Weekly Devotional 3-21-16 Born Twice Die Once
The Apostle John recorded for us the healing of a certain man by Jesus at the pool of Bethesda and the reaction to this by the Pharisees. Rather than being filled with joy for the man, they charged Jesus with breaking the Sabbath and of blasphemy. He did not back off from His claim of being equal with God, but added that spiritual life was to be found in Him. They who would hear His voice and respond in faith would be given spiritual life, and those who would not would be judged for their rejection. He went on to say that His authority extended to those who had already died. This record is found in the Gospel according to John chapter 5:1-29, but for the purpose of this little work I focus on verses 24-29; “24Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. 25Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. 26For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, 27and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. 28Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (NKJV).
The Apostle Paul spoke of these two separate resurrections in his defense before Felix as “15having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked” (See Luke 24:1-26). The Old Testament prophet, Daniel, also wrote about two separate resurrections. “1At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as never was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Everyone who is found written in the book. 2And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, Some to everlasting life, Some to shame and everlasting contempt. 3Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever” (Daniel 12:1-3 NKJV). Daniel of course is speaking of those of Israel who die during the tribulation, but the point is there will be two separate resurrections.
At the first resurrection all those who have died in Christ shall be rewarded according to their work. They and we will not be judged for sins committed as that judgment has been borne by Jesus, our Savior. It will be a judgment of our works, whether they were of glorifying nature or not. This is known in Christian circles as the Bema Seat judgment of Christ. The Apostle Paul writes of this in his first letter to the Corinthians. Consider, “9For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 10According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire” (1 Corinthians 3:9-15 NKJV).
The resurrection of those who have rejected the authority of God over their lives, while they lived, will be subjected to the Great White Throne judgment of Jesus Christ. Of this judgment we read, “11Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. 13The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:11-15 NKJV).
The wonder of it all is that this judgment can be avoided. Jesus says to all, by way of His discussion with Nicodemus, “1There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, ‘Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.’ 3Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’ 5Jesus answered, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” 9Nicodemus answered and said to Him, ‘How can these things be?’ 10Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. 14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. ‘18He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God’” John 3:1-21 (NKJV).
What a blessing to experience a spiritual rebirth (one’s second birth) that comes with the blessing of all that heaven has to offer. He or she will not experience the second death which is eternal separation from all of these blessings.
stevelampman@comcast.net stevelampman.com
Transforming Power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man
Evangelical Free Church www.efreebible