With only two Articles of Faith left to consider we come to another foundation of our faith this week in the Tuesday Tea.  When I began this weekly post to the blog I called it “Tuesday Tea with a Sugar Stick”.  It has since been abbreviated to the Tuesday Tea.  The idea behind the name though was that with this post believers could sit down together for a few minutes and consider core beliefs.  The inclusion of the “with a Sugar Stick” was based on the idea that the things considered here ought to be our sugar sticks in daily living – in other words those things that we just want to come back to over and over again because they taste so good.  I say all of this to hit this point – if there has ever been a sugar stick for God’s people it ought to be the truth expressed in this week’s Article of Faith.

“We believe in the resurrection of the just and unjust and that the vile bodies of the saints shall be fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ, and the felicity of the saints and punishment of the wicked shall be everlasting.” (Article #12 – Amarillo Primitive Baptist Church – Articles of Faith)

We believe in the Resurrection – Plain and Simple

Plain and simple – We believe in the resurrection.  We believe that Christ is going to leave Heaven one more time on the last day this earth shall exist.  We believe he is going to stay in sky and call the bodies forth out of the grave.  We believe that all that are his elect will go home to be with him in glorified bodies and those that are not his elect will spend eternity in hell.  The belief is quite simple and yet there are many detailed intricacies that scripture teaches as well.

Resurrection of the Just and Unjust

“And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.” (Acts 24:15)

One of the most important details of the resurrection that is missed by many is that the just and the unjust shall both be called forth from the grave.  In that moment Christ will fully show his power over all mankind whether they are his elect or not.  Every burial-place will be broken open, every body – whatever its state – shall be brought back together, and every person shall look upon Christ as the ruler of the universe, the King of kings, and the Savior of his people.

Not a New Body

“For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” (Philippians 3:20-21)

A great truth expressed here in the writings of the Apostle Paul is this – we shall not receive a new body in that moment, but rather a changed body.  The body that we had here on earth is filled with sin, weakness, and death.  Once this body is changed in that moment then we will have a body that knows no sin, no mortality, and no weakness.  We shall be made strong to worship him for ever more.

There is so much we could write on this topic, but space simply would not allow to write of the greatness of what is coming.  I encourage you and implore you to make this topic your own sugar stick and study it over and over.   It is the hope of every believer.

May the Lord bless you,

Elder J.W. Cunningham