Hello everyone,
For most Christians alive today, the second resurrection doesn’t sound like good news at all. They’ve been taught that the only reason God resurrects those who’ve done evil is to tell them they’re going straight back to hell. Frankly, that’s one of the most nonsensical interpretations of Scripture imaginable—and it paints God as cruel and inhumane. Now ask yourself—who would want to promote a teaching that ends up painting Yehovah as some sort of monster?
We’re not going to be duped by religious leaders anymore. We don’t need to rely on men to understand Scripture. We have God’s spirit to guide us, just as John 16:13 promises. Once I stopped blindly accepting human interpretations, prayed for the guidance of the holy spirit, and started examining the Scriptures for myself, everything began to fall into place. I know many of you are experiencing the same joy as your understanding of God’s word grows.
So let’s reason through those things together—because the fate of those returning in the second resurrection matters. It’s part of our hope, just as it was for the apostle Paul, who said:
“And I have a hope in God, which these men themselves also accept, that there is going to be a resurrection, both of the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Acts 24:15 HCSB)
Paul’s hope for himself and the rest of the holy ones in the first century was for them to be part of the resurrection of the righteous to life. But he also held out hope that the unrighteous would be resurrected. The question is, for what purpose?
Paul knew that Jesus had foretold that he would call out and that all those dead in their graves would be resurrected.
“Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” (John 5:28, 29 ESV)
But we have to be careful, because not all Bible translations reflect the original text accurately. Many people criticize the New World Translation because some passages have been shaped by doctrinal bias—and that’s a valid concern—but the same can be said about the translators behind many other versions. Just consider how these Bibles render what Jesus said:
“the ones who have done what is evil to the resurrection resulting in condemnation.” (NET Bible)
“and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.” (King James Bible)
“but those who have done wicked things, to the resurrection of condemnation.” (Christian Standard Bible)
So, which is it? Are they resurrected to be judged—or just to be condemned? Is their sentence already decided, or do they receive a fair trial?
In a police state, taking someone to court is just a formality because the outcome is already known. Is that the kind of justice we expect to see under the Kingdom of God?
Let’s take a closer look at the Greek word that so many Bible translators seem to struggle with. The word in Greek is krisis, from which we get the English word crisis. A crisis is a critical moment—a turning point—something that could go either way. The outcome of a crisis isn’t predetermined.
If we consult the lexicon, here’s how the word krisis is defined:
Definition: Judgment, decision, condemnation, justice
So, the Greek word krisis can refer to a decision, a judgment, or justice—as well as condemnation.
But is there a way to prove, scripturally, that the proper translation of krisis in this context is “judgment” rather than “condemnation”? And if so, on what basis will this second group of humans be judged?
The answer comes from the very same speech in which Jesus spoke about the two resurrections. Just a few verses earlier, we read:
“Most truly I say to YOU, He that hears my word and believes him that sent me has everlasting life, and he does not come into judgment but has passed over from death to life.” (John 5:24)
So those making up the first resurrection do not come into judgment. They pass from death to life even before they die. Thus, when they are resurrected, it is to life everlasting.
Jesus said that those who hear his word and believe in the One who sent him are the ones who have done good:
“…those having done good to the resurrection of life…” (John 5:29 BLB)
So doing good isn’t about being a good, charitable, and kind person. There are many atheists who are good and charitable and kind, but they are not declared as good by God, because they don’t hear the word of Jesus and believe in his Father, Yehovah.
And there, in a nutshell, is the entire question. Good and evil are boiled down to a simple equation. If you hear God’s word and believe in Him, you will be saved. If you don’t, then it doesn’t matter how good you think you are—to Yehovah, you are evil, wicked, and unrighteous. You see, it’s not our standard of good and evil that counts. It’s God’s.
What was the original sin? Satan put it succinctly when he said to Eve:
“God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” (Genesis 3:5 NLT)
Eve wanted to decide for herself what was good and evil, right and wrong. That’s the heart of the issue. Those who obey God are good, and those who do not are evil. It doesn’t matter how good a person may appear from a human perspective—any law code made by humans is ultimately flawed and, in God’s eyes, evil. All we have to do is look at human history to see where following man-made laws—no matter how well-intentioned—ultimately leads.
So when Jesus spoke of those who have done wicked and evil things, he was referring to people who were not following God’s law, but their own. God’s standard of justice hasn’t changed since the days of Adam and Eve. If you hear the word of God—remember, Jesus is the Word of God—and believe in Yehovah, his Father, then you will have life.
But what if you never had the chance to hear the Word of God? Are you condemned simply because you lived in the wrong time, or the wrong place, or under the wrong conditions to hear about Jesus and come to know Yehovah?
Paul addresses this very conundrum in his letter to the Romans.
“For “whoever calls on the name of [Yehovah] shall be saved.” How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:13-15 NKJV)
This passage, based on the prophecy of Joel 2:32, shows that salvation depends on calling on the name of Yehovah. But it also highlights a serious problem with that requirement: billions of people have never had the opportunity to call on the name of God because there was no one to preach to them.
So how does a just God deal with those billions?
This is where the naysayers jump in—those who promote the idea of a second resurrection to condemnation and eternal damnation. They often respond, “We cannot presume to know God.” They insist we must simply accept what the Bible says, and then point to Revelation 20 as proof that the dead are resurrected only to be condemned.
First, they read a part of the fifth verse:
“(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.)” (Revelation 20:5a NIV)
Then they point out that verses 7–10 describe what happens after the thousand years have ended: Satan and his demons are released, they mislead many, God’s people are attacked, and finally Satan and all his followers are destroyed forever.
Then come verses 11 through 15, which speak of the judgment of the dead. Based on this sequence, they conclude that everyone in the second resurrection is brought back to life to be judged solely on what they did before they died. Since this judgment occurs after the thousand years have ended and after Satan and his demons are destroyed, and since these resurrected ones supposedly have nothing to justify them, they are judged by the evil they committed prior to death—which means they must be condemned.
Again, I ask, “Does that sound like the actions of a loving God?”
And once more, those who promote this view respond, “We can’t interpret these verses based on what we think is loving or not. Love is subjective. We need to look at this objectively.”
Fair enough. Let’s look at it objectively.
In one of the last books of the Bible—what some would call the conclusion of the Bible’s central theme—the apostle John reveals this:
“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:8 NIV)
We cannot begin to understand God if we do not love, because God is love! The creator of the universe is love. All things came into existence by God. He is the source of everything, and God is love. Can you get any more objective than that?
Frankly, those who discount love as an unreliable means to understand God and his basis for judgment, do so because, as John says, they do not love.
We have been equipped by our Father to understand his love, because He made us in His image.
“And God proceeded to create the man in his image, in God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27)
That image is manifest in the fruitage of the spirit of God:
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22–23 NKJV)
This God-given capacity for love allows us to see things as God sees them, if we let it.
Let me give you an example from my own life of how that works:
About thirty years ago, when I was still serving as an elder in the Organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses, I met a brother from a neighboring congregation. We got to chatting, and I asked him where he was from. It turned out he was Iranian, born and raised a Muslim under the rigid Islamic regime of that country, governed by Sharia law. He converted to Christianity after leaving Iran. Had he done so while still in Iran, he would have lost everything. Sharia law would have required him to be jailed and even executed.
I was curious to understand why he became one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, given that there really isn’t much common ground between Islam and Christianity, and even less when the version of Christianity is that of Jehovah’s Witnesses—or so I thought. It seemed like quite a leap to me. Little could I have imagined that thirty years later, that encounter would provide me with the foundation for understanding the Second Resurrection.
This brother—I don’t remember his name, so I’ll call him Joe—told me that he was always troubled by the Islamic belief in a place of eternal torment for the wicked. Christendom calls this Hellfire, but in Islam it’s called Jahannam. Sorry if I mispronounced that. Isn’t it interesting that both Islam and Christendom have been infected by pagan teachings about torture in the afterlife?
Anyway, Joe’s reasoning went like this:
“God made me. I didn’t ask to be created. So, if I don’t want the life God is offering, why can’t I just go back to what I was before he made me? Why is my only option to be tortured forever.
Joe’s reasoning can be illustrated this way. Say I offer you a beautiful home in an idyllic location and provide you with all the food you could ever want, and even give you lots of interesting things to do while you’re there. The only condition is that you live by my rules. Now you have two choices. You can accept what I’m offering, or I’ll torture you over and over forever.
The belief in hell takes that phrase from the movies, “I’m going to make him an offer he can’t refuse” to a whole new level of absurdity.
Can you see how this brother was able to overturn centuries of church dogma without even having to crack open a Bible? His argument was valid and convincing because all of us understand the basics of fairness, justice, and love of neighbor. That’s because we are made in God’s image.
That isn’t to say that there is no proof in Scripture supporting the idea that the second resurrection is to judgment and not just to condemnation. There is indeed such proof. We’ll turn to the book of Romans:
“And if we are children, then we are heirs: heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with Him, so that we may also be glorified with Him.” (Romans 8:17 BSB)
Here, Paul is speaking of those who will take part in the first resurrection to life—the children of God, those who will rule with Jesus as a kingdom of priests. But Paul isn’t only speaking about the salvation of the holy ones. He has more to reveal. As we read this, I want you to reflect on what he means when he speaks of “the creation.”
“I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not by its own will, but because of the One who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time. Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” (Romans 8:18-23 BSB)
Paul talks about the whole of creation groaning as in the pains of childbirth. Any mother can tell you how painful childbirth can be, yet they endure it because of the joy that comes when a child is born. In the same way, creation is groaning in pain, awaiting release. Paul then says that we also groan, waiting for release from our dying bodies. But he adds that we are the firstfruits of the Spirit. And if there are firstfruits, there must also be second fruits. If the Spirit of adoption marks the firstfruits, then the creation—which is also groaning in pain—must be the second group to receive the Spirit of adoption. But for that to happen, the spirit children of God must first be revealed. “The creation waits in eager expectation for the revelation of the sons of God.”
By creation, Paul does not mean plant life or animal life. He’s referring to humans. But why call them the creation? Because they are not children of God. They lost that status when Adam and Eve sinned. To become human children of God again, as Adam and Eve were, they must be adopted back into God’s family. Everything is in place for that to happen. A new human lineage has been set up in Jesus. He is to replace Adam as the future father of all humanity.
“Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” (1 Corinthians 15:45 ESV)
Jesus will become the Eternal Father to humankind, replacing Adam between Yehovah God and the rest of humanity—with the exception of the spirit children of God who make up the firstfruits, the first resurrectionl
But—and this is the issue behind the second resurrection—the basis for adoption, as Jesus said at John 5:24, is to hear his word and believe in his Father. How are they to do that if they’ve never been given that chance?
They do that because of God’s provision of a kingdom of priests—the children of God—who will be revealed when Jesus returns to complete his conquest of Satan and this world.
None of this makes any sense if we are to believe that the dead who return in the second resurrection come back to life only to be condemned. Yehovah is love and he wants his human family back, but they have to accept the offer willingly, and to do so, many things have to change.
We’ll explore all of that in our next video in this series.
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