xi. 15. "And the seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in heaven, saying, the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever." Now compare these woes and this subsequent order of things with the tribulations Christ described in Matt xxiv chap. And the subsequent life the righteous entered into, and you will readily perceive that both refer to the destruction of Jerusalem and the commencement of Christ"s auspicious reign. (The Revelations were certainly written before that event.) When the seventh angel sounded, Christ came in his kingdom and began his reign; and that he began his reign when the trumpet sounded, and the woes recorded in Matt. Xxiv. And xxv.
Chapters took place, will not be denied. This settles the point that the _seventh or last_ trump was not to sound at the close of Christ"s reign, but at its commencement. And under this last sounding trump the dead were to be raised immortal, and those who were alive when it commenced its sound, were to be suddenly changed in their circ.u.mstances and feelings as described in the context. It was the day of their redemption from all their trials and persecutions, and doubts and fears.
That this was the period when the Christians entered the _resurrection day_ as well as the _judgment day_ under Christ is certain. They entered into the full enjoyment of that most sublime of all doctrines in the faith of which they not only saw the dead raised immortal and free from pain, but felt themselves new beings. They were exalted from the dust to high and "heavenly places in Christ," were "caught up to meet the Lord in the air," were seated "on thrones and made priests and kings to G.o.d and reigned with Christ." There "they shone like the brightness of the firmament and the stars forever and ever,"
recognized the goodness of G.o.d in redeeming love, and sang the song of _certain victory_ over death and Hades. Then "the kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven was given to the saints of the MOST HIGH," and in this "kingdom of their Father they shone forth like the sun." The above promiscuous quotations from Scripture justify the expression, that the living were "changed in a moment at the last trump," which announced to the world the immortal resurrection of the dead. That this trump, whose sound proclaims the resurrection of all mankind, is the gospel trump, the doctrine of Christ, we cannot doubt.
That the change of the living, in the context, has any reference to changing them into immortal beings, I cannot admit without further evidence. It is contrary to the whole tenor of revelation--it is contrary to our text, which declares that all, who are made alive in Christ first die in Adam. As the change of the living is an important point in our present investigation, we will give it further attention.
That the Christians were to experience a great and sudden change at the destruction of Jerusalem is certain. They were to be delivered from all their trials and persecutions, and be raised into the full and felicitous enjoyment of the reign of Christ. Those Christians, who had not seen our Saviour alive from the dead, who had believed on the testimony of his apostles and of the "five hundred brethren," were delivered from all their doubts and fears on seeing his predictions fulfilled, were perfected in faith, and their "hearts established unblamable in holiness." This was to them a resurrection day, not only in reviving their faith and hope in the doctrine of the immortal resurrection of all that died in Adam, but in delivering them from their sufferings, and raising them into the sublime enjoyments of the reign of Christ. In reference to this period, Jesus says, "thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." And Paul says, "If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead, not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect." What sense would there be in his saying--if by any means I might, by my exertions, become an immortal being, not as though I had already attained to immortal existence? No sense at all. But the apostles meaning is clear, if we render it thus--If by any means I might continue faithful unto the end, and obtain a crown of life in the first resurrection at that day when Christ shall come in his kingdom to destroy his enemies and to deliver and elevate Christians to honor.
We shall notice this more particularly in our next when we come to comment on Philippians iii. Chap. Again he says--"Who concerning the truth have erred, saying the resurrection is past already, and overthrow the faith of some." That is, to make the Christians believe that their promised deliverance was past, while they were yet in the midst of their sufferings, was calculated to overthrow their faith. We will notice the change of the living still further. Jesus says, that those, who were in their graves, and had done good, should come forth to the resurrection of life. And Daniel says, that many of them who sleep in the dust of the earth should awake to everlasting life, and those, who were wise, should shine as the brightness of the firmament, and they that turned many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever. Here Daniel and Jesus represent the low, suffering, and distressed condition of the Christians previous to the destruction of Jerusalem, and their final deliverance and exaltation at that period, by sleeping in the dust, being dead in their graves, and suddenly coming forth to life and shining like the brightness of the firmament and the stars forever and ever. This is equivalent with being "caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air."
The above changes are as great and as in instantaneous, as the apostle represents in the context,--"We shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed."
As if he had said we shall suddenly enter into the full fruition of that glorious gospel kingdom, whose trump shall then begin, and continue to sound down to the remotest periods of that "_last day_"
proclaiming the incorruptible resurrection of all the dead, and at the same time changing the living from the low, sorrowful, and groveling thoughts of earth to the sublime and joyful contemplations of "life and immortality brought to light through the gospel." So the _last day_, in which the last trump sounds, and the dead are raised, embraces the whole gospel reign of Christ. The _resurrection_ is coeval in duration with the _judgment_ of the world; for both are called the last day, and both are represented as involving all mankind in one a.s.semblage to be judged and in one a.s.semblage to be raised.
[To be continued.]
SERMON XXII
"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." 1 Cor. xv:20.
We have already shown that the _judgment_ of the world is called the "_last day_," in which all human beings are to stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ, and receive according to their deeds. We have shown, that this day commenced at the end of the Jewish age, and is to continue down to all succeeding generations, so long as human beings shall have a habitation on earth. We have shown that the _resurrection_ is also called the "_last day_," in which all the dead are to be raised immortal. We have shown that, as a doctrine of G.o.d, it was permanently established in the world at the end of the Jewish dispensation--that the last or gospel trump then commenced its sound, proclaiming the immortal resurrection of all who "die in Adam," and at the same time changed those who were then alive--and that it shall continue to sound to the remotest periods of this last day, proclaiming the resurrection of the dead and changing or reforming the living. We have shown that the _judgment and resurrection_ const.i.tute the gospel doctrine of Christ, and, as such, both were established in the world at the same time, and are both called the "_last day_," in which all men are in succession to be judged, and raised immortal. The apostle Paul, when discussing to his hearers, either the judgment or the resurrection, looked forward to that interesting period, when they were to be established in the world, and, with a giant effort, grasped in one view, the beginning and end of this brilliant, sublime, and everlasting DAY, and presented it in mental vision to his persecuted and almost desponding brethren as one instantaneous, transporting and triumphant event, in which the world was to be judged, the living changed, the dead raised immortal and incorruptible, and the rapturous song of final victory was to be sung over death, its sting and the grave.
We will now proceed to notice those pa.s.sages, which are applied to the immortal and general resurrection of the dead, point out their misapplication, and reconcile them with the views we have advanced. We will _first_ notice our context. And here it will be necessary to ascertain the condition of those whom Paul addresses. He introduces the chapter by referring to the many witnesses of Christ"s resurrection, and commences his argument in proof of this fact, and against those christians, who had not been eye-witnesses, but who had professed faith in his resurrection _merely_ on the testimony of the apostles. These christians were suffering persecution, and were, of all men most "miserable" if Christ were not risen from the dead; as in such case, their future deliverance and exaltation at his predicted coming, were but a visionary dream. And as their Lord seemed to delay his coming, "some among them (being discouraged) began to say, there was no resurrection of the dead." The great evidence, to which they were looking for the final proof of his being the true Messiah was the fulfillment of all which the prophets had written of "the daily sacrifice being taken away, the holy people being scattered" and of the glory of the Messiah"s kingdom and reign, and of all, which Jesus himself had predicted of his coming to destroy their persecutors, to put an end to the Mosaic dispensation, and to raise them to a state of exaltation in his kingdom. They had not seen Jesus alive from the dead as had the apostles; and however much they might be inclined to credit their testimony, yet their severe persecutions and sufferings, and the protracted period of his coming would, very naturally, create, in their hearts many doubts and fears as to its truth.
These are the persons, whom Paul addresses in our context, and labors to keep them in the faith by presenting the _whole weight_ of testimony in favor of the resurrection of Christ, on which he hinged the resurrection of man. He summons before them more than five hundred eye-witnesses, of whom himself was one, to satisfy them of the fact, and summons all the powers of philosophy in nature. He refers them to grain sown in the earth, and its coming forth in a new body. He refers them to all the various species of flesh, of men, beasts and birds on the earth, and to the glory of the sun, moon and stars in the heavens --all differing from one another--to prove that G.o.d is able to prepare an immortal body, differing from all these, and raise man immortal! As he pa.s.ses on, reveling in the greatness of his strength, and absorbed in the immensity of his theme, his argument gathers force, till earth and heaven appear to be in motion before him! He ranges the universe, summons to his aid the power of G.o.d, lays his masterly hand upon every fact, gathers them in his grasp, condenses them before his hearers, and, in one overwhelming burst of eloquence, makes the whole bear upon the resurrection of Christ and of man! He refers them to the coming of his Lord, at which time will be the end of the Jewish age. Then their sufferings and persecutions terminate, their darkness, fears and doubts will be removed, they will be ushered into the glorious reign of Christ, behold this _last_ and brightest day, hear the _last_ joyful trump sounding, see the dead by an eye of faith arising, and themselves as living men changed. These would be Christ"s at his coming. Then he would receive his kingdom and begin his auspicious reign.
No fact is more certain than that Christ was to commence his reign at the sound of the _last trump_. Not an instance can be produced, where Jesus has revealed to his apostles, that any trump was to sound subsequent to the one, which announced his coming in his kingdom at the end of the Jewish age. If any one can produce scripture authority where a trump is to sound at the close of his reign, or at the end of time, or even produce testimony to prove the end of time, I will publicly and gratefully acknowledge the favor. Perhaps the 24th verse of the context will be brought forward for this purpose: "Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to G.o.d, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority, and power." This, as it reads, is no objection to my views; but I contend that this is not a correct rendering of the pa.s.sage. Every careful reader will perceive, that it stands in perfect contradiction with verse 28th: "And when (notice the word when) all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son himself also be subject unto him that put all things under him, that G.o.d may be all in all." This verse teaches a future reign and future subjection, after the kingdom is delivered up to G.o.d. What propriety is there in saying, "_when all things are subdued unto him_," after he has resigned his kingdom? What has he to subdue, after the kingdom is delivered "up to G.o.d, even the Father". Certainly nothing. I readily grant, that in the modern edition of the Greek Testament I have before me, it is rendered in the dative case, "_teen basileian to Theo kai Patri;" "the kingdom to G.o.d even the Father_." But I perused, several years since, a short criticism by an English writer (whose name I cannot recall, nor the periodical which contained it) on this very phrase in which the author stated that in an early Greek ma.n.u.script, he had in his possession, it was rendered in the nominative case, "_teen basileian ho Theos kai Pater_." This would reverse the present translation, and cause it to read--"_Then cometh the end when G.o.d even the Father shall deliver to him (Christ) the kingdom_." The writer however argued, that as the chapter referred to the general resurrection at the end of time, it seemed to read far better as Christ"s mediatoriol kingdom would then terminate. This is mere a.s.sertion founded upon preconceived opinions.
I will, however, produce direct authority to support my views. I will here present the reader with Wakefield"s translation of this pa.s.sage, whose scholarship will be doubted by none:
"_Then will the end be, when G.o.d the Father delivereth up the kingdom to him, during which he will destroy all dominion, and all authority and power; for he will reign till he hath put every enemy under his feet; and so the enemy death will be destroyed at last_."
Here, then, we perceive that instead of its referring to the end of time, and to the Son"s delivering up the kingdom to the Father, it simply refers to the end of the Jewish dispensation, when the Father delivered to his Son a kingdom, and when he _commenced_ his reign.
This gives harmony, strength and consistency, to the whole connection closing with the 28th verse, and is in perfect agreement with the whole tenor of revelation, which no where speaks of the end of time.
But according to the received translation, he first delivers up the kingdom to G.o.d, then commences his reign, subdues all things, destroys death, and is then subject to the Father! Let it be distinctly noticed that this "_end_" is at Christ"s coming. But where, I again ask, is revealed a _third_ coming of our Saviour?
But again--The Ethiopic version also supports this rendering of the above pa.s.sage, in agreement with Wakefield, which I consider as sufficient authority to settle the question, at least in my own mind.
But even were there no other authority, than the general tenor of revelation, I should feel justified in my present exposition. To contend for a _general_ resurrection, we are in the same predicament with the orthodox in contending for a _general_ judgment.
The above harmonizes (in my apprehension) with every other part of divine revelation, which embraces the testimony of the prophets, and of Jesus Christ and his apostles, who all speak of the _end_ as referring _exclusively_ to the termination of the Jewish age, at which time he should come in his kingdom and commence his reign. They also speak of the glory which should follow, and of the success that should attend it. But not _an instance can be produced, where they speak of the end of time_. He is to destroy the last enemy _death_; and this work is effected progressively in this _last day_, as individuals are in _succession_ raised from death, and established in their final and blissful condition affording us no revelation when this order of things will terminate. If it is a fact, that G.o.d the Father, at the sound of the "last trump," delivered to his Son the kingdom--if this be the correct rendering of the pa.s.sage, as the whole tenor of revelation seems to justify, then it was at the commencement of his reign; and our views of the _resurrection day_ are irresistible. The apostle grasps, in mental vision, the whole subject, and represents it as one great and interesting event, big with sentiments of light and life, in the same sense that he does the judgment of the world, which revolved in his capacious soul as but one single day. The sudden and interesting change he represents as taking place in the living, has reference to the unexpected manner in which this sublime scene would burst on the world. In this he but follows the example of his Lord, who declared he would come as a "thief in the night"--that he would "come quickly," and in an hour they were not aware, and exhorted his disciples to watch.
We will notice one more pa.s.sage in the context, which may be urged as an objection. "Behold I show you a _mystery_; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed." The _mystery_, here mentioned, refers to the change of those, who should be found alive at the coming of Christ in his kingdom, produced by the full revelation and establishment of that doctrine, which proclaims the immortal resurrection of all mankind _by being made alive in Christ_. It is the fulfillment of the following scriptures--Eph. i 9,10--"Having made known unto us the _mystery of his will_--that in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one _all things in Christ_, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him." This mystery was _then finished_ in the full revelation of his will to the doubting christians, whom Paul addresses in the context.
This is evident from Rev. x:7--"But in the days of the voice of the _seventh angel_ when he _shall begin to sound_, the _mystery_ of G.o.d _should be finished_, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets." And that he began his reign when the mystery was finished is certain from Rev. xi. 15--And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven saying the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ, "and he shall reign forever and ever." Here we perceive that this _mystery of G.o.d"s will_ was to be finished at the sound of the _seventh or last_ trump, which will is, to gather or make alive all things in Christ. And at this time he was to receive his kingdom and reign forever and ever. _"We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,"_ has reference to those persecuted christians, who were not to "taste of death till they saw the Son of man coming in his kingdom."
Phil. iii:20, 2l--"For our conversation is in heaven, from whence we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." That this pa.s.sage has reference to changing our _natural into immortal bodies_ at the resurrection, I see not a shadow of evidence to prove, either in established in their final and blissful condition the pa.s.sage itself, nor in the context. The context we have already noticed by pointing out the resurrection to which Paul desired to attain. Chap. i:6--"He, that hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until _the day of Jesus Christ."_ Chap. iv:5--"Let your moderation be known unto all men. _The Lord is at hand_." "The day of Jesus Christ" and "the Lord is at hand" refer to his coming at the end of the Jewish age, and not to a resurrection at the end of time. Paul gave the Philippians notice of no other coming of Christ. The pa.s.sage has reference to the change the living were to experience, at this coming of our Lord in his kingdom, by being delivered from their persecutions, doubts and fears, perfected in faith, and "established unblamable in holiness before G.o.d," so as to resemble in a moral and exalted sense those immortal beings in heaven who are here called the "glorious body" of Christ. The body to be changed embraces both Jew and Gentile christians, who were at that time to be raised from their lowly condition into his gospel kingdom and "shine forth like the sun." This is evident from the manner in which he commences: "For our conversation is in _heaven_, from _whence_ we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our _lowly body_ that it maybe fashioned like unto his glorious body." He contrasts the low and oppressed condition of the whole christian body with what will be their exalted condition at the coming of Christ, and that exalted condition will a.s.semble that glorified body of beings in _heaven_ who died in his cause, and with whom they had their conversation, and from _whence_ they were expecting the Saviour. It has reference, I conceive, to the body in which Christ arose. The church is the body of Christ, and it is to be presented to himself a _glorious body_, not having spot, wrinkle, or any such thing. The Greek word _tapeinos_ rendered "vile," should be rendered _lowly or humble_.
It will be noticed, by the reader, that the word _body_ is used in the _singular_ number and not in the plural, as some have quoted it in their writings. But if it refer to individual _forms_, it ought to be rendered in the _plural_--"who shall change our vile _bodies."_ But it means the whole church or body of believers--a collective body of individuals. In this sense the Greek word, _soma_, here rendered _body_ is frequently used in the New Testament. That the apostle does not refer to all mankind is evident from the fact, that after the vile body is changed according to the working, he adds--whereby he is able _even_ to subdue all things unto himself--That is, able _even_ to subdue all things as well as to change that body. If the pa.s.sage refer to an immortal and general resurrection, or rather to the change of all the living into immortal beings, then there would be none to subdue after that period. But if we apply it to the coming of Christ in that generation, and to the change of the whole christian body, then all is plain and in perfect agreement with the preceding and succeeding context; also with 1 Cor. 15th chapter, and with the whole tenor of revelation, which speaks of but _one coming_ of our Saviour in his kingdom, and which shows that the work of subjection commenced after the change of the living at the last trump, whose sound announced the commencement of his reign. The word _kai_, rendered _even_, should probably have been rendered _also_. "Who shall change our lowly body--according to the working whereby he is able also to subdue all things to himself." The whole context, however, justifies the above exposition because the christians were looking for the coming of Christ at the end of that age, and exclaimed, "the Lord is at hand."
[To be continued.]
SERMON XXIII
"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." 1 Cor. xv:20.
In our last we noticed the context, and also taken into consideration the language of Paul on the coming of Christ and the change of the living in Phil. iii:20, 21. This, we have shown, has no reference to the mortal bodies of men being changed to immortal bodies, so as to resemble the personal form of Jesus Christ. If it refer to Jesus, still the resemblance would be _moral, not personal_, for no where do the scriptures teach, that we are in our personal appearance to be like our Saviour. But in a _moral_ sense, "we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." I do not say, that there will be no _personal_ resemblance between immortal beings and Christ. I fully believe there will be; but I mean that this personal resemblance is more a matter of course, than a doctrine of divine revelation. I do not read of the "glorious body" of Jesus in his immortal resurrection state. But the scriptures do compare the moral body of Christians on earth with the glorified body of holy beings in heaven, Heb. xii:22, 23--"But ye are come unto mount Zion, and unto the city of the living G.o.d, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an in-numerable company of angels to the general a.s.sembly and church of the first-born, which are written in heaven, and to G.o.d the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made made perfect." So far as the Christians were "established unblamable in holiness before G.o.d even our Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints" so far as they were elevated to "shine as the brightness of the firmament and as the stars forever" so far as their moral condition and enjoyments were improved and enlarged, thus far, of course, the _lowly body_ of the church on earth would be changed into a moral resemblance of that "glorious body" of Christ, who were praising him in heaven. In _heaven_ the Christians had their conversation, from whence they were looking for the Saviour, as shortly to come, and fashion them into a moral resemblance of those saints above, who had died in his cause, and who were to come with him. From the whole context, the conclusion is irresistible that this change of the "vile body" was at the coming of the Lord _then_ at hand, and not at the end of time, as some imagine.
Another scripture commonly applied to the _general_ resurrection of the dead, and a change of all the living is recorded in 1 Thess.
iv:15, 16, 17--"For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not _be before_ them that are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trump of G.o.d; and the _dead in Christ_ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in air, and so we shall be evermore with the Lord." That Paul here refers to the coming of Christ in his kingdom to establish his reign, and to elevate the Christians who were alive at that period, the _preceding_ and _succeeding_ contexts fully justify.
And so I must understand his language, till some one can prove a third coming of Christ, and an _eighth_ sounding trump at the end of time.
In the two preceding chapters, he dwells largely upon the persecutions of the Christians, exhorts them to be faithful, expresses his desire "to perfect that which is lacking in their faith," and concludes by saying--"To the end he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before G.o.d, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ _with all his saints."_ No one will deny that this has reference to his coming at the end of the Jewish age. Now would it not be doing injustice to this powerful and cogent reasoner to say, that he suddenly drops this subject without giving his brethren any warning, and runs off to the end of time, speaks of another coming of"
Christ at which he is to raise, at the same instant, all the dead and change the living to immortal beings? And that he should again, as suddenly, drop this subject, and hasten right back to the coming of Christ at the destruction of Jerusalem? To charge him with this is certainly ungenerous.
After stating that Christ should descend with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and the trump of G.o.d to exalt the dead and living, he adds--"But of the times and seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write for yourselves perfectly know that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say peace and safety then sudden destruction cometh upon them, and they shall not escape." There is no resisting the conclusion, that _"the day of the Lord"_ in this pa.s.sage refers to the same period when "_the Lord himself shall descend from heaven_" in the pa.s.sage above; which must be at the destruction of Jerusalem. He quotes Christ"s own language, Matt.
xxiv:43. See also 2 Peter iii:10. In both places, the sudden coming of Jesus is compared to a "thief in the night." But where is a _general_ resurrection, at the end of time, clearly stated, that he had no need to inform them of the times and seasons, because they already perfectly knew? Where is sudden destruction to come upon any in that day? For one, I find no such revelation.
Though the doctrine of immortal resurrection of all mankind was fully revealed, and established in the world at the coming of Christ in his kingdom; yet that particular point is not argued by the apostle in the scripture on which we are commenting. He is not speaking of all mankind, nor of the immortal resurrection; but as in Phil. iii:20, 21, so _here_ he is speaking of the Christians _only_ who should be alive when that scene burst and of those dead _only_ who had died in the cause of Christ. "The dead in Christ" cannot possibly include those who died previous to his birth, but those only who died in the faith of his doctrine previous to his coming in his kingdom. We might reason this point at large, but deem it unnecessary till some one proves how those, who never heard of a Saviour, could be said to die in Christ, or to be dead in him. I would, however, remark that the Greek preposition _en_ may be rendered, _on account of_. The phrase would then read thus--_the dead on account of Christ_. Wakefield renders it thus--"_they who have died in the cause of Christ_." That this is its true sense, I have not a doubt.
Let one thing here be distinctly noticed: Paul says--"For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain,"
&c. Now where has our Lord ever said, when speaking of the immortal resurrection, that some would be alive, and be changed to immortal beings? Nowhere. This single circ.u.mstance ought to make every man pause before he a.s.serts such a change to be true. Read Christ"s language in all three of the Evangelists where he addresses the Sadducees; and he speaks only of the dead being raised, but not of any one being changed. Read his language, John vi:39--"And this is the Father"s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but raise it up again at the last day." Nothing is here said about changing the living to immortal beings. The Father has given all into the hands of his Son; and if he is to _raise_ them up at the last day, then all must die, for the _change_ of the living is not the _resurrection_ of the dead. How then could Paul tell his brethren, "by the word of the Lord," that they were to be thus changed? He could not because there is not a "thus saith the Lord" to support it. But Paul had the word of the Lord support the change in the living which we have pointed out. Christ said, "the righteous should go into life eternal," they "that endured unto the end should be saved" that "they should shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father," and that "they should be recompensed at the resurrection of the just."
But, inquires the reader, were those who died in the cause of Christ raised immortal at his coming? No, they were not. It simply means that they were in that day to receive their elevated stations of glory and and honor in the gospel kingdom, so much so, as if they had been alive. The living Christians, in this respect, were not to be before them. Having suffered and died in the cause of Christ, they were in the minds of the living to "shine as the stars forever and ever" in the kingdom of Christ, because they had turned many to righteousness.
The Lord had, as it were, delayed his coming, and many had given up faith in Christ"s resurrection, and were sorrowing without hope over their friends who had fallen asleep in his cause. They of course had no faith in the immortal resurrection of their friends, nor in the fulfillment of Christ"s predicted coming to raise their names to unfading honor for having labored and died in his cause. We are not to understand that those departed saints were _literally_ exalted to elevated stations in Christ"s kingdom on earth, any more than Christ _literally_ came. But as Jesus was _in that day_, at the end of the Jewish age, "crowned with glory and honor," as king on the mediatorial throne of the universe, so were his apostles elevated on thrones of glory with him. Jesus says, "when the Son of man shall sit on his throne of glory, ye also shall also sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel."
Now certain it is, that Jesus did take his throne, when he came in his glory, at the destruction of the temple. Then it is equally certain, that the apostles and martyrs also took their"s at the same period and in the same sense. _Then_ Christ came and "his holy angels" and all the saints came with him; not literally, but in the same sense that he himself came. Luke ix:26, 27--"For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed when he shall come in his own glory and of his Father"s and of the holy angels; but I tell you of a truth there be some standing here which shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of G.o.d." I Thess. iii:13--"To the end he may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before G.o.d our Lord even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints." Here we perceive, that he was to come "_with all his saints and holy angels_." By his _holy angels_, we are to understand his gospel messengers or martyred apostles and by _his_ saints, those who had died in his cause. These are the persons who are said to be _dead in Christ, and asleep in Jesus_. By the words _dead and asleep_ we are not to understand their present extinction of existence in contrast with their immortal resurrection, but the supposed _low and disgraceful_ cause in which they died, or for which they were put to death by their persecutors, as malefactors. This _disgraceful condition_, in which their murderers viewed them as unchangeably sleeping, stands in contrast with their _triumphant exaltation_ at the coming of Christ. Their enemies would _then_ look upon them as having come forth from the dust of the earth and shining as the brightness of the firmament and as the stars forever and ever, and not as sleeping in perpetual infamy and dishonor. [See Daniel xii 2, 3, and John v:28, 29.] Their enemies (whether dead or alive) were to come forth to _shame, contempt, and condemnation_, which stand in contrast with the _glory and honor_ to which the Christians (whether dead or alive in Christ) were to be raised in the minds of the living even to succeeding generations.
Let it be distinctly noticed that _these dead in Christ_ are not said to be raised _incorruptible and immortal_, but only caught up with the living Christians in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air--not _literally_, but in the same sense that the living saw the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven, so should they see his saints and holy angels raised from the slumber of infamy, and, together with the Christians who remained alive at that day, be exalted with him in the air. [See Matt. xxiv:30, 31--Mark xiii:26, 27--Luke xxi:27, 28, and Rev. i:7.] In these pa.s.sages he is represented as "coming in the _clouds_ with his angels," who "gathered, with a great sound of the trumpet, his elect," and raised them to honor in his kingdom. And let me add--this is all the _change_ Christ has ever said should take place in the living at the sound of the Trumpet. I have no doubt that the Apostle had his eye upon the above words of our Lord when he said, "we shall be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air." It will here be plainly seen in what sense those who had died in the cause of Christ were _first_ raised. They are represented as coming with him at the destruction of the temple, and after that event the whole "body" was exalted together. The "vile body" of Christians on earth (vile indeed in the eyes of their enemies) was then "fashioned like unto his glorious body" of saints and angels in heaven who had died in his cause.
That we have given a correct exposition of 1 Thess. iv:15, 16, 17, is evident from Paul"s words 2 Tim. iv:7, 8--"I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a _crown of righteousness_, which the Lord, the righteous Judge shall give me at _that day_," &c. The phrase "_that day_" means not the day of Paul"s death, but the day Christ should appear in the clouds of heaven at the end of the Jewish age.
His _crown was merited_ for having "fought the good fight and kept the faith." The crown means that exalted honor he should then receive for having "turned many to righteousness." And not only himself, but all, "who love the appearing of Christ," should shine as the brightness of the firmament and as the stars forever and ever in his gospel kingdom among men. We this day look upon the martyrs and apostles as the lights of the Christian world and as occupying, on the sacred page, stations far more exalted than any ever conferred upon the greatest men of the universe. They are "made priests and kings to G.o.d" for dying in his cause, and thus establishing the truth of Christianity.
This was the "first resurrection," and these were the persons who had a part in it, which no subsequent christians can ever can have. Rev.
xx:6--"Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection, on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of G.o.d and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." But if Christ had not come in his kingdom at the end of the Jewish age, as the prophets and himself had declared, then the whole Christian system must have fallen and the names of its martyrs and apostles remained buried in perpetual infamy as a set of deluded men and impostors. But, blessed be G.o.d, it is not so. They, by their faithfulness, have attained unto the "first resurrection" and thus broken the dark chains of infidelity into fragments. This is the _resurrection and change_ referred to in Phil. iii:20, 21, and 1 Thess. iv:15, 16, 17, on which we have commented.
We have intentionally omitted till now Phil. iii:11, 12, as our ideas will be more readily comprehended here than in our introductory discourse, where we simply adverted to these words of Paul--"If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead--Not as though I had already attained either were already perfect," &c. Here we perceive that the resurrection unto which he desired to attain depended on his exertions in the cause of Christ, and being faithful unto the end. He says (verse 14)--"I press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of G.o.d in Christ Jesus." But what prize was this? Ans. It was a _part_ in the _first resurrection_ to which he desired to attain (verse 11) and he was not "perfect," he feared "lest after having preached to others himself might be a cast-away." He feared that he might not endure faithful unto the end. He was well aware that the promise was--"Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life." To obtain this crown of life in the first resurrection, was the _highest prize_, the _highest calling of G.o.d_, ever suspended upon human merits! Paul did continue faithful, and as he was led to the thought of death, with composure and satisfaction exclaimed--"For I am now ready to be offered; and the time of my departure" is at hand. "I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a _crown of righteousness_, which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also, that love his appearing." Here we perceive that Paul had continued faithful, and was ent.i.tled to the promised crown, which was awarded to him, and to all "the dead in Christ," who, on account of their faithfulness, had a part in the first resurrection--when he came in the clouds of heaven to establish his kingdom. It has nothing to do with the immortal resurrection of the dead, for that is not the reward of merit, but the gift of G.o.d. To _that_ all shall attain who die in Adam. But in the _first_ resurrection none had a part except those who died in the cause of Christ, and the living who continued faithful to the day of his appearing. On them and _them only_ devolved the honor of establishing the truth of Christianity for the happiness of future generations, by not only testifying that they had seen Jesus alive from the dead, but by cheerfully submitting to death, and showing themselves miracles of suffering in his cause. Both the departed and those that remained alive, attained to the first resurrection, were glorified together, and their crowns shall shine in the gospel heavens with undiminished splendor long after those of kings and tyrants shall be dimmed and lost in the vortex of revolutions.
He concludes the chapter by noticing the change of the "vile body"
which we have explained. Here then is no evidence of a general resurrection, nor of the end of time. The _context_, the _silence_ of Jesus about the change of the living into immortal beings, and the _whole tenor_ of revelation combine to set it at defiance. Of one thing I am satisfied; that no man ever _has_, and I believe, no man ever _can reconcile_ the change of the living and the resurrection of the dead recorded in Philippians and 1 Thessalonians with their respective contexts, so as to prove a general and immortal resurrection at the end of time. As I have traveled in an untrodden path, I do not know but that I may have erred in some minor points, but am satisfied that my general positions are sound and tenable.
[To be continued.]
SERMON XXIV
"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." 1 Cor. xv:20.
We have now come to that point in our subject where it will be necessary to cite a few pa.s.sages to prove that the immortal resurrection is _successive, not general_, and will conclude by considering some of the princ.i.p.al texts, which may be urged as objections.
We have already shown that the resurrection of the dead was to be at the sound of the last trump. And as that trump commenced sounding at the end of the Jewish age, when Christ came in his kingdom, I deem it sufficient to establish the fact that the dead are continually rising in this _last, this gospel day_. But the question presents itself-- were any of the human family raised immortal before that period? To this question I give an affirmative answer. I firmly believe, that the dead have been rising immortal from Adam to the present day, for G.o.d has never changed the established order of the universe. I believe that the dead are raised without any _miracle_, in the common acceptance of that term, as much as I believe that we are born, and die, not by a _miracle_, but according to that const.i.tution of things which G.o.d has immutably established from the beginning. I believe this doctrine of Christ to be founded upon the unchanging principles of philosophy but so mysterious, that man in his present existence cannot comprehend the subtle causes and effects by which he shall put on immortality. It was, therefore, necessary that this sublime truth should be established in the world by the miracles Jesus wrought and by the miraculous power of G.o.d in raising him from death. The first man Adam was made by a miracle, while his posterity are naturally born into life, according to that const.i.tution of things which G.o.d has established. So Christ, the second Adam, was born from the dead by a miracle, while mankind from the beginning, have, in succession, been born from the dead according to that const.i.tution of things which he has established.
On this principle, it may be stated as an objection, that as none of Adam"s posterity could be born till their parent was created by a miracle, so none of the human family could be born from the dead, till Christ the second Adam were raised immortal by the miraculous power of G.o.d. This objection is futile unless it can be proved that Christ _creates_ life and immortality. In fact, it would even then fail;-- because Christ, as our sacrifice, was slain from the foundation of the world in the offerings made to G.o.d in his stead. The atonement, made by the high priest throughout the whole Mosaic dispensation, concluded by raising the Jewish nation in figure on his "breast-plate of judgment" into the holy of holies, which was a pattern of things in the heavens. The atonement always involved the resurrection. The judgment of the Jews, for two thousand years, by Moses only pointed out the resurrection of man in _figure_, but Christ proved the _reality_ by a tangible _fact_, and thus revealed it to the living as the doctrine of G.o.d of which the world had been ignorant. So what the _judgment_ of the world by Moses taught in _figure, the judgment_ of the world by Christ teaches in _reality_. My limits will not allow me to argue this point at large. I have already remarked, that I believe _"the judgment of the world"_ expresses the whole reign of Christ including the resurrection.