Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-07-22

lGzeS!SN: SQSSLLlJ go anu piep"te
place for you.
will come again anu receive you unto
Myself, that where l am there ye mag
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 en-
ror the world over We have oil erred
In taking tho guess Of Plato instead OF
the Word of God. and we can get rid
of our difficulties and theological en-.
Engagements only by retraclnS our
steps
The Bible alone, of all religious
books. teaches that dead man is dead.
and knows nothing, and that his only
hope is in the Divine arrangement
through Christ. by resurrection of tie
1ead-"both Of the Just and of the IN.
Iust"-Acts XIV. IS.
"No Man Hath Assembled to Haven
Here note our text. In It the Master
says not O 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 wo 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
Els holy ones die? Does He not i'm.
rf,ediately come to receive them unto
Eimself?
Surely only very lame theory could
seek to bolster Itself up by such per-
version of the Scriptures. If Christ
were to come every time one of Ills
sanity ones die. would It not mean
many comtngs Instead Of merely second
comingp And even If His faithful were
very few indeed, would 1t not seem
that this would keep the Redeemcr
busy coming and departing every few
minutesH
Hearken again to Jesus words, mo
man hath assembled up to heaven.
John iii, 13) Only the Son of Man
had ever been In heaven. He has as
cended up where BE was before. with
additional glory and honor.
The Case Of the Dying Thief.
But, says some one. did not the dying
thief go with Jesus to Paradise the
very day In which they both died:
No, we have made a 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 opportunity Of saying, God BE-
merciful to me-" and then be immedi
ately ushered into glory, honor aud 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 you against an unjust
attack. Remember this poor thief if
you ever have an opportunity to do a
kindness to me in return. heard You
before PLATE say that you have a
Kingdom, but not of this Age: some !
heavenly Kingdom I therefore pre-
sumo. MY request Is, Remember me !
when Thou contest into Thy King |
DOM"
To this Jesus replied, "verlly. verify
Tor, so be it, so be it. as You have asked
Verify say unto thee this day"-ths
dark day, in which it would appear
that have not friend in Heaven or
on earth-this dark day in which ] am
crucifled as a malefactor, falsifer
and a blasphemer-"I say unto thee
this day, Thou shalt be with Me in
Paradise"
Paradise has not yet come. MeSsi
abs Kingdom has not yet been eStnb.
lished; and it must come first before
Paradise Lost can be restored and the
whole earth be made Gods glorious
footstool, as He has promised. Put
when the time shall come, when the
Kingdom shall be established. when
Paradise conditions shall be introduced.
the resurrection Of that thief will he
in order, "for all that are in their
graves shall hear the voice Of the Son
OF Man and come forth. John Y. IS.
%, f. 2.
But Jesus arose from sheol. from
hades, from the tomb. from the state
Of death, on the third day. He had moi
been to Paradise, for Paradise was not
yet in existence. He had not been 10
heaven, for He had been dead Let
Us hear His own words to Mary on tho
morning Of His resurreetionS ;.t.Ealaye