Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-04-15

! The wrappings about the head were
| in the right position, but in the
shape of the head for being of small
err size they had not collapsed. And
they saw and believed! Who would
not? How could this phenomenon be
otherwise explained?
The third evidence is the impossi-
! bility of answering the question
otherwiseLIf Jesus was not actually
raised from the dead, what became
of His body? No other answer can
be given to this question.
''Afterward"
Today, however, we are interested
in the study of another phase of
this resurrection truth-one land
| only one, but not by any means
the only one) of the results that come
to those who believe in Him and
therefore in it. This truth is ex-
pressed in that argument of Paul's
recorded in l Cor. Is, and the par
ticular part of it is that verse Sc
lected as the Golden Text: But now
hath Christ been raised from the
dead, and become the first fruits of
them that are asleep" Without go
ing into his argument in detail, let
us simply state that he makes the
resurrection Of Jesus the very foun-
dation of our faith and hope. II
Christ was not raised, then our faith
is vain: If Christ was not raised,
then we have no hope for the flu
ture. But now hath Christ been
raised from the dead, and become
the first fruits of a great harvest
of resurrection that is to follow. AS
sured of the resurrection of Christ,
you are assured of your own resur-
rection and of seeing again and be-
| ing through all eternity with those
! of your loved ones in Him lost a
| while.
But when? Christ, the first fruits;
afterward them that are Christ's,
at His coming"
Two resurrections are spoken of
in the New Testament-the resur-
rection of the just, and of the I'm.
just (Acts 24:15); the resurrection OF
life, and the resurrection Of judg'
ment John 5;29). Daniel had also
foreseen this dimly and had spoken
of it-"shall awake, some to ever.
lasting life, and some to shame and
everla sting contempt" Daniel l2:3.
Rev. 20:4-6 tells us how far apart
these two shall be. The just are
raised and reign with Christ thou
sand years. The rest of the dead
that is, the unjust-lived not until
the thousand years should be hnlsh
ed. The resurrection of the right
eous dead before the thousand years
is, therefore, spoken Of as the first
resurrection, and is separated from
the second resurrection by the
thousand years.
But Paul tells us when the right
eous dead shall be raised. After
ward them that are Christ's at His
coming" q Cor. 15:23)-"each in. his
own order" or band, or cohort, or
company. And in l Thess. 413-11
| he gives us other details. 1.-The
Lord Himself shall descend from
heaven with a shout, with the voice
| Of the archangel and with the trump
of God: and the dead in Christ shall
rise first; then we which are alive
| that are left (by them for while)
shall together with them be caught
up into the clouds to meet the Lore
in the air; and so shall we ever be
with the Lord"
1t is a glorious hope, a blessed
hope that is ours-them that are
! Christs. 1t is to be realized at His
coming which must, therefore, be
before the thousand years. And 1t
is more blessed when we recognize
that it may be at any time: for He
said Watch We and pray, for We
know neither the day nor the hour
when your Lord doth come" But
when He does core. those who are
alive, who are Christ's, will be
changed in a moment, in the twin
king Of an eye; and those who sleep
now in Jesus will be raised from
among the dead, and be together
and with the Lord forever and for
ever.
Yes, the rest of the dead will be
raised, too, from the dead but not
until the thousand years shall have
been finished. And they will be
raised, not to be with Christ, whom
they have rejected and refused, but
to appear before the great white
throne to answer for their deeds
done in the body. from the book OF
life in which are recorded all their
works And on this ground not one
of them will have any standing be
fore God; for there is none that
! uOSIu SOOu, incl y Is uOHS IISHlSOu
no. not one.
How different the resurrections
will be, therefore. To those in Christ
! it will be a wonderful joy--to be
united with those loved long since
| but lost awhile; and even better still
to be with Him, whom not having
seen, we loved, because He first
| loved us and gave Himself for us
! But to those who are not Christ's
who are depending. not upon His
/ fl ished work on Calvary, but Ipor
their own deeds-it will be a Ions
| sleep, then resurrection OF judg
| ment, a resurrection unto shame
and everlasting contempt.
Which shall it be to you? II
which resurrection will you have g
part? What is the outlook for you
made sure by the resurrection o
| Christ--life or death?