PHILIPPIANS answer to that problem, the resur rection of Jesus Christ has shown us that death does not end the ac counting. Cod still keeps the books John 5:28-29). There is an old proverb which declares, “ Cod does not settle His accounts every Satur day night." Perhaps not, but He al ways settles them sooner or later. Unmistakably, without any hesi tation, that day will come in which every injustice, every wrong, every cruel and shameful deed, will be brought to accounting before the last tribunal of God at the judg ment. Correspondingly every un noticed kindness, every unappre ciated virtue, every unrecognized sacrifice will receive its due reward in a coming day. For those who have rejected Jesus Christ, the cer tainty of hell is assured (Revelation 20:11-12). Before that judgment tri bunal humanity will appear in per son. In the searching gaze of eternal majesty every secret thought and deed will stand revealed as clearly as though illuminated by a search light. No excuses, no alibies, no in fluence, no bribes will avail in that final hour of the great white throne. God's people will be vindicated and His enemies will be confound ed in that day of resurrection. Over the course of the centuries God has been developing man. Through regeneration He has brought us to the point of our greatest usefulness, spiritually, mentally, and physically. If death intervenes to cut short God's work, can it be anything less than a great tragedy? Scientists tell us that death is physiologically and philosophi cally unnecessary. There is no good reason for man to die because his body possesses the powers of self
renewal. Psychologically there is no reason either for as man matures his mind grows stronger and better balanced. With the increase of ma turity, comes the increase of ca pacity for judgment. But man does die. In our next study we shall con sider further what Scripture has to say on this matter. There is one thing which is common to all human beings down through the corridors of time, and that is physical death. Its icy hand claims all of us if we tarry until the day of death and Jesus does not come in our lifetime for believers. None, apart from the intervention of God, is exempt. Only in the res urrection does the divine vitality meet human mortality to over come it. The Apostle Paul illustrates this by referring to the seed planted in the ground. After an interval, when it is dug up the original seed is seen to have decayed and died. Yet from the moldering pulp paradoxically it has also been the source from which has sprung new life. The Word of God uses this analogy to speak of the resurrection of the dead (I Corinthians 15:20 ff). The green shoot which protrudes from the ground may bear no external resemblance to the seed which was planted and yet it is the same thing. So, the new body of the believer in the resurrection day may bear no resemblance to the one which we now have but it will actually be the continuation of that inward life we now possess. We will be changed and fashioned like unto the glori fied body of Jesus Christ. Certain general statements are given to us in the Bible about the resurrection body. It will most def-
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