Untitled article by R. F. Cottrell

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Mar 8, 1864

Are the Dead Conscious? No. 10.

By R. F. Cottrell

As THOSE texts which speak of the death and burial of our race, give no intimation that any part of man is exempt from death or escapes going into the grave, so texts which speak of the resurrection, represent men as coming forth from the grave and not from any other place; and also teach that but for the resurrection they are utterly lost.

Says Jesus, 'And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.' And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.' Jno. vi, 39, 40.

The last day is the day of the coming of Christ and the resurrection of the just. The idea conveyed by the text is, that if Christ should fail to raise up his people in that day, they would be lost. If the popular teachings were true—if the soul can exist independent of the body—the salvation of the saints is not dependent on the resurrection; and it would not be a loss worth mentioning should the mortal dust never be gathered up again. But the Bible knows nothing of a human soul existing without the body, but makes the salvation of the dead, and their everlasting life, wholly dependent on the resurrection. Every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life, and 'I will raise him up at the last day.'

'For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.' Col. iii, 3, 4.

When we hear the apostle say to living men 'Ye are dead,' we understand him as using a figure of speech. What then is the meaning of this figure? He does not mean to say that his Colossian brethren were dead in trespasses and sins; for they had had a resurrection from that death. He says to them in the preceding chapter, 'And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses.' Verse 13.

He does not mean to say that they were 'dead to sin,' for when they became dead to sin, they became 'alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.' Rom. vi, 11. There should be no resurrection from that death—they should forever remain dead indeed to sin. There is no life to sin 'hid with Christ in God.' The Colossians had found that they were dead in sins; that in consequence of this they were exposed to literal death; for 'the wages of sin is death'—'sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.' They had died to sin by repentance, and had been literally buried in water to signify this, and had been raised from the watery grave as a sign that they were risen again, and not to their former life of sin, but to a new life of obedience in Christ. They had been planted in the likeness of his death and raised in the likeness of his resurrection, that they might 'walk in newness of life.' Rom. vi. Hence the apostle says 'If ye then be risen with Christ.' &c.

All this is to signify something real. And what is it? It is this: Our natural life, derived from Adam is forfeited by sin. It is irrecoverably lost and consequently if we enjoy a future and everlasting life, it must be derived from Christ the second Adam, who is a life-giving spirit. We are now prepared to understand the meaning of the figure: 'Ye are dead,' &c. Their literal life had been forfeited,—it was unconditionally and irrecoverably lost; for sin had entered into the world, and death by sin. We say of the culprit condemned to die, he is a dead man. When God sent his plagues upon the Egyptians and the first-born in every house was slain, the living cried out in despair, 'We be all dead men.' Ex. xii, 33. So Paul could say to those who were risen with Christ by faith, Ye are dead—your life was forfeited when Adam sinned, and death has passed upon all. But still you have life in prospect. Though it is not received, yet it is secure; it is hid with Christ in God. When will this new life be given? When Christ who is our life shall appear. Then ye will be living men—ye will appear with him in glory.

The Colossian brethren to whom Paul wrote, yielded up the life, which they derived from Adam, eighteen

hundred years ago. But they have not received the life which Christ is to give them, and will not till Christ appears in his glory. It is not till then that the promise becomes due. If they are living souls now, whence do they derive their life? Not from Adam; for that being forfeited, is lost forever. Not from Christ; for the time has not come when that hidden life is to be given. The only conclusion is, they are destitute of life, and will be, till the Life-giver comes.

R. F. COTTRELL.