Jasper County Democrat, Volume 19, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 April 1916 — THE RISEN CHRIST [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE RISEN CHRIST

1 Corinthians 15:1 SS—April S 3. Ransom and Resurrection Twin Doctrines —Jesus’ Resurrection Attested by Many infallible Proofs—Today's Study In Irreconcilable Conflict With Current Theology. ".Vow hath Christ been raised from the dead, the First fruits of them that are asleep."— Verse to. K. V. CODAY'S Study calls attention to the great importance of the doctrine of the Resurrection, presenting it as the twin of the other great doctrine which the Apostle sets forth "first of all'’—"how that Christ DIED FOR OUR SINS according to the Scriptures.” (Verse 3.) To this fundamental doctrine of the Ransom the doctrine of the Resurrection stands related as effect to cause. So important is this doctrine in the estimation of the inspired Apostle that be emphatically declares that if it be not true, then there is no hope for any one beyond the present life, the preaching or the Gospel is in vain, those who preach it are false witnesses, the faith of Christians is vain and their hope delusive. Moreover, he urges that their life of sacrifice, in view of the resurrection and its rewards, merely robs them of what little enjoyment and advantage they might gain in the present life, which is all that they would thus have; and those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. Such indeed would be our sad plight if there were to be no resurrection. If this, which Christ died to secure, is not guaranteed to us, to be realized in due time, we are yet in our sins, under the death penalty without one ray of hope. While Verses 12-19 declare the great importance of this doctrine of the Resurrection. Verses 20-26 emphasize its

truthfulness. The resurrection of Christ Jesus, attested by many infallible proofs (Verses 5-8: Acts 1:3), is the guarantee that all mankind shall have not only an awakening from death, but an opportunity to attain a complete resurrection

to all that was lost by Adam’s disobedience.—Acts 17:31. In Verse 20 let Christians observe what the various creeds of Christendom ignore and what is in direct antagonism to their teachings; namely, that the risen Christ was "the Firstfruits of them that slept’’—that Jesus was the first to experience a resurrection in the full sense of the term—to perfection and life everlasting. True, some before Him were temporarily awakened, but only to relapse again into death: for example, Lazarus, the son of the widow of Nain. the daughter of Jairus. etc. These were only partial illustrations of resurrection, to assure men that Divine Power cduld accomplish it fully in due time.

The Scripture* Logic*!. Mark the logic of these facts: If Christ was the first resurrected from the dead, no one was resurrected before Him; and if those fallen asleep in Christ have perished, except they be restored to life by a resurrection (Verse 18), and if those who die in Christ “sleep in Jesus’’ until His Second Coming, then it is plain that not one of them went to Heaven at dearth. They were dead; they slept in Jesus; they rested in hope; and they must remain dead until the time appointed for the resurrection —Christ’s Second Coming. “David is not att ended into the Heavens.” Daniel must wait, and stand again in his lot at the end of the days. Abraham must wait for the possession of the Promised Land, of which he never owned as much as to set his foot upon. Job must tarry until the wrath of this “evil day" is overpast. St. Paul himself must wait the time when all who love the Lord’s appearing will be rewarded—Acts 2:34; Dan. 12:13; Acts 7:5; Job 14:12-15, 21; 2 Tim. 4:8. All this Scripture teaching is in irreconcilable conflict with current the-

ology, in whose theories there is no place whatever for the resurrection. logically considered. If a man goes to Heaven at death, why should he hope for a reunion with his body? The whole position is illogical, unscriptural and untenable.

Verse 21 antagonizes current theology with equal force. Current theology says that our redemption is secured by the sacrifice of a God. not a man. But the Scriptures very explicitly point out an exact equivalent, a human substitute for the human head of our race, whose redemption secures the redemption of his posterity, on precisely the same principle that his fall and condemnation entailed sin and death upon them. It was “the. Man Christ Jesus." who, after He had left the glory of His previous spiritual existence and “was made flesh.” accomplished our redemption by the sacrifice of Himself—His flesh. His humanity—and who in consequence hast' been highly exalted, even to the Divine nature.—l Timothy 2:5. 6; John 1:14; Philippians 2:9-11. Verses 22. 23 show the order of the resurrection. The time of Christ’s presence (not coming) is the entire thousand years of His Reign. Verses 24-28 assure us of the success of Christ’s Kingdom.

“He is Risen.”

St. Paul.