The "dead in
Christ" specifically refer to the members of
Christ's Church who died before the Day of Judgment.
32B.1
When shall the resurrection of those who died in
Christ be realized?
In
1 Thessalonians:4:16, it is written:
For the Lord Himself will descend from
heaven with a shout, with the voice of
an archangel, and with the trumpet of
God. And the dead in Christ will rise
first. (NKJV)
Please
note what is written in the verse: "the dead
in Christ shall rise first" .
The dead
in Christ will be "resurrected first" on the
day of the Lord's second coming.
32B.2
What is the uniqueness of
sharing the first resurrection?
In Revelation
20:6, it says:
"Blessed and Holy is he who has part in
the first resurrection. Over such
the second death has no power, but
they shall be priest of God and Christ,
and shall reign with Him a thousand
years." (NKJV)
Those who
will undergo the first resurrection are the
fortunate ones; they are blessed and
holy, "over such the second death has no
power," and shall not prevail against
them.
32B.3
What is the second death
that will not have power over them?
Revelation
20:14 reveals:
Then Death and Hades were cast into the
lake of fire. This is the second
death. (NKJV)
The second
death is the eternal punishment in the Lake of Fire
which shall have no power over those who
will share the first resurrection.
32B.4
Specifically, what is this Lake of Fire,
which is also the Second Death?
And the devil that deceived them was
cast into the lake of fire and
brimstone, where the beast and the false
prophet are, and shall be tormented day
and night for ever and ever.
(Rv:20:10, KJV)
This is
the lake of fire and brimstone where the
devil, the beast, the false prophets and
those who were not included in the first
resurrection shall be tormented day and
night for ever and ever. This is what is
popularly called "hell".
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On
the Day of Judgment, when the Lord comes for the
second time, the Lord Himself will descend from
heaven with a shout, with the voice of an
archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the
"dead in Christ" will rise first or resurrected
first. They are the blessed and holy, and the
fortunate ones because the "second death" has no
power over them. They will no longer suffer the
eternal punishment in the lake of fire, which is
popularly called "Hell".
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