T h e
205
April 1928
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
The Immortal Christ
join together in one common song of everlasting hallelujahs because, through Him, they, too, have “ put on immortal- ity’G—they have BODIES “ like unto His glorious body!”
resurrection of Jesus Christ was, absolutely essential,;,to His.,»being be lieved on as a Saviour. How could men believe He had made satisfaction for their sins so long as they saw death— the known wages of sin—in full power over Him? (Rom.
Were the Resurrection Witnesses Fakers? T O say that the resurrection o f Christ is a falsehood is to assert that those who claimed to be witnesses did not really believe what they wrote. Plainly speaking, they were imposters. They spent their lives endeavoring to per suade others that it occurred. Let us see if we can discover what possible interest the disciples could have had in insisting that Jesus had arisen, unless they really believed it. They were so few in num ber and so faint-hearted that they had been unable to pre vent His being crucified. What possible chance would they have thought they had of convincing the nation that He had arisen from the dead? If He had not done so, they could not have thought of a more hopeless scheme. What but the knowledge-that Jesus had overcome death and that, therefore, they would have divine power to assist them in convincing the world, could have induced this little band of disciples to venture such an undertak ing? Unless they thoroughly believed in it, they are left without a motive! Furthermore, we only need to study their conduct. We find their utter gloom and despair suddenly changed to intense joy. They boldly rush forth among the very crucifiers of Jesus, announcing His resurrection. The evidence must have appeared absolutely conclusive to them or Christianity would have perished at Calvary. A. still more important point is the persecution they gladly endured, even to the most extreme forms o f mar tyrdom, for the preaching of the resurrection. Do many suffer thus for what they know to be false? The veracity of the witnesses seems fully established. They certainly honestly believed what they asserted, and remember that they were not easily convinced. No think ing student can say that the New Testament accounts are intentionally false. T The Vision Theory HOSE who have been unable to make out that the apostles were deceivers as to the resurrection, have
4 :25.) How could they have believed Him to be “ God man ifest in the flesh”— hanging upon a cross? (Rom. 1:4.) Christ’s death must have been an overwhelming disaster to His apostles and followers. The Light of the world had gone out. They were in the blackest of despondency, with every hope dashed. What caused the sudden shout o f joy which rent the air? How explain the tears of grati tude which suddenly filled the eyes o f hundreds of His; followers ? What sent them forth all of a sudden flaming evangels which no power o f earth or hell could extinguish? The Lord o f glory had burst the bands of death. No grave could hold Him. He was “ risen as He said.” Nothing short of that can account for the new epoch and the effect it has had upon all the subsequent history of the entire world. From that very day every Lord’s Day has been a new Easter for the true Christian. The com mon salutation of the primitive Christians on each first day of the week was: “ The Lord is risen. He is risen indeed.” , “ The power of His resurrection” in the lives o f His true followers through the centuries, has abun dantly proved that Christianity has no dead Christ. In these days of new definitions may we warn our readers against the subtle efforts to evaporate the resur rection into an “ objective vision” or an “ immortality of the SOUL .” The open TOMB— the missing BODY— pro claim a R ISEN BODY .. It was the body o f Christ which had become immortal. His spirit had never rested in the ground. Not for a moment had it ceased to exist, for He Himself informs us of His mission in the spirit world dur ing the three days. His spirit and His soul needed no resurrection. But on the first day of the week His spirit was seen united with a glorious resurrection body. Nothing short of that will be the immortality to be bestowed upon all true believers when Christ shall return in glory (1 Cor. 15 :54). “ The very diamond which shines in the Saviour’s crown shall burn in unquenchable beauty at last on the forehead of every true child of God.” His
resurrection is not only an illustration, but a pledge that all the bodies in the graves of the world shall come forth at the sound of His voice. W h a t j o y to know we have a liv ing C h r i s t ! And what will be the glory o f that day w h e n all the saints shall
sought to .fall back u p o n a “ v i s i o n theory.” They would suggest thai these men were visionary, excitable, over-en thusiastic individuals —perhaps even too stupid to make ample investigation. T h e wish to have Jesus come forth, t h e y say, was father to the thought, so that
Made with FlippingBook Online document