The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1910-01-01

and death IS u part OF the great lesson
which God designs all 10 have-learn-
ing the exceeding sinfulness Of sin
Later when the second great lesson
shall be given { o mankind-the desira-
bleness aud proftableness OF right
eOusness-the schooling as a whole
will be the more effective.
ca We must also learn that our deaI
friends aud %neighbOrs who 90 down
into death are as II only asleep, and
have no consciousness In either joy OF
sorrow. waiting for the Millennial
morning-the Resurrection morning
Their death would inye been absolute
as Ia the case ul the brute beast. had
not God with his great love provided
for their redemption aud resurrection
Gcclesiastes Y. 8; John xi. IL; iii. 10
Acts Ii. ga. In view of this provision
the whole world Is said 10 sleep IN
JesuS-ln the sense that their hope
rests In the great work which Jesus
accomplished when he gave himself a
ransom for all to be testified IN due
time" q Timothy Ii. O.. There Is n.
difference. therefore. between the
world sleeping IN Jesus and the Church
who fall asleep lis 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 bis
Body. and whom God has promised.
that as they share with Christ In his
sacrihcial death. they shall Also share
with him I'm his glorious resurrection
to honor ssd 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-
ton Of God" Revelation iii. ~. As
st. John declares. in the beginning
was the Word CLogosl 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 us.
he came unto his own and his own
received him not. but TO az many as
received him. to them gave he privi-
lege to become sons Of God" lIohn l..
LA.
The Scriptures make clear TO us that
the Father did not compel the Son to
be u Redeemer-on the contrary. be
invited him to do so. and set before
him the great reward:
a. The privilege Of proving his 10y
atty to the Father Hebrews <. 4:
Psalm xl. 81.
~ The privilege Of serving the fall
en- race. as their Redeemer and Re
storer (Matthew xx 81.
C3l The honor OF high exaltation TO
even greater dignitles than he bad be-
fore be left the Father-to honor. glory
and Immortality. far above angels and
principallties 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. desplsing the
shame"-and now. in consequence, is
set down on the right hand Of the
Father on high Hebrews xii. p.
While the Savior was the Christ
mas gift to us in n sense OF the
word. yet the gift was more from
another standpoint-although 1t was all
contained 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 bis con-
secration to DEATH ne laid dOon the
life be was privileged to have. Nor
did be ever take II back. He arose
from the dead on the third day. per
fected as a New Creature-as a spirit
being III Corinthians III. 10. He did
indeed appear to the apostles during
the subsequent forty days. but not as
before. Although. after his resurrec-
ton. be appeared In the flesh. he was
not flesh. He had taken the body Of
flesh 'for the suffering Of DEATH and
not to keep eternally. When he had fin
lshed sacrificing It. the flesh had served
his purpose. His high exaltation Is on
the spirit plane. 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
for the purpose Of convincing the dis
ciples that be was no longer dead. and
to convince them also that he was no
longer limited to earthly powers, as
before his death. He was put to
death in the flesh. but quickened In
spirit" q Peter iii. 49,.
1.-THE Body Of Christ"
Notice how God's rift expands. car
rying blessings with each change. The
glorihed Jesus. when he assembled up
on high. had 10 his credit. 50 to speak.
the human. earthly rights which ne
had sacrificed Those rights were
sufficient for the whole world. Be
cause all had been condemned through
n man. all could be justified. atoned
for, by the sacrifice Of one perfect man
the man Christ Jesus. who gave
himself a RANSOM Tor alr' q Timothy
IL K q.