The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1912-08-29

covered in the preparation Of Z
fraud. It is word used for judg.
nents regarding moral character and
conduct. and conveys the idea OF dis.
covering and detecting forgery and
falsity.
In using this word, the apostle
would say that in proclaiming to the
Corinthians the doctrine Of the resur
rection of Christ, he and the other
apostles had been guilty OF perpetrat
ing fraud upon them.
If Christ be not risen, then tha
apostles are false witnesses; not Wit.
nesses deluded, mistaken, deceived
the victims Of an hallucination,
was the result -o2-eR-eSer-wroug
brain and imagination, but false wit.
nesses. Deluded! say the apostle, We
cannot be; victims OF an over-wrought
imagination, innocent but deceived en-
thusiasts-all this i'm impossible. we
are downright deceivers; we have
willingly, knowingly perpetrated .
fraud upon the church in claiming
that Christ rose from the dead; we
are downright deceivers. The strange
thing about the apostles statement -
that the idea Of delusion or hallucinar
ton is wholly absent from his argu-
nent. It does not seem to have oc-
Cured to him to mention 1t. Even the
possibility of it is too remote to be
spoken Of.
To the apostle, the resurrection OF
Christ is a truth or q falsehood, e
reality of a fraud, thing of sincerity
or of deceit, fact or a mistake. There
is no loophole Of escape-the resur-
rection is either fact or falsehood,
reality or a sham, and such persons
as the apostles were guilty of perpe-
trating it.
Paul feels that the stigma Of false.
hood has been put upon him. He feels
that he has been stung by an insult.
Somebody has not believed him-haS
made him out to be liar. His test.
mony in effect Is this: have seen
the risen Christ; I have talked with
him; have received my commission
from him. To challenge my statement
Is to challenge my character, my
veracity, my understanding, my rea-
son.
v. II Christ be not risen from the
dead then we hase~h6 ecdlWhe Ia
worthy Of our trust.
To attribute to person good or.
glorious act, which it is well known.
that he never performed, Is to cause
that person to be suspected Of hay.
Ing prompted the false assertion. So
the testimony of the apostle would
lead men to think that God had In;
spired men to tell lies about him.
Many think that they can stu hare
faith in God, that they still have lett
a God whom they can trust and IN 1
whom they can repose their taith
even though they do not accept the
resurrection Of Jesus Christ. The
apostle says plainly, This is not so; Z
we have no risen Christ, neither have
we God in whom we can trust. Note
the serious point here. paul preach
ed God, he commended God, and the
justice of God as shown IN raising nus y
holy son from the dead. But Il Jesus 3
Christ is not risen from the dead
then we have no such God. Il one Ike;
Jesus Christ Is still left dead, II one
be so good as Jesus was and stu pc
deprived of life, what kind OF Goo
how vao We hava no God In whom
we can trust; 1t is no use Gyms 70
be good. The end Is skull and few
ashes. We have testified OF COO
says Paul, we have justified Goa Dus
we are found false witnesses OF nim
If Jesus Christ did not rise trom ing
dead. Have you considered what .aa.
point means? The modern man ofseu
assumes that he is already in posses
sion Of a God with reliable chara
fer whatever you make OF Jesus
Christ. But there is something IN tae
career and In the issue of the careef 8
of 1esus Christ that makes gooo
Cod in this tragic world incredible un.
less Christ be risen from the oeao-
Jesus went through the worst suEes
ings that any man ever suffered. ne
sounded the depths of the Horn
tragedy. Now if he has been fsseu {
fror, the dead we may believe IN
cod. hut ii there be no resurrection
o. the spotless Christ, then God 10
either dead or mad. We nave no 'eS'
eonab!e God left.