Q: Will there still be physical people after the Great White Throne Judgment?

Published: February 27th, 2004

The short answer is that there will not be any physical people after the time period called "the Great White Throne Judgment," which is described in Revelation 20:11-15.

We read in Revelation 21:4 that after that time, there will be no more death. We also read in Revelation 20:14 that "Death" was cast into the lake of fire. This means, that whatever physical human being existed, they will, by that time, either have been burned up and destroyed in the lake of fire (thereby ceasing to exist forever), or they will have been changed into immortal spirit beings, unable to die. Physical people die. One cannot keep a physical human being alive forever. Therefore, since there will be no more death, there cannot exist physical people for all eternity at that future time.

Q: Would you please explain Matthew 28:1?

Published: April 15th, 2005

Some, in an attempt to teach a Sunday morning resurrection, have used Matthew 28:1 in support of such a teaching. We do know, however, that Jesus Christ was resurrected on Saturday afternoon, around sunset, after having been in the grave for three days and three nights. He was killed on a Wednesday, and placed in the grave on Wednesday afternoon, just around sunset.

We have set forth in detail the Biblical and historical proofs for a Wednesday crucifixion and a Saturday resurrection in our free booklet, "Jesus Christ -- A Great Mystery." In that booklet, we have also explained the correct understanding of Matthew 28:1, as follows:

Q: Will an aborted fetus live again?

Published: April 29th, 2005

We understand from God's Word that man does not have an immortal soul. Rather, man is a mortal soul! (See Genesis 2:7; Psalm 146:3-4; Psalm 104:29, Authorized Version throughout, unless otherwise noted. Compare our free booklet, "Do You Have an Immortal Soul?") Thus we must understand that at death, the soul is dead. It has no inherent immortality in it. Christ said: "That which is born of the flesh is flesh" (John 3:6). Thus man is flesh; of the dust of the ground. And when he dies, he returns to dust. We also see that, as with mankind, this same fate befalls animals (Ecclesiastes 3:19-20). In Ecclesiastes 3:21 we find these words: "Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that

Q: Do you teach a resurrection of the physical body?

Published: April 28th, 2006

It depends what is meant by that term. Also, we need to understand that the Bible teaches a resurrection to immortal life and a resurrection to a physical existence.

Regarding the resurrection of those who died "in Christ," that is, in whom God's Holy Spirit dwelled when they died, we read that they are resurrected with an immortal SPIRITUAL body. God will raise them up to spiritual, immortal and eternal life. God will not first resurrect their dead "physical bodies" and then "change" them into spiritual bodies. Rather, God will resurrect or raise the Christians with spiritual bodies, as the Bible clearly indicates. We read the following, in 1 Corinthians 15:35-49, about the "first" or "better" (Hebrews 11:35) resurrection to eternal life:

Q: Would you please explain Matthew 5:21-22? Why are there distinctions in judgments and penalties, and what do they mean?

Published: November 10th, 2006

In Matthew 5:21-22, Jesus speaks about literal murder as well as feelings and expressions of hate. The passage reads as follows:

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' [Margin: Lit, in Aram., Empty head] shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell [Margin: Gr. Gehenna] fire."

Q: Hebrews 9:27 states that "it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment." But aren’t there several instances in the Bible where some were resurrected to life and died again? They did not enter into judgment after they died the first time--did they?

Published: December 15th, 2006

Indeed there are numerous examples of resurrections, both in the Old and the New Testament! For instance, 2 Kings 13:21 relates the record of a dead person who "revived and stood on his feet," when the bones of Elisha touched him. There was no magic associated with Elisha’s bones but it was a demonstration of God’s power and His approval of Elisha--showing that he died as a servant of God, even though he died from a sickness (verse 14). Also, John 11:38-44 records the story of the resurrection of Lazarus who had been dead for several days. We also read, in Luke 8:49-56, that Christ brought a dead girl back to life. In the case of the young girl, we read that Christ commanded the parents "that she be given something to eat" (verse 55) -- proving that this was a resurrection

Q: Why do you teach three resurrections? Does not the Bible reveal only ONE resurrection--THE resurrection from the dead?

Published: November 2nd, 2007

We are glad to explain this highly misunderstood topic in detail. As we will see, the Bible clearly teaches THREE resurrections--not just one.

Paul was inspired by God to write in 1 Corinthians 15:20-26:

Q: Please explain John 7:39. Why was it necessary that Christ be glorified in order for man to receive the Holy Spirit?

Published: September 18th, 2009

In John 7:38, Christ spoke of the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the apostle John added in verse 39: "But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom [better: which] those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified."

Q: In reading some comments by the Apostle Paul in the book of Romans, it appears that Paul might not have understood that most Israelites who are not called to salvation in this day and age will be called in the Second Resurrection and will then be given their opportunity to inherit eternal life. Is this impression of Paul's lack of understanding correct?

Published: February 26th, 2010

It is not. Paul clearly understood and taught that there is a Second Resurrection for all those who were never called to salvation in this life. This will include the multitude of the past and present houses of Israel and Judah, as well as the multitude of non-Israelite nations--the "Gentiles." Paul knew that today, only very few --the "firstfruits" (compare Romans 8:23)--will be called to salvation and the pre-millennial First Resurrection to eternal life. Paul knew that the Second Resurrection will not be to eternal life, but to a physical temporary existence, but with the potential to qualify for eternal life.

Q: What will happen to the spirit in man of those who die the second death?

Published: April 23rd, 2010

In our last Q&A (in Update #438, dated April 15, 2010), we explained that God gives every person, apparently at the time of conception, a "spirit," which the Bible calls the "spirit in man." This spirit is not a soul--the person is the soul--nor is it a conscious being. When the person or the soul dies, the spirit in man returns to God who gave it (Ecclesiastes 12:7). It is being stored in heaven until the time of that person's resurrection.