Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1910-01-08


and death is a part Of the great lesson
which God designs all to have-learn-
ing the exceeding sinfulness of sin.
Later when the second great lesson
shall be given to mankind-the desira-
bleness and proftableness of right
eousness-the schooling as a whole
will be the more effective.
(2) We must also learn that our dear
friends and neighbors who go down
into death are as il only asleep, and
have no consciousness in either Joy or
sorrow, waiting for the Millennial
morning-the Resurrection morning.
Their death would have been absolute,
as in the case of the brute beast, had
not God with his great love provided
for their redemption aud resurrection
Ecclesiastes V, 8; John XII, IL; iii, 13;
Acts ii, 34). In view of this provision
the whole world is said to sleep in
Jesus-in the sense that their hope
rests in the great work which Jesus
accomplished when he gave himself
ransom for all to be testified in due
time" q Timothy ii. O.. There is a
|
world sleeping in Jesus and the Church
who fall asleep in Christ. The Church
is composed of those begotten of the
holy Spirit during this Gospel Age,
who maintain their relationship to
Christ, the Head, as members" in his
Body, and whom God has promised,
that as they share with Christ in his
sacrifcial death, they shall also share
with him in his glorious resurrection
to honor and immortality philippians
| II, SID.
The Scriptures make very plain the
fact that while Jesus was born of a
woman, this was not the beginning Of
his existence, for "He was with the
| Father before the world was" He
was the very beginning of the Crea-
tion of God" (Revelation iii, 14). AS
st, John declares, in the beginning
was the Word Q.ogos) and the Logos
was with The God and the Logos was
a God. BY him were all things
made that were made and without him
was not one thing made" He was
''made flesh and dwelt amongst u.s."
'he came unto his own and his own
received him not, but to as many as
received him, to them gave he privi-
lege to become sons of God" John /,
1-14).
The Scriptures make clear to us that
the Father did not compel the Son to
be our Redeemer-on the contrary, he
invited him to do so, and set before |
him the great reward:
Q) The privilege of proving his 10y |
atty to the Father Nebrews x, z; |
Psalm xl, 81.
(2) The privilege of serving the fall |
en- race. as their Redeemer and Re-
storer (Matthew Xxx, 2S).
(3) The honor Of high eXaltation to
even greater dignltles than he had be-
fore he left the Father-to honor glory |
and Immortality, far above angels and
princlpalitles and powers and every !
name that Is named. st. Paul, in re-
ferring to the matter. tells us that our
Lord, FOR the joy that was set before
him, endured the cross, despising the
shame"-and now, in consequence. is
set down on the right hand of the
Father ON high QIebrews xii, D.
While the Savior was the Christ
mas gift to MS in one sense of the
word, yet the gift was more from
another standpolnt-althoug 1t was all
in that primary gift. Our
Lord first by obedience to the Divine
Law, demonstrated his right to eternal
life; and, at the same time by his con-
secratlon TO death, he laid dOlDn the
life he was privileged to have. Nor
did he ever take il back, He arose
from the dead on the third day, per
fected as New Creature--as a spirit
being Ql Corinthians Iii, 10. He did
indeed appear to the apostles during |
the subsequent forty days, but not as
before Although after his resurrec-
ton, he appeared in the flesh. he was
not flesh. He had taken the body Of !
ilesh for the suffering of DEATH" and
not 10 keep etemally, When he had flu
shed sacrificing Il, the flesh had served
his purpose His high eXaltation is ON
the spirit plnne. far above angels. His
appearances during the forty days
were very brief and few. after the
manner In which angels had previously
appeared IN the flesh, They were
'or the purpose OF convincing the dis
'iples that he was no longer dead, aud
% convince Il EN- also that he was no
onger limited TO earthly powers as
before his death He was put to
leath In the nesh. but quickened in
spirit" Il Peter III, iSl.
"Ths Body Of Christ"
Notice how Gods gift expands, car q
'ying blessings With each change. The a
,lorihed Jesus, when he ascended up I
m high. had to his credit, So to speak, n
he human earthly rights which he Z
lad sacrificed, Those rights were I
for the whole world. Be n
ause all had been condemned through 4
me man, all could be justified, atoned Z
or by the sacrifice of one perfect man h
-"thO man Christ Jesus who gave Z,