The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-27

committed murder, and robbed the
widows and orphans, etc, and then at
breath, confesses his sins, and accepts
Christ as his Savior, will he not i'm
mediately go to Heaven and be with
the Lord in glory? CIV. Al
AnSwer.-When we think of the
vast numbers of vicious, depraved
characters, hardened criminals, con-
victs, etc, who at the solicitation of
clergymen and religious devOteeS have
made their peace with God" at the
last moment before being ushered in
to eternity by electrocution or by dy-
ing a natural death,We wonder that IN
telIigent people would for an instant
entertain the idea that these had all
entered into Heaven! Is it possible
that the sanity followers of Jesus,
who walked the narrow way of self
sacrifice, suffering and death, and VINO
developed characters OF love ana KIND
ness and gOOdneSS-that these sanity
few, for the saints are very few, when
they reach Heaven, will find 1t crowd
ed with the lowest scum of the earth.
Much confusion of thought in TINS
connection has resulted from the
disqualification of the Savior's words
addressed to the dying thief upon the
cross By placing the comma Where
it properly belongs, after the WORD
today the meaning of the LORD
words is clear The thief did not go to
Heaven, or to Paradise that day; but
went into the tomb there to remain I'M
til the Kingdom of Christ is set up at
the Lords second coming, when Para
disc will be restored. Not only this
thief, but the other thief as VEL may
then receive eternal life on the terms
of obedience to the Divine Laws of
justice and love. Failing in this, they
will die the Second Death.
Q-Do you mean to say that the |
spirit of the Thief who died upon the |
cross when the Lord Jesus was cruel
fed remained in the grave with his !
body? If so, do the spirits of our dear |
friends, who turned to Christ in this |
life, remain with their bodies in the |
grave until the Lords return? Cd. ID |
Answer.-The inspired writer's of the |
Bible tell us just what became Of the |
spirit of the thief who died upon the |
cross. And they also tell us what be-
comes of the spirits of those who were |
devoted followers of Christ and were |
faithful even unto death 1t would not |
do for US to say what became of these |
spirits Too many SO-calIad leaders of |
religious thought have theorized and |
speculated a S to what became of the |
spirits of the departed dead and have |
set forth the results of their vain i'm |
aginingS Let us not add to the awful |
confusion by presenting ideas of our |
own, but let us hear what the Scrip
lures declare, recognizing that the
Lord is surely able to guide us into the
knowledge of the Truth. We read
4n0u SilGll the QuSC return to the |
earth as it was; and the spirit shall re-
turn unto God who gave it" (EccIesf-
asteS xii, - This text reminds us of
the original sentence of death pro-
nounced upon Adam for disobedience
He had been formed of the dust and
therefore he should forfeit his life and |
return unto dust. He died. The breath
of life (the spirit)-the energizing or
life principle-was removed from the
body and returned to God. who is the
source fountain of al
ing soul, the intelligent being. died. AS
the Bible says, 1.-THE soul that sinneth
lt snail die ezekiel xviii, - From ,
these Scriptures it is evident that the
spirit Of the thief and of all who die
returns to God. This animating prin-
ciple (spirit), called life, is to be given
to all of the faithful and obedient in
the resurrection.
Q.-Is lie ever justihable? Oh. V
ID
Answer-The development of charac-
Ter IS the main purpose Of our present
The Importance of this work
s manifest when we reflect that our
interests throughout eternity depend +,
upon the kind of character
We develop in this life. It is by con-
ending against adverse infiuenc es that
is formed. Nearly all CT the ,
Influences OF the conditions of this life
Ire opposed to the principles of right
sousness Those who are willing to
Oil @-A~ SCOA 4AS4AC VI ldAl1l, |
% rise against the downward tenden
lies of this present evil world, are as
;ured of a high and heavenly reward
n the life to come, as well as receiv-
ng the reward in this present time of
lear conscience and the glorious salts
action Of having lived a noble honest !
ifei Those VINO follow the lines of
east resistance, drifting with the tide,
nay think theirs is the easiest way, ,
tut this is only a vain delusion, for !
lfter all, they nave Travelled the ha1 -
st way THE way of the fransgressor
s hard (Proverbs xiii, 15.) A lie is :
never justif1able; and not only SO, it is
It weakeas ones char
lcter in proportion to the enormity of
he offense involved in the relating of :
will 777xyo m he .of7.o 1od cfk1a,- ]