Resurrection means being raised to eternal life never to die again, while being brought back to life is a temporary restoration to mortal life.
Les Feldick teaches that the widow's son and Lazarus were brought back to life but died again, so they were not resurrected. Resurrection began with Christ, who arose from the dead and will never die again, and it is the eternal life believers share.
1 Corinthians 15:20 — The verse identifies Christ as the firstfruits of them that slept, the foundation of the resurrection doctrine.
The Bible teaches that resurrection is centered on Christ. First Corinthians 15:20 declares that Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of them that slept. Scripture also records that after Christ's resurrection, many bodies of the saints which slept arose and came out of the graves into the holy city (Matthew 27:52-53). Revelation speaks of the resurrection of the just to a life of immortality in God's presence, and of the lost being resurrected to a life separated from God in the second death.
Les Feldick makes a sharp distinction between resurrection and being brought back to life. The widow's son raised by Elijah and Lazarus were called back from the dead, but they died again, so they were not resurrected. Resurrection is a unique, sovereign act of God that raises a dead human being not to die again but to a life of eternity. This never happened before Christ, who is the first person ever to be resurrected; He arose never to die again, for all eternity. Believers will share that same eternal life and will not face death again.
When Jesus called Lazarus forth from the grave, Lazarus was merely brought back to life and later had to die again. Les Feldick emphasizes that being called back to life is not resurrection, because resurrection raises a person to eternal life so that he will not die again.
Les Feldick teaches that resurrection never took place until Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. He was the first to ever be resurrected, and His resurrection opened the door to the entire doctrine of life after death. Christ is the firstfruits of them that slept.
The resurrection of the just brings believers to a life of immortality in God's presence. The lost are also resurrected, but to a life separated from God, described as the second death. They continue through all eternity and are not annihilated.
No. Resurrection does not mean dying, returning to life, and then dying again. Les explains that resurrection is God's act of bringing a person back to a life of eternity, the same eternal life that believers experience the moment they believe the Gospel.
Christ the Firstfruits: Resurrection Explained Verse by Verse
Hello, and welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick. An Oklahoma rancher and farmer, Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick.
Resurrection vs. Brought Back to Life
Les defines resurrection by contrast: Elijah raising the widow's son and Lazarus were not resurrection, only bringing them back to a life they would lose again.
Resurrection as Christianity's Core
Les stresses that the word resurrection does not refer to someone who died and was brought back to life, such as Lazarus and the widow's son.
Resurrection to Eternal Life
Les describes resurrection as God's sovereign act raising a dead human being back to a life of eternity, not to die again, and notes man's soul is immortal.
Resurrection Begins With Christ
Les teaches resurrection never took place until Jesus was raised, and earlier raisings were merely bringing someone back to life only to die again.
Christ's Resurrection Never Ends
Resurrection began with Christ, who arose never to die again for all eternity, and this is the same eternal life believers share.
Resurrection of Just and Lost
Les explains the just are resurrected to immortality in God's presence, while the lost are resurrected to separation from God and the second death.
Christ the Firstfruits
Les shows that earlier resurrections by prophets were not resurrection, and Christ had to be first; Matthew 27 saints were resurrected with Him as firstfruits.
1 Corinthians 15:20: But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
This verse anchors Les's teaching that resurrection began with Christ and identifies Him as the firstfruits.
Matthew 27:52-53: And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
Les cites these saints as the sampling of believers who were resurrected with Christ as the firstfruits.
1 Corinthians 15:35: But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?
This is the question Les introduces after explaining that resurrection means rising to eternal life, never to die again.
No, according to Les Feldick. When Jesus called Lazarus from the grave, Lazarus was merely brought back to life and later died again. Resurrection means being raised to eternal life and never dying again.
Les teaches that resurrection never took place until Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. Christ is the firstfruits of them that slept, and previous raisings such as Lazarus and the widow's son were only restorations to mortal life.
No. Resurrection raises a human being not to die again but to a life of eternity. The believer's resurrection is permanent and shares Christ's never-ending life.
Yes. Les teaches that the lost will be resurrected to a life separated from God, described as the second death, and they will continue through eternity — they are not annihilated.
Watch the Teaching: Christ the Firstfruits: Resurrection Explained Verse by Verse