That the change of the living, in the context, has any reference to
changing them into immortal beings, I cannot admit without further
evidence. It is contrary to the whole tenor of revelation--it is
contrary to our text, which declares that all, who are made alive in
Christ first die in Adam. As the change of the living is an important
point in our present investigation, we will give it further attention.
That the Christians were to experience a great and sudden change at
the destruction of Jerusalem is certain. They were to be delivered
from all their trials and persecutions, and be raised into the full
and felicitous enjoyment of the reign of Christ. Those Christians, who
had not seen our Saviour alive from the dead, who had believed on the
testimony of his apostles and of the "five hundred brethren," were
delivered from all their doubts and fears on seeing his predictions
fulfilled, were perfected in faith, and their "hearts established
unblamable in holiness." This was to them a resurrection day, not only
in reviving their faith and hope in the doctrine of the immortal
resurrection of all that died in Adam, but in delivering them from
their sufferings, and raising them into the sublime enjoyments of the
reign of Christ. In reference to this period, Jesus says, "thou shalt
be recompensed at the resurrection of the just." And Paul says, "If by
any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead, not as
though I had already attained, either were already perfect." What
sense would there be in his saying--if by any means I might, by my
exertions, become an immortal being, not as though I had already
attained to immortal existence? No sense at all. But the apostles
meaning is clear, if we render it thus--If by any means I might
continue faithful unto the end, and obtain a crown of life in the
first resurrection at that day when Christ shall come in his kingdom
to destroy his enemies and to deliver and elevate Christians to honor.
We shall notice this more particularly in our next when we come to
comment on Philippians iii. Chap. Again he says--"Who concerning the
truth have erred, saying the resurrection is past already, and
overthrow the faith of some." That is, to make the Christians believe
that their promised deliverance was past, while they were yet in the
midst of their sufferings, was calculated to overthrow their faith. We
will notice the change of the living still further. Jesus says, that
those, who were in their graves, and had done good, should come forth
to the resurrection of life. And Daniel says, that many of them who
sleep in the dust of the earth should awake to everlasting life, and
those, who were wise, should shine as the brightness of the firmament,
and they that turned many to righteousness as the stars forever and
ever. Here Daniel and Jesus represent the low, suffering, and
distressed condition of the Christians previous to the destruction of
Jerusalem, and their final deliverance and exaltation at that period,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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