The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-04-19

tlA2ISlk-k oSoIllyj the TACT or the res
direction and show
ed from st. Paul's words that without
Gods purpose OF q resurrection those
who have fallen asleep in death would
have persisted as brutes. We followed
with the Apostle the assurances that
Christ did rise from the dead and be-
come the First-fruits OF all those who
have gone into the sleep of death. 9th
ers, indeed. were awakened temporari-
ly-as, for instance, Jairus' daughter,
Lazarus the friend OF Jesus. and the
son of the widow OF Main.
Yet none OF those instances is count
ed as a resurrection, for it is said that
Christ is the First-fruits of those who
slept. Their awakening was merely of
a temporary nature. and they soon re-
lspsed into the sleep of death. They
did not have a full resurrection-dn-
Gsfasis-a raising up to perfection Of
life. such as the redemptive work OF
Jesus guarantees 10 Adam and to all
his race willing to accept the same un-
der the terms of the New Covenant.
You will recall that on last Lord
day NO demonstrated from the Scrip
lures that il Is not the body. but the soul,
that is promised resurrection--that ii
was our Lords soul that went TO sheol.
10 hades to the death state, and that
God raised Him up from death on the
third day. We noted a difficulty into
which all Christendom was plunged by
the unscriptural theory that it is the
body that is 10 lie resurrected. We now
continue TO search and note well fur
Their difficulties into which this error
plunged us rs believers in the words of
Christ. particularly In connection with
our Redcemnr's resurrection.
What Went to Heaven7
The ordinary thought in Christian
minds in respect To Jesus death and
resurrection is that when He seemed to
die He aid not die; that He. the being,
the soul. could not die: that. instead,
He went 10 Heaven. and then, on the
third day, came back 10 get the body
which had been crucifcd and that He
took it 10 heaven forty days later: that
He has had that body ever since; and
that lie will have it TO all eternity.
married with the print OF the nails in
His hands and feet. the thorns upon
His brow, and the spear mark in His
side. What CHASTITY thought! How
strange that we should ever have been
misled Into SO unscriptural and unrea-
sOnable a theory Some endeavor to
gloss the matter by suggesting that our
Lords flesh is gloritcd-that it shines
the shining presumably making the
wounds all the more conspicuous.
Cur Methodist friends have not yet
changed their statement OF the matter
namely, lie assembled up on high, tax
ing Ills feshlv body with Him. and all
that appertained thereto. and sat down
on the right hand of Cod" This me-
dieVal statement correctly admits that
the fleshly body was not the Lords.
but that He, the soul. took it with Him
IS luggage. The statement. land all
that appertained thereto" presumably
would refer To our Lords sandals,
walking stick and such clothing as the
soldiers did not divide amongst them
at the time of His crucifxion-if in
deed He had any others. But our dear
Methodist friends want to be sure that
nothing was left behind.
All this is of piece with the theory
that the saints when they die go to
heaven. and then, later. come back and
get their bodies. and all things apper-
tanning thereto'-the Inconvenience
that they have been rid of for cen.
turtles. How many trunkloads OF
things appertaining thereto may be
taken by some, and how mixed an as.
sortment by others is not stated Nei.
ther are particulars given respecting
those whose clothing, etc. have mean
time worn out But we have had
enough OF this. IL Ii has helped us 10
see the absurdlty OF our theories re.
ceived from the Dark Ages II it has
awakened us to thought and TO Bible
investigation on this important anil in
teresting subject.
What Say the Seriptures1
The Bible presentation OF this sub
feet is every way reasonable. consist
ent and harmonious. St Paul points
out that there is natural body and
there Is spirit body" He does not
mean and he does not say that the
spirit body is human body gloriied
Quite to the contrary. He declares
that Flesh and blood cannot inherit
the Kingdom of God"-no matter how
glorified il might be. A human being
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