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NATURE OF MAN

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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Apr 26, 1905

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 17.

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NATURE OF MAN.

By E. R. Palmer

A BIBLE READING BY E. R. PALMER.

I. Man Is Mortal.

Man was created out of the dust of the ground, and made in the image of God.
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Gen. 1:26. “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.” Gen. 1:27. See Gen. 2:17; 3:19, 23; Eccl. 12:7.
But this likeness is no proof that man is immortal by nature; for—
1. God alone is immortal.
“Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever.” 1 Tim. 1:17.
“Which in His times He shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords; who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto.” 1 Tim. 6:15, 16.
2. Man is mortal.
“Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his Maker?” Job 4:17.
“For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. . . . Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” 1 Cor. 15:53, 54.
3. Man is taught to seek for immortality.
“To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality.” Rom. 2:7.
4. Eternal life and immortality are obtained only through faith in Christ.
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life.” John 3:36.
“But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel.” 2 Tim. 1:10.

II. The Dead Are Unconscious.

1. Man consists of body, soul, and spirit.
“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thess. 5:23.
2. But it is a fact that the spirit, soul, and body are unconscious in sound sleep, and hence we may conclude that man is likewise unconscious in death; and, therefore, the dead are said to be asleep.
“He saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. Then said His disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death; but they thought that He had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.” John 11:11-14.
“And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.” Dan. 12:2.
“For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent [go before] them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” 1 Thess. 4:14-18.
3. The Bible teaches definitely that man becomes totally unconscious at death.
“His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.” Ps. 146:4.
“For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not anything, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten. Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun.” Eccl. 9:5, 6.
“Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.” Eccl. 9:10.
“For in death there is no remembrance of thee; in the grave who shall give thee thanks?” Ps. 6:5.
4. The Gospel truth of the resurrection of the dead is the basis of the Christian’s hope for immortality—eternal life.
“Now if Christ be preached that He rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is not Christ risen; and if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. . . . Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.” 1 Cor. 15:18; 12:14.