WILL THE WICKED HAVE A RESURRECTION?
By James White
This question is plainly answered in the affirmative in the scriptures, but of late it has been denied; and the force of several passages in the New Testament is evaded by saying that the wicked will be brought out of their graves, but not be made alive. But such a view does not present the true idea of a resurrection. Webster defines it, "A rising again; revival from the grave." And revival he defines, "Return to life; recall to activity." Hence, as in death, or the grave, there is no life, no activity, in the resurrection, life or activity is restored. Those who give a negative answer to the above question, claim that the words life and death should have the same signification attached to them in the Bible, that they have in other books. This is but just; but they ought to apply the same rule to the word resurrection. A few texts are sufficient to settle the point. 1 Cor. xv, 22. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." This verse is conclusive on this subject, inasmuch as it must be admitted that all, without any distinction of age or character, die in consequence of Adam's transgression. To assume that "all" must be understood in its plain obvious sense in one part of the passage, and in some other manner, in the other part, is altogether unwarranted. And to attach any other than the literal signification to the terms "die," and "made alive," would be giving the whole ground to Universalism, and cut off the possibility of different orders in the resurrection or making alive. See Rom. vi, 5; Phil. iii, 10; Heb. xi, 35; Rev. xx, 6. John v, 28, 29. "The hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation." In this passage one declaration is made respecting all that are in the graves; viz., they shall hear the voice of the Son of man, and shall come forth; but it is impossible that they should hear his voice unless they were restored to life. Thus they that have done good and they that have done evil—they who come forth unto the resurrection of life and they who come forth to the resurrection of damnation, all hear the voice of the Son of God. I am at a loss to see how such testimony can be evaded. Rev. xx, 6. 12-14; xxi, 8. The "second death" hath no power over him that hath part in the first resurrection. And inasmuch as they that come forth to the resurrection of life cannot die any more, if the wicked are not raised to life, there is no place found for the second death. Some who deny the resurrection of the wicked, deny also the authenticity of the twentieth chapter of Revelation. This an easy method of disposing of hard texts. But even that resort will not avail them, as the "second death" is shown to be the portion of the wicked in chap. xxi, 8; and I have never heard the authenticity of that chapter questioned. But aside from these chapters the truth is plainly taught. A word of warning does not seem to be necessary against a theory which sets aside the testimony of plain, definite scripture declarations, or throws away a part of God's revelation to man. See Rev. xxii, 19. J. H. W.