is true whether or not the individual is a believer in Christ.

Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 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 (John 5:28,29).

The question is not whether or not we have received Christ but whether we have practiced good or practiced evil. When Jesus returns, only the victorious saints will receive a body like His and be with Him forever.

Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy (Revelation 3:4).

Among the Christians there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth as they see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Paul, and people they know sit down in the Kingdom of God while they themselves are denied entrance. Numerous Christians will not inherit the Kingdom of God because they have refused to take up their cross and follow the Lord.

And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:11,12).

Who shall be cast into outer darkness?

The children of the Kingdom!

Many have assigned this fate to the Jews. But it is the children of the Kingdom who will be cast into outer darkness. Are the Jews the only children of the Kingdom, or are the Christians also children of the Kingdom of God? They have indulged their flesh and they shall reap their flesh.

They have loved the world, sin, and their self-will, and the world, sin, and their self-will shall be given to them. They shall reap what they have sown. Those who sow Satan shall reap Satan.

The fortunate among the lukewarm shall lose their inheritance, including most of their personality, and enter the Kingdom of God spiritually naked.

The Lord is much sterner than we have been led to believe.

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