The World and the Word

                  The Advents and Judgments of Christ

I Corinthians 15:20 teaches that when Christ rose from the dead, He became "the firstfruits" of them that slept." Since both Jesus and the Apostle Paul often referred to those who died in a state of grace as being "asleep," then these "firstfruits" can only mean all living humans who physically died in a state of grace whom Christ has raised from the dead in the Rapture of the Old Testament saints, and whom He will raise in the Raptures of the Church Age saints and the Tribulation saints. Matthew 27:51-53; I Corinthians 15:51-57; Revelation 20:4 and 6.

But then I Corinthians 15:21-22 teaches that Christ will also effect a "resurrection of the dead" which can only follow the "firstfruits" resurrections. In addition, the phrase "every man in his own order" can only mean, in light of verse 22, that Christ will eventually raise all living humans from the dead. Revelation 20:5. Verse 21 further teaches that just as Adam caused the eternal deaths of all living humans, so the man, who can only be Christ, will cause all living humans subject to eternal death to be made alive again. Verse 23 clearly teaches that this resurrection of the dead back to life will occur after all of the "firstfruits" resurrections, and at the final and eternal coming of Christ. Verse 24 clearly teaches that this final and eternal coming of Christ will happen "in the end" which can only mean the end of the world. Verse 24 further teaches that in this final judgment, Christ will gain an absolute and eternal victory over all evil and the Devil himself. Christ does not gain this final victory in His millennial reign. Verse 25 teaches that after Christ's reign, meaning His millennial reign, He will "put all enemies under His feet." The enemies of God can only be the Devil and evil itself, not living humans whom He created and loves. I John 3:8. Verse 26 teaches that Christ will in the end destroy death itself. Christ will take eternal death away from all living humans. Hebrews 2:9; Luke 20:38. Christ will destroy the eternal deaths of all living humans, not the living humans themselves. Verses 27-28 teach that after His final judgment, Christ will become the final and eternal King of all His recreations, including all living humans. Revelation 21:1-5; John 5:28-29; Colossians 1:15-23; Isaiah 66:20-24. Colossians 1:20 teaches that Christ will "reconcile all things unto Himself" which includes all things in earth as well as Heaven. Christ created "all things." Colossians 1:16.

All of this put together can only mean that the particular time and place of Christ's judgment of "the quick and the dead" can only occur at His Great White Throne Judgment. I Timothy 4:1. The phrase "at His appearing and His kingdom" can only mean His final and eternal appearance and His final and eternal kingdom of eternal righteousness. II Peter 3:10-13. The millennial reign of Christ will not be His final kingdom. In His millennial reign, Christ will take His rightful place as the King of this world, and He will cause the "god of this world" to be chained in the bottomless pit. Revelation 20:1-3; Revelation 20:6. In His millennial reign, Christ will create all humans to be righteous but that will not put a final end to evil. Revelation 20:7-10. Christ will gain His final and eternal reign as King only after "He hath put all enemies under His feet," and He has obtained the "preeminence." I Corinthians 15:25; Colossians 1:18. Christ will use His fiery wrath against evil to burn up the heavens and the earth in order to thoroughly purge them of any taint of evil. II Peter 3:10-13; Revelation 20:9. Christ will use His fiery wrath against evil to dissolve all systems that He created in order to separate every good system that He ever created from all evil which seeks to annul it. I Corinthians 3:11-15. Only then will Christ be ready to recreate the heavens and the earth "wherein dwelleth righteousness," including all living humans that He ever created, so that He will become the final and eternal King of His new universe. I Corinthians 3:11-15; Revelation 22:1-3; Revelation 21:1-5.