Untitled article by R. F. Cottrell

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 1, 1864

Are the Dead Conscious?—No. 9.

By R. F. Cottrell

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 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 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. iv, 13–18.

The design of the apostle in this text is clearly stated in the outset. He would not have us ignorant concerning the dead in Christ; and for the reason that he would not have us sorrow as those that have no hope. This being his object, he will not leave us still ignorant upon this deeply interesting subject, but will certainly dispel our ignorance, and give all the consolation possible concerning the loved ones who seem to us to be lost. If they are now in a state of conscious bliss, he will certainly tell us, for he has undertaken to console us by giving whatever information concerning them would have a tendency to comfort our hearts. What then does he say concerning their present condition? Are our dear ones in heaven? No. He would certainly tell us so, if it were so. Was death no death to them? Do they still live, though separated from the mortal body? Paul knew nothing of such a life as this, if he had, he would have told us. What then is their present state? They “are asleep;” but the comfort is that they will not always sleep. Christ died and rose again, and this is the pledge that those that sleep in Jesus will rise again.

But, says the objector, when the Lord comes from heaven, he brings with him those that sleep in Jesus; and this proves that their souls are now in heaven.

If it proves that their souls are in heaven, it proves that they are asleep there; for it is those “which sleep in Jesus” that will be brought with him. Where then will they be brought from? From the same place where Jesus was. The God of peace “brought again from the dead the Lord Jesus;” and the text teaches that “Christ died and rose again,” and upon this is based what follows: “Even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” Even so as Christ was raised from the dead, the saints also shall be brought up from their graves. This is the obvious meaning of the text.

The apostle next affirms by the word of the Lord, that “we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.” “Prevent, in the Bible means, not to hinder, but to precede, Ps. lix, 10; 1 Thess. iv, 15.” Bible Dictionary of the American Tract Society. Precede means to go before. The apostle assures us then that the living saints, at Christ's coming, shall not go before those that are asleep. The living will go to be with the Lord, at that time, but they will not go before the dead in Christ. The dead will not be left behind in that general assembly—they too will be there. “The dead in Christ shall rise first,” that is, before the living go to be with the Lord. “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,” concerning the dead, “with these words.” The living will not go before the dead, nor the dead before the living, but together will they go to be forever with the Lord. They will go bodily and at the same time to the presence of their Lord.

And this is the very best consolation an inspired apostle could give to those who mourn the dead in Christ. This is the very best information concerning them which he could give, “by the word of the Lord,” to those whom he “would not have to be ignorant concerning them that sleep.” Thank God! it is enough.

Give joy or grief, give ease or pain, Take life or friends away; But let me find them all again In that eventful day!

What a striking contrast between Paul's teaching and that of modern ministers on this subject! When these would comfort mourning friends, they tell them that their departed friends have gone before them to the immortal shore, and are waiting for the living to join them there—that they have crossed the sea of life, and are safely moored in the haven of eternal rest—that their joy is complete; their coronation day is past, and a crown of glory is upon their head—that they have joined the choir of the redeemed, &c.

There can be no reason why Paul did not tell us of these things, only that they do not exist—that there is no truth or reality in them. Were the modern teaching the truth, he would not have assured us by the word of the Lord that the last generation of Christians—those who will be living at the second coming of Christ—would not go to heaven before those that had died in Christ eighteen hundred years before that event. If they have gone before us, and are waiting our arrival, he would have told us. But in view of his own departure he could only say, “For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” 2 Tim. iv, 6–8.

I say, he could say no more, but this is enough. Though now he sleeps in the dust, soon a crown of glory will be his. A glittering crown will it be, for he will be rewarded according to his arduous labors and abundant sacrifices and sufferings in the cause of Christ. And when Paul receives his immortal crown, he will not receive it alone; but the reward will be given unto all them also that love Christ's appearing.

It is enough, although I close In death, my weary eyes, In that bright morn, my Lord to see, And meet him in the skies.