The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-04-27

was a prominent theme in the theology
of the Middle Ages. Gravely and pom
derously these subtle churchmen dis
cussed such questions as Twill the res
direction be natural or miraculousf"
"Will each ones hairs and nails be re
stored in the resurrection when
bodies are raised, will each soul spon-
taneously know it's own and enter it?"
"Will the scars and deformities OF our
present bodies be retained in the resur-
rection?" twill all rise of the same age?"
Twill all have one size and one sex?'
And so on.
Principal Argument.
Christian advocates of this doctrine
affirm that their main argument is
based on the resurrection of Christ. In
rejoinder to this assumption it is only
necessary to point out that Christs res
direction with all it's connected parts.
was not meant throughout as a strict
representation of our destiny. 1t was
in attestation of his commission and
teachings, and not an complication of
what should happen to others. Out
wardly it was miracle, and not type.
The logic which declares that Christ
rose and assembled with his feshly body;
therefore we SHALL" must also affirm,
Christ rose visibly on the third day;
therefore we SHALL" But more than
this; Cnrist's body saw no corruption.
If the argument is worth anything, then
it is only those bodies which remain I'M
corrupted which shall enjoy the resurrec-
ton. Nor is this all: The dead had been
raised previousto this event, and in every
specified CASE. the body had not been de-
composed, or resolved into it's compon-
emit parts. Hence we must believe that
the resurrection of Christ was for
a far grander purpose than simply to
indicate that God can raise the dead. AS
already implied. the divine idea of
Christ's resurrection was to give proof
to man that his work for human re.
demption should be complete, and was
in accordance with the will of God
Bible Teachings.
Perhaps no one would deny that the
Corinthians XIV. sets forth the doctrine
of the resurrection. Read the chapter
carefully, and nowhere will it be found
that st. Paul even hints that the resur-
rection of Christ is an exact pattern OF
our anastasis. Nowhere is it indicated
that as Christ's body which was laid
away in the grave was reinhabited by
the soul. SO shall our grave bodies be.
The Apostle simply afiirms that Christ
after death rose, lived, and that this fact
should set aside all denials of the future
life.
The same chapter proves that the sub
ject of the kind of bodies we should
have interested the Corinthian church.
There is but one chapter in the whole
Bible where we find the question asked
and answered: How are the dead raised
up and with what manner of body do
they conner" Hence the controversy was
commenced almost at the very inception
of Christianity. How easy it would
have been for the Apostle to have an
swered: 1.-THE resurrection consists of
our grave bodies being re-created, then
spiritualized, and re-inhabited by the
pneuma or immortal nature after which
there will be no separation; and that
Christ's resurrection, in all its particu.
lars, is an exact pattern of what shall
occur to the race" Was his long answer
to the question, Astounding in illustra
ton, and explanation, merely specious
and calculated only to becloud the Wis
ion?
The question must not be overlooked
How are the dead raised up and with
what manner OF body do they Gomez"
This is the question st. Paul is to con-
slider Mark his reply. Then consider
wherein or how has he taught the resur-
rection of the material body. THAT
which thou sowest, thou sowest not
that'body which shall be- God giveth
it body as it hath pleased him."
There are celestial bodies and bodies
terrestrial" There is natural body,
and there is spiritual body THAT
was not first which is spiritual, but that
which is natural; and afterward that
which is spiritual" Flesh and blood
cannot inherit the kingdom of God"
"As we have borne the image of the
earthly, we shall also bear the image of
the heavenly"
Did Paul cast away golden oppor-
tunity in failing to declare that "Flesh
and blood, after it has been resurrected
or recreated and spiritualized. shall in
herit the kingdom Of heaven? But
Paul does most positively teach that we
shall be invested with glorious power
full. spiritual, incompatible body.
Consistent with his teachings, st.
Paul. elsewhere z Cor. V. II declares:
"We know that, il our earthly house OF
this tabernacle were dissolved, we have
building of God. house not made with
hands, eteral in the heavens." Let it be