Hi Diana,
As far as I am seeing this, the elect will be in the first resurrection, the dead will be raised as spirit, the elect still living will be changed in the twinkling of an eye. I think it is like you said Diana, they will be like Christ, so they can appear in the flesh as need be.
The rest of humanity are raised in the flesh physical, it is the second death, spiritually.
Rev 21:8 But the fearful, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, will have their part in the Lake burning with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.
They have to go through the Lake of Fire and die to the flesh, and have all the things in verse 8 burned out. But they will be immortal, because they will not have a physical death again.
I believe they will be resurrected the same as they were before they died, and have the same personality and same way of thinking, and then they go to the Lake of fire, as Ray said in the email;
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Many will freely enter God's judgments and will then enter into God's realm sooner. The harden criminals will have to be "THROWN into this fiery judgment of the carnal mind and human will which hates the ways of God. (See Rev. 20:15).
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Those entering freely I think are like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, as you can only enter the kingdom through Jesus Christ and they never knew Him, so they must go through the Lake of Fire, as all Old Test. people will.
Joh 10:9 I am the door. If anyone enters in by Me, he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find pasture.
The prophets of the Old Test., Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and any that did not live terrible evil lives, so they will recieve few stripes and have a shorter time there, but I guess there will be all varying lengths of stay there, depending on how much has to be burned out of them.
Luk 12:48 But he not knowing, and doing things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For to whomever much is given, of him much shall be required. And to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.
All not in the first resurrection, will have to go into the Lake of Fire. They must first be purged of all their carnal ways, then they must be taught the truth and live an obedient life, just as the elect are doing now. For some the length of time will be short, and then they will be changed just as those still living at Christ's return, and they will enter the kingdom as Spirit. But only the ones that are in the first resurrection will 'reign' with Christ.
Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. The second death has no authority over these, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him a thousand years.
mercy, peace, and love
Kat