Based on Acts 24:10-21 (New King James Version)
“Then Paul, after the governor had nodded to him to speak, answered: ‘Inasmuch as I know that you have been for many years a judge of this nation, I do the more cheerfully answer for myself, because you may ascertain that it is no more than twelve days since I went up to Jerusalem to worship. And they neither found me in the temple disputing with anyone nor inciting the crowd, either in the synagogues or in the city. Nor can they prove the things of which they now accuse me. But this I confess to you, that according to the Way which they call a sect, so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the Law and in the Prophets. I have hope in God, which they themselves also accept, that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men. ‘Now after many years I came to bring alms and offerings to my nation, in the midst of which some Jews from Asia found me purified in the temple, neither with a mob nor with tumult. They ought to have been here before you to object if they had anything against me. Or else let those who are here themselves say if they found any wrongdoing in me while I stood before the council, unless it is for this one statement which I cried out, standing among them, ‘Concerning the resurrection of the dead I am being judged by you this day.’”
What is the resurrection of the dead? The resurrection of the dead is when God will raise up every human being to appear before His great judgment. We will all die at some point. This is the law of this world. No one lives forever, carnally speaking. Then, God is going to raise everyone from the dead so we can give an account of our deeds. This is what the Scripture says: “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27. There are no exceptions, both the unbeliever and the faithful to God will be resurrected, as well as the unbelieving and the faithful to God will be judged.
So, when Paul spoke of being judged for the resurrection of the dead, he was saying that he suffered persecution because he made it known to people that we would all be resurrected to give an account in that great judgment, and that those who believed and sought to do the will of the Lord would attain eternal life, but those who do not follow Christ and refuse to do the will of the Father will be punished eternally. All of this would be determined in that great judgment of God. This should finally be the all of man, thinking about what will happen to them in eternity. It should be compelling for each person to think about what will happen to them in the great judgment of God. Because what does it matter if a person lives in this world for 70 years, or 80 years, or even 100 years, as they wish if they are going to be condemned to eternal punishment? This is what the Word says about judgment: “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:11-15.
And this should lead us to meditate about our future. How is it that one can pass this great judgment and be found by God (not by man, nor by his opinions) worthy to enter His kingdom? And here we will have to denounce one of the greatest apostasies that is preached in many places today, and that a large multitude of believers adhere to it as truth and sound doctrine, and that is: we have already reached the goal when we decide to believe in Christ, and that there is nothing more to do. This is one of the biggest traps that the devil has introduced into the church, not understanding the entire gospel of God. What is the whole Gospel? The Gospel consists of three fundamental things: complete repentance and conversion from all sins (not just some sins), accepting and submitting to Jesus as Lord, and seeking to do His will (and not our will). And what is the problem that exists, where the deviation has occurred? Many may come to ask the Lord for forgiveness for their sins, and they may come to believe in Christ, but where the deviation happens is when the matter of living for the Lord comes in, to do His will. What error has arisen today? That it is taught that when you have already adopted faith in Christ, that there is nothing more to do. Since works were of no use before we converted, they are of no value afterward either. And this goes totally against the Gospel and the purpose for which we were created, made, and through Christ, redeemed. What we do with our lives after believing in Christ will be taken into account in the judgment, to see if we have lived to do the Father's will, or to do our own will. God does care about what we do with our lives. That is the all of man. Because this is what the Word says: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: ‘Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.’” Ecclesiastes 12:13-14.
When we come to Christ, if we legitimately come to Christ (because many come close, but not completely to Him), it is only the beginning of a long and eternal path. This is why it was called “the Way” as we saw today. Even the concept of being born again in Christ explains it, which is a beginning. And like every beginning, if it is not continued, if there is no development, there is nothing. A baby has to become an adult someday for their full potential to be realized. A race must be run and finished so that the prize can be attained. Every beginning must come to an end. If you don't walk the whole way, you will never reach the destination you need to reach. The Apostle Paul himself explained this: “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.” Philippians 3:12-15. So, if we do not use our free will to submit to the Lordship of Christ to effectively fight and continue towards the goal, ultimately living to fulfill the will of God in our lives, we will not be saved. If Paul did not think he had reached it yet with all the faith in Christ he had, how much more should we feel that we still have a long way to go? Finally, if we live our lives to do our will, then we will be judged by God in the judgment for our deeds and will not see the kingdom of God. This is what the Lord said, and we must take this very seriously: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” Matthew 7:21. So, we should always ask ourselves: “Do we live in such a way that there is a resurrection of the dead, and that we will give an account for all of our deeds before God someday? Lord bless! John. God bless Israel.