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believed； so we preach； and so our hearers believe。 There is not a doctrine
in the gospel on which more stress is laid； and there is not a doctrine in
the present system of preaching which is treated with more
neglect！〃Commentary； remarks on I Corinthians 15； paragraph 3。
This has continued until the glorious truth of the resurrection has been
almost wholly obscured and lost sight of by the Christian world。 Thus a
leading religious writer； commenting on the words of Paul in I Thessalonians
4：13…18； says： 〃For all practical purposes of comfort the doctrine of the
blessed immortality of the righteous takes the place for us of any doubtful
doctrine of the Lord's second coming。 At our death the Lord comes for us。
That is what we are to wait and watch for。 The dead are already passed into
glory。 They do not wait for the trump for their judgment and blessedness。〃
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But when about to leave His disciples； Jesus did not tell them that they
would soon come to Him。 〃I go to prepare a place for you；〃 He said。 〃And if
I go and prepare a place for you； I will come again； and receive you unto
Myself。〃 John 14：2； 3。 And Paul tells us； further； that 〃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 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。〃
And he adds： 〃Comfort one another with these words。〃 I Thessalonians
4：16…18。 How wide the contrast between these words of comfort and those of
the Universalist minister previously quoted！ The latter consoled the
bereaved friends with the assurance that； however sinful the dead might have
been； when he breathed out his life here he was to be received among the
angels。 Paul points his brethren to the future coming of the Lord； when the
fetters of the tomb shall be broken； and the 〃dead in Christ〃 shall be
raised to eternal life。
Before any can enter the mansions of the blessed； their cases must be
investigated； and their characters and their deeds must pass in review
before God。 All are to be judged according to the things written in the
books and to be rewarded as their works have been。 This judgment does not
take place at death。 Mark the words of Paul： 〃He hath appointed a day； in
the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath
ordained； whereof He hath given assurance unto all men； in that He hath
raised Him from the dead。〃 Acts 17：31。 Here the apostle plainly stated that
a specified time； then future； had been fixed upon for the judgment of the
world。
Jude refers to the same period： 〃The angels which kept not their first
estate； but left their own habitation； He hath reserved in everlasting
chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day。〃 And； again； he
quotes the words of Enoch： 〃Behold； the Lord cometh with ten thousands of
His
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saints； to execute judgment upon all。〃 Jude 6； 14； 15。 John declares that he
〃saw the dead； small and great； stand before God； and the books were opened：
。 。 。 and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the
books。〃 Revelation 20：12。
But if the dead are already enjoying the bliss of heaven or writhing in the
flames of hell； what need of a future judgment？ The teachings of God's word
on these important points are neither obscure nor contradictory； they may be
understood by common minds。 But what candid mind can see either wisdom or
justice in the current theory？ Will the righteous； after the investigation
of their cases at the judgment； receive the commendation； 〃Well done； thou
good and faithful servant： 。 。 。 enter thou into the joy of thy Lord；〃 when
they have been dwelling in His presence； perhaps for long ages？ Are the
wicked summoned from the place of torment to receive sentence from the Judge
of all the earth： 〃Depart from Me； ye cursed； into everlasting fire〃？
Matthew 25：21； 41。 Oh； solemn mockery！ shameful impeachment of the wisdom
and justice of God！
The theory of the immortality of the soul was one of those false doctrines
that Rome； borrowing from paganism； incorporated into the religion of
Christendom。 Martin Luther classed it with the 〃monstrous fables that form
part of the Roman dunghill of decretals。〃E。 Petavel； The Problem of
Immortality； page 255。 Commenting on the words of Solomon in Ecclesiastes；
that the dead know not anything； the Reformer says： 〃Another place proving
that the dead have no 。 。 。 feeling。 There is； saith he； no duty； no
science； no knowledge； no wisdom there。 Solomon judgeth that the dead are
asleep； and feel nothing at all。 For the dead lie there； accounting neither
days nor years； but when they are awaked； they shall seem to have slept
scarce one minute。〃 Martin Luther； Exposition of Solomon's Booke Called
Ecclesiastes； page 152。
Nowhere in the Sacred Scriptures is found the statement
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that the righteous go to their reward or the wicked to their punishment at
death。 The patriarchs and prophets have left no such assurance。 Christ and
His apostles have given no hint of it。 The Bible clearly teaches that the
dead do not go immediately to heaven。 They are represented as sleeping until
the resurrection。 I Thessalonians 4：14； Job 14：10…12。 In the very day when
the silver cord is loosed and the golden bowl broken （Ecclesiastes 12：6）；
man's thoughts perish。 They that go down to the grave are in silence。 They
know no more of anything that is done under the sun。 Job 14：21。 Blessed rest
for the weary righteous！ Time； be it long or short； is but a moment to them。
They sleep； they are awakened by the trump of God to a glorious immortality。
〃For the trumpet shall sound； and the dead shall be raised incorruptible。 。
。 。 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption； and this mortal
shall have put on immortality； then shall be brought to pass the saying that
is written； Death is swallowed up in victory。〃 I Corinthians 15：52…54。 As
they are called forth from their deep slumber they begin to think just where
they ceased。 The last sensation was the pang of death； the last thought；
that they were falling beneath the power of the grave。 When they arise from
the tomb； their first glad thought will be echoed in the triumphal shout： 〃O
death； where is thy sting？ O grave； where is thy victory？〃 Verse 55。
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Chapter 34
Can Our Dead Speak to Us？
The ministration of holy angels； as presented in the Scriptures； is a truth
most comforting and precious to every follower of Christ。 But the Bible
teaching upon this point has been obscured and perverted by the errors of
popular theology。 The doctrine of natural immortality； first borrowed from
the pagan philosophy； and in the darkness of the great apostasy incorporated
into the Christian faith； has supplanted the truth； so plainly taught in
Scripture； that 〃the dead know not anything。〃 Mul