Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-08-03
Pastor RusseIPs Sermon

MaBUer'B glory ii we lull W 9hniV hiS
loyalty, His lgnomlny-to be dead with
Him to the world, Its praises, Its am
bitions, It's rewards. IF we suffer with
Him, we shall also reign with Him."
And the only way to enter into that
reign of glory will be through the pow
er Of "His Resurrectlon"-the Chief
Resurrection.
"But the Rest Of the Dead"
The statement of our text that the
rest Of the dead will not live until the
thousand years of Christs reign are
finished has proven a stumbling block
to many who have stsdied too super
flcially. Let us not forget that the
Spirit does not reveal the deep things
Of God, except to those who search for
Truth las men search for silver"--pa-
tlently, persistently, delvlng deeply.
1t is very easy for all to grasp the
thought that Messlah's Kingdom is to
last thousand years, and that all who
shall be alive at that time, all who shall
be born during that period, will partic-
ipate in the wonderful blessings and
privileges which 1t will bring to the
human family. They are ready, too,
to admit the reasonableness OF giving
an equal opportunity to those Of our
race who have gone down into death
with either no knowledge Of Christ, as
was the case for four thousand years,
or with the too limited knowledge to
benefit them, as has been the case DUR
ing the past two thousand years, and
koday. only this text respecting the
"rest Of the dead" stands in their way.
should be glad If any such are pres
ent here today, because I know ! can
relieve them of their difficulty. Yea, l
shall be glad II my words through the
press shall reach many others who have
been perplexed by this Scripture.
1t is not necessary for us to set this
Scripture aside, even though all Bible
scholars know, or should know, that
this portion Of Revelation Xxx, A, b
which relates to "the rest Of the dead
which live not again until the thou
sand years are finished" is spurious
that 1t is not found in any of the old
Greek manuscripts 1t is supposed
that 1t got into the text, not through
any desire to corrupt the same and
falsify the record, but that in the days
when the manuscripts were copied by
pen, some copyist made this memoran-
dunn on the margin Of his manuscript
as a helpful thought, and that other
copyists, using his manuscript, sup
Iposed 1t to be a part Of the original
and incorporated It in the text.
However the additional words are
in no sense in conflict with the facts
which are these: Adam, created In
his Makers likeness, perfect, was alive
in the sense that he enjoyed perfec
ton of life and that he had right tC
a life everlasting, except as he shoulc
forfeit the same by disobedience. The
moment he dsobeyed Gods command
he came under the sentence of sin
namely, death. From that moment on
ward he was judlcially dead, ever
though the dying process lasted fol
more than nine hundred years.
Similarly, all Of his posterity, from
the Divine standpoint. are dead, "chil
dren of wrath" Jesus carried ou
this same thought in His teaching
: saying, LET the dead bury their dead
: Only those who have accepted Him a
their Life-giver are even reckonedl.
considered alive, from the Divin
standpoint.
And so, throughout the Thousand
years Of Messiah's reign, IAN in thei
graves shall come forth" every mai
In his own order:" but they will still
be. from the Divine standpoint, judi
cially dead-without the right to ever
lasting life. The work of the Lor
Jesus, as the Great Prophet, Priest
King and Judge, and the Church wit
Him, will be the instruction and as
sistance of these for their gradual uT
lifting out Of sin and weakness an
imperfection - toward perfection - t
ward acceptance with God-toward eI
erlasting life. Such as reject the az
sistance offered will die the Secon
Death. Such as avail themselves Q
the blessed privileges Of that time wi
attain human perfection. But sti
they will not have everlasting life az
corded to them. They will merely b
In q good, suitable and ready cond
: tlon for God to grant them eyerlastin
life, If they shall stand His tests.
The tests for eternal life will com
: at the close Of the Messianlc reign
when the great Mediator between Go
and men, having accomplished III
: work Of restitution of the race, sha
deliver over everything into the hanC
: Of the Father-the hands Of Justlc
D Everlasting life will not be given as
e matter of mercy, but as a matter
8 iustIce-to those who will demonstra
G their loyalty and worthlness Of eve
T lasting life. The mercy of God VI
e be exercised in the bringing Of them
e this condition, where perfection
$ word, deed and thought will be possibl
The great temptation which will the
= come to all the world, through Il
5 looslng of satan-the temporary pc
n mission of evil in the world-will der
n onstrate which Of these resurrect'
1t from the dead God can approve al
r consistently grant the great gift
It eternal life. All those who fail in the
2 trial will be destroyed with Satan
1t the Second Death, while all who pro
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