Born-again Believers are judged for our belief in the resurrection and eternal life.

Acts 26:4-8

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“My manner of life from my youth, which was spent from the beginning among my own nation at Jerusalem, all the Jews know. They knew me from the first, if they were willing to testify, that according to the strictest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee. And now I stand and am judged for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers. To this promise our twelve tribes, earnestly serving God night and day, hope to attain. For this hope’s sake, King Agrippa, I am accused by the Jews. Why should it be thought incredible by you that God raises the dead?” Acts 26:4-8

There are those who know our previous way of life, before living for God through Jesus Christ, like all of the Jewish people who knew Paul from his youth. They knew Paul when he was a Pharisee, a Pharisee of all Pharisees. Those who knew us before our born-again experience knew how we were part of the ways of this world. After our born-again experience, those who knew us before are now scrutinizing and being judgmental towards us because of the hope we have in Jesus Christ. That hope is in the resurrection from the dead and eternal life. Paul spoke of the hope of the resurrection and eternal life and for that he was being judged.

The promise made by God, to the Twelve Tribes of Israel, was the inheritance of the promised land, Hebrews 11:8-10, Hebrews 11:13-16. That is the hope we have in Jesus Christ, to enter our heavenly country in the New Jerusalem of the new heaven and earth. Every Believer will enter the New Jerusalem through one of the twelve gates named after each of the Twelve Tribes of Israel, “Also [the New Jerusalem] had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel…” Revelation 21:12 That describes how Christians are adopted into the Twelve Tribes of Israel, “For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham; but, “In Isaac your seed will be called.” That is, those who are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted as the seed.” Romans 9:6-8 “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:29

Agrippa was an expert in the customs, laws of Judaism, and culture of the Jewish people, so he should not have been surprised at hearing how God raises the dead. Three people were resurrected from the dead in the Old Testament, spoken about in 1 Kings 17:17-24, 2 Kings 4:18-37, and 2 Kings 13:20-21 To the Jewish people, the resurrection of Jesus was different because He was not recognized as being of God, but was referred to as speaking blasphemes. When God raised Jesus from the dead, this validated that He was indeed of God, the Christ, and Son of God. Jesus is the first fruits of all who will be resurrected in His name, apart from Jewish tradition, as quoted, “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” 1 Corinthians 15:20

Paul clung to the Old Testament and never once sought to abolish it nor to scrutinize it in any way. In fact, Paul showed how the Old Testament revealed our Lord Jesus as being the Christ and Savior of the world. Speaking of those passing through the wilderness, Paul said, “For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.” 1 Corinthians 10:4 Our Lord Jesus also said that Moses spoke of Him, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me.” John 5:46 Our Lord Jesus also made it clear that he had no intention of abolishing the Old Testament, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” Matthe w5:17 Today, the Old Testament and New Testament come together as the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ, without the resurrection and eternal life, is an entirely different Jesus than what the Bible teaches. “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted…” 2 Corinthians 11:3-4 In fact, the Bible without the resurrection and eternal life is nothing more than the doctrine of humanism. Humanism is the fig leaf worn by those who serve the entity that gives them what to think, feel, say, and do. Humanism is “An outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. Humanist beliefs stress the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasize common human needs, and seek solely rational ways of solving human problems.”

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:1