All who are resurrected will be “in Christ” by virtue of their being raised by him: “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor 15:22). Paul doesn’t say, “…so all who are in Christ shall be made alive.” He says, “…so in Christ shall all be made alive.” See the difference, BA? Though during this lifetime only few are granted the faith to believe on Christ and be reconciled to God during the age of the Messianic reign, ultimately all will be reconciled to God when Christ returns to subject all people to himself (1 Cor 15:28; Col 1:20).
Christ himself taught that all who will be raised from the dead will be children of God. In Luke 20:34-36, Christ declares:
“The children of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels ***and are children of God, being children of the resurrection.***”
Here we find that those who are “considered worthy” (kataxioo) to attain to the age of which Christ is speaking (i.e., the time period that begins when the dead are raised) can no longer die, for they are made “equal to the angels” (or “equal to angels in heaven,” as we read in Matthew and Mark’s accounts). But then Christ adds something not found in Matthew and Mark’s accounts: those who are to become “equal to angels” by being raised from the dead will also become “children of God, being children of the resurrection.” Thus we see that all who take part in the resurrection of the dead will become “children of God” by virtue of their having been thus raised; consequently, our becoming “children of God” by being raised from the dead excludes all conditions that we can meet in this lifetime. But who are those that Christ says will be “considered worthy” to attain to an immortal existence that is “equal to the angels?” Is it some of the dead, or all of the dead?
To answer this question, let us first take notice of the fact that Luke is the only synoptic writer to include this expression in his account of Christ’s dialogue with the Sadducees; it is not found in either Matthew or Mark. However, it is my view that the Synoptics do not contradict each other, but are harmonious accounts. And it is unlikely that Luke is revealing anything new in his account that isn’t being taught explicitly or implicitly in Matthew or Mark. But there is no indication in either Matthew or Mark that Christ understood the resurrection to be anything less than universal. And we know that the apostle Paul understood the resurrection to be universal: it embraces all who die in Adam, both “the just and the unjust” (1 Corinthians 15:21-22; Acts 24:15). How then are we to understand Christ’s words in Luke?
Notice that in Luke’s account, Christ has two categories of people in view: the “children of this age,” and “those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead.” But who are “the children of this age?” Answer: In this context, it is evident that the “children of this age” consist of those who “marry and are given into marriage.” Christ is simply describing the living men and women of this present existence (i.e., prior to the resurrection of the dead). It is this category of people whom Christ is contrasting with “those considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection from the dead.” Therefore, it is this group (i.e., living men and women) who are not “considered worthy” to attain to the resurrection of the dead. But why is this so? Answer: simply because they’re not dead yet, and one must be dead in order to take part in the resurrection of the dead.
Thus, we see that the only contrast Christ is making here is between those who are alive, and those who are dead. One’s faith or spiritual/moral character before death has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not one is “considered worthy” to be raised from the dead (again, Paul said both the just and the unjust will be raised; it is an unconditional blessing). Those who are “considered worthy” of the resurrection of the dead are simply those who are dead (since those who are still alive have no need of a resurrection; and all who will be found alive at the time of the resurrection of the dead will simply be “changed,” as Paul says in 1 Cor 15:51-52). But why does Christ describe the dead as being “worthy” of being raised? The word translated “considered worthy” (kataxioo) refers to the estimation in which one is held by another (in this case, by Jesus Christ), and need not carry the idea of virtue, merit or moral excellence. There is no reason to think that anyone’s being “considered worthy” to be raised from the dead has anything to do with something they did or didn’t do before they died. But in what sense does Christ consider the dead “worthy” of attaining to the resurrection of the dead? Answer: It is not due to their faith or virtue, but due to the simple fact that they are human beings who bear the image and likeness of God. They are also claimed by Christ as his rightful inheritance (Psalm 2:8; John 3:35; 13:3; Matthew 11:27; Luke 10:22; Heb 1:2), since he is Lord of all, both the dead and the living (Rom 14:9).
Thus, Christ taught that all who die will be “considered worthy to attain to that age and the resurrection of the dead,” and will thus become “children of God, being children of the resurrection.”
