adam eve

Will Adam and Eve Be Resurrected?

Depending on the particular religious organization or leaning one is involved, the answer to this question brings diverse responses.

For example, The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Jehovah’s Witnesses answer this question as “No.”  They reason that since Adam and Eve were perfect and knew God’s command not to eat from The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Bad, they lost their lives and have no hope of having them restored.

Their January 15, 1960, issue of the Watchtower magazine, page 53, paragraph 3 makes the following statement:

Since the supreme Judge never makes a mistake, there is no need for him to take under review any judgment that he has passed. His judgments are final. That means the people who perished in the flood of Noah’s day will never be resurrected to stand trial again. The same is true with the people of Sodom and Gomorrah as well as Adam and Eve. All had their judgment day before the great Judge of the universe and all were sentenced to destruction. They will never have a conscious existence again.

It should be noted that what the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society offers is not anything Scriptural, but what it sincerely believes is the case concerning Adam and Eve. God’s sentence upon Adam and Eve was death, not a perishing. We read nowhere in Scripture of Adam and Eve, the people of Noah’s Day or the people of Sodom and Gomorrah as entering into a state of perishing (The Lake of Fire).

I believe that the Watch Tower organization is in error concerning the fate of Adam and Eve. The following presents the reasons.

But you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die. (Genesis 2:17)

The Scripture above provides the basis from which I will develop the reason why Adam and Eve will be a part of the future and great resurrection of all of mankind. (John 5:28-29)

Did Adam and Eve Perish or Did They Die?

One of the first things a person must come to grips with and understand is that there is a difference between the expressions death and perishing.

Death is the opposite of life. In other words, when all of us were born from our human parents, we were given life. We live that life at present. Yet, as time moves on, we grow old, get sick, and die. This life and death scenario is experienced by all humans ever born since Adam. Our Lord and Master Jesus [the] Christ experienced it as well. He was born, experienced life, and died.  It is a FIRST LIFE and a FIRST DEATH. Again, all of us will experience this.

This life situation we all experience is NOT the same as eternal life. If the opposite of death is life, what is the opposite of eternal life? It is perishing. Notice how John 3:16 reads and note how it contrasts perishing to eternal life.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

So the Scripture at John 3:16 does not say that ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not die but have life‘, it says that one shall not perish but have everlasting life.

So the opposite life is death and the opposite of everlasting life is perishing. So what exactly is perishing?

According to Genesis 2:17, Adam and Eve did not perish, they died.

What Is Perishing?

As shown earlier, perishing is the opposite of eternal life. If death is the opposite of life, then the opposite of eternal life is eternal death. (Not eternal torment). Do Scriptures speak of such an eternal death? Yes, it does. 

At Revelation 20:14 we read:

Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.

Notice that Hades (Hell) and Death are thrown into the Lake of Fire. The Lake of Fire is called The Second Death. So is The Lake of Fire an eternal death? Well, let’s see.

If one moves up a few verses to Revelation 21:4, notice what it says about death.

There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

We are told that death will cease to exist! Why is that? Because we were told in a previous Scripture (Rev 20:14) that death was thrown into The Lake of Fire which is The Second Death.

So what does this tell us about what The Lake of Fire which is The Second Death is? It tells us that it is a symbol representing eternal death or non-existence. 

The death we all will have at the end of our current lives is not a Second Death or a going into a state of nonexistence. But rather, the death ahead of us is a First Death; a death that we can be resurrected from.

Anything cast into The Lake of Fire which is The Second Death cannot be called out of it. Why? Because it is an eternal death. There is no hope of resurrection. The person or thing that goes into The Lake of Fire which is The Second Death ceases to exist.

It is interesting to note at Revelation 20:14 that not only is death cast into The Lake of Fire which is The Second Death, but also Hell itself. Therefore, Hell will also one day cease to exist. That fact puts a damper on those who teach that Hell is an eternal place of torment. Hell is not eternal and neither is it a fiery place of torment. Hell is simply the common grave of mankind. It is the place all who experience their First Deaths go. Jesus went into his grave for three days. How can one be certain that Hell is the grave? Well, look again closely at Revelation 20:14 and notice what is mention at the same time with death as going into The Lake of Fire which is The Second Death:

Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.

Death is mentioned in the same breath as Hell (Hades). Why? Because if death will cease to exist there will be no need for graves!

The Lake of Fire which is the Second Death is the same as eternal death or nonexistence or PERISHING.

Genesis 2:17 does not say that Adam and Eve perished, it says that they died.

Genesis 5:5 confirms that Adam died (he did not perish):

Altogether, Adam lived a total of 930 years, and then he died.

I have shown you that there is a First Birth, First Death, and a Second Death. What is missing is the Second Birth. Let’s talk about that.

The Second Birth

As discussed, each and every person born since Adam experienced a First Birth because they were born from human flesh and blood parents. Those persons live their lives, grow old, get sick and then eventually die. The death they all experienced is called the First Death. All of us living today will experience this too! We will literally die.

Scripture in The Book of Revelation speaks several times of a Second Death and it says that The Lake of Fire is The Second Death. I have shown you that the Lake of Fire is an eternal death or a state of nonexistence or perishing.

What has not been discussed is what is called The Second Birth. Do Scriptures speak about such as Second Birth? Yes, it does. At John 3:3-7 Jesus [the] Christ speaks of it:

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’

Here at John 3:3-7 Jesus calls it Born Again. The very expression Born Again has an implication. What? That a person had a previous birth! So what is Jesus referring to here?

Well, in this passage of Scripture he is having a discussion with a learned Pharisee by the name of Nicodemus. Even Nicodemus had no clue as to what Jesus was referring to when he mentioned that one must be Born Again. Nicodemus says to Jesus:

How can someone be born when they are old? Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!

Jesus was referring to the resurrection. That is, literally dying (a First Death) and being raised up again to life in a Second Birth. The expression Born Again in Scripture means being resurrected from the dead. The resurrection is all of mankind’s Second Birth. Jesus promised that ALL of mankind would have a Second Birth (resurrection). Notice what he says at John 5:28-29:

Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.

It is too bad that the religious system called Christianity makes this Scripture appear as if those resurrected who do bad things will immediately be condemned. That is not what it is saying. All of us are bad and none is good but God. (Mark 10:18) So if this Scripture read the way Christianity makes it appear, all would be condemned. I will explain the meaning of John 5:28-29 in its entirety in another post. 

So the Second Birth is the future resurrection of all of mankind who have died since Adam and who still must experience a literal First Death.

Will Adam and Eve Be Resurrected?

So will Adam and Eve be resurrected? The answer is a resounding yes! The reason is simple and I gave it by quoting Genesis 2:17: They did not perish, they died. In other words, they had a First Death. All persons born since Adam will be resurrected on that great day when our Lord and Master calls them out of the death state back to life.If you see only with your eyes, you will be easy to fool. R. Jerome Harris

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R. Jerome Harris

No one of importance. A disciple (student) of Christ apart from the established religious systems who reasons, thinks and concludes matters for myself. Something is not right with the state of religion in the world. The real dichotomy is that we live in a world so full of religion, yet is an evil, immoral, and dangerous place to live. A mental and spiritual separation from this world that Jesus said his kingdom is no part of is the first step to a "break-through" to freedom and entry into a much larger spiritual world where God and Christ resides and the wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of God can be accessed.

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  1. People attend to use different words when speaking or interpreting a letter or a situation.
    GOD simply said, that Adam and Eve would die if they ate from that tree and we all know that GOD does not lie. They knew better for they knew GOD existed by sight. We on the other hand live by faith. It was satan’s lie who said the would not die. Just because one writer use the word die and another use the word perish does not mean they would be resurrected. They had there chance when they were created as perfect humans…

    1. I am not just “people” neither are you. We are all thinking and functioning persons. Not robots to be programmed by others. In other words, God as given each of us the “independent” faculty of thinking for OURSELVES.

      Unfortunately, religious organization seeks to steal that away from persons and make them “dependent” upon what THEY want persons to believe.

      You are mistaken, one writer does not use “perish and another death.” Good try, however. You try to make it appear as if I am saying they did. You are also trying to make it appear that death and perishing are the same thing. They are not.

      There is HOPE for all who “die.” There is no hope for those who “perish.” This difference between the two teachings in Scripture is NOT what most of the religious system called Christianity teaches.

      Most do not see that “definite” life has an opposite and it is called “death.”

      Most do not see that “indefinite” life (eternal life) has an oppoiste and it is called “perishing” or indefinite (everlasting) destruction. (Called The Second Death which is The Lake of Fire in Revelation 20:14)

      God did not send his Son into the world of mankind so that it would not “die”, but that it would not perish or cease existing. (John 3:16)

      The hope all of the DEAD have is the promised resurrection, thanks to Christ. (John 5:28-29)

      Since Adam DIED, he did not PERISH. Therefore, true to Christs promise at John 5:28-29 Adam qualifies for a resurrection.

      It is the religious system called by men who are telling you that Adam and Eve had their chance, not God. Think about the following: Adam was not deceived by the serpent, Eve was and so Eve sinned. So are you saying that Eve’s sin would not be forgiven? (1 Tim 2:14) Yet, 1 Tim 2:15 says she (Eve) will be kept safe through childbearing provided THEY continue in faith and love.

      In Adams day, there was no Lake of Fire or Second Death. Just death. You make Jesus a liar because he says at John 5:28-29 that ALL – I repeat – ALL in their graves will hear his voice and come out. Who go into the grave or memory or memorial tombs? People who die. Did Adam die or did he perish? Genesis 5:5 says:

      “So all the days of Adam that he lived amounted to nine hundred and thirty years and he DIED.”

      Therefore, Adam will have a resurrection. In fact, ALL of mankind born since Adam will be resurrected. Jesus knew people would find this unbelievable and not possible or likely – LIKE YOU – but he says at John 5:28-29:

      “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.”

      It is amazing isn’t it?

      True, God does not lie and neither does his Son. Religious organization and the people within them do. Some lie not maliciously, but out of – as Jesus says – not knowing.

      The circle of understanding created in persons by religious organization such Christianity (which did not come from God and is the foretold impostor Christ spoke of) is very very small and they stay within it.

      Do not water down what you think one writer interpreting one thing as death and the other as perishing. It is not that at all. Prove it to yourself and see that the two words in Greek are very different and carry two diiferent meanings. If there is something inside of you that prevents you from researching the truth in this, then that “something” is enslaving you and not wanting you to know this wonderful teaching from God and His Christ.

      That “something” keeping you hemmed in does wants you to speak in it’s voice and have you believe that it is two writers interpretations.

      I have just challenged you to look and investigate for yourself to see if I speak falsely.

    2. Interesting read. Thanks for posting. One thing though is that being born of water and spirit means to be baptized. Mark 1:8 reads: I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:5 reads: For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 10:47 reads: “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.”

      1. If you read Acts 10:47 carefully, it is precisely “forbidding” water baptism as it is NOT Christ’s baptism, but John the Baptizer. Who “forbade” water baptism? John the Baptizer!

        Look at the context surrounding Acts 10:47 (say from Acts 10:44-47), there is no mention of “water” but there is mention of “Holy Spirit.” What Luke says at Acts 10:47, “that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we,” he is referring to the “baptism” THEY had which is the baptism of Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost.

        Too, we MUST look at the big picture and look at what Jesus did (and did NOT do) in his ministry. Did he baptize any of his “chosen ones” (The Apostles) in water? No! Where Jesus’ disciples upon following him baptized in water? No! We do not see this. However, we DO see Christ disciples baptized in holy spirit and fire.

        What I am saying here is that the practice of water baptism was not a part of Christ’s ministry. He did bit teach it else we would see many instances of it. And, too, “baptism” today is usually associated with water when it should not. It should be associated with Holy Spirit and fire.

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