Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1911-05-02


ing bis theme. He said
Death is spoken of throughout the
Bible as an enemy. Merely hymn-boOk
theology presents it as friend. an an
gel sent Of God Death is introduced
to our attention in the Bible as the
penalty for sin, with the distinct I'M
Outstanding that had Adam not trans
crossed the Divine commands he need
not have died, nor ever have been cast
out of his Eden home. St Paul en-
phasizes the fact that death is the pen
atty of sin and that the resurrection Of
the dead will come to mankind as the
result Of the redemptive work of
Christ. He says, "Since by man comes
death, by man also comes the resur-
rection Of the dead For as all In
Adam die, even so all in Christ shall be
made alive; but every man in his own
order" band or cohort q Corinthians
XIV, 21-23).
AS Genesis introduces death as a
penalty for sin. Revelation concludes
the great drama by pointing out
Christ's victory and the destruction of
sin and death, the release of all the
members of Adams family from his
sentence and eventually the bringing
of all the willing back to fellowship
with God and to eternal life. Between
these two extremes of Divine REVEAL
ton are the assurances of the Proph-
cts and the words of Jesus and His
Apostles explaining the processes of
redemption and reconciliation. St
Paul summarizes these with the state
ment, ''By one man['s disobediencel
sin entered into the world. and death
as the result Of sin. and thus death
passed upon all men, because all are
sinners. AS by one mans dis
obedience [thel many were made sin
ners, so by the obedience of one shall
Ithel many be made righteous" Gro
mans V, 1910.
Death a Ravenous Monster.
In the poetic language OF Scripture
death is synbolically represented as a
great monster which has been swal-
lowing up the human family, never
satisfied Millions on millions have
already been devoured. Mankind in
vain has looked for q Deliyerer-for
one able to vanquish death and to de-
liver the prisoners from the great pris-
on-house Of Sheol, hadeS, the grave
This monster was granted permission
to devour the race by Him Who ere
ated us, because we were unworthy
of eternal life. Death, therefore, is
backed by the mandate of the Al
mighty, and He cannot overthrow His
own decision.
The Divine proposition is that who
ever would meet the requirements Of
Justice against Adam and his race
might purchase or ransom them, and
have full right to deliver them from
the prison-house, the tomb. For four
thousand years there were promises
looking forward to this great Mes
sianic Deliverer. but only promises
nothing was accomplished. Finally, in
due time, God sent forth His Son.
He says that HE came not to con-
denim the world mot to add to its con-
domination, not to add to its sorrow or
pain or trouble or hopelessness), but
that the world through Him might be
saved" from death-have life, perfect
and everlasting, deliverance from the
Jaws of the monster and from his
prison-house. But although more than
eighteen centuries have since elapsed,
the race is being swallowed up of this
great monster. death, more yoracious-
" than ever-ninety thousand every
day. His prison-house. She0l. hadeS,
the tomb, is supposed now to contain
twenty thousand millions of Adams
children. Why the delay? Did Gods
plans go awry? Was the Savior in
sufficient for His work? Was His sac
rifce imperfect and unsatisfactory?
The Scriptures assure us that the
sacrifice that Jesus offered (Himselfl
was a satisfaction. "rdRSonl-prfce, " for
the sins of the whole world. They tell
US that the Heavenly Father manifest
ed His approval of the sacrifice when
He granted the Pentecostal blessing
and that Jesus is even now at the
Fathers right hand waiting Uebrews
X, 10, 49, until the time shall come
when the heather and the uttermost
parts of the earth shall be given TO
Him, that He may establish His reign
of righteousness, blessing the world
and releasing all the prisoners of Sin
and Death.
The delay is not In any sense an indi-
cation of weakness. nor of any change
IN the Divine program. 1t merely In
dicates that there is another feature
OF the Almighty's purpose which we
did not for a time discern. The work
is to be a great one. Twenty thousand
millions are 70 be delivered from
deaths prison-house. And all OF them
viii need instruction. uplifting, chas-
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