Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1913-05-09

bSSznes.sses CIV ss11zts< eelVed gl1tS or
l(RASIGlR RU55EllJ men: yea. for the
rebellious $ o,
that the Lord God might dwell among
them. Psalm GS:1S.
Pastor Russell declared that one of
the serious errors engrafted into the
Christian faith is the supposition that
Jesus is still a man This wrong
thought prevails especially amongst
Premillenarians, and helps to turn
many away from faith in the premil
lennial coming of Christ for the bless
ing of all tie world Many Christians
perceive that Il reign of Christ in the
flesh would lie inferior TO a spiritual
reign Hence the general rejection Of
faith in tho Second Coming of Christ
and the establishment Of His Kingdom.
He showed that all Christians firmly
believe that Jesus was spirit being
before lie came idto the. world. AH
believe that Il spirit being is of a high
er order than Il human being, and that
Jesus madea great stoop when He laid
aside the glory of His prehuman condi
ton to become Jthe Man Christ Jesus. y
Man is "a lille lower than angels
even in his perfection.
The Pastor declared that surely no
Bible student supposes that the Heay-
emily Father had permanently degraded
His Son from station higher than
angels to one below them. Yet many
Christians profess to believe this very
thing The ascension of Christ is claim
ed to prove it. How absurd to suppose
that our Lord Jesus. accustomed TO
spirit conditions, and made flesh for
a short period, could he otherwise than
DISCONNECTED ana seriously dishouoted
by the Father, If he hasa body of flesh!
Aseends Who're He Was Before.
Mistaken views respecting the word
ascend have helped TO confuse us. st
Paul, explaining orr text, shows that
the ascension Of Jesus is to be con-
sdered in conjunction with His de-
scending. fEphesans 4:S-1lJ He that
assembled is the same that descended,
thirtyfoUr years before. Did the de-
scending have reference to the kind Of
body? Surely not, Then the ascend
ing has no reference to the kind of
body.
The descending signided the humilia-
ton, the leaving of spiritual glory, to
be born of the flesh The life of the
L0gos was transferred from the spirit
body to the body Of the babe, that He
might become the Man Christ Jesus.
Similarly. the begctting of the Holy
Spirit came to Jesus at His baptism,
ana for three and half years it CON
stituted Him spiritual Priest, whose
work was to offer Himself" That
Offering ended at Calvary. When on
the third day. the Father raised Him
from the dead. it was the Priest who
was raised to glory, honor and immor-
tality-not the sacrificed human body .
As it is written. "a body hast Thou
prepared Me for the suffering Of death"
Jesus sacrifice was finished at Cal
vary. as He said lie dieth no more,
and therefore has no further use fol-
the body Of flesh What became Of it,
the Pastor would not undertake to say.
1t was moi seen in the tomb. But the
soul. not the body was raised 10 life.
Thou wilt not leave My soul IN Shcol"
-Hades-the tomb
,.,-. r r,... W.. ,i..a
W. - 1,,,,. - Ta,',.,,l,or tvo fJ,inrs enid
+ho pastor ronov,nrs If Je.us ve,.n
,.a,,,,irad ., i,s,o eyri faitb.. ~, rb.,
1,o,,. ,,,e tI,, ro,,os ,vba bol In.
scondod fro,t tl,e sqirit p,.,ne ,o the
l,,,,,,on ~, ,rb,t re MA d;o1 s,crjg-
niaiI, and t,at God egised him from
tho doad
rnIess +bcsa t,yo noi,,+. ,yore fpil,-