Posted by Gary [GLamotta] on April 01, 1999 at 22:50:23 {feW1wc1uNQMRXA6xmpscboLUiPtahc}:
In Reply to: *******Joseph, Judgment Day-Moved UP posted by Joseph Malik on April 01, 1999 at 15:42:47:
Hello Joseph,
I think we basically agree on this issue of the evil ones.
The Bible clearly says some will have a resurrection to judgment and some will have a resurrection to "life." That "jugdment" being the opposite of life.
When Jesus sits down on his throne and separates the "sheep from the goats" it will be during JUDGMENT DAY, and that means the people he will be separating will include those who are resurrected.
But let's not think of those condemned as simply coming back to be told off. At least it is not so simplistic with my understanding.
If you will indulge me:
My overview of things is that there is a purpose for this schedule. That is basically Satan rules over imperfect mankind for short of 6,000 years or so and that creates a record scenario of imperfection and Satan.
Had Adam not sinned or sinned after he had children, there might have been a scenario where there were perfect persons who were influenced by Satan. And then one might wonder if Satan never rebelled what it would have been like. That would have a scenario of righteous government and perfect people.
Thus all these scenarios will be worked out:
1. Satan rules imperfect people. Then he is abyssed.
2. Jesus rules perfect people. Then
3. Satan is let loose on perfect people who have known perfect government and who know God, etc. Yet still some rebel.
Now the question about judgment
is, is how is god going to judge people? How much mercy can be shown? Fundamentally, how much do you subtract away from a persons behavior due to 1) Satan's influence, and/or 2) Imperfect tendencies, and/or 3) Not knowing better?
All that formulation will be available for the judges during Judgment Day to apply to resurrected mankind. So everybody has to come back to see how they do. To see if some borderline cases will get life perhaps.
Thus it serves a purpose
that all will come back.
And those that still get death, will know that Jehovah was merciful as much as he could be, but also they will have the witness that Jehovah requires obedience.
So when the Bible speaks of "Sodom and Gomorrah" doing better on Judgment Day than those from Jesus' day, it has to do with how far the line of underserved kindness and mercy can be extended before God's laws of justice takes place.
Thus Sodom and Gomorrah might do better since they may not have known any better. Children brought up in an invironment where immorality was the norm, etc. So they might get excused, perhaps, if they aren't condemned in some other area, such as will murder, etc. But those in Jesus' day, have little excuse since they knew God's Law and they knew who Jesus was and decided they didn't want him and then killed an innocent man. So that can't be forgiven.
At any rate, regardless of our lack of ability to fully understand why Jehovah is going to bring the "unrighteous" back, those who practiced "vile things", does not change the fact that the Scriptures do say there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous and some will have a resurrection to life and some will have a resurrection to "judgment" in this case meaning adverse judgment or death in Gehenna.
Furthermore, it does make sense to bring someone back "just to tell them off" as you say, since many die without knowing why they are dying and many think they got away with sinful behavior. This way, they know at least why they are not going to be granted everlasting life before they are allowed to return to the grave.
So, clearly, bringing them back will be for the sake of a witness.
Again, the Bible says there will be a resurrection of the righteous and the unrighteous, not just the righteous. I don't know why you can't accept that. And yes, some will end up dying again. But that is exactly what the Bible says. Some will have a resurrection to life and some to judgment.
Everyone is brought back, apparently for more than one purpose.
Cheers,
Gary