Scripture References

God will resurrect the physical bodies of born-again believers whose souls are in heaven as spiritual, imperishable, immortal, and glorified ones that b ear the likeness of Jesus. Simultaneously, He will reunite each soul with its newly transformed body “in the twinkling of an eye.” Likewise, the physical bodies of believers who are still alive on the earth at the time of the resurrection will be instantly transformed and glorified. All resurrected believers will never experience sin, sickness, pain, suffering, or death again. They will remain with God forever, ultimately residing with Him in the new heaven and earth.

The physical bodies of unbelievers whose souls are in Hades will be resurrected by God during the “second resurrection” and transformed into eternal bodies equipped for the Lake of Fire. Simultaneously, the body and soul will be reunited before facing God’s final judgment. This “second resurrection” occurs after the Millennium before God sentences unbelievers to the Lake of Fire. Until then, they remain in Hades to await this dreaded event until the end of all things (Revelation 20:7-12).

The “first resurrection” described in Scripture is strictly for born-again believers, while the “second resurrection” is reserved for unbelievers exclusively. Despite the “second resurrection” occurring only once, the “first resurrection” appears to occur in three distinct stages.

The first instance happens at the rapture (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 1 Corinthians 15:50-54). Believers resurrected at this time will be those whose souls were in heaven but whose bodies were in the grave, along with those still alive on the earth. Each believer will receive their glorified body and return to heaven with Jesus to await His second coming.
The second occasion takes place at Jesus’ second coming (Revelation 20:4-6). Believers who are resurrected at Jesus’ second coming will include those saved during the Tribulation yet martyred for their faith. Their bodies will be raised and glorified and then reunited with their souls before ruling and reigning with Jesus and the previously raptured saints during the Millennium.
The final stage occurs at the end of the Millennium (implied). It would include those who survived the Tribulation to repopulate the earth and those born and saved during the 1,000 years. Whether all of these believers remained alive throughout the Millennium or died of extreme old age, their physical bodies must be transformed into glorified, spiritual bodies equipped for eternity before entering the new heaven and new earth (1 Corinthians 15:42-50).