The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-08-12

49, =: y -. for today was: IF
ltPASl0k &g2stAlll so and prepare
place for you.
will come again and receive you unto
Myself. that where am there ye NAV
be also. John xiv, 10.
The error Of supposing that men are
alive when they are dead lies close to
the foundation OF every theological err
ror the world over. We have all erred
Iii taking the guess Of Plato instead of
the Word OF God. and we can get rid
Of our difficulties and theological en-
tanglements only by retracing our
STEPS.
The Bible alone, Of all religious
books, teaches that dead man is dead.
aud knows nothing, and that his only
hope is In the Divine arrangement
through Christ, by resurrection Of the
dead-"both Of the just and of the un-
just'-Acts xiv. Is.
aNo Man Hath Assembled to Heaven"
Here note onr text. In it the Master
says not a word about our going to
Him at death. but quite to the contrary
that He would come again and re-
ceive us unto Himself And are we not
told that this will be an instantaneous
change? Is it not STYLED an awakening
from the sleep OF death?
But. says one. does not the second
coming of Christ take place whenever
His holy ones die? Does He not i'm
mediately come to receive them unto
Himself?
Surely only a very lame theory could
seek to bolster itself up by such a per
version OF the Scriptures. II Christ
were to come every time one Of His
sanity ones die. would 1t not mean
MANI conlings instead OF merely a second
comingi And even IL His faithful were
very few indeed. would it not seem
that this would keep the Redeemer
busy coming and departing every few
minutes?
Hearken again to Jesus words. mo
man hath assembled up to heaven
tJohn III. l3.) Only the Son Of Man
had ever been in heaven. He has as
cended up where He was before. with
additional glory and honor
The Case Of the Dying Thief.
But. says some one. did not the dying
thief 60 with Jesus to Paradise the
very day in which they both died?
No. we have made stupid blunder
and misinterpretation Of our Redeem
er's dying words to the thief. The
wrong thought being In our minds we
misinterpreted in harmony Herewith.
And our Interpretation has done an
immense amount of harm. Thousands
OF people have been encouraged to
continue q life Of sin. trusting that
with their DYING breath they may have
the opportcnity of saying, God be
merciful to me-" and then be immedi
ately ushered into glory. honor and i'm
mortality.
Let us see what Jesus really said.
Note the circumstances. Jesus hung
between two thieves: one of better
heart than the other honestly admitted
his own guilt and that of his comrade
We paraphrase His words. Lord. ]
have defended Won against an unjust
attack. Remember this poor thief If
you ever have an opportunity to do a
kindness to me In return. heard yon
before PLATE say that you have n
Kingdom. but not OF this Age: some
heavenly Kingdom j therefore pre-
sumo. My request is. Remember me
When Thou contest into Thy King
DOM"
To this Jesus replied. Verify. verify
Tor, SO be it. so be 1t. as you have asked)
Verify say unto thee this day"-this
dark day. in which 1t would appear
that have not friend in Heaven or
on earth-this dark day in which | am
crueified as malefactor. a falsifieI
and blasphemer-I say unto thee
tilis day, Thou shalt be with Me in
Paradise
Paradise has not vet come. Messi.
ans Kingdom has not vet been estab-
hshed; and It must come first before
PARADISE Lost can be restored and the
whole earth be made Gods glorious
iootstool. as He has promised. But
( eAAC tAhiiC SllstIi NOlnG. NlCh tiiS
Aingdom shall be established. when
PARADISE conditions shall be introduced,
.he resurrection of that thief will be.
IN order. afor all that are in their
graves shall hear the voice of the Son
oI Man and come fortll.'-John V. %.
20. r. v.
But Jesus arose from sheor. from
naacs. from the tomb. from the state
u death. on the third day. He had not
peen to Paradise. for Paradise was not
yer In existence He had not been TO
heaven for He had been dead Let
us near His own words to Mary on tbs
mornlng Of His. resurrection. II have
no1 vet assembled to My Father
ahu your Father. TO My God. and your
VOC, fJnhn xx. IL, Gould anything
- lna'r"- rs'',..'ss- h.rn,uninns!
head The Daily Gate City, 10