The Mystery of the “Resurrection of a Dead Man”

The Mystery of the “Resurrection of a Dead Man”

Almighty God’s words have explained to us what “dead person” and “living person” mean. In the beginning, God created mankind’s ancestors, Adam and Eve. They were living human beings with spirits. They were people who were conscientious and intelligent and they were able to manifest God and honor God. Afterward, they were tempted by Satan into eating fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. As a result, they were filled with the poison of Satan. They were no longer devoted to God nor did they obey God. They had lost the image of the man whom God had created in the beginning. Even though their bodies were still alive, in God’s eyes, they had already become dead people with no spirits. Presently, we are being corrupted more and more deeply by Satan. We are full of satanic corrupt dispositions such as arrogance, selfishness, treachery, maliciousness and greed. It has gotten to the point where when we encounter something that is not in accordance with our notions, we complain to God, judge God, resist God and betray God. In God’s eyes, we are dead people with no spirits. From this, we can see that “dead person” refers to those who are living under Satan’s influence, those who have corrupt natures that resist God and those who are enemies of God. Alternatively, “living person” refers to those who have cast off satanic corrupt disposition, those who have restored their conscience and sense, those who understand God, those who obey God and those who love God. These people have a place for God within their hearts. In all matters they are able to seek the truth, grasp God’s intentions, put the truth of God’s words into practice and not rely any longer on Satan’s life rules. They are people who have triumphed over Satan’s influence and have returned to God. These are living people with spirits and they have truly been resurrected from the dead.

The Mystery of the “Resurrection of a Dead Man”

After understanding the difference between “dead person” and “living person,” some brothers and sisters may ask, how will the prophecy of “resurrection of a dead man” be fulfilled? Before answering this question, let’s take a look at an example. Even though our sins have been atoned for by Jesus and pardoned, the root of our sinning has not been resolved. We still live within satanic corrupt disposition. We commit sins and admit to them day in and day out. For example: we are unable to adhere to God’s commandments and we are unable to put the Lord’s words into action. We are like those in the secular world who follow the tides of the world, lusting after wealth and fleshly enjoyment. We are arrogant and conceited, crooked and treacherous and selfish and base. We are controlled by our satanic nature. We frequently contradict God and resist God. We like to reveal ourselves amongst crowds. We bear witness to ourselves so others will view us highly and we vie over status with God. For our own personal benefit, we are able to do treacherous things, tell lies to deceive people and fight openly and maneuver covertly with others. We are even able to pledge false oaths and give empty promises before the Lord. While our mouths say that we love the Lord, essentially, we are negotiating with the Lord. Externally, we are working hard, casting away and spending, but we are doing these things in hopes of exchanging for God’s bestowment and blessing. We believe in God, yet we do not honor God as great. We do not have a place for the Lord within our hearts. Instead, we worship celebrities, great people, pastors and elders etc. If we are unable to cleanse our corrupt dispositions, how can we become living people and how can we attain God’s approval and enter the kingdom of heaven? As a result, we still require God to enact one more step of salvation.

Jesus said: “I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come” (Jhn 16:12-13). Clearly, God will return in the last days to express truth and do the final stage of His work of bestowing life upon man. Almighty God’s words say: “If people wish to become living beings, and to bear testimony to God, and to be approved of by God, they must accept God’s salvation, they must gladly submit to His judgment and chastisement, and must gladly accept the pruning and dealing of God. Only then will they be able to put all of the truths required by God into practice, and only then will they gain God’s salvation, and truly become living beings” (“Have You Come Alive?” in The Word Appears in the Flesh). In the last days, in order to save us from Satan’s influence, God has been incarnated once again. He uses the name of Almighty God to unfold His judgment work that begins from His house. We have experienced the judgment and chastisement, dealing and pruning and trials and refinement of God’s words. We truly understand the fact of our own resistance and contradiction to God and our satanic nature and essence. At the same time, we have a bit of an understanding of God’s righteous and holy disposition. We see that God’s salvation is very practical. Furthermore, we hate and betray our own satanic disposition. We are willing to put the truth into action, rely on God’s words to live as human beings, throw off our corrupt disposition and satisfy God’s intentions. We have received the truths that God expresses and turned them into our lives. We have attained true obedience to God, love for God and we live out a truly human form. This is how a “dead person” can change into a “living person.” This is resurrection from the dead. This also fulfills Jesus’ words: “And this is the Father’s will which has sent me, that of all which he has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day” (Jhn 6:39). Clearly, “resurrection” is accomplished through the judgment work of Almighty God in the last days and it is not as supernatural as people imagine it to be. Brothers and sisters, what God wants are living people and not dead people. Only living people can honor God and bear witness to God. Only living people are qualified to inherit God’s promise–to enter into the kingdom of heaven. As long as we accept Almighty God’s work in the last days, experience God’s words of judgment and chastisement and accept the truth as our lives, we can be resurrected from the dead!

Thank God! All the glory belongs to God!