"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." 1
Cor. xv:20.
The death and resurrection of all mankind are a theme of no ordinary
moment, and have given birth to many theories and speculations among
the advocates of Christianity. The common opinion is that one portion
of our race will be raised to immortal life and glory in the future
world, and the other to immortal damnation and dishonor--that at the
same instant the living will be changed and that the whole human
family will, in this condition, be arraigned before the "Judge of
quick and dead," and receive their irrevocable sentence for endless
joy or endless wo. Others believe, in opposition to these limited
views of the divine character, that the resurrection is the closing
scene of the great plan of salvation, and that no judgment is to
succeed it. This resurrection, they believe, will introduce the
numerous posterity of Adam into the same condition of immortal glory
and honor, being made, by the power of God, "equal unto the angels,
and be the children of God being the children of the resurrection." As
to the _judgment day_, they do not believe, that the whole human
family will be congregated in one amazing throng at one period of
time, but that the judgment of the world, by Jesus Christ, commenced
at the destruction of Jerusalem, when the Mosaic dispensation, with
all its imposing rituals, passed away, and that this _judgment_, or in
other words, this _gospel reign_ of Christ, is still progressing, and
will completely terminate before the resurrection takes place.
Notwithstanding this view of the day of judgment, yet they suppose
that the _resurrection day_ is a designated period when the cerement
of the dead shall burst, and all the slumbering nations,
simultaneously, start up from their beds of clay, the living at the
same instant be changed to immortal beings, and this countless throng,
in one unbroken strain, shout--"O death! Where is thy sting? O grave!
Where is thy victory"?
Though this scene would be full, and immortally sublime, and disclose
a grandeur which a seraph's eloquence never can describe, yet I take
the liberty to dissent from this long and fondly cherished opinion,
and will humbly endeavor to present you my views on the immortal
resurrection of the human dead. The ideas I have advanced in my
sermons on the _new birth_, require me to do this. And no one has more
occasion to rejoice than myself, that we are bound by no creeds, and
that the preachers of our order encourage and cherish free
investigation. Among such able and benevolent theologians, I feel
conscious, if I err, that they will endeavor, in the spirit of
meekness, to set me right. I therefore hold no one responsible for the
ideas I am now about to advance. I am by no means in favor of new
theories built upon mere human speculations, nor do I deem it an
enviable task to make innovations on the long and universally
established opinions of the christian community. I shall simply appeal
to the scriptures to sustain me in my present exposition, and by that
standard I am willing my views should be tried, for by that alone,
they must ultimately stand or fall.
From the text we have selected, it might, perhaps, be expected, that
we should proceed to prove the final holiness and happiness of the
human family by showing, that he who is "made alive in Christ is a new
creature"; but as this has, heretofore been done so often and so ably,
we shall confine our attention, principally, to the different
scripture accounts of the resurrection of the dead, and endeavor to
ascertain whether it is indeed, to take place at the end of time and
be general, or whether it is continually transpiring as gradual as the
successive deaths of our race in Adam.
And here I would distinctly remark, that the dead are represented as
being raised at the coming of Christ. This is admitted and believed by
all. But where, I ask, is there in the Book of God _one passage_ to
prove any coming of Christ after the destruction of the Jewish polity
when he commenced his _gospel reign_, called the _judgment of the
world_? This was his _second_ coming; but where but where is there a
_scrap_ of scripture to prove his _third_ coming at the end of time?
For one, I have searched in vain for such testimony. That Christ came
in his kingdom, during the life time of the persons he addressed, and
then commenced the judgment of the world, is certain. This is not,
however, admitted to be that coming of Christ when the dead will be
raised immortal. Where then is revealed that _third_ coming of our
Lord, at the end of time, to raise the dead? I think it will be an
unsuccessful task for any man to search it out and bring it forward.
I would not be understood to say, that no destruction will attend this
earth. On the contrary philosophy seems to warrant the idea. But the
scriptures no not, in my apprehension, reveal such a catastrophe, nor
a _third_ coming of Christ, nor a general resurrection at that period.
The reader may, perhaps, here inquire whether the scriptures do not
clearly describe the resurrection of all mankind to be at one instant
of time? I answer, no more than they describe the judgment of all
mankind to be at the same instant. But, says the reader, the
resurrection is to be at the coming of Christ, which must be at some
designated period. Very well; the judgment was to be at the coming of
Christ to the destruction of the Jewish state, and does not this
designate some particular period? If so, how are we judged in the
present day? If the judgment day, which _then_ commenced, has not yet
ended, why may not the resurrection day be still progressing? If you
contend, that the dead were all to rise at once, then by the same mode
of scripture interpretation, I can prove that all the living were to
be judged at once. Acts xvii. 31. "Because 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 this assurance unto all men,
in that he hath raised him from the dead." 2 Cor. v.10. "For we must
all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may
receive the things in body, according to that he hath done, whether
good or bad."
Though this event is represented as transpiring in _one day_, and as
though all men were literally arraigned at the same instant, still all
Universalist admit, that it commenced at the destruction of Jerusalem,
has passed upon succeeding generations, and will continue from the
present down to subsequent ages, so long as human beings shall have a
habitation on earth. This is called the _last day_. Jesus says--"the
word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the _last day_."
So I contend, that though the resurrection is also called the last
day, and represented as raising all mankind at one instant of time,
still simply means, that the doctrine of Christ (viz. The judgment and
resurrection) should, at his coming in his kingdom, be fully revealed
to the living by their seeing his prophesies fulfilled in the
abrogation of the ceremonial law, and this doctrine of life and
immortality be permanently established and commence its sway over the
living, as the last and best system of God to man, and this
_resurrection day_ continue down to all subsequent generations of
slumbering dead, raising every man in incorruption and glory. The
judgment and resurrection of the world are therefore both progressing,
for these two constitute the gospel reign of Christ. He is "the
resurrection and life of the world," as well as "judge of quick and
dead." Both are to be accomplished in the _last day_, and that day is
now progressing. A _general_ resurrection, at the last vibrating
pendulum of time, cannot I humbly conceive, be substantiated by the
oracles of truth, any more than a _general_ judgment. I am rather
inclined to think that _the judgment of the world by Jesus Christ
expresses the whole, including the resurrection and all; even as the
high priest, clothed with the breastplate of judgment on the day of
atonement, closed his services by raising the nation into the holy of
holies, "which was a pattern of things in the heavens_."
If the Scriptures afford us any evidence of the _third_ coming of
Christ, to raise the dead, for one, I must acknowledge my utter
ignorance of the fact. In John (chap. vi.) Jesus several times uses
the expression, "and I will raise him up at the last day." If others
contend that this has reference to "_the last day of the last
generation of the human race on the earth_," yet I must candidly
acknowledge, that I cannot see a shadow of evidence to prove this
position. The _last day_ in this instance, refers to the gospel
dispensation, which commenced at the destruction of the temple, and
involves the whole reign of Christ. It is synonymous with the "day of
Christ" and the "day of the Lord" mentioned in several places by the
apostles. Nor do I conceive it means, that Christ would raise them up
by his own immediate power, but that God would raise the dead
according to that doctrine, which he sent his Son to reveal to men,
and this would be fully established in the world, and be believed and
felt by Jew and Gentile Christians at the coming of Christ in his
kingdom, at the end of that dispensation. _Then_ and not till _then_
were the predictions of Christ fulfilled, and then were those
Christians, who had not seen Jesus after his resurrection, "made
perfect in faith."
The dead are to be raised at the _last_ trump; by which I understand
the _seventh_, for no other _last_ is revealed. This trump is
mentioned by our Saviour (Matt. xxiv. 31.) and is the gospel trump
which was to commence its sound at the destruction of Jerusalem. In
Rev. chap. viii, seven trumpets were given to seven angels, who are
represented as sounding them in succession, and increasing woes
following, till the sixth trumpet sounded. But when the seventh angel
sounded and the last dreadful wo passed away, a very different order
of things followed. Rev. x. 7. "But in the days of the voice of the
seventh angel when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should
be finished as he hath declared to his servants the prophets." Rev.
xi. 15. "And the seventh angel sounded, and there were great voices in
heaven, saying, the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of
our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever." Now
compare these woes and this subsequent order of things with the
tribulations Christ described in Matt xxiv chap. And the subsequent
life the righteous entered into, and you will readily perceive that
both refer to the destruction of Jerusalem and the commencement of
Christ's auspicious reign. (The Revelations were certainly written
before that event.) When the seventh angel sounded, Christ came in his
kingdom and began his reign; and that he began his reign when the
trumpet sounded, and the woes recorded in Matt. Xxiv. And xxv.
Chapters took place, will not be denied. This settles the point that
the _seventh or last_ trump was not to sound at the close of Christ's
reign, but at its commencement. And under this last sounding trump the
dead were to be raised immortal, and those who were alive when it
commenced its sound, were to be suddenly changed in their
circumstances and feelings as described in the context. It was the day
of their redemption from all their trials and persecutions, and doubts
and fears.
That this was the period when the Christians entered the _resurrection
day_ as well as the _judgment day_ under Christ is certain. They
entered into the full enjoyment of that most sublime of all doctrines
in the faith of which they not only saw the dead raised immortal and
free from pain, but felt themselves new beings. They were exalted from
the dust to high and "heavenly places in Christ," were "caught up to
meet the Lord in the air," were seated "on thrones and made priests
and kings to God and reigned with Christ." There "they shone like the
brightness of the firmament and the stars forever and ever,"
recognized the goodness of God in redeeming love, and sang the song of
_certain victory_ over death and Hades. Then "the kingdom and dominion
and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven was given to
the saints of the MOST HIGH," and in this "kingdom of their Father
they shone forth like the sun." The above promiscuous quotations from
Scripture justify the expression, that the living were "changed in a
moment at the last trump," which announced to the world the immortal
resurrection of the dead. That this trump, whose sound proclaims the
resurrection of all mankind, is the gospel trump, the doctrine of
Christ, we cannot doubt.
That the change of the living, in the context, has any reference to
changing them into immortal beings, I cannot admit without further
evidence. It is contrary to the whole tenor of revelation--it is
contrary to our text, which declares that all, who are made alive in
Christ first die in Adam. As the change of the living is an important
point in our present investigation, we will give it further attention.
That the Christians were to experience a great and sudden change at
the destruction of Jerusalem is certain. They were to be delivered
from all their trials and persecutions, and be raised into the full
and felicitous enjoyment of the reign of Christ. Those Christians, who
had not seen our Saviour alive from the dead, who had believed on the
testimony of his apostles and of the "five hundred brethren," were
delivered from all their doubts and fears on seeing his predictions
fulfilled, were perfected in faith, and their "hearts established
unblamable in holiness." This was to them a resurrection day, not only
in reviving their faith and hope in the doctrine of the immortal
resurrection of all that died in Adam, but in delivering them from
their sufferings, and raising them into the sublime enjoyments of the
reign of Christ. In reference to this period, Jesus says, "thou shalt
be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." And Paul says, "If by
any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead, not as
though I had already attained, either were already perfect." What
sense would there be in his saying--if by any means I might, by my
exertions, become an immortal being, not as though I had already
attained to immortal existence? No sense at all. But the apostles
meaning is clear, if we render it thus--If by any means I might
continue faithful unto the end, and obtain a crown of life in the
first resurrection at that day when Christ shall come in his kingdom
to destroy his enemies and to deliver and elevate Christians to honor.
We shall notice this more particularly in our next when we come to
comment on Philippians iii. Chap. Again he says--"Who concerning the
truth have erred, saying the resurrection is past already, and
overthrow the faith of some." That is, to make the Christians believe
that their promised deliverance was past, while they were yet in the
midst of their sufferings, was calculated to overthrow their faith. We
will notice the change of the living still further. Jesus says, that
those, who were in their graves, and had done good, should come forth
to the resurrection of life. And Daniel says, that many of them who
sleep in the dust of the earth should awake to everlasting life, and
those, who were wise, should shine as the brightness of the firmament,
and they that turned many to righteousness as the stars forever and
ever. Here Daniel and Jesus represent the low, suffering, and
distressed condition of the Christians previous to the destruction of
Jerusalem, and their final deliverance and exaltation at that period,
by sleeping in the dust, being dead in their graves, and suddenly
coming forth to life and shining like the brightness of the firmament
and the stars forever and ever. This is equivalent with being "caught
up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air."
The above changes are as great and as in instantaneous, as the apostle
represents in the context,--"We shall all 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."
As if he had said we shall suddenly enter into the full fruition of
that glorious gospel kingdom, whose trump shall then begin, and
continue to sound down to the remotest periods of that "_last day_"
proclaiming the incorruptible resurrection of all the dead, and at the
same time changing the living from the low, sorrowful, and groveling
thoughts of earth to the sublime and joyful contemplations of "life
and immortality brought to light through the gospel." So the _last
day_, in which the last trump sounds, and the dead are raised,
embraces the whole gospel reign of Christ. The _resurrection_ is
coeval in duration with the _judgment_ of the world; for both are
called the last day, and both are represented as involving all mankind
in one assemblage to be judged and in one assemblage to be raised.
[To be continued.]