And again, as we will see, this is not talking about going to live in heaven when we die. The Bible is speaking here of a resurrection to permanent, everlasting life as a spirit being-not simply a temporary restoration to life in a physical body. As Paul tells us, “For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection” (Romans 6:5).
So what does that tell you and me? The Bible leaves no doubt -there will be others to follow in time. As we noted earlier in Romans 8:29, He was “the firstborn among many brethren.” Jesus overcame death and is the forerunner, the first to be resurrected from the dead, making eternal life possible for many others to follow. “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus” (Hebrews 6:19-20). In other words, Christ paved the way into the Kingdom of God, so that those who are truly devoted to Him can have assurance and expectation of the resurrection. Jesus was “the firstborn among many brethren”-obviously meaning that others will follow.Īs noted earlier, the apostle Paul explained that Jesus conquered death and is “the firstborn from the dead” (Colossians 1:18). So, the other aspect of this is that man has the ultimate potential of becoming the same kind of beings God the Father and Jesus Christ now are. One aspect of this is that man has been created in God’s image and likeness on a physical, mortal level with limited dominion, resembling God but without His divine character and glory-yet. So they are of the divine family in only a restricted sense to begin with. Of course, when human beings are referred to as gods in Psalm 82, they are still declared imperfect and subject to corruption and death. The offspring of God are “gods,” as Jesus confirmed in quoting this passage in John 10:34-36. The offspring of human beings are human beings. When any entity bears offspring, its offspring are the same kind of entity. In Psalm 82:6, God refers to human beings as “gods,” this being equated here with “children of the Most High. In the ancient Hebrew, Psalm 82 sheds more light on this fact. The Greek word for offspring here, genos, means “kindred,” “race, “kind,” “stock” or “family.” We are of God’s family type. As pointed out in Acts 17:28-29, we are God’s offspring: “‘For we are also His offspring.’ Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man’s devising.” Jesus was spiritually born in the resurrection as the first of many brethren or children to follow later. Let’s explore this more as we see what Scripture has to say on this important topic. But, please note, we are not talking about going to live in heaven when we die-as you will see! And so, this physical life is not all there is. Who are the “many brethren”? It’s all God’s faithful people, those who will join Jesus Christ as His brothers and sisters as part of that divine family of God when they are resurrected to immortal spirit life. After Jesus’ human life and death, He was resurrected to divine spirit existence as “the firstborn from the dead” and “ firstborn among many brethren” (Colossians 1:18 Romans 8:29, emphasis added throughout). The Word became flesh some 2,000 years ago as the Son of God, Jesus Christ (verse 14). The God family, from the beginning, comprised two divine Beings-God and the Word (John 1:1-2). With His resurrection and ascension to the very throne of God, Jesus was the first of many who would become spirit beings dwelling in the presence of God. God is creating a divine, spirit family-and you can be in it! The moment Jesus Christ walked out of the tomb, a momentous opportunity began for you and me.
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