friends be raised in their weakened and maimed condition, or will they be restored to the freshness of youth and vigor of full manhood which they once knew? Or will they be given en tire ly different bodies? These are questions of vital concern and are worthy of serious considera tion.” The only source of information on all questions having to do with the future life is the Word of God. What answer does it give to these ques tions pressing so heavily upon the hearts and minds of sorrowing ones throughout the world? Orr wrote: “The Bible declares there is to be a marvelous difference between what the believer is here and what he shall be in Heaven. It could not be otherwise, for the life and environment of Heaven must be entirely different from that of a fall en race in a lost and sinful world. But with all the difference, each be liever will still be himself and not another person. He will carry with him into Heaven, and retain forever, his personal identity, and this identi ty of person applies as truly to the body as to any other part of his being. He will most certainly not be less a person in his resurrection body than he was in his earthly one. Whatever chances are made in the body, it will still be the body he had in this life, the one in which he toiled and suffered, loved and rejoiced, and at last died.” Now it might be less difficult for some to believe that at the resurrec tion, instead of the present body, they will receive an entirely new one, bearing no relation whatever to the present, mortal body. And there are those who argue in favor of such a theory. They claim that it would be 27
T he resurrection not only is dis tinctly taught in Scripture but also is one of the cardinal doctrines. Take this doctrine out of the Bible and the foundation stone of the Christian faith is removed. Paul de clares the resurrection to be the sum and substance of the gospel which he faithfully preached and for which he gladly died. Ironside stated: “Reassuring as the doctrine of the resurrection is, how ever, it does not altogether satisfy the inquiring soul seeking light on the life beyond. He wants to know more than the mere fact of the res urrection of the body. He wants to know what kind of body it will be.” God has been pleased to provide ample information on this subject to satisfy the desire of any reasonable person. While He has not revealed all that one might wish to know, He has given the great central facts; and the details are matters for faith. Since God always keeps His word, He can be trusted to give to each individual not only his own body, but also with such changes as to make it best suited to the require ments of its new surroundings. Hough declared: “Among the first questions usually asked, when the subject of the resurrection is under consideration, are these: ‘How are the dead raised up?’ and ‘With what bodies do they come?’ Sometimes these are questions of unbelief or doubt; sometimes of mere curiosity; but most generally they are prompt ed by perplexity or anxious fear. For example, when the bodies of loved ones and friends are laid away in extreme weakness, or maimed by ac cident, one wants to know what kind of bodies they are to have in the resurrection. Will the bodies of these
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