By William Bell, Jr. Next, to argue that the resurrection was past already, as we have seen above separates this doctrine from that of the apostles. More particularly, it severs resurrection from the atoning work of Christ. Jesus was raised as the firstfruits. But now is Christ risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of them that slept, (1 Corinthians 15:20). This means that he was the beginning of the resurrection. Moreover, it meant that the last days' resurrection had begun in him. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive, (15: 22) However, the resurrection which Paul affirmed in Christ would consummate at the time called the end, which time equates with the A.D. 70 destruction of Jerusalem. See Matthew 24:14, 34. The end is the fall of the Jewish temple at the end of the age in 70 A.D. Paul and his readers saw the end of the ages coming in their day, (1 Corinthians 10:11). Since the doctrine of Hymanaeus and Philetus taught that the resurrection was complete before the end of the age, therefore before the temple was destroyed, they were giving the Jews of the first century a false hope in the continuation of the temple ministry, the law and the sacrificial system of the old covenant priesthood. This would lead, not only to the overthrow of the faith of Christians but to the destruction of many unbelieving Jews, who would not recognize that God would destroy the temple, (Acts 6:14). Such denial of Jesus parousia and the overthrow of the temple in 70 A.D. opened the door for false messianic hopes of deliverance by the Jews, (well documented in the first century in biblical and non-biblical sources) causing hundreds of thousands of Jews to perish in the siege. (See Josephus, Wars of the Jews). This delusion continues to this day among evangelicals, Zionists and Jews in support of modern day Israel, who deny the scriptures and foolishly look for another Jesus to save them from their colossal error by setting up camp in a land for which they now have no covenantal right. Therefore, to argue for a resurrection already past, circumvents the work of Christ as the firstfruits, and attributes the resurrection to some power and authority outside of him. (Compare 1 Corinthians 6:14). Early on in the ministry of the apostles, they got into big trouble with the government and powers that be of Judaism, (the priests and the Sanhedrin council) because they preached in Jesus, the resurrection out from among the dead. (Acts 4:1, 2) For this, they were apprehended and jailed. (see part 4) William Bell, Jr., is a popular speaker on Covenant Eschatology and the author of the book, The Re-Examination, a study of the last days, the coming of Christ. Visit his website at http://www.allthingsfulfilled.com
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