Hi Brad,
I have put together excerpts from articles and emails that I think will help with your question.
http://bible-truths.com/email18.htm -------------------
Get read for a REVELATION! Whenever someone takes their own life as in suicide, they DIE! That's right, they're DEAD. They don't spend an eternity ANYWHERE.
Now then, there is coming a resurrection of the DEAD (dead people, not dead bodies), both the just and the unjust (Acts 24:15). Those in the resurrection of the just, receive eonian/age-abiding life with Jesus reigning on the earth (Rev. 5:10). When the reign of Jesus is completed (I Cor. 15:24-26), we continue to live because God has given us not eternal life, but rather IMMORTALITY (which means 'death-less-ness' I Cor. 15:53). Those who come up in the resurrection of the unjust (which will include those who committed suicide), will be Judged. In this Judgment, they will repent, and learn to live godly and righteous lives and they too will receive immortality (Isa. 26:9, etc.).
You will need to read my Lake of Fire series to fill in all the hundreds o f details of this Judgment/Lake of Fire.
God be with you,
Ray
http://forums.bible-truths.com/index.php?topic=7474.0 ---------------
There are few places in the Old Testament where a resurrection of dead people are mentioned or alluded to. Jesus stated that the declaration, “Now concerning the resurrection of the dead, did you not read that which is declared to you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? He is not the God of the dead but of the living” (Matt. 22:31).
This statement proves that if God is the “God of the living,” but Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are dead when Jesus mentions them, then there has got to be a resurrection of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The major prophecy concerning the resurrection is found in Ezek. 37. Here we are shown a valley of “dry bones” which God says represents “the WHOLE House of Israel” -- “And He said unto me, `Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel; lo, they are saying: Dried up have our bones, And perished has our hope, We have been cut off by ourselves” (Ezek. 37:11).
So the whole House of Israel dies in a condition of being “perished” with no “hope,” and are “cut off.” But what does God tell Ezekiel He will do for them?
I am prophesying, and lo, a rushing, and draw near do the bones, bone unto its bone."
Eze 37:8 “And I beheld, and lo, on them [are] sinews [tendons, strength, muscular power], and flesh [muscles, fat, etc.] has come up, and cover them does skin [the outer covering of a physical body] over above--and spirit there is none in them."
I know of no “spiritual” tendons, muscles, fat or skin, that are put on physical “bones” to remake a “spiritual” man. This is a PHYSICAL resurrection of the dead, Eze 37:10 “And I have prophesied as He commanded me, and the Spirit comes into them, and they live, and stand on their feet--a very very great force” (Ezek. 37:10).
Notice that it takes the spirit from God to give these dried bones life once more. They then “stand on their feet.” This is the exact and precise definition of the word “resurrection.” It means to “stand up” upon one’s feet, but the word itself has nothing to do with being “spiritual” or “immortal” whatsoever. Jesus raised a little girl and Lazarus from the dead, and they stood up on their feet and lived—they were not made spiritual bodies or given immortality. Likewise those saints resurrected at Christ’s resurrection, were not given spiritual bodies or immortality.
Nowhere are the wicked promised immortality or incorruption, nowhere.
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We are told that a seed must die to give life to a new seed, or grain, or body (Verse 36).
What KIND of new seed comes about from planting a seed that first must die? 1Co 15:37 “And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain”
Are we told what the “other” grain might be that sprouts like “wheat?” Yes, as a matter of fact, we are: Mat 13:25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
And are these “tares” also gathered into the barns (brought into the Kingdom of God)? NO;
Mat 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest [resurrection] I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles [different ‘groups’ at different ‘burnings’?] to burn them [in the Lake of Fire]: but gather the wheat into my barn [My KINGDOM].
NO, in the day of harvest, not all will come up “immortal and incorruptible.”
What else do we learn about the resurrection of God’s Elect? What are some of the features of their newly resurrected bodies?
“…but the glory of the celestial [high, above, heavenly] is one, and the glory of the terrestrial [worldly, EARTHLY] is another” (Verse 40).
Which category do the Elect come in? Now pay attention: 1Co 15:48-49 As is the earthy, such ARE they also that ARE earthy: and as is the heavenly, such ARE they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, WE SHALL also bear the image of the heavenly.
Notice that ONLY “we” [God’s Elect], not “they,” “…shall bear the image of the heavenly.” Paul is speaking that “THEY, the earthy,” and “WE, the heavenly,” and only the “we” will “bear the image of the heavenly,” not “they,” the wicked who will be raised as tares to be burned in the Lake of Fire.
Now we can understand verse 50 in proper context: Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption [corrupt men like Mao Tse Tung, Adolph Hitler, and Saddam Hussein] inherit incorruption.
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those who are spared death at the conclusion of this eon and will live on into the reign of Jesus Christ with their physical bodies, will not be outdone by the wicked who are raised from their graves. There will not be two communities of non-believers being judged—one in physical bodies, and those among the worst of humanity that have ever lived, being in beautiful, glorious, powerful, incorruptible, SPIRITUAL bodies. It’s unscriptural nonsense as far as I can see. Hope this helps your understanding a little better.
God be with you,
Ray
http://bible-truths.com/lake16-D4.htm ------------------
"Blessed are the poor in spirit... they that mourn... the meek... they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness... the merciful... the pure in heart... the peacemakers... they which are persecuted for righteousness sake... you when men shall revile you, and persecute you... rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in the heavens" (Matt. 5:2-12).
You [disciples] are the salt of the earth... ye are the light of the world..."
Actually all of the disciples were not all of those things, but they were called to those things, and a select chosen Few were destined to fulfill those things. No one is naturally endowed with those spiritual qualities, but Jesus is about to outline a process by which they and we could becomes endowed with those spiritual qualities which would then ensure us a treasure trove reserved for us in the heavens which Jesus will bring with Him when He returns to rule and reign as King of kings and Lord of lords with his overcoming, chosen, Elect disciples (John 14:2-3 & Rev. 22:12). Jesus promised:
"To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am sit down with My Father in His throne" (Rev. 3:21).
"And he that overcomes, and keeps My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations" (Rev. 2:26).
"Do you not know that the saints shall judge the world? ...know you not that we shall judge angels?" (I Cor. 6:2 & 3).
http://bible-truths.com/email11.htm -------------------------
It is a matter of timing. All Scriptures that speak of those who go the "broad way into destruction," "perish in their sins," etc., are all speaking of the NOW, this lifetime. Most of humanity have not even heard the name of Jesus Christ in THIS lifetime, THEIR lifetime.
There is coming a resurrection to REWARDS, and a second resurrection to JUDGMENT. It is in the resurrection to judgment that most of humanity will be saved. Notice what happens when the whole world is raised to God's judgments:
"When Thy Judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants OF THE WORLD will learn RIGHTEOUSNESS" (Isa. 26:9).
And trust me, God will not torture the "righteous" in an eternal hellhole of fire.
Actually there are HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS of Scriptures that point to the Salvation of ALL. I only have time and space in my papers to cover a couple dozen of them.
"Not inheriting the Kingdom of God" has absolutely nothing to do with not ever being saved. Only the CHOSEN FEW will inherit the Kingdom of God, and will rule and reign with Jesus Christ. But ALL will receive salvation in the judgment.
Be sure to read my series on "The Lake of Fire." Nearly every installment gives proof of the fact that only the FEW inherit the Kingdom, while ALL will receive salvation in the Judgment.
God be with you,
Ray