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MATERIALISTS' ARGUMENTS

CONSIDERED.

In order to do justice to the reader, it becomes my duty to present the arguments brought forth by materialists to sustain their doctrine. In doing this I shall present their strongest points, and then apply them. Also I shall give their replies to the truths presented in the previous chapters, and then consider them.

1. Materialist. God only hath immortality. It is an attribute which belongs to him alone. If God only hath immortality, then man does not possess it. Proof: 1 Tim. 6:15, 16.

Reply. This indeed has a show of argument, if we would simply accept their wording of Scripture without making examination. This they apply exclusively to the Father. But a careful reading of the text shows that Paul here refers directly to Jesus Christ the Son of God-"Our Lord Jesus Christ: . . . who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords: who only hath immortality." Other texts prove that it is Christ who is King of kings, and Lord of lords. See Rev. 17:14; 19:16. To take this text in an unqualified sense, as Adventists do, would deny the immortality

of God the Father. It would also deny the immortality of angels. But we have already seen in the previous chapter that angels stand wholly upon the plane of spirit and immortal beings. See Heb. 1:7, 14; Mat. 22:29, 30; Luke 20: 35, 36.

But it may be asked, In what sense hath Christ "only" immortality? The Word answers: "But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept." 1 Cor. 15:20. "Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him." Rom. 6:9. We all are yet mortal in body. We inhabit mortal flesh. The same is subject to death. But Christ has already received his immortal and glorified body. He, being already "raised from the dead, dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him." In this sense he only hath immortality. Our vile body will not be changed in the likeness of his glorious body until the final resurrection. So, since we yet inhabit a mortal body, decaying flesh, which is subject to death, and Christ the "first-fruits" has already received his glorified body, and "death hath no more dominion over him," he only can be said to be wholly immortal. This is not a feather's weight of evidence against the immortality of the soul.

2. Materialist. We are commanded to seek for immortality. Rom. 2:7. Why seek for something we already possess? If we are already immortal, it would be nonsense to seek it.

Reply. The word immortality is derived from two Greek words, athanasia and aphtharsia. The first of these means deathlessness, the latter means incorruption. In Rom. 2:7 it is not athanasia (deathlessness) we are commanded to seek for, but aphtharsia (incorruption). This makes the matter clear. And, thank God, it does not in the least conflict with the multitude of scriptures already cited which so clearly teach that man possesses a spiritual conscious entity-a soul or a spirit-which continues to live after the decease of the body. We are commanded to seek for incorruption. We here inhabit a "mortal body," "mortal flesh." The same dies, and returns to dust. "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. . . . For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality." 1 Cor. 15: 42-44, 53. Here we see that the incorruption to be put on in the future is only for this mortal body, and therefore has not the weight of a shadow against the immortality of the soul. To "seek for immortality" is to live so that we may have a glorious resurrection unto eternal life in an immortal and glorified body. A resurrection to eternal rewards, to eternal bliss, instead of one "to shame, and everlasting contempt."

I challenge materialists to cite one text in the Bible where it is declared that our soul or spirit shall

put on immortality. Where does it say, "Your mortal soul, your corruptible spirit, shall put on incorruption"? Who ever read such a text in the Bible? It can not be found there. It is found only in the writings and teachings of those who live outside the Bible amidst the fogs and superstitions of darkened hearts destitute of the truth. But the good old Bible tells us plainly what part of us is mortal"your mortal body," which "shall put on immortality." In the resurrection it is only "our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body." Phil. 3:21. This is an object to be sought for by a humble, godly walk in this world.

3. Materialist. The soul of man is simply the whole being of man, body and mind. Proof: In the ark "eight souls were saved by water." 1 Pet. 3: 20. Again, it is frequently said in the Old Testament that all the souls in certain places died. This could only apply to the individuals themselves, hence we conclude that the soul and body are the same.

Reply. We readily admit that there are a few texts in the Bible where the term soul applies to the individual. In fact it is so used to-day. We say of people in distress: "Poor souls! they need our sympathy." But this by no means destroys the fact that man possesses a spiritual entity called the soul, which is separate and distinct in substance from the body, and continues to live after the body returns to dust. The following scriptures do most positively teach this fact: Job 14:22; 2 Cor. 4:16;

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