Author	: Bill Kochman
Publish	: Nov. 19, 2025
Update	: Nov. 19, 2025
Parts	: 02

Synopsis:



Continuing our discussion from part one, allow me to address an issue which I likewise mention in a number of other BBB articles as well. In a word, I have been personally convinced by the Scriptures that with the Lord's resurrection from the dead, everything changed dramatically. At the very least, the situation changed for those individuals who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ as the long-awaited Messiah and Savior of the whole world.

As we've already amply discussed, prior to the resurrection from the dead of the Lord himself, the bodies of the people who had placed their faith in Him -- both throughout the Old Testament period, and in the early New Testament era as well -- laid resting in the ground -- that is to say, in Sheol or the grave -- while their spirits waited in the good side of Hades, which Jesus called Paradise. However, once the Lord rose from the dead, I'm convinced that all the Old Testament Saints and early New Testament believers rose as well. In my opinion, this seems to be what is indicated in the following group of Bible verses:

"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."


"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection."


In my view, the previous group of verses which are found in the Gospel of Matthew sound very much like a real physical resurrection of the dead, similar to what happened with the Lord's dear friend, Lazarus, in Bethany. Please notice that the verses do say that their actual bodies arose. They were NOT just ethereal spirits floating around the city. As far as I can tell, they had bodies just like the Lord had when He appeared to the Apostles following His own resurrection from the dead. As I explain in articles such as "Sex, a Bowl of Soup and the Nature of Angels", Jesus could still consume food, build fires, and do other things that we humans do.

Please also carefully notice that this amazing resurrection occurred AFTER Jesus Himself had risen from the dead, thus clearly proving once again that the Lord had to rise first before all others, thus truly making Him the Firstborn of the Dead. It was Jesus' resurrection which made it possible for others to arise as well. This point should be very clear to you.

In short, contrary to Futurist beliefs, I am convinced that the First Resurrection is a PAST event, and NOT any kind of future event. Furthermore, based on even more Bible verses, I likewise believe that ever since Jesus died and rose from the dead, anyone who dies believing in the Lord immediately rises to Heaven. In other words, there's really no longer a need for them to remain in a temporary holding place or way station called Paradise -- or Hades or Sheol -- because the Lord has ALREADY become the Firstfruits of the Resurrection, and the Firstborn of the Dead. As such, Jesus has obviously ALREADY opened the door to Heaven for us all. Jesus is that very Door and the only Way to the Father. I base this belief on the following group of Bible verses:

Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture."


"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."


"According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, HAVING A DESIRE TO DEPART, AND TO BE WITH CHRIST; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith; That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again."


"We are confident, I say, and willing rather TO BE ABSENT FROM THE BODY, AND TO BE PRESENT WITH THE LORD."


As you can plainly see, the Apostle Paul was apparently very convinced that upon his death, he would immediately go to be with Jesus. After all, he clearly writes "to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." and likewise "a desire to depart, and to be with Christ." My dear friends, I honestly don't believe that Paul is saying that he expected to remain in Paradise/Sheol/Hades for thousands of years as he patiently awaited some future return of Jesus Christ as the Futurists currently -- and erroneously -- believe. But, this is a topic which I amply discuss in other BBB articles, such as the seven-part series "Jesus Christ's Return: Have We Been Deceived?".

Thus, similar to the Apostle Paul, I likewise believe that upon our physical death one of these days, the spirits of we Christians will immediately ascend to Heaven to be with God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. There won't be any way station in Paradise/Sheol/Hades for us. There will simply be a fast Gospel Train ride to Heaven's beautiful Pearly Gates where we will have already received our admission ticket due to our faith in Jesus Christ. Of course, again, you are free to agree or disagree as you like, but I will not argue the point with anyone.

Now, please notice that I have clearly made a distinction in what I have stated thus far. I have told you plainly that I believe that this is what happens to people who have accepted Jesus since His resurrection from the dead. However, there is the issue of all of the other unsaved people who rejected the Lord. If they died in their sins without Christ -- as Jesus told those unbelieving Jews in John 8 -- exactly where are their souls or spirits while they await their final judgment?

Well, it would seem from everything that we have examined and discussed in this article, that the souls of such rebellious people may in fact remain in that darker section of Hades -- or Paradise -- until the final resurrection, and the judgment of all of the remainder of the dead. Again, there has to be a current holding place for such people somewhere, right? This seems to be what is clearly indicated in the following group of Bible verses which are found in the Book of Revelation:

"But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years."


"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire."


At this point, let me add yet another interesting thought to challenge your thinking. Personally, I am not convinced that this final judgment pertains to the Saints of God. I believe that we Saints are judged in THIS life. The fact that we have ALREADY accepted Christ means that we are ALREADY saved and sealed by the Spirit of God forever. At least this is what I personally believe. If this is indeed the case, then perhaps our judgment in this present life is more about what we each do for the Lord, once we do come to Him. Stated another way, our judgment is more about what rewards we will each receive in the Afterlife, as I more amply explain in the BBB series entitled "Parable of the Sower: Salvation and Service".

However, as for all of those other dead people, if they never received Jesus during this present life, they will be judged completely and entirely by their own works, and I don't think that it will end very well for any of them whatsoever. I see a very dismal outlook for them. Why do I say this? Because no individual can ever be saved by their own self-righteous good works, as I have taught now for so many years. Try as hard as they might, those folks' own perceived righteousness will NOT be good enough. It won't suffice. They won't make the grade. They will all be in for a very rude awakening when it finally comes to their judgment before the holy throne of the Father and of His dear son, Jesus Christ. These truths are evident by Bible verses such as the following:

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."


"Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;"


"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."


"If thou sayest, Behold, we knew it not; doth not he that pondereth the heart consider it? and he that keepeth thy soul, doth not he know it? and shall not he render to every man according to his works?"


"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works."


"And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:"


". . . I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works."


"And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them."


And with those verses, we have now come to the conclusion of this article, except for one extremely important question. What about you, dear reader? Are you a born-again Christian who has been saved and sealed by the precious Blood of Jesus Christ? Have you placed your faith in Christ alone for your Salvation? Or have you deceived yourself into believing that you are a good person, and that God will allow you into His Kingdom based on your own good behavior and merits? If you should embrace the latter position, I urge you to repent of your foolish unbelief, and embrace Jesus Christ today. After all, you just never know when your time on this Earth may be up. You may think that you still have a long life ahead of you; but please consider the following Scriptural truths:

"Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."


"But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?"


"Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready."


"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:"


"The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away."


"Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away."


"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the LORD bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever."


"It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."


"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you."


With these thoughts, I will bring this article to a close. It is my hope that you've found it informative and enlightening, and I pray that it has been a blessing in your life as well. If you have an account with Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr or with any other social network, I would really appreciate if you'd take the time to click or tap on the corresponding link that is found on this page. Thanks so much, and may God bless you abundantly!

For additional information and further study, you may want to refer to the list of reading resources below which were either mentioned in this article, or which contain topics which are related to this article. All of these articles are likewise located on the Bill's Bible Basics web server. To read these articles, simply click or tap on any link you see below.

Are Ghosts Real?
Hell, the Lake of Fire and Universalism
Jesus Christ's Return: Have We Been Deceived?
Parable of the Sower: Salvation and Service
Sex, a Bowl of Soup, and the Nature of Angels

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Please avail yourself of other areas of the Bill's Bible Basics website. There are many treasures for you to discover.