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CHAPTER VI.

THE DOCTRINE OF THE RESURRECTION.

I do not propose, in this chapter, to discuss the various theories respecting the time, nature, and processes of the resurrection, current among Christians; but only to examine the Scripture statements, so far as they relate to the great question of human destiny -though I shall not refuse to notice such points respecting the philosophy of the mind and affections, as may legitimately come into the examination. But the main facts to be established by the Bible testimony, will not be affected by any theory relative to the time of the resurrection; and the arguments will have equal weight, whether it is progressive or instantaneous at some future period; whether it is experienced, in its commencement, by each individual at the time of death, or by all at the end of the world.

SECTION I.

THE RESURRECTION -A MORAL AND SPIRITUAL, AS WELL A BODILY, CHANGE.

The passages which treat of the résurrection to immortality, set forth two important facts in very clear and intelligible language. And these are,

§ I. That we are clothed upon with an incorruptible and spiritual body, suitable to our new sphere of

existence.

The apostle, Paul, establishes this fact by the plainest statements, in his first epistle to the Corinthians. The question is proposed thus: "How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?" The fact that this earthly body decomposes, and falls away, after death, into the dust out of which it was formed, was apparent to all. It is plain that the spirit abandons it, no longer inhabits it, no longer uses it. What body, then, does it have, in the resurrection? This Paul answers very directly, by saying it is not this body, "but God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him." He gives it a body when it enters the resurrection world, a new body, as he gave it a body when it entered into this world. The earthly body is suited to the earthly state; and the heavenly body to a heavenly state. "There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body," ... “ "as is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly — and as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly."

The apostle proceeds to illustrate this point from the natural world: "That which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die; and that which thou sowest, thou ɛowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain." The body dies, and only the germ or soul of the grain lives, and that is clothed upon with a new body; in the likeness of the old, to be sure, but created anew, out of the vital forces of the soil and the atmosphere, out of the invisible elements of air, water, light, electricity. So the earthly body dies, and the soul is clothed upon anew; God giveth it a body fitted to its new sphere of life and activity.

In the second epistle to the Corinthians, Paul introduces the subject again: "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, (not the same house which was dissolved, not the old house repaired or altered, but a new building of God,) eternal in the heavens. For in this (earthly house,) we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven." Plainly, this house from heaven is a different thing from the earthly one already dissolved; and the distinction set up between the two, is so sharp, that we cannot well suppose the one is to be built up out of the other; or that any part of the material of the earthly body, or house, is to be manufactured, or wrought up into the heavenly body, or the "house from heaven."

In the absence of all facts and Scriptural information, we abstain from speculating as to the nature of the resurrection body. It is enough for us to know that it is adapted to our heavenly estate, to our growth in knowledge of the divine character and attributes, as displayed in the numberless worlds scattered through the abysses of the universe. Thus fitted to the wants and uses of the spirit, it is of little consequence what its peculiar characteristics may be, or whether it is created in part of the old structure or not. The drift of the language, where the subject is touched, certainly seems to intimate that the “spiritual body" is wholly a new body; and that so far as the word resurrection is concerned, it implies the calling of the soul out of the earthly body, now dead, into this heavenly body, being thus exalted, or born

again, into a higher and nobler life. And this leads to the other important fact indicated by the New Testament teachings on this point, which is,

§ II. That the Resurrection is a moral and spiritual change the anastasis, or raising up, of

the soul.

The word váσtaois which is generally translated by the English word "resurrection," does not necessarily imply, that those to whom it refers, should be dead. It is often used in regard to the living, and means, in its most literal definition, a rising up, or a being lifted up, exaltation, as respects condition or circumstances. Dr. Campbell says: "It denotes simply, being raised from inactivity to action, or from obscurity to eminence, or a return to such a state, after an interruption. The verb anistemi has the like latitude of signification; and both words are used, in this extent, by the writers of the New Testament, as well as by the Seventy. Agreeably, therefore, to the original import, rising from a seat is properly termed anastasis, so is awaking out of sleep, or promotion from an inferior condition. The word is used in this last sense, in Luke ii. 34."

The passage referred to, reads thus: "Behold this child is set for the fall and rising again (anastasis,) of many in Israel:" meaning that his humble condition would be a stumbling block to the Jews, who, for this reason, would reject him; but who would, nevertheless, in the fulness of time, by faith in him, be restored, or raised to spiritual life again, as set forth in Romans xi.

So when it refers to the future life, it implies a rais ing up, an exaltation, of the whole man; not only in

a bodily respect, but also in a moral and spiritual respect. The resurrection is not simply being lifted out of the mortal into the immortal, out of the earthly into the heavenly; but out of the imperfect into the perfect, out of the weakness, and frailty, and sinfulness of our present estate, into the strength and holiness, and spiritual completeness of the future

state.

"It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: it is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body." Now, supposing this language to refer to the body solely, it is manifest enough that it is universal in its application, that it is descriptive of the resurrection body which all are to inhabit. The apostle is not speaking of a class, but of "the dead," in its general meaning; not of the righteous, but of all who have borne "the image of the earthy," which phrase cannot be made to mean less than all mankind.

If, then, this language describes the resurrection body, it needs nothing more to show that the resurrection state, is one of universal holiness and happiness; for it would be difficult to show how a soul dwelling in an incorruptible, glorious, spiritual body, could be unholy and miserable. No soul, in such a heavenly habitation as is here portrayed by Paul, could possibly be in a moral condition, or in a state of suffering, represented by the word "hell."

But it seems obvious that the language quoted has to do with more than the body, that it takes in the anastasis, or up-rising, into a higher life of the whole being. It is the question, both of the fact and char

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