The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1913-03-28

ll1ASC5R RUSSEIOl clearness the
@~ speaker point
ed out that Jesus resurrection was the
very first. as the text declared. He
led his hearers back to Eden, and let
them hear the Divine penalty for sin
Dying thou shalt die" He showed
that this dying process operated In
Adam for nine hundred thirty years
before its action was complete.
Adams children, humanity. never had
Adams original perfection; for they
were fallen at the time Of birth. On
this subject both Old and New Tesla
ment agree.
Next the Pastor showed that the
Greek word anastasis. translated res
direction. means a raising up again
the word again implying a former
standard. That standard is the image
and likeness Of God. which none Of
Adams children have fully possessed.
"Not Possible to Be Holden"
st. Peter declares that 1t was not
possible for death to hold Jesus. (Acts
2:24) He was perfect. 1t was the
Fathers will that Jesus should demon
strate His obedience even unto death.
Hence 1t was not possible for Jesus to
remain under the power Of death, and
God raised Him on the third day.
Jesus was perfect on the spirit plane,
before He exchanged the spirit nature
for the human. to become mans Re-
deemer. He never forfeited His right
to life. He merely laid it down IN
proof Of His loyalty to the Fathers
will. Hence His resurrection meant
His resuscitation in perfection. But 1t
was not Gods will that He should re-
turn to perfection Of human nature;
for He had used that nature for the
purpose intended. He was raised from
the power of death to the very highest
plane: namely. the Divine nature.
The Pastor asked his audience to
contrast Jesus resurrection with the
awakening Of Jairus' daughter; the
widow of Mains son: Lazarus. the
brother Of Mary and Martha; or any
Of the awakenings recorded In the Old
Testament. These were nothing more
than mere awakenings from the sleep
of death. They were not, therefore,
resurrections.
The resurrection Of any of these
sleeping ones would have meant much
more than was accomplished in them.
1t would have meant their restoration
to the full image and likeness Of God.
lost in Eden. As 1t was. the awakened
ones merely had the advantage Of
few more years in the present life, and
then fell asleep again, to await the
glorious Day of Messiah's Kingdom.
The First (chisf) Resurrection.
The Pastor made it clear that
the Church Of Christ consists of the
truly consecrated in all denominations
and some outside of UNCONVENTIONAL
fences, which are barriers not author
ICED by Scripture. He quoted Philip
plans $40 and other Scriptures which
show that these true Christians are to
have a share with Jesus in His Resur-
rection. The inherited blemishes Of
these are covered through the merit Of
Jesus. thus justifying them. This JUS
tification permits their being accepted
Of God as His children.
The Pastor seemed to give the thought
that in the Divine Purpose foreor-
dained number Of the Church class
must suffer with Christ before the Mil
lennium begins. Their sufferings are
not vicarious. as were Jesus, nor nee
%, rod ntfn Of hn xunrId
as were our Lords. The sufferings are
necessary to prove their loyalty to God.
and to demonstrate their worthiness
of joint-heirship with Jesus. The
Churchs suffering is the dying to
earthly conditions and ambitions. as
did Jesus. His faithful followers will
experience similarly glorious resur-
rection to a higher nature-the Divine.
Easter and the Passover.
Pastor Russell says that the word
Easter occurs only once in our Com
mon Version Bible. and is u mistransia-
ton. It'shsuld be rendered Passover. |
Easter was heather festival honor
ing the goddess of Spring. The name
was transferred to the Passover cele-
bration of the early Church. In honor
of our Lords Resurrection.
Whatever the word originally meant.
II stands now as a synonym for the
glorious resurrection Of the worlds Re-
deemer from death and from human
nature to glory. honor and Immortality
the Divine nature. The resurrection
of Jesus Is the guarantee for the resur-
rection Of "the Church. which Ia His
Body" II also assures Us Of the
worlds resurrection-tbat an opportu-
nifty for everlasting life will be given
to all through Messiah's Kingdom.