A Book of Gems, or, Choice selections from the writings of Benjamin FranklinFranklin, Benjamin
Religion
A Book of Gems, or, Choice selections from the writings of Benjamin Franklin
Franklin, Benjamin
Churches of Christ
In the fourth, and last place, let us take one look forward to
the eternal, or resurrection state. Looking to the close of the
intermediate state, John says, “I saw a great white throne, and him
that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away,
and there was found no more place for them. And I saw the dead, small
and great, stand before God; and the books were opened; and another
book was opened which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out
of these things which were written in the books, according to their
works.” Rev. xx. 10-12. After thus presenting the dead in judgment,
he proceeds to tell us where they came from, as follows: “And the sea
gave up the dead that were in it; and death and hell delivered up the
dead which were in them and they were judged every man according to
their works.” The Greek _hades_, here translated hell, simply means the
invisible, or unseen state. In this invisible state, the book of God
reveals two distinct, or separate apartments. One is _Paradise_, the
other is _Tartareous_. In this same book of Revelations, John, speaking
in the person of Christ, says, “I am he who _was dead_ and _am alive
forevermore_; I have the keys of hell and of death; I can open and no
man can shut, and shut and no man can open.” The amount of this is,
that I have the keys or power, to open the grave, and raise the bodies
both from land and sea, and I have the power to open the invisible
state, both _Paradise_ and _Tartareous_, and bring forth the spirits of
the dead, both righteous and wicked, re-uniting soul and body, to stand
in judgment. When the last righteous sentence is passed upon man, in
the last judgment, the final separation follows. Whoever was not found
written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. This is the
second death. Here is the last account of the wicked, the incorrigible,
and we must leave them where God leaves them without any attempt to
dwell upon their deplorable and irremediable condition.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account