1. Will all men arise from the dead?
Yes, all who have died; but those, who still live at the day of judgment, will be changed.
Job 19:25-26. For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin, worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.
Ezek. 37:12. Thus saith the Lord God: Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves.
Dan. 12:2. And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake.
John 5:28. For the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth.
1 Cor. 15:51-52. Behold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed: in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (See Augsburg Confession, Art. xvii; Apology, Art. viii.)
2. Upon what ground can we rest our undoubting confidence as to the resurrection of the dead?
This ground is Christ, who is become the first fruits of them that slept, 1 Cor. 15:20; who is the beginning, the first born from the dead, Col. 1:18; Rev. 1:5; yea, who is the resurrection and the life itself. John 11:25.
And hence the Apostle draws this conclusion, 1 Cor. 15:16: “For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised.”
3. Will the resurrection of the dead, and the change of the living take place at the same time and promiscuously?
The end of the world will indeed come in the twinkling of an eye; but the order mentioned by the Apostle Paul will be observed in connection with it, namely, that when the Lord appears unto judgment, the dead shall first come forth from their graves; then, those which are alive and remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. 1 Thess. 4:15-17.
4. How will the bodies of the risen be constituted?
The same Apostle tells us this, 1 Cor. 15:42ff, when he says: “It is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.” Hence the bodies of the risen will be:
- Incorruptible;
- Glorified;
- Powerful;
- Spiritual.
5. Will the bodies of unbelievers also be thus constituted?
The bodies of the unbelieving will be incorruptible, but deprived of all glory, power, and spiritual honor. Instead of this, they will be full of disgrace and dishonor, and will be an abomination in the sight of God and the angels and all the elect.
6. Men then arise under unequal conditions?
Yes; for believers arise to life and glory, but unbelievers to damnation and disgrace.
Dan. 12:2-3. Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and as the stars forever and ever.
John 5:28-29. The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation.