What does the word resurrection actually mean scripturally?
Scripturally, resurrection means arising from the dead into the eternal, never to die again. It is not merely being brought back to life, as Lazarus and the widow’s son were, since they died again. Resurrection began only when Christ arose; He was the first to be resurrected, and our resurrection will be final.
Les explains that at the core of the Gospel is the fact that Christ was raised from the dead and resurrected. He defines resurrection carefully because even ministers often use the term out of its true meaning. Anyone miraculously raised from the dead in Scripture, such as the widow’s son under Elijah or Lazarus, was not resurrected; they were merely brought back to life and later died again. Resurrection speaks of what only Christ began: He arose from the dead into the eternal, never to die again. When we experience resurrection, it will be final; we will not again have to die and be brought back to life. Thus resurrection began when Christ arose, and He was the first to be resurrected.