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to assert it is to squarely contradict the Teacher that came from heaven. To live forever and yet the body die, proves that man is something more than an animal body. The same thing is expressed in these words: 'Who died for us, that, whether we wake [remain in the body] or sleep [our body dies], we should live together with him.' 1 Thes. 5:10. That is, our souls will live right on in a glorious presence with the Lord. The fact is we live forever though our bodies decompose in the grave. So teaches the Word of God, and let the wisdom of this world be dumb before the bar of truth. Thank God for life and immortality so clearly brought to light by the gospel."

THE RESURRECTION.

The doctrine of the resurrection is well grounded. in Scripture. Both in the Old and New Testaments it is clearly taught. Yes, the dead shall rise again. Martha said to Jesus concerning her dead brother, Lazarus, "I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day." John 11: 24. Four times Jesus declares of the righteous, "I will raise him up at the last day." John 6:39, 40, 44, 54. Daniel declares that the bodies "that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." Dan. 12:2.

Beloved reader, the last great day is coming. Jesus is going to return to earth again. The same Christ that once trod the shores of Galilee, that bore his cross to Golgotha's rugged hill, and there was suspended between heaven and earth for the redemption of mankind; the man of sorrows, the humble Nazarene, is coming back again; coming with power and great glory. One object of his coming is stated by Paul in these words:

"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with a voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thes. 4: 13-17.

Here the order of the resurrection is clearly given. Those who are alive upon earth at the time of his coming will not prevent those asleep. The word prevent is more correctly rendered by other translations "precede, " "go before," "enter into his presence sooner than the dead," etc. This is the correct idea

of the text. Those upon earth at the time of Christ's return will not be changed into immortality and rewarded before the dead are raised, but the dead in Christ shall rise first; i. e., before we, the living, are changed. The instant that the Lord will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, the slumbering dead will arise, after which we, the living, “shall be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." 1 Cor. 15:51, 52. The judgment will set, eternal rewards and punishments be meted out to all men. "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them [the righteous dead just raised] in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." In the resurrection morning the dead will appear from two directions. "Them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.' The Lord will come "with ten thousand of his saints." Jude 14. "At the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints." 1 Thes. 3:13. He has the keys of that spirit world. See Rev. 1:18. The above texts prove that all the saints-all who sleep in Jesus-he will bring with him. They will accompany him on his return. Only the spirit goes to God at death (Eccl. 12:7; 2 Cor. 5:8), hence, is the part that will return with him.

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It is only our bodies that will be raised at the

trumpet sound. Only our bodies sleep in the dust of the ground (see Eccl. 12:7; Mat. 27: 52, 53), and that which sleeps "in the dust of the earth shall awake." Dan. 12: 2. "We look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile [mortal] body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body." Phil. 3: 20, 21. It is not our soul, but our body, that will be changed in the resurrection day. "So also is the resurrection of the dead. . . It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body." 1 Cor. 15; 42-44. Only our bodies are mortal (Proof: Rom. 6:12), "and this mortal must put on immortality." Ver. 53. This is clear. Those who sleep in Jesus, the spirits, the souls of all the departed, will God bring with him; namely, all his saints. In that moment the bodies will be raised from the graves immortal and incorruptible. The soul will then reanimate these immortal bodies, and dwell therein forever.

This will be the order of the final resurrection of the dead, according to the united testimony of all Scripture. Thus far we have only considered the righteous. But the wicked will also be raised. The Lord shall descend with a shout, with the trump of God, the last trump, and not only will the righteous hear his voice, but in that very "hour" “all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." John 5:28, 29.

A universal resurrection. Being universal it includes both classes of the human family. Daniel saw this and thus describes it: "And many [the many] of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." Dan. 12:2.

"There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust." Acts 24:15. But one resurrection future-a resurrection of the dead. Who are included in it? Both the just and unjust. This accounts for the fact that when "he cometh with clouds; every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him." Rev. 1:7. Yes, in that day "the dead, small and great, shall stand before God." Rev. 20: 12. Both the righteous and wicked will be raised; the former in glorified bodies, fashioned like unto his glorious body; a resurrection unto eternal life and rewards. But the latter unto damnation, shame and everlasting contempt.

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THE GENERAL JUDGMENT.

'And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." Heb. 9:27. "Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world." Acts 17:31.

That a day of final judgment awaits us the Scriptures clearly teach. It is an event we can not

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