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==THE FIRST AND SECOND RESURRECTIONS==
'''The Second Resurrection'''<br><br>
<em>And I saw thrones, and they sat   upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of   them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of   God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither   had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they   lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4)</em>.<br><br>
The   first resurrection from the dead, that which will take place when the   Lord Jesus returns from Heaven, is described above. This is the first   resurrection of the saints. There is no resurrection or ascension of the   Christian saints prior to this one, as we understand the Scriptures.<br><br>
The next verse assures us no person will be resurrected after the first resurrection until the end of the thousand-year period:<br><br>
But   the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were   finished. This is the first resurrection. (Revelation 20:5)<br><br>
There   are two resurrections from the dead. The first one takes place at the   beginning of the thousand-year period. The second one takes place at the   end of the thousand-year period.<br><br>
It is taught commonly that   every person who is saved will participate in the first resurrection,   and all other people-those who are reunited with their bodies at the end   of the thousand-year period-will be assigned to eternal torment in the   Lake of Fire. It is our opinion that this doctrine is in error.<br><br>
There   are two reasons why we believe this commonly taught doctrine is   incorrect. First, it gives rise to a serious problem with respect to the   second and third chapters of the Book of Revelation. Second, the   twentieth chapter of the Book of Revelation, the chapter that describes   the two resurrections, does not state or imply that the first   resurrection is the general resurrection of salvation or that all who   participate in the second resurrection will be cast into the Lake of   Fire.<br><br>
Let us discuss first the serious problem of consistency of   doctrine produced by the belief that every person who is to be saved   will rise to meet the Lord in the first resurrection. After this we will   examine the statements found in Chapter 20 of Revelation that, to our   way of thinking, do not support the belief that all the saved are in the   first resurrection or that all who are in the second resurrection will   be assigned to the Lake of Fire.<br><br>
The second and third chapters of   Revelation describe the seven churches in Asia. Many Christian scholars   believe these seven golden lampstands refer to the Christian churches   on the earth. In some instances it appears that only a minority of the   members of the churches have met the standards Christ has set for the   victorious saints.<br><br>
The church in Sardis is an example. Here was a   Christian church that had a reputation among believers for being alive.
Therefore it was a growing, vital congregation or group of   congregations. It is likely the church in Sardis was made up of many   believers in Christ, as undoubtedly was true of the other six churches   of Asia.<br><br>
But what did Christ state concerning the church in Sardis?<br><br>
"You have a few names even in Sardis who are worthy to walk with me in white." <em>(Revelation 3:4)</em><br><br>

'''To be continued.''' [[THE FIRST AND SECOND RESURRECTIONS 2]]
[[Category:Sermons]]

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