Hi, Mike,

I wonder if you would take a moment to say what you understand the first resurrection to be. Is it past or future? Please be brief.

A____

Hi A____,
Thank you for your question.
You ask:

I wonder if you would take a moment to say what you understand the first resurrection to be. Is it past or future?

The first resurrection is both present in “the earnest of the spirit” and it is future in “the redemption of the purchased possession.

Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, [ of resurrection]
Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession the actual resurrection], unto the praise of his glory.

This is, was and will be nature of the Word is a character of the word of God which has served very well to keep the mysteries of the kingdom of God from being understood by the masses who come to Christ. God’s Word never passes away. Hence the name of the website, iswasandwillbe. com.

Mat 24:33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Mat 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

So there is a present application of God’s Words in every generation of “he that reads”.

Mat 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

So Paul tells us we are already dead and raised up with Christ in “the earnest of our inheritance”.

Rom 6:1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

When are we to be “in the likeness of His resurrection”?

Eph 2:6 And hath raised [ us] up together, and made [ us] sit together in heavenly [ places] in Christ Jesus:

It is spoken of in spirit, as an accomplished fact. But this is only in the “sealed with the holy spirit of promise” form at this time, “until the redemption of the purchased possession.”

Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession the actual resurrection], unto the praise of his glory.

So we must be very careful never to claim that” the resurrection is past”, even though “we are resurrected with Him in newness of life”.

2Ti 2:18 Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.

I hope this helps you to see how we are both dead and buried and resurrected with Christ, in “earnest”, while we still have “the redemption of the purchased possession, to anticipate.
Your brother in Christ,
Mike