If man has an “immortal soul” naturally, he is forced to have an eternal destiny somewhere — either in a place of reward or of punishment. This implies that everyone is responsible to God. By contrast,...the Bible teaches that by nature man is like the animals, without any inherent immortality. However, some men [and women] have been offered the prospect of eternal life in God’s Kingdom. It should be apparent that not everyone who has ever lived will be resurrected; like the animals, man lives and dies, to decompose into dust. Yet because there will be a judgment, with some being condemned and others rewarded with eternal life, we have to conclude that there will be a certain category amongst mankind who will be resurrected in order to be judged and rewarded.
Whether or not someone will be resurrected depends on whether they are responsible to the judgment. The basis of our judgment will be how we have responded to our knowledge of God’s word. Christ explained: “He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day,” (John 12:48). Those who have not known or understood the word of Christ, and therefore had no opportunity to accept or reject him, will not be accountable to the judgment. “As many as have sinned without (knowing God’s) law, shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law (i.e. knowing it), shall be judged by the law” (Romans 2:12). Thus those who have not known God’s requirements will perish like the animals; whilst those who knowingly break God’s law need to be judged, and therefore resurrected to face that judgment.
In God’s sight “sin is not imputed when there is no law”; “sin is the transgression of the (God’s) law”; “by the law is the knowledge of sin,” (Romans 5:13; 1 John 3:4; Romans 3:20). Without being aware of God’s laws as revealed in His Word, “sin is not imputed” to a person, and therefore they will not be judged or resurrected. Those who do not know God’s Word will therefore remain dead, as will animals and plants, seeing they are in the same position. “Man that...understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish,” (Psalms 49:20). “Like sheep they are laid in the grave,” (Psalms 49:14).
To continue reading this Bible article, click here.
Author: Duncan Heaster
Keywords: Afterlife, Resurrection, Death, Life after death, Resurrectional responsibility, Remaining in the grave
Bible reference(s): Deuteronomy 1:39, Psa. 49:20, Isaiah 26:14, Isaiah 26:19, Jeremiah 51:39, Dan. 12:2, John 9:41, John 12:48, Rom. 2:12, 1 Timothy 1:13, 2 Peter 2:21
Source: Bible Basics.
Page indexed by: inWORD Bible Software.