Redemption, not Abandonment

Salvation includes the resurrection of the saints and the New Creation. Both events will occur when Jesus arrives from Heaven.

Redemption is part of God’s salvation. He will not abandon what He created and called “very good!” Redemption points to the recovery of what has been lost. The Universe is enslaved by sin and condemned to decay and death. All living creatures die. However, in the redemptive plans of the Creator, the end state of the things redeemed by Him will be vastly superior to their original condition, and this principle is epitomized in the bodily resurrection of men and women saved by Jesus Christ.

[Photo by Zdeněk Macháček on Unsplash]

Until Jesus arrives, his Church must focus on preaching the Gospel to all nations. This is the task Christ gave to us between his Ascension and the moment of his return, but “the end” will not come until his people complete this mission:

• “This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole habitable earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come” – (Matthew 24:14, 13:36-43, 24:29-31, Acts 1:6-8, 2:36-39).

Since his Church must bear witness to all nations, allowing the Body of Christ to be destroyed or physically removed from the planet before Jesus comes is not an option. Without the presence of his saints, there would be no messenger to bring the light of the Gospel to the nations.

When Paul discussed the future hope of the Church in Corinth, the resurrection of the dead, he based it on the past Death and Resurrection of Jesus. Our salvation was not achieved through his sacrificial death alone, but also through his resurrection from the dead. “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and he was buried and raised on the third day” - (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 20-23).

The New Testament teaches redemption, not abandonment. Our salvation will become complete when we are raised bodily from the dead, and all saints who remain alive on the Earth are transformed and receive immortality. Together, they will receive immortal bodies, and death will be no more:

• “The last enemy that will be abolished is death<…> Behold, I tell you a mystery: We all will not sleep, but we will all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet, for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruptibility, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this corruptible will put on incorruptibility, and this mortal will put on immortality, then will come to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting?” – (1 Corinthians 15:26, 51-55).

• “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, those also that are fallen asleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For we say this to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left unto the arrival of the Lord, will not in any way precede those who are fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven, with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God: and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who remain alive, who are left, will together with them be caught up in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air” – (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17).

The fact that followers of Jesus will remain on the Earth when he arrives demonstrates that his Church will continue to exist and function until the final moment. At his “arrival” or ‘Parousia’ (παρουσια), both dead and living saints will receive immortal bodies, and Jesus will then gather his entire assembly - (“He will send forth his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” – Matthew 24:31).

The Apostle Paul consistently locates the resurrection of dead saints and the transformation of living believers on the day when Jesus “arrives” from Heaven.

JUDGMENT AND VINDICATION

In the fifth chapter of 1 Thessalonians, Paul warns that the unprepared will be overtaken by that same last day, “like a thief in the night.” It will be the “Day of the Lord,” an event associated in Scripture with the judicial punishment of the wicked.

In his second Letter to the Thessalonians, the Apostle declares that when Jesus is “revealed from heaven,” the righteous will be vindicated but the unrighteous will receive “everlasting destruction.” Both events will occur when Christ appears - (2 Thessalonians 1:5-10).

The most comprehensive list of final events is found in 1 Corinthians when Paul confronts false teachings about the resurrection. The “arrival of Jesus” will result in the end of Death, the resurrection of the dead, the final subjugation of all hostile powers, the consummation of the Kingdom of God, and the transformation of those saints who remain still alive from mortality to immortality - (1 Corinthians 15:20-28, 50-57).

The resurrection will mean the termination of death itself, and believers will be physically changed. This is the same scenario presented in 1 Thessalonians. The point is not the removal of the Church from the Earth, but the resurrection and transformation of its members, both dead and living.

This Final Day will result also in the separation of the righteous from the unrighteous. It will mean great joy for the prepared, but shame and punishment for the unprepared. The old creation will be dissolved, but it will be replaced by the “New Heavens and the New Earth” - (Matthew 13:30. 25:13, 25:31-46, 2 Thessalonians 1:5-10):

• (2 Peter 3:10-13) – “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein will be burned up. Seeing that these things are thus all to be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we to be in all holy living and godliness, looking for and earnestly desiring the arrival (‘Parousia’) of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire will be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat?  But according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth where righteousness dwells.”

The day of Christ’s arrival will be characterized by its finality. Death will cease, the old creation will disappear and be replaced by the “New Heavens and New Earth,” both resurrected and transformed believers will be “with the Lord forevermore,” and the unrighteous will receive “everlasting” destruction. All God’s enemies will be subjugated; there will be no more enemies left to conquer - (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10, 2 Thessalonians 2:5-10).

Salvation does not mean the abandonment of the original creation, but its metamorphosis. Our promised salvation will include our resurrection and life in the New Creation. The Gospel is about redemption.

Already, the Universe is “groaning” in anticipation of the resurrection of the “Sons of God” and the “restoration of all things.” The return of Jesus will be a time of great liberation and celebration throughout the Cosmos - (Romans 8:19-25, 2 Peter 3:10).

The City of New Jerusalem will descend from Heaven to Earth, and every man and woman who has been redeemed by “the slain Lamb” will live forever in his presence free of all sorrow, suffering, and death.

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SEE ALSO:

• Death, the Last Enemy - (The arrival of Jesus at the end of the age will mean the resurrection and the end of the Last Enemy, namely, Death - 1 Corinthians 15:24-28)

• Jesus Conquered Death! - (Paul reminded Timothy of the resurrection of Jesus and his victory over death since false teachers were denying the future resurrection of believers)

• Final Events - (In explaining the resurrection, Paul lists key events that will precede or coincide with Christ’s arrival at the end of the age)