The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-11-20

right; but his death in the fesh was
such quickening of the spirit as enabled
him to preach to the spirits imprisoned
In hades-the spirits who were DISC
bedient In the days OF Noah; when eight
lives were saved from drowning las bap-
item now saves Christisns,-not that
baptism literally puts away the former
sins OF the flesh. but it is a religious
duty to be consoientiously fulfilled
through faith In the resurrection of
Jssue); for Christ Is now in heaven. st
the right hand of God, still doing his
redeeming work, with the great forces
Of the universe subject to him. The
central thought Is: Jesus, by suffering
death, gained more life-life which he
at once devoted to redeeming work in
the realm of the departed, and now,
having been raised to the right hand of
God In heaven, still devotes to the res
cue of souls from evil.
This is the ethical application in
Noyee' translation:
1. Through Faith In the Risen
and Victorious Christ, cease from
Sinning.-vs. l, 2.
Christ then having suffered in the
flesh, do ye also arm yourselves with the
same mind; for he that hath suffered in
the flesh hath ceased from sin; that ye
may no longer live the remaining time
after the lusts of men, but after the will
OF God.
As Christ choose to suffer in the flesh.
to do the will of God, 90 do you; let his
thought be your thought: in this devo-
tion to God rise at once out of all sinful
waye.
2. Live not I'm the Sins of the
Gentiles.-vs. 3-5.
For sufficient is the time past to have
wrought the will of the Gentiles, when
ye walked In lasciviousness, luste, excess
of wine. revellings, csrousings, and
abomineble idolatries; at which they
are astonished that ye run not with
them to the excess Of riot, speaking evil
of you; who shall give account to him
that is ready to Judge the living and the
dead.
Enough of your life have you given to
the moral denominations which the Gen
tiles think it religious to practice. They
are astonished at your choice of moral
purity. They speak evil of you. They
will give account of their sins Including
this unjust iudgment) to him who has,
by his death and resurrection, become
prepared to Judge both the living and
the dead,-from whose justice there is
no escape.
3. Prepare for Divine Judg-
ment.-vs. SO.
For to this end was the gospel preached
also to the dead, that they might indeed
be judged according to men in the flesh,
but might live according to God in the
spirit. But the end OF all things is at
hand; be ye therefore sober, and watch
unto prayer. And above all things have
fervent love among yourselves; for love
covereth multitude of sins.
That Christ might be just and equal
to all, living and dead; that those who
died In paganism before he came might
have equal opportunity with those living
in the earth to be morally TRANSPORTED
by the Glad-tidings,-he preached to the
dead; he preached to the contemporaries
of Noah, who were swept off the earth
by the deluge.-A crisis like that OF the
flood Is again approaching. The con-
summation OF the age which Jesus
prophesied Is at hand. Be sober; be
watchfu'; be prsyerful. Love each other
fervently, forgive each other freely, in
the solemn Joy of universal and eternal
hope.