The Bible says: “As by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned” (Rom. 5: 12). Again in Heb 9: 27 we read: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die but after this the judgement”. Now most people wrongfully assume that this passage implies that judgement follows immediately after death but careful observation shows that this is not the case. This text nowhere suggests that judgement is “immediately” after death. In 1 Cor. 15: 22 we read “For as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive”. Yes folks all men will die the first death because of sin but the same “all” whether good or bad shall be made alive in a resurrection from the dead.

Concerning the resurrection we read in 1 Cor. 15: 20: “But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the firstfruits of them that slept”. Then in verse twenty-three (1 Cor 15: 23) it continues: “But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s (the Christian) at his coming”. It is important to know that there is more than one resurrection and there is an order to time and sequencing of each one. The term “firstfruits” must also be noted because it is quite important. Christ is the firstfruit of the first harvest - the first to die then to be born again into the family of God - by a resurrection from the dead. “Afterward” – after Christ’s - comes the resurrection of “they that are Christ’s (belongs to Christ) at his coming”.

In James 1: 18 the Bible declares: “Of his (God’s) own will begat he us (the righteous) with the word of truth that we should be a kind of ‘firstfruits’ of his creatures”. Again in Rev. 14: 1 4 we read: “And I looked and lo a lamb [Christ] stood on the mount of si-on [Mount Zion] and with him a hundred forty and four thousand having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins (pure). These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb”. The righteous is usually referred to as a “kind” of firstfruits” (James 1: 18) and that’s because notwithstanding the resurrection of Christ the righteous will be the first to be resurrected and then born into the family of God. Notice also that we are begotten sons of God (James 1: 18. 1 Pet. 1: 3) not yet born again but begotten.

Folks in God’s plan of salvation he is calling out the first set of persons to be “firstfruits” unto himself and it is obvious that if there is a first harvest of “firstfruits” then there must be a second. In that plan God is not in any way trying to save the world right now. The majority of mankind are rebellious against God and His laws (Rom 8: 7) and there are billions who have not even heard the name of Christ. If God is trying to save the world now then He is losing the battle! And yet the Bible says: “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior who will have all men (people of all nationalities) to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of truth” (1 Tim. 4: 3 4). Yes the time is coming when all men will come to the knowledge of truth (Isai. 11: 9). That includes the Hindus who have died not ever even hearing of Christ. That includes all that lived before there was ever a Jesus Christ.

In Christ’s prayer to the Father just before His crucifixion Christ prayed: “I have manifested thy name unto the men (the disciples) which thou gavest me out of the world; thine they were and thou gavest them me [to me]; and they have kept thy word” (John 17: 6). Notice that Christ said: his disciples were given to Him “out of this world”. They were chosen or called out from among the peoples of the world according to God’s purpose. These men did not choose Christ. They were living normal lives when Christ called them to follow Him. They had not chosen Him: John 15: 16). But read on. In verse nine (John 17: 9): Jesus continues: “I pray for them (the disciples): I pray not for the world but for them which thou has given me; for they are thine”. Did you notice that? Christ prayed for His disciples but not for the world! I say again: in God’s plan of salvation He is not trying to save the whole world right now. Later in verse twenty (John 17: 20) Christ says: “Neither pray I for these (these disciples) alone but for them also (future disciples) which shall believe on me through their (the disciples) word”. That is referencing to they which God would subsequently call and would believe God’s written word given through the apostles and inspired by God Himself. These would accept the authority of God and Christ as Lord and savior. In Acts 2: 37 38 we read of Peter’s encounter with the people he had just finished preaching to. They ask him and the other apostles: what should they do? They were now convicted in their hearts by God Himself that Christ whom they had crucified was the Son of God. Peter said to them: “repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”. Then in verse thirty-nine (Acts 2: 39) Peter continues: “For the promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord shall call”. Yes I say again: God is calling only some people out of the world for His purpose according to His great pleasure.

In Mark chapter 4: Christ gave a parable about the “Sower”. When the multitudes left and he was alone his disciples came to him to ask the meaning of the parable. They had not understood the parable. “And he (Christ) said unto them (His disciples) Unto you (the disciples) it is given to know the mystery of the Kingdom of God: but unto them that are without (on the outside) all things are done in parables: that seeing they may see and not perceive; and hearing they may hear and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted and their sins should be forgiven them” (Mark 4: 11 12). It is often assumed that Christ spoke in parables to help people understand but in fact the Kingdom of God is a mystery and Christ spoke in parables to conceal that mystery from the understanding of those not meant to understand. Read John 2: 19 20 and you will find that Christ said to the Jews that if they destroy “this temple” he would raise it up in three days. They argued that the temple took forty-six years to build therefore how can he rebuild it in three days? Then verse twenty-one (John 2: 21) reads: “But he (Christ) spake of the temple of his body”. They did not understand that he spoke of his body which would be destroyed on the cross and that he would raise it up again in three days. The same is true for all His parables.