Morning Thoughts - by Elder Philip Conley

Morning Thoughts

John 5:28-29, "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth: they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."

This morning, there are perhaps more wild stories and cunningly devised fables about the end of time than any other subject that I know of. Folks listen to this theory and that theory, and you are looked upon as foolish if you try to put forth a very simple explanation. These days, folks are not looking for simple things, but rather, the more wild and outlandish the tale, the more earnest heed they give to it. Our Lord on this occasion makes it about as simple as it can be made.

If it was indeed the case that our Lord was coming back again to reign upon the earth for a literal 1000 years, I can think of no better place to insert that teaching than right here. It seems to my simple mind that our Lord would have certainly spoken of that event in this passage. However, our Lord makes no mention of it, for that is not going to be His course of action when He returns. Here He talks of two and only two classes of people at the last trump. He plainly states that both classes are going to come out together. There will not be a raising of one, then another, finally this group, and perhaps later that group. All of mankind is going to come forth at once.

We are also told that they will come forth by the power of the voice of the Son of God. This is the same voice and power that regenerates a man's soul and spirit in the new birth. Christ talks about that earlier in this passage. Therefore, I must conclude that if we have absolutely nothing to do, say, or confer about our bodies being raised, then we must have absolutely nothing to do with our regeneration. One might ask, "Do the wicked hear the voice of the Son of God like the righteous do?" They all hear that voice, but the manner is very different. The voice that calls the righteous is one of love and affection. The voice (same Source) that calls the wicked is one of wrath and condemnation. While the righteous behold the Lord's face in righteousness, the wicked will behold their Judge that will forever pronounce them guilty to eternal shame and contempt.

We are told by Paul in I Corinthians 15 that the entire course of actions about which we have been speaking is going to happen in a moment and the twinkling of the eye. While I cannot even read or comprehend a complete thought in a second, our Lord will forever settle the affairs of eternity in a moment. He will speak, and it shall be done. He shall call, and we will answer. One final point, we will be as passive in the call of the resurrection as we were in the call of regeneration. We will be just as passive as Lazarus was when Christ called, "Lazarus come forth." The reason that we are passive is that the Lord's voice has a power that draws us to Him. We call that power effectual. Do not worry about someone not being there. If they are the Lord's, then that power will not overlook them.

In Hope,

Bro Philip