The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-01-31

They are dead. they are not alive as
spirit nor in any other sense. They
will be dead until Gods time for the
resurrection Of the dead. Resurrection
Of the living would be unnecessary,
and If death brought to man a change
to higher plane of existence as a
spirit being. then the resurrection of
the dead would not be set before hui
mainly as blessed hope. for rather
1t would be punishment. even to the
holy.
Whence Came the Error?
It seems probable that this serious
error, which has had so much to do
with the worlds theological confu-
sion, came about through the misun-
Outstanding Of the Bible teachings re-
specting the Church-the application
Of things said concerning the Church
to the world. TO whom they did not
apply Bible students are coming
more and more TO see. in the light
which one passage of Scripture throws
upon another, that the Church is dis
tinctive class, separate from the angels
and the world Of mankind In general.
The Divine Plan revealed In the
Scriptures sets forth one salvation for
the Church-on the spirit plane. 1t re-
veals to us two classes who will be
blessed on that spirit plane. 1t shows
us that one of these classes was typi-
fed in the priesthood of natural Is
rael and that the other class was typi-
fed In the Levites who assisted the
priests as servants. The remainder Of
the tribes of Israel represented typ
ically, the entire world of mankind who
will ultimately be saved, not to heav-
emily state or condition, but as men to
a restored earthly condition.
1t will be remembered that the Priests
and Levites had no inheritance In the
land, thus typically showing that they
represented that portion Of humanity
which. by Gods grace, will obtain a
heavenly inheritance and experience a
change from human to spirit nature.
AS the Levites and Priests represent
ed the first-born of Israel saved at the
Passover, so those who will attain
resurrection to the spirit plane are
Scripturally designated the church Of
the first born, and again. ''the first
fruits unto God of his creatures The
elect of this Gospel Age are not, there
fore. all who are to be saved, but mere
ly all who are to be saved to the spirit
plane. With the completion of the
elect Church and her gloriication with
our Lord In his resurrection, the ''f1rst
resurrection" philippians Iii, 10; Rev
Citations Xxx, g., the Kingdom will be
estab lished for which we pray.
The Kingdom, per Sc, will be spirit,
invisible to men, but it will have
earthly agents and representatives,
and its dealings will be with mankind
to uplift Adam and his race from sin
and degradation-not to spirit condi-
lions, not to the heavenly plane, not
to make them like the angels. but as
the Scriptures declare, to restore them
to human perfection-to perfection of
the earthly nature. In which Adam
was created and from which by sin
he fell and has been redeemed by the
grace Of God in Christ Jesus.
Begotten to New Nature.
Very long ago the distinctions between
these two salvations was lost sight
of-the heavenly calling for the Church
and the Restitution for the World
Hebrews i'll. /; Acts i'll, 1921. The
old Testament refers exclusively to
the earthly and the fact that the New
Testament tells almost exclusively Of
the heavenly and its promises was over
looked. Thenceforth no difference was
recognized between the consecrated
Church and mankind in general. and
the words of the Apostle. addressed to
the Church class only. were applied TO
all.
For instance. In first Corinthians,
the fifteenth chapter. St Paul dis
cusses the general fact Of death reign
ing through Adam and of the provi-
sion, through Christ. of il resurrection
of the dead. Then he proceeds to
speak specially of the Church class.
saying, this is the resurrection of the
dead" The (emphaticl resurrection sig
mites the special or First
class, and the dead similarly marks the
special class Of dead es-the sanity
dead. the Church Of Christ. begotten
of the holy Spirit to new nature. the
heavenly nature
Not noticing this, commentators and
people in general have applied these
words to humanity in general aid un-
derstand them to teach that ali that
are sown in corruption will be raised
In interruption; that all who die in
weakness. will be raised in power; that
all who die animal bodies, will be
raised spiritual bodies. But the Apos
tie is endeavoring to impress a very
different lesson, namely. that the
Church is special class and will have
a special resurrection to spirit condi-
lions which the world will never know
anything about. experimentally.
The Bible shows this had we but
noticed 1t: The Apostle says, "God
yiveth to every seed its own body;
that is to say. If we SOW wheat we
expect to reap wheat, If we SOW oats
we expect to reap oats. The Apostles
argument is that none need expect to
be Of the wheat class, the spirit class,
unless they are of that class when
sown In death In other words, he
would have them understand that a
natural man. an animal man, in the
will be an animal man,
but those who accept the Divine offer
IF this Gospel Age to become new
creatures In Christ Jesus. begotten
again by the holy Spirit-these will
not come forth In the resurrection
human beings, but. being in full har-
nonZ With the begsttsaG Of the spirit