The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1922-06-21

ware of that which minimiZes the I'M
portance of Christian doctrine.
The value of Christian truth and
doctrine lies in its ability to supply
spiritual power, to furnish moral in
centlve and 10 impart mental vision
or understanding. This very truth of
Christ risen from the dead. the first
fruits of them that slept, is an ex-
ample of this. When believed and re-
ceived it operates in a saving way:
IF thou shalt confess with thy mouth
the Lord Jesus Christ, and shalt be-
lleve in thine heart that God hath
raised Him from the dead, thou shalt
be saved"
Salvation Comprehensive.
Salvation Is a big word. and COM
preliends the whole process of Gods
remedial work, past, present and fu-
ture. 1t includes the resurrection Of
Christ as the firstfruits md the res
direction of believers In Christ as the
harvest. The firstfruits Is the pattern
n pledge of the coming harvest. In
the Mosaic law the Hebrew people
We're directed to bring a sheas of the
field, like other sheaves that were to
be gathered later, and to wave 1t be-
fore the Lord as the first sheaf of the
harvest. SO Is Christ presented as
the firstfruits of the glorious and
plenteous harvest to come-"Because
l live, ye shall live also" There is
spiritual power in this. What is true
of our Lord is true of every believer
In Him. Everything is made depend
ent on the believers position rs united
to Christ. This underlies the whole
philosophy of the Gospel message, in
which we are invited to change our
position from headship In Adam to
headship in Christ, who through Ills
atonement for sin and His victory over
death and the grave, has become Sa-
vlor to all who put their ttTri5t In
Him.
The doctrine OF u Identity with
Christ and our pnrticipafi6n In INK
risen life and victory supplies moral
incentive for a holy walk, and for
sacrificlal service. This very truth
of the bodily resurrection of Christ
and of the resurrection of Christian
believers when He returns, is the
ground Of the appeal In I Cor. Is :5S-
"Therefore be We steadfast. unmov-
able, always Astounding in the work
Of the Lord, forasmuch as we know
that your labor is not in vain In the
Lord"
The Apostle John used the same ba-
sis of appeal and finds moral incentive
in the same facts-"Beloved, now are
we the sons of God, and it doth not
yet appear what we shall be, but we
know that when He shall appear We
shall be like Him, for we shall see Him
us He is. And every man that hath
this hope in him puritieth himself, even
as He is pure"
These great doctrines concerning
the future blessings of Christian be-
levers are never presented as abstract
truths or for mere academic discus
sion, but as vltalizing truths supplying
the necessary incentive for the conflict
with evil within and without.
Worldly Philosophy Inadequate.
Such n truth as his concerning our
Lords resurrection as the firstfruits of
a great harvest, to follow imparts
clear mental vision and understand
ing concerning the future. 1t re-
Claims the future from that dreary in
definiteness and unthinkableness into
which false philosophy and false spir-
itualism have put it. The New Tesla
ment teaching of the resurrection Is
plain, and when believed it saves us
from the delusive teaching against
which the Holy Spirit through the in
spired writer's always puts Christians
on their guard. Beware, lest any
man spoil you through philosophy and
vain deceit, after the tradition of men.
after the rudiments of the world, and
not after Christ" This philosophy
may be very attractive; it IS to the
natural mind. 1t has in 1t a specious-
ness and an appearance which prom
Use much, but which in the end give
no rest, no power for a holy life and
no solid hope for the future. 1t be-
longs to the rudiments of he world
and is not after Christ.
The religion of the New Testament
Is plain and homely. 1t begins With a
babe In a cradle. 1t follows that
babe all the way through death and
resurrection to the place IF power
where the crucifed and risen Man is
seated on the right hand of sod. 1t
bids us live in the risen Lord and look
to become like Him, risen in dis very
I'll. 49, IT.
shall come. From the heavens He
speaks-Belieye in Me, live in Me, and
you shall arise in Me when l return.