1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org
1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org 1881 Watch Tower - A2Z.org
consequently could not die. The body, without the spirit (of life),is dead, and that which is dead cannot die.WHAT THEN IS DEATH--WHAT DIES?We answer, the being dies--ceases to have being or existence.Death is the dissolution, or separation of the things which,combined, constitute being,--namely, life and body. Thus whenthe spirit of life returns to God, who gave it (all nature is hisreservoir of life), then the being is dead, and soon the body willreturn to the dust, "from whence it was taken." We see clearly,then, that not the body, but the being--called in Scripture soul--dies. Let us notice some instances in which this is stated in somany words: Job 31:39, (marginal reading,) "Cause the soul ofR277 : page 127owners thereof to expire"--(dissolve, die.) "Their soul dieth inyouth, etc." Job 36:14, margin, "To deliver their soul (being)from death and to keep them alive in famine."--Psa. 33:19. "Hespared not their soul (being) from death" (dissolution.)-- Psa.78:50. He keepeth back his soul (being) from the pit" (death.)--Job 33:18. "He shall deliver his soul (being) from the grave."--Psa. 89:48. All souls (beings) are mine...the soul (being) thatsinneth it shall die."--Ezek. 18:4. It was the soul (being) of Jesuswhich was given for our ransom. "Thou shalt make his soul(being) an offering for sin"...."He shall see of the travail of hissoul and be satisfied." "He hath poured out his soul (being) untodeath."--Isa. 53:10-12. But, (Acts 2:31,) "His soul (being) wasnot left in hell," (hades--the condition of death.) He was raisedto being again, but a being of a higher order --having a granderthan human form or body--"Put to death in the flesh, butquickened by the spirit." And now we come to the point--Whatwill be raised up, in the resurrection? The body, says some one.Not so; I answer, it is the BEING that God promises to raise up.It once existed, and lost existence, and is to be raised up toexistence or being again. Men can resurrect a body from thetomb (that is, bring a body out of a tomb to the surface); butonly God's power can resurrect or bring to existence again abeing who has died. We see then that resurrection means therestoring of being. Now, "with what body do they (these beings)come" (into being again)? is a question asked by Paul.--1 Cor.15:35. [We have seen that being is made up of two elements--body, and spirit of life; hence, if restored to being, they musthave some sort of bodies provided them.] Paul proceeds to tellus, that, while each must have a body, yet in the resurrection allbeings will not have the same kind of bodies. He says that thereare two general sorts or kinds of bodies--the earthly or naturalbodies, and the spiritual--heavenly bodies. There are perfectillustrations of these two kinds of bodies: Adam was the head ofthe earthly, human family, and a pattern of the perfect humanbeing. Christ Jesus, at his resurrection, was the first born from
the dead to the perfect new nature, the spiritual, and he, "thusborn of the spirit, is spirit."--John 3:6. His is a sample orillustration of a perfect spiritual being.All humanity belongs to one of two classes: either they arenatural men--the ADAMIC SEED, or they have been begottenof the spirit through the word of truth and have given themselvesup to Christ, that the will of God might be done in them; this isthe newly begotten man; he belongs to the SPIRITUAL SEED.R277 : page 128Now, says Paul, "God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him andto every seed his own body." That is, those who have, during thepresent life, become partakers of the divine nature, must needshave a divine form--a "spiritual body," "like unto Christ'sglorious body," while those who have not thus changed naturewould have no change of body. When again brought into being,they will have natural, human bodies.The resurrection, which some will have, to spiritual conditionsof being--with spiritual bodies--is in Scripture designated asspecial, by calling it "the first resurrection," first in importance --chief. It is also frequently designated by the article THE (verynoticeable in the Greek text; but less so in our Englishtranslations); for illustration--notice the following instances,(Luke 20:35,) "They that shall be accounted worthy to obtainthat world and THE resurrection neither marry nor are given inmarriage." Again, Paul always taught that there would be "aresurrection, both of the just and the unjust," yet he says: If byany means I might attain unto THE resurrection.--Phil. 3:11,(the first--to spiritual condition and being.) Again he designatesthis resurrection to spiritual being as "his resurrection," becauseJesus was the first one so raised to spiritual being. "That I mightknow him, and the power of HIS resurrection (i.e., that I mightbe raised as he was raised). Then follows an account of how hemight attain to that glorious resurrection to spiritual being, viz.,"knowing the fellowship of his sufferings and being madeconformable unto his death."--Phil. 3:10.None will attain to this chief resurrection, except theyconsecrate themselves entirely to God's service. "We beseechyou therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you presentyour bodies (and all their powers, talents, reputations--all) aliving sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, your reasonableservice."So shall you be among those who shall be in THE firstresurrection, for "blessed and holy are all they that have part inTHE FIRST resurrection: on such the second death hath nopower; but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and reignwith him a thousand years."--Rev. 20:6. We can know littleabout the perfection, and grandeur, and powers of those whoshall become spiritual beings, except that they will be "like unto
- Page 325 and 326: illustrated by angels--spiritual bo
- Page 327 and 328: the disciples did not see Christ's
- Page 329 and 330: the glory that shall be revealed (1
- Page 331 and 332: PRESENCE OF CHRIST BEFORE THERAPTUR
- Page 333 and 334: The Greek word generally used in re
- Page 335 and 336: will, viz., in oppressing and oppos
- Page 337 and 338: Some other powers of angels can be
- Page 339 and 340: execute from God, (Job 1:12), is it
- Page 341 and 342: expressed his belief that many of t
- Page 343 and 344: God, that ye may be able to withsta
- Page 345 and 346: of the old nature and newness of li
- Page 347 and 348: period of the judges until Samuel,
- Page 349 and 350: When the new Prince takes control,
- Page 351 and 352: mountains, [place of power], and sh
- Page 353 and 354: 15:28), whose will then will be "in
- Page 355 and 356: illion four hundred million) could
- Page 357 and 358: poured on the head ran down over th
- Page 359 and 360: PART VI.----------THE PLAN OF THE A
- Page 361 and 362: The "HARVEST" at the end of the Jew
- Page 363 and 364: But Paul, surely God would not acce
- Page 365 and 366: (f) represents the (fire) trial thr
- Page 367 and 368: But remember that while justificati
- Page 369 and 370: shrink from the death of the human
- Page 371 and 372: in his due time become his Bride an
- Page 373 and 374: chief nation of earth--at the head
- Page 375: (ruach--the same breath said to be
- Page 379 and 380: R277 : page 130 ago, the body very
- Page 381 and 382: learn that the texts referred to (a
- Page 383 and 384: perfectly, and filled with life. He
- Page 385 and 386: (and thus), lay hold on eternal lif
- Page 387 and 388: Now let us notice the difference be
- Page 389 and 390: in fashion as a man, he humbled him
- Page 391 and 392: -the Lamb's wife--"To him that over
- Page 393 and 394: The words Incorruptible, Incorrupti
- Page 395 and 396: a mediator--a person who stands bet
- Page 397 and 398: God actually takes man's sins away
- Page 399 and 400: from among the people."--Acts 3:22.
- Page 401 and 402: learn that when in that parable he
- Page 403 and 404: off) for your sakes: but as touchin
- Page 405 and 406: quitting; are you willing if this g
- Page 407 and 408: now, inasmuch as you are an heir of
- Page 409 and 410: R286 : page 1VOL. III.PITTSBURGH, P
- Page 411 and 412: In harmony with this same thought w
- Page 413 and 414: This earthly part of the kingdom is
- Page 415 and 416: As we saw in the July number, in th
- Page 417 and 418: And as we saw some time since (Arti
- Page 419 and 420: We care not Lord for earthly fame,I
- Page 421 and 422: disappointed once and consequently
- Page 423 and 424: and to become his bride. "The Bride
- Page 425 and 426: The Lord's answer to those knocking
the dead to the perfect new nature, the spiritual, and he, "thusborn of the spirit, is spirit."--John 3:6. His is a sample orillustration of a perfect spiritual being.All humanity belongs to one of two classes: either they arenatural men--the ADAMIC SEED, or they have been begottenof the spirit through the word of truth and have given themselvesup to Christ, that the will of God might be done in them; this isthe newly begotten man; he belongs to the SPIRITUAL SEED.R277 : page 128Now, says Paul, "God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him andto every seed his own body." That is, those who have, during thepresent life, become partakers of the divine nature, must needshave a divine form--a "spiritual body," "like unto Christ'sglorious body," while those who have not thus changed naturewould have no change of body. When again brought into being,they will have natural, human bodies.The resurrection, which some will have, to spiritual conditionsof being--with spiritual bodies--is in Scripture designated asspecial, by calling it "the first resurrection," first in importance --chief. It is also frequently designated by the article THE (verynoticeable in the Greek text; but less so in our Englishtranslations); for illustration--notice the following instances,(Luke 20:35,) "They that shall be accounted worthy to obtainthat world and THE resurrection neither marry nor are given inmarriage." Again, Paul always taught that there would be "aresurrection, both of the just and the unjust," yet he says: If byany means I might attain unto THE resurrection.--Phil. 3:11,(the first--to spiritual condition and being.) Again he designatesthis resurrection to spiritual being as "his resurrection," becauseJesus was the first one so raised to spiritual being. "That I mightknow him, and the power of HIS resurrection (i.e., that I mightbe raised as he was raised). Then follows an account of how hemight attain to that glorious resurrection to spiritual being, viz.,"knowing the fellowship of his sufferings and being madeconformable unto his death."--Phil. 3:10.None will attain to this chief resurrection, except theyconsecrate themselves entirely to God's service. "We beseechyou therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you presentyour bodies (and all their powers, talents, reputations--all) aliving sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, your reasonableservice."So shall you be among those who shall be in THE firstresurrection, for "blessed and holy are all they that have part inTHE FIRST resurrection: on such the second death hath nopower; but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and reignwith him a thousand years."--Rev. 20:6. We can know littleabout the perfection, and grandeur, and powers of those whoshall become spiritual beings, except that they will be "like unto
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