THE
DILEMMAS OF RESURRECTION UPON PHYSICAL DEATH
Ward Fenley
Though the idea of
resurrection at physical death seems appealing in different ways, nevertheless
I must affirm that the Scriptures teach that there is one resurrection that is not partitioned by physical death. I find that there are some dilemmas that those who affirm a resurrection
at physical death have not conquered.
Here is an unsolved
dilemma for those who adhere to the resurrection at death position:
Paul says:
2 Corinthians 3:18
"But we all, with open face
beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are being changed into the same
image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."
So
far, I have not found a Full Preterist that believes this passage applies to
any other people than first century believers. Paul is in no
uncertain terms saying that they were being changed into the image of
Christ. Obviously, this was not a physical image nor was this an image that
required physical death. However, this complete change would not take place
until the OC had passed away completely:
2 Corinthians
Now
that we have established that it was not a physical image into which they were
being changed, and that it was not an image that required physical death
because they had already begun the process of being changed, two things:
How many images of
Christ are there?
If two, where in the
Scriptures are there two images of Christ addressed?
Second, if there is only
one image, Paul and his hearers were being changed not physically nor through
physical death into that image, and they were completely changed into this
image in AD 70, then what image is this to which Paul refers?
1
Corinthians
Some
try to argue that this refers to the living saints in the first century who
would receive the fullness of immortality in AD 70. But does this not separate
it from its context?
1 Corinthians 15:42-49 "So also is the resurrection of the dead. It
is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It
is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is
raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.
There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And
so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the
last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that
which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second
man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are
earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we
have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the
heavenly."
Notice
each contrast:
Corruption-incorruption
(vs42)
dishonor-glory (vs43)
weakness-power (vs43)
natural body-spiritual body (vs44)
living soul-life giving spirit (vs45)
spiritual-natural (vs46)
earthy-heavenly (vs48)
earthy image-heavenly image (vs49)
Then the context
continues:
1 Corinthians
15:50-57 "Now this I say,
brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the
The
adherents of resurrection at death say that Paul is making a difference between
the resurrection of the dead and those who were living at this time who would
be changed. They say that the difference is that the dead received their
immortal bodies and that the living received what resurrection at death
adherents would identify as a mere immortality. Can we in good conscience make
that separation from the text? No. Paul is merely saying that the
completeness into the image/body of Christ would be accomplished through the
complete dissolution of the OC. Notice the terms Paul uses:
1 Corinthians 15:53-57 "For this corruptible must put on
incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So
when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall
have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is
written; Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O
grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin
is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
This
is not describing an immortality vs an immortal body.
It is describing the end result that would take place upon both those who had
died and those who were still living:
1 Corinthians
Therefore,
in the above passage Paul identifies both groups: Those who had died and those
who were still alive. He then proceeds to declare that which would come upon
both groups equally:
1 Corinthians 15:53-57 "For this corruptible must put on
incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So
when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall
have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is
written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O
grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin
is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Notice
that Paul associates death with corruption and mortality. He then associates
death with the law and sin. He associates the abolition of that death with
victory.
Does the resurrection at
death adherent say that death is physical in vs.56? They must if they are to be
consistent with their heremeneutic. If they say yes,
then they cannot apply any of the blessings of incorruption, immortality, or
victory to the living saints at AD 70. If they say no, then they must say that
all the blessings of the victory over death were accomplished for the living
saints in AD 70.
So far I have not seen
them consistently do this.
My contention is that
Paul was identifying one change for all. For those who had fallen asleep in
Christ, for those who were OT believers who had died in faith having not
received the promise, and for the living saints at AD 70. They all would
receive the same consummation fullness:
Ephesians 1:10 "That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things
in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: "
Colossians 1:20 "And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to
reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in
earth, or things in heaven. "
Hebrews 11:35-40 "Women received their dead raised to
life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they
might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea,
moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder,
were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and
goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not
worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of
the earth. And these all, having
obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having
provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made
perfect."
They
were all joined together in AD 70 for the completeness
of transformation and resurrection into NC life.
Jesus associated the
same thing:
John 5:21-29 "For as the Father raiseth
up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the
Son: That all men should honour the Son, even as they
honour the Father. He that honoureth
not the Son honoureth not the Father
which hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath
everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is
passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the
voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath
life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also,
because he is the Son of man. 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."
It
is all about one resurrection, not an imagined immortality as opposed to an
immortal body. Again, Jesus addressed the same resurrection:
John 11:24-26 "Martha saith unto
him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus
said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me,
though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth
and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou
this?"
Those
who lived and believed after Pentecost would never die. Certainly this is not
referring to physical death.
There was one spiritual
resurrection into which those OT believers would be raised. They were certainly
the ones who would be resurrected from the dead. They never received any
transformation life and therefore they died in faith having not received that
promise. Whereas those who were alive and believed had already received the
guarantee of their inheritance at the outpouring of the Spirit. There are not
two inheritances partitioned by physical death. There are not two gatherings
into one.
The resurrection at
death dilemma remains unsolved.
One of the other
unsolved dilemmas the resurrection at death adherents face without an answer is
this:
John
What
glory is this?
John
17:5 "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before
the world was."
Notice
the end result of this glory:
John
17:22-24 "And the glory which
thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be
one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made
perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast
loved them, as thou hast loved me.Father, I will that
they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold
my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst
me before the foundation of the world."
Now,
if Christ received the fullness of this glory at His resurrection, and the
first century saints were being changed into that glory:
2 Corinthians 3:18
"But we all, with open face
beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are being changed into the same
image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."
Then
how can we say something is lacking concerning the glorification of Christ and
His people. After all, was not Christ given the fullness of life? Is that life
not glory? If that fullness of life is the fullness of glory, what else was
Christ given? Was Christ really intending to pray that His people would receive
partial glory? Would that not make them still under the OC according to Paul in
2 Corinthains 3:18? Did Christ not pray that His people
would behold His glory? Did not Paul say they were beholding His glory as in a
glass? Was this veil not completely done away in AD 70 for all the people of
God? What glory of Christ are we lacking? Did Christ forget to pray for the
additional body to be given at physical death? Why would Christ eliminate such
a radical aspect of redemption? Why did not Christ pray that His people would
physically die if such a tremendous soteriological
event would be accomplished by their physical death?
For those of us who
affirm sovereign grace based upon nothing we do or physically experience, does
it not seem strange to make physical death a requirement to obtain a spiritual
blessing?
These remain unsolved
dilemmas for the resurrection at death adherents.