6. ALL OF THE "BORN AGAIN" who die physically before Jesus returns & redeems the body, their spirit goes out of the body and into the LORD'S Presence. The body remain here on the earth to decay; go back to the dust from whence it came. Jesus will bring these spirits with Him when He returns & the resurrection takes place. These spirits will go into their new bodies that will be given them at the resurrection.

2 Corinthians 5:6-8
Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: ⁷ (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) ⁸ We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (KJV)

Philippians 1:20-24
According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.
     ²¹For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. ²²But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. ²³For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: ²⁴Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. (KJV)

1. The bodies of those who have died will be resurrected firstly in order BEFORE the bodies of those that are living WHEN Jesus returns in the clouds to gather ALL of His saints together. The dead bodies will come forth, firstly; secondly, the living bodies will be CHANGED into an eternal resurrected body just like those who have been dead, and thirdly, both groups will rise to meet the Lord Jesus in the air, and forever be with Him.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. ¹⁴For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. ¹⁵For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent (= precede) them which are asleep. ¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ¹⁷Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. ¹⁸Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (KJV)

asleep = koimao {koy-mah'-o}
= a metaphor for being dead. It is in the Perfect tense
= a completed action; in the Passive voice
= subject receives the action. 

asleep (in Jesus) = Aorist tense
= point action; Passive v. Participle
= a fact.
 

will "bring" = ago {ag'-o}
= bring forth; lead by accompanying to (into) a place; conduct.
It is in the Future tense = not yet occurred, but is certain to take place in the future.
 

precede = phthano {fthan'-o}
= to precede; to come before; attain to. It is in the Aorist tense; Active voice, & Subjunctive mood (possibility & potentiality)

2. Very important: This question was asked about the loved ones who had died "in the Lord." It says nothing about the lost. It does not teach a so called "secret rapture!" The question was, "will our saved loved ones go in the resurrection before we do."
   
   The answer is, "No!" They will rise firstly, then you will be changed (those living at that time) and both of you will rise together to meet Jesus in the air.
   
   Jesus will bring these spirit lives with Him when He returns and put them in their new resurrected, spiritual body. He will change the living into the same kind of eternal, spiritual body. It is a body that will not be animated by blood, but by the same substance that the resurrected body of Jesus has.
    
3. JESUS used this metaphor when He spoke about the death of Lazarus. Note:

John 11:11-14
These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. ¹²Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. ¹³Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. ¹⁴Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead (KJV)

3. Even the Old Testament saints will be resurrected (all those that were not resurrected immediately after Jesus {Matthew 27:52-53}) and go in that gathering.

Hebrews 11:39-40
And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: ⁴⁰God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. (KJV)

1 Corinthians 15:50-54
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
     ⁵¹Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵²In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. ⁵³For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. (KJV)

Matthew 24:29-31
Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: ³⁰And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ³¹And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (KJV)

(The elect = ALL of the saved, called "the Israel of God.")

Galatians 6:15-16
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. ¹⁶And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. (KJV)
 

7. After the bodily resurrection, each will give an account of his life to Almighty God.

Hebrews 9:26-27
For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. ²⁷And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (KJV)

The impact of the word, "once," means "but" once. Jesus died "but" once. Those who are living when Jesus returns will NOT die, but will be CHANGED. The meaning is that man is to be judged after he dies but once; After bodily death, judgment comes. Judgment takes place BEFORE THE SECOND DEATH!

1. The judgment has to do with each person's works-deeds. It does not determine the eternal destination. ONLY The Lamb's Book of Life determines this.

Revelation 20:15
And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was  cast into the lake of fire. (KJV)

2. EACH person will give an account of his own deeds, not someone else's.

Romans 14:10-12
But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. ¹¹For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. ¹²So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. (KJV)

3. The account will be of that which has been done in the physical BODY while on earth.

2 Corinthians 5:10
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (KJV)

1 Corinthians 3:13-15
Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. ¹⁴If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. ¹⁵If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. (KJV)

Ecclesiastes 12:14
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. (KJV)

4. The subject of the judgment is another study: There are degrees of rewards and also of SIN; motives, amount of light, influence upon others, talents, etc. are considered.
   
   That study will not be made here, but a few examples will show this TRUTH.

1. Jesus said to Pilate:

John 19:11
Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. (KJV)

2. Jesus spoke of the "light" (opportunity) some had that other did not have

Matthew 11:21-24
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ²²But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. ²³And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. ²⁴ But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.

Matthew 12:41-42
The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. ⁴²The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. (KJV)
 

8. The place of service one has in eternity will be commensurate with his faithfulness with what his works were on the earth in the physical body.

Matthew 25:19-23
After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. ²⁰And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. ²¹His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. ²²He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. ²³His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. (KJV)

Revelation 22:11-12
He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. ¹²And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. (KJV)
 

9. A brief summary of our temporary earthly life is given. 

1. Everything that exists in these present heavens, earth & seas are ALL temporary. They have been created as the preparation point for an eternity. They will ALL be destroyed.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; ¹⁸While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. (KJV)

Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Psalm 102:25-26
Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands. ²⁶They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: (KJV)

Isaiah 34:4
And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree. (KJV)

Isaiah 51:6
Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished. (KJV)

Mark 13:31
Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

Luke 21:33
Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

2 Peter 3:10-13
But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
     ¹¹Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, ¹²Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? ¹³Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. (KJV)

Isaiah 65:17-18
For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. ¹⁸But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. (KJV)

Revelation 21:1-5
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. ²And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. ⁴And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. ⁵And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. (KJV)

2. Although God allowed man to live long years in the beginning of "time," He limited the number of years for man to live on this earth to an average between 70 & 80 after the earth began to be generously populated.

Job 14:1-2
Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. ² He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not. (KJV)

Job 14:5
Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass; (KJV)

Psalm 90:10
The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. (KJV)

Job 14:12
So man lieth down, and riseth not: till the heavens be no more, they shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep. (KJV)

Job 14:14-15
If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. ¹⁵Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee: thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands. (KJV)

1 Corinthians 15:51-52
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵²In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (KJV)

Philippians 3:20-21
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: ²¹Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. (KJV)

Conversation = citizenship

Acts 17:24-26
God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; ²⁵Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; ²⁶And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; (KJV)

Matthew 24:29-31
Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: ³⁰And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. ³¹And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (KJV)

1 Peter 1:24-25
For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: ²⁵But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. (KJV)

Revelation 14:13
And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.  (KJV)

10. The "change" & the "end" of all that is temporary will take place at the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. The bodily resurrection of ALL who have died will take place 1st.

Their "spirits" will be brought from where they are into a NEW, eternal, spiritual body that will spend eternity either in the lake of fire or in the new heavens, earth & the new Jerusalem, which will be 1500 miles cubed. 

1. Here are some facts and definitions of which we speak: 

1. The term, "resurrection" is not found in the Old Testament.
    
2. The Hebrew word used by JOB = chaliyphah {khal-ee-faw'} = replacement; as a change of a garment. He did have an insight to this event.

Job 19:25-27
For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: ²⁶And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: ²⁷Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me. (KJV)

"latter day" refers to the fact of Jesus becoming flesh and becoming sin for us on the cross, and not to His second coming in the clouds. (ALM view) 

3. The Greek word used in 1 Cor. 15:51 = allasso {al-las'-so}
   = to exchange one thing for another. To change; to transform.
   
   This Greek word is used only 6 times. It is in the Second future tense = a contemplated or certain occurrence of an event which has not yet occurred.
   
   It is in the Passive voice = the subject receives the action;
   
   and in the Indicative mood = a simple statement of fact.
   
   See how it is used in these scriptures:

Romans 1:22-23
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, ²³And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. (KJV)

1 Corinthians 15:51-52
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵²In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (KJV)

Hebrews 1:10-12
And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: ¹¹They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment; ¹²And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. (KJV)

2. There are 2 Greek words used in most references to the English, "end." 

1. end = telos {tel'-os}
   = the end; termination; the limit at which a thing ceases to be; that by which a thing is finished; it's close. This word is used:

Mark 3:26
And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. (KJV)

Mark 13:13
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. (KJV)

Luke 21:9
But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.

Hebrews 3:14
For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; (KJV)

2. end = sunteleia {soon-tel'-i-ah}
   = consummation; completion; entire completion;

Matthew 13:39-40
The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. ⁴⁰As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. (KJV)

The "world" = aion {ahee-ohn'}
= an unbroken age or period of time.

Matthew 24:3
And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? (KJV)

Hebrews 9:25-26
Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; ²⁶For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (KJV)

3. resurrection = This Greek word anastasis {an-as'-tas-is} is used 39 out of the 41 times it is found in the KJV. It is defined as=a raising up; a rising from the dead; that of all people at the end of this present age.

resurrection = exanastasis {ex-an-as'tas-is}
= a rising up; a rising again. Used once:

Philippians 3:11
If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. (KJV)

The "ex" = denotes the origin.
= to rise up out of "death" into "life."

resurrection = egersis {eg'-er-sis}
= a rousing up as if from a sleep. Used only of the resurrection of Jesus.

Matthew 27:52-53
And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, ⁵³And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. (KJV)

4. "The" resurrection refers to that ONE SPECIFIC rising of ALL the dead bodies in the graves: This is a rising up of BODIES that have been "lifeless." Regardless of where they are or in whatever condition (cremated; in the seas, unknown to man,etc.) they will come back into their bodily form by the mighty power of Jehovah God.

John 5:28-29
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which ALL that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 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. (KJV)

- "the" = a definite article & designates a specific thing. 

- "the resurrection" therefore, refers to this future,
   one-time event. 

- "the resurrection" will mark the END OF BODILY DEATH.

1 Corinthians 15:51-54
Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵² In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. ⁵³For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. (KJV)

1 Corinthians 15:21-22
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. ²²For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (KJV)

1 Corinthians 15:26
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. (KJV)