The following two posts are from some of my thoughts on a thread I started on another board not to long ago. I suspect I'm wasting my time posting it in here as well, since no Amils will actually address any of this in here either.
Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
The argument of the A-mills goes around "it's the first (protos) resurrection, and Christ's resurrection is the first (protos) resurrection, and therefore it's talking about a
'spiritual resurrection' (which apparently takes place when some is
born (gennao) of the
Spirit from above)
Below is
one part of the truth regarding
which souls that were beheaded are seen to live and reign with Christ - but I'm posting it in a reply to your comment - because when the A-mills see something like this, they automatically immediately pull their blindfolds back over their eyes, like most of us pull our masks up over our mouths and noses these days, the moment we get into a crowded place:
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We know that Adam died (spiritually) when he sinned - He was cut off from the life of God which is birthed by the Spirit of God, and his body would eventually die also - but Adam was still a man with a body and a soul - and the noun
anastasis (resurrection)
wherever it's found in the N.T, is referring to the resurrection
of the body, when it is raised from the dead and changed into a spiritual body (I've inserted the passages below):-
Genesis 2:7
"And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed [ nâphach ] into his nostrils the breath [ neshâmâh ] of life; and man became a
living soul [nephesh]."
John 3:7
"That which is
born (γεννάω [gennáō]) of the flesh is flesh; and that which is
born (γεννάω gennáō) of the Spirit ( πνεῦμα [pneûma] ) is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born (Greek: γεννάω [gennáō])
from above (Greek: ἄνωθεν [ánōthen]). "
In the passage below, the New Testament teaches us very clearly and unambiguously that it is the
body (σῶμα sōma) that will be raised
(ἐγείρω egeírō) a spiritual (πνευματικός pneumatikós)
body (σῶμα sōma).
1 Corinthians 15:35-38 & 42-57
"But someone will say, How are the dead (νεκρός nekrós) raised (ἐγείρω egeírō) up, and with what
body (σῶμα sōma) do they come? Foolish one! What you sow is not made alive (ζωοποιέω zōopoiéō) unless it dies..
.. And what you sow, you do not sow the body (σῶμα sōma) that is going to be, but a bare grain (perhaps of wheat or of some of the rest)..
..And God gives it a body (σῶμα sōma) as it has pleased Him, and to each of the seeds its own body (σῶμα sōma)."
"So also the resurrection (ἀνάστασις anástasis) of the dead (νεκρός nekrós)..
..It is sown in corruption, it is raised (ἐγείρω egeírō) in incorruption; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised (ἐγείρω egeírō) in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised (ἐγείρω egeírō) in power;..
..it is sown
a natural (ψυχικός psychikós) body (σῶμα sōma), it is raised (ἐγείρω egeírō)
a spiritual (πνευματικός pneumatikós) body (σῶμα sōma).
There is
a natural (ψυχικός psychikós) body (σῶμα sōma), and there is
a spiritual (πνευματικός pneumatikós) body (σῶμα sōma).
And so it is written, "The first man, Adam, was made a living (ζάω dzah'-o) soul (ψυχή psychḗ)," the last Adam was a life-giving (ζωοποιέω zōopoiéō) Spirit (πνεῦμα pneûma)..
..But not the spiritual (πνευματικός pneumatikós) first, but the natural (ψυχικός psychikós); afterward the spiritual (πνευματικός pneumatikós).
The first man was out of earth, earthy; the second Man was the Lord from Heaven. Such the earthy man, such also the earthy ones. And such the heavenly Man, such also the heavenly ones..
..And according as we bore the image of the earthy man, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man..
..And I say this, brothers, that flesh (σάρξ sárx) and blood (αἷμα haîma) cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does corruption inherit incorruption.
Behold, I speak a mystery to you; we shall not all fall asleep, but we shall all be changed; in a moment, in a glance of an eye, at the last trumpet..
..For a trumpet shall sound, and the dead (νεκρός nekrós) shall be raised (ἐγείρω egeírō) incorruptible, and we shall all be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality..
..But when this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and when this mortal shall put on immortality, then will take place the word that is written, "Death (νεκρός nekrós) is swallowed up in victory.
O death (νεκρός nekrós), where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?"
The sting of death (νεκρός nekrós) is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Wherever it appears in the New Testament (in every single verse where it appears), the Greek word ἀνάστασις (anástasis) is always and only used in reference to rising again from death in the body, albeit when Christ appears, the body of the one who rises from death in his body will be a changed body. The same goes for the verbs used for rise, risen, raised, whenever they are used in reference to the resurrection - they are always and only referring to rising again from the dead in the body:
1. Christ is the first (πρῶτον prōton) to have risen from the dead; and
2. those who have been birthed (γεννάω gennáō) by the Spirit [πνεῦμα pneûma] from above (ἄνωθεν ánōthen), are
3. spiritually in Christ, and have therefore risen with (συνεγείρω synegeírō) Him; and
4. He is therefore the firstborn (πρωτότοκος prōtótokos) from the dead; and
5. the firstborn (πρωτότοκος prōtótokos) among many brothers; and
6. the first-fruits (ἀπαρχή aparchḗ') of the resurrection, which is a resurrection from death.
The word resurrection implies that something had died - as the apostle Paul stated:
Romans 8:10-11
"And if Christ is in you, indeed the body [σῶμα sōma] is dead because of sin, but the Spirit [πνεῦμα pneûma] is life because of (Christ's) righteousness
- but if the Spirit [πνεῦμα pneûma] of the One who raised up [ἐγείρω egeírō] Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the One who raised up [ἐγείρω egeírō] Christ from the dead shall also vitalize [ζωοποιέωby zōopoiéō] your mortal [θνητός thnētós] bodies [σῶμα sōma] by His Spirit [πνεῦμα pneûma] who dwells in you."
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The argument of the A-mills which goes around those who had been beheaded is referring to the first (protos) resurrection, and Christ's resurrection is the first (protos) resurrection, and therefore it's talking about a
'spiritual resurrection' (which apparently takes place when some is
born (gennao) of the
Spirit from above).