WE CELEBRATED JESUS’ RESURRECTION.
NOW WHAT DO WE DO?

by Duke DuVall

We make Biblically certain that we will be in the resurrection of life, not the resurrection of damnation! Jesus’ victory over death means that you will be resurrected, too. But Jesus warns if you are in the wrong resurrection, it would have been better that you had never been born! (Matthew 26:24, Mark 14:21) Jesus’ Resurrection means death doesn’t get the final say. You will be very much alive in eternity. Plan on it. You are going to live forever. Somewhere. Unless you personally believe Jesus is a liar, all our parents, family and friends who have died a physical death, have really just changed locations. They are fully conscious and alert, and they are eternally aware of their "forever address" now that they are in Heaven or Hell. At this very minute, our family members and friends who have preceded us in physical death, are all extremely active where they are right now and they’re even very vocal about their forever surroundings. Each one of them—at this very moment!—is either screaming in incomprehensible pain and torment in Hell, because as guilty sinners, they rejected Jesus' offer to take their punishment for them...or else they are talking, laughing, singing and praising God with their family members and friends in Heaven, because they, also guilty sinners, believed Jesus had the Power and the Authority to forgive sins, to satisfy God’s just punishment under the Law and to make their scarlet sins as white as snow. (Isaiah 1:18)

When I was a brand-new minister 32 years ago, an elderly minister, asked me, “Young man, what do you think is involved in doing God’s work?” I must have replied so quickly and with such a specific list of action steps that, to him, my answer must have seemed rehearsed. Without commenting on the merits of my “TO DO” list, the wise old minister responded to my answer by asking me another question, “Do you think it’s a good idea to let The Bible answer the question for us? Would we be wise to let The Word of God inform us what God, Himself, says is The Work of God?”

“Of course!” I responded, and I remember thinking, “Who wouldn’t want to know what The Bible has to say on any subject?” It turns out the answer to that question is, “Most people.” Most people in the world don’t want to know what The Bible has to say. Atheists don’t. And Muslims and Buddhists and Hindus don’t. That’s obvious. But the experienced old minister cared enough to remind me of Jesus’ warning that many people who say they are working His work—in His Name!—don’t even know Him. They will experience resurrection, too! The resurrection of damnation! “Not everyone that saith unto me, LORD, LORD, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, LORD, LORD, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. MATTHEW 7:21-23

The list of works in my initial answer was scriptural. But the seasoned minister knew that it was also conditional:

He was equipping a fellow minister: “Don’t assume that anyone’s observable religious works—including your own— are evidence that the Holy Spirit is the One producing that work. Many doing religious works have no relationship with Jesus at all. The wise old minister’s warning was profound in its simplicity: We can’t achieve God’s Work under our own power, even if it appears to be holy. The father of lies can appear as an angel of light and because he hates everyone, the devil’s own children are deceived as well as being deceivers. There’s a way that seems right but the end leads to death. Jesus said that apart from Him we can do nothing He will bless. The minister asked, “Would we be wise to let The Word of God inform us what God says is The Work of God?” Then he showed me John 6:28-29:

Jesus is first concerned that we are in His family; that we are His workmanship. Our works that follow from believing Him—trusting and receiving Him—He deems “good [godly] works which God has ordained”. (EPHESIANS 2:10) All other works we offer God—if not preceded with receiving His Son—He condemns as works of iniquity, meaning “punishable acts of breaking the Law”! His own human beings, the ultimate crowning achievement of God’s own creation, not only rejected the written Word of God but they also rejected God Himself! Throughout human history, most of the world’s population—even many who falsely claim to follow Jesus Christ—will be resurrected unto damnation because they “received Him not” and therefore rejected God’s promise of His Holy Spirit Power, which He alone can work in a child of the devil to transform his/her into His own holy child: 12 But as many as received Him, to them gave the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. A key to being in the resurrection of life is right there in John 1:12-13. We must be born of God! The will of the flesh has no power to will itself or work itself from spiritual death to spiritual life! God declares that resurrection into Heaven cannot be achieved under our own power. God reserves that Power and that Authority. Period. It is as impossible as Lazarus raising himself from the dead under his own power! Dead means there is no power. If no works flow, then your faith is dead. Likewise, if you haven’t first received the Holy Spirit, your religious works are dead…and devilish!

But he was warning me in Christian love: Wait! First things first! Have you made your own religious list of Do’s and Don’ts that you define as “doing God’s work?” Are you sure your works are being done by a worker that first and foremost has received Jesus Christ? Who therefore God has given the Power to become one of the sons of God? My Friend, this letter asks a logical question: “We have celebrated Jesus’ Resurrection, what do we do now? My fervent prayer is that we would all do what the wise old minister lovingly exhorted me to do 32 years ago:

The Apostle Paul ached for his loved ones to live in God’s righteousness rather than perish in self-righteousness! Brethren, my…prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For…they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. ROMANS 10:1-4

The Apostle Paul ached for his loved ones to live in God’s righteousness rather than perish in self-righteousness! Brethren, my…prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For…they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. ROMANS 10:1-4

Dear Friends, shouldn’t we have that same compassionate ache for our loved ones? For the souls of all men? We have celebrated Jesus’ Resurrection. We know from Scripture that everyone will therefore live forever:

For the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, And shall come forth; [some] unto the resurrection of life; [some] unto the resurrection of damnation.
-MATTHEW 5:28-29

Please accept this letter, and the enclosed scriptural tract, with the love in which I write it. May we all examine ourselves to make sure we are in the faith and in the resurrection of life, so that Jesus’ Resurrection is not a yearly celebration, but a daily demonstration of His Resurrection Power flowing in us and through us!

To the Glory of our Resurrected Savior,