Things Most Surely Believed As To - Resurrection 3

By Joseph L. Watkins

We open this lesson by quoting from our dear Bro. Stuart Allen's lesson "Resurrection and The Purpose of The Ages" (see Berean Exp. Vol. 36, page 156):

"As this age draws nearer its end and the times grow darker with increasing difficulties, the need for a practical experience of the in working of this supreme power grows greater.  There is scarcely a child of God today who is not being tested in one direction or another. We are more than conquerors by drawing on the power of His resurrection and live to glorify Him (and that great resurrection) in our daily life and witness."

Oh yes, the testing comes in many forms, but I feel quite sure one of the pressing difficulties in Bro. Allen's mind here is the age-old war that has been raging on unchecked since "The Garden Days" and Satan's hatred of unending life for man. From the tree of life, in that hour, and in "The Great Promise of Life in Resurrection." As Satan is a lowly-created being like ourselves, he cannot see into the future. Oh yes, he is much wiser then we are, yet he does not know all that is going on. He has been around much, much longer, and has learned well the tricks of his trade. One thing he knows beyond any question, The Word of God stands steadfast and sure, he cannot change it. However, he is a master at putting his spin on God's truth, or casting the dark shadow of doubt over it. And he has succeeded marvelously with his greatest of all masterful spins the immortality of a dying human soul. Now, it would have been a great feat for him to have convinced Eve and her husband that they did not need the tree of life to live. That would have been one thing, but to convince her that God would not honor His own word, that was genius.

" ... hath God said, ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? The woman said, God said ye shall not eat of it neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. The serpent said,ye shall not (lit.) dying, die, dead (Strong's 4191, two times). For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as the gods, (having) the knowledge of good and evil" (Gen. 3:1-5).

The foolish man takes this to be saying we are like gods, having immortality, you might die, but you can never totally die, be dead. For the human soul is indestructible. This body is made dust again, returning to the earth, but who needs it, we will get another one for our great immortal soul to live in, but what liar promised it?

jlw