OceanSide church of Christ

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A SPIRITUAL RESURRECTION:

Life after Death

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.     The word “resurrection” means “to stand again.”

1.       When a person dies, he falls to the ground.

a.       He is laid in a casket. 

b.      His body lies in state.

c.       We lay the dead individual in the ground.  We often say:  “He/she is laid to rest.”

2.       If that person is resurrected, he stands again.

a.       The valley of dry bones (Eze. 37:10)

 

So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

 

b.      Jesus told Martha:  “Thy brother shall rise again” (John 11:23).

 

B.      Another way to define resurrection is “life after death.”

1.       Death is the separation of the body from the spirit (James 2:26).

 

For as the body without the spirit is dead…

 

2.       The body is cold and lifeless.   There is absolutely no animation when the body is dead.

3.       When there is resurrection, the spirit returns to the body.  Life is restored.  The body operates in full animation.

4.       When one is resurrected, he has a second life.

 

C.     Resurrection is definitely taught in God’s Word.

1.       It is a New Testament word.  It is found 41 times in 40 verses.

2.       There are ten (10) specific accounts of individuals who were resurrected in the Bible. 

a.       Three are in the Old Testament

1)      The widow’s son in Zarephath (1 Kings 17:17-22)

2)      The Shunammite’s son (2 Kings 4:18-37)

3)      The man thrown into Elisha’s grave (2 Kings 13:20)

b.      Seven are found in the New Testament

1)      Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:41)

2)      The widow of Nain’s son (Luke 7:14)

3)      Lazarus (John 11:38-44)

4)      Jesus Christ (Matt. 28:1-6)

5)      Unknown saints when Jesus was raised (Matt. 27:52-53)

6)      Tabitha/Dorcas (Acts 9:36-42)

7)      Eutychus (Acts 20:7-12)

3.       The Bible speaks about a general resurrection of all the dead (John 5:28-29; Rev. 20:12-13).

 

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.

 

D.     When most individuals hear the word “resurrection,” they attach it to a physical resurrection.

1.       The resurrection of Jesus Christ.

2.       The resurrection of the dead in the last day.

 

E.      But, the Bible also tells us about a spiritual resurrection.  It is that resurrection that we want to spend the rest of our time studying in this lesson.

 

I.                    WE ARE BORN SPIRITUALLY ALIVE

 

A.     When we are born into this world, we are acceptable unto God because we do not have any sins.

1.       Sin is something that is committed.  “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law” (I John 3:4).  A newborn baby has committed no sin.

2.       Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven is made up of people who are like unto children (Matt. 18:3).

 

And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

 

a.       Jesus likens the converted to little children.

b.      A converted individual is one who has no sin.  His sins have been completely removed.  This makes him like unto a little child.

3.       If a child has sin, he needs to be converted.  

a.       To convert is something that the individuals decides.  It is not something another decides for him (i.e., infant baptism).

b.      The convert must be able to hear the gospel, possess faith in Jesus Christ, repent of sins, and confess the name of Jesus.  A baby can do none of these things.

4.       When a person is born, he possesses an outer man and an inner man. 

a.       The Bible teaches us that the inner man is given to us by God (Zech. 12:1).

 

…and formeth the spirit of man within him.

 

b.      If a baby is corrupt at birth, it would have to mean that God gave the child a corrupt spirit.  God only gives good and perfect gifts (James 1:17).

 

B.      When a child is born, he is not saved. 

1.       He is what we refer to as safe. 

2.       When David’s child by Bathsheba died, David said:  “I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me” (2 Sam. 12:23).  Where did David expect to meet this child?  I am sure he expected to see the child in that region called Heaven.

 

II.                 AS WE LIVE, WE BECOME MEN OF SIN

 

A.     All of us are born into a very sinful world.  John said:  “…and the whole world lieth in wickedness” (1 John 5:19).

 

B.      A child is taught, matures, and reaches an age wherein he is accountable for the choices he makes.

1.       Some of the choices he makes are violations of God’s Word (1 John 3:4).

2.       In short, all men ultimately become sinners.  In Romans 3, Paul states this unequivocally several times.

a.       “…for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin” (v. 9).

b.      “…There is none righteous, no, not one” (v. 10).

c.       “They are all gone out of the way” (v. 12).

d.      “There is none that doeth good, no, not one” (v. 12).

e.       “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God “ (v. 23).

 

C.     Two interesting points:

1.       Spiritually, the sinner is dead.  We live, but we are dead.  We are living dead men.

a.       Colossians 2:13

 

And you, being dead in your sins…

 

b.      1 Timothy 5:6

 

But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.

 

2.       For the sinner to be right with God, the old man of sin must be put to death.

a.       Paul put it this way:  “I am crucified with Christ…” (Gal. 2:20).

b.      Galatians 5:24

 

And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

 

c.       Romans 6:6

 

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

 

d.      Another word that involves our death to sin is repentance.  Jesus teaches us that if we do not repent, we will perish (Luke 13:3).

 

III.              DEAD MEN NEED TO BE BURIED

 

A.     When men die physically, they are buried. 

1.       Nobody wants to see a dead man lying around.

2.       No one wants to smell the stench of rottenness and decay.

 

B.      In like manner, the dead man of sin needs to be buried.  This is done in the action of baptism.

1.       Romans 6:4

 

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death…

 

2.       Colossians 2:12

 

Buried with him in baptism…

 

C.     It is interesting that no one objects to our burying a person who is physically dead.  In fact, we would be encouraged to do so.  But, when it comes to burying a spiritually dead person, everyone screams:  “That is not necessary.”  I suppose we are okay with spiritually dead folks walking around.

 

 

 

 

IV.              AFTER BURYING THE DEAD, THERE IS A SPIRITUAL RESURRECTION

 

A.     The individual who is buried in the waters of baptism does not remain under the water.  Instead, he is immediately raised from those waters.

 

B.      When a person comes out of the waters, it is a spiritual resurrection.

1.       Colossians 2:12-13

 

Buried with him by baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.  And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses.

 

2.       When we are resurrected from that watery grave of baptism, we are not the same person who went into the grave.

a.       Romans 6:4

 

…that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

 

b.      We walk in newness of life.  We are a new man.  That new man involves Christ living in us (Gal. 2:20).

 

I am crucified with Christ:  nevertheless I live; yet not I but Christ liveth in me:  and the life which I now life in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

 

3.       There are many in the religious world who would have us to believe that a person can have a new life without ever experiencing a spiritual resurrection. 

a.       Remember, this can only happen in the act of baptism.

b.      They do not believe baptism is necessary.

c.       If a person is not baptized, he cannot be resurrected to newness of life. 

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.     In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Paul summarizes the facts of the gospel.

 

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.  For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.

 

1.       These facts are deemed vital by many in the religious world.

2.       In fact, today many are celebrating this Sunday as “the resurrection Sunday.”

 

B.      If we are going to obey the gospel of Christ, we must follow our Lord’s example. 

1.       We must be crucified with Christ, dying to our sins.

2.       We must bury the old man of sin in the waters of baptism.

3.       We must be resurrected to walk a new life in Christ.

 

C.     Two closing verses.

1.       “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature…” (2 Cor. 5:17).

2.       “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death” (Rom. 6:3).