Requirements for a better resurrection

Many Christians honestly think that heaven is the goal or the reward for becoming a Christian. In review of the scriptures, there is not a single verse in the OT/NT that supports this despite the word "heaven" is used over 500+ times.

Well, here are some questions that hit me:

-  What is the goal ? 

- What does the bible say ?

A quick summary of the scriptures reveal the following:

- Eternal life ( not eternal existence but Eternal life)

- First resurrection ( Paul was after this - it was His Goal)

Well, if Paul was after this, then I want it too.

At the sounding of the trumpet of the first resurrection, the heavenly body of eternal life that has been created by our responding correctly to tribulation will be given to us.

There are TWO resurrections:

Luke 20:35-36
35but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage,

36for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.
- resurrection FROM the dead vs resurrection OF the dead (2nd)

- Considered worthy (See Rev 3:4)

Luke 14:14
and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
- resurrection of the just.”

- How will one be repaid ????

Phil 3

¹⁰To get to know him, and the power of his resurrection and fellowship of his sufferings, becoming conformed unto his death,—

¹¹If by any means I may advance to the earlier resurrection, which is from among the dead  

¹²Not that I have, already, received, or have, already, reached perfection, but I am pressing on—if I may even lay hold of that for which I have also been laid hold of by Christ [Jesus]:—        

Btw, this is a very special resurrection. The greek supports this 1815 exanastasis ex-an-as'-tas-is from 1817; a rising from death:--resurrection. it is only used once in Phil 3:11

Rev 20
5The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection.
6Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. 

-  rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended

-  Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection

- second death has no power

- priests of God and of Christ

- reign with him for a thousand years ( on the earth !!!)

 
Steps to a better resurrection
Response to tribulation is key

2 Cor 4

7But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
8We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;
9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
10always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.
11For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
12So death is at work in us, but life in you.
13Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak,
14knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.
15For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
16So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day.
17For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
18as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.     

- For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison

Heb 11

³²And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

³³Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

³⁴Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

³⁵Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:

³⁶And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:

³⁷They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goat skins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

³⁸(Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

³⁹And 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.  

   

- others were tortured, "not accepting deliverance"; that they might obtain a "better resurrection":

There is more... And you thought heaven was the the goal :)