The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-04-12
IF RISTBENOT RISEN WHAT
BY Rev Thos. w. Galloway.
III CHRTSET RE no RISE

tive enthe crucifxion of Jesus and ,
his resurrection There were those
who chung to him as the hope of 1
Israel's redemption and her restOra- /
ton to temporal. power
The two disciples on the way to |
Emmans gave pathetic expression to |!
the feelings of their hearts, when /
they addressed the stranger who had /
joined them: But we trusted that |
it had been he which should have }
redeemed Israel
When Jesus's devoted followers, /
misunderstanding His mission and
looking for the establishment of a
material kingdom, saw his dying
agCnies, their hopes were crushed
and they went about with Saddened I
hearts until the glad message came: /
He is risen" But some doubted his
resurrection, some doubt it today.
But, if Christ be not risen-what?
If he be not risen, then Christianity
is a thing of nOught.
The fact of the resurrection is the
foundation of our faith
If Jesus Christ be not risen from
the dead, then is our preaching vain.
The faithful ministers Of Jesus
throughout the ages, from the time
of the announcement that he had
risen until now, have preached the
doctrine of the resurrection. Through
out his ministerial career, the theme
of Paul's preaching was: Jesus, the
cructfied and resurrected Redeemer-
For I delivered unto you first of all
that which / also received, how that
Christ died for our sins according to
the scriptures; and that he was
| buried, and that he rose again the
third day according to the scriptures"
IF hrf.
prominent element in the first Chris
tan sermon delivered by Peter. He
declares: This Jesus that God
raised up, whereof We all are wit
nesses.
IF Christ be not risen then is our
faith vain.
Evangelical Christians believe that
| Jesus Christ came into the world As
the Saviour of men. in whom we have
| redemption through his blood. even
/ the forgiveness of sin. If he rose not.
then he had not power to forgive
{ sins
/ He is revealed in scripture as the
authoritative Christ, as the great
! conquerOr. who is to subdue all
/ things. The last enemy that was to
| have been conquered was death.
| Now, if Jesus did not rise, death was
/ unconqUered. Jesus himself was de-
! luded and our faith and hope in him
are vain. II he did not rise from
! the dead he was conquered by his
enemies. ShHt~aP-to this life in our
! hope in him, We are of all men most
miserable, because death still has its
sting and the grave has its victory.
/ If he did not rise. Paul was deluded
when he wrote: Thanks be to God
| which giveth us the victory through
! our Lord Jesus Christ"
! Our belief in a blessed Immortality
is largely based on the resurrection of
.! Jesus. His resurrection is the earn
! est of our resurrection
i In Paul's masterful resurrection
chapter he declared: Now is Christ
! risen from the dead, and become the
first fruits of them that slept" and
Il Peter teaches that it is 'by the resur-
rection of Jesus Christ from the dead
! we are begotten again unto a living
hope"
i Jesus came that men might have
life and that they might have it
more abundantly.
l If Christ be not risen, then is that
life we call spiritual and eternal a
! huge mistake. the utterances of
! Jesus in regard to his Fathers house
{ of many mansions a mere jargOn of
words. the bible A fallible and unre
liable book. and Christianity a delu-
> sion. If he be not risen. then the
: bible needs to be revised, and our
( theology reStated-
If he be not risen. no redemption
was wrought on Calvary, but only the
payment Of the debt Of nature which
: all men must pay. Then the sinless
one died not for the sin of the
5 world" but "hy the sin of the world.
l. - h. noe 1Fa11-
a man like other men.
: But were he man,
And death ends all; then was that
tortured death
On Calvary thing TO make the pulse
Of memory quail and stop.
II Jesus did not come forth from
the grave and we are limited in ouI
hope to this life, we can but utter
the sad lament of Arthur CloUgh:
Christ is not risen!
Eat. drink. and die, for we are souls
bereaved,
Of all the creatures under heavens
high cope,
We are most hopeless, who once had
Z most hope.
And most beliefless, that had most
believed.
n Ashes. to ashes. dust to dust.
As of the unjust. also of the just;
Yet. of that Just One too.
1t is the one sad gospel that is true
/ Christ is not risen"
> But is il true that Christ is not
/ risen. and is the world ever to re-
peat the refrain uttered long ago:
, They have taken away my Lord. and
II know not where they have laid
him?
! The fact of the resurrection has
! never been disprOved. 1t was a com