THE HOPE OF ISRAEL - The Preterist Archive

252 The Hope of Israel: What Is It?
exactly the same truth as the words "They lived . .
over these the second death has no authority."
It is confirmatory of the view we are advocating
that the writer of the Apocalypse shows, by what he
had written in his Gospel, that he had learned from
his Master of a "resurrection" which preceded the
resurrection of the body, and which hence was, with
respect thereto, "the first resurrection." Personally
I feel, in the light of these Scriptures, quite clear as
to the meaning of the phrase, "the first resurrection"
in Revelation XX.
THE TESTIMONY OF PAUL
Yet there is more, and equally strong, confirmation
in the writings of Paul; for that apostle refers time
and again to a resurrection which is the experience of
those who have not yet experienced bodily death and
resurrection, and which therefore is, relatively to the
latter, "the first resurrection." We read that God "hath
quickened us together with Christ . . . and hath
raised us up together" &c. (Eph. 2:5, 6) ;
and again,
"Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are
risen with Him through faith" (Col. 2:12) ;
and again,
"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things
which are above, where Christ sitteth" (i. e. on a
throne; Col. 3:1). Paul repeatedly speaks of believers
as those that are alive from the dead; and he teaches
that they should yield themselves unto God "as those
that are alive from the dead" (Rom. 6 :13)
.
The passage in Ephesians is specially pertinent and
illuminating, and it merits therefore, our closest attention.
In chapter I, Paul expresses the earnestness of
his desire and prayer that the converts at Ephesus