When have Inspired Men Expected the Bliss of Heaven?
By R. F. Cottrell
THERE is no variance among the inspired writers of the Old Testament and the New, in respect to the time when they expected their reward. They expected no part of it before the resurrection of the dead. And there is no exception to this rule in any inspired writer. This is the most conclusive evidence that the dead sleep, and are not in conscious happiness or misery. We have no reason to say that the dying thief was an inspired man, yet he asked to be remembered at the same time that inspired men expected to be remembered. "Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." It is claimed that the Lord granted him more than he asked for—that instead of waiting for that day to arrive, he should enjoy the bliss of the paradise of God immediately. Paradise and the third heaven are the same, 2 Cor. xii, 2-4. It would seem strange indeed if the thief, who found pardoning mercy while dying, should be so distinguishingly honored above such men of God as David. It was some time after the thief died, and, as it is supposed, went to heaven, that Peter said, "For David is not ascended into the heavens." Acts ii, 34. David then had not gone to paradise, when Peter, immersed with the Holy Spirit, preached to the people, on the day of pentecost. Did David, while living, look for his reward sooner? We will hear his testimony. "As for me," says he, contrasting himself with "men of the world," "I will behold thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness," Ps. xvii, 15. The pure in heart shall see God, Mat. v, 8. David expected to see his face in righteousness; but not immediately. He expected to sleep; but he expected to awake with his Redeemer's likeness. Then he would be satisfied. How this testimony harmonizes with that of the apostle. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." 1 John iii, 2. When shall the saints see the Lord and be like him! At death? No; but when he appears. At that time shall those that sleep awake with his likeness. "For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible." 1 Cor. xv, 52. Then all the saints shall be satisfied, shall see their Lord and be like him. Said Job, "O that thou wouldst hide me in the grave, that thou wouldst keep me secret, till thy wrath be past, that thou wouldst appoint me a set time, and remember me! If a man die, shall he live again? all the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come. Thou shalt call, and I will answer thee." It is evident that Job expected to go into the grave and wait all the days of his appointed time—till his Redeemer should come to earth and his change—the resurrection—should come. Then he expected to respond to the voice of the archangel and the trump of God, "Thou shalt call and I will answer thee; thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands." I have affirmed that no inspired man, as recorded in the Bible, ever expected the bliss of paradise, before the resurrection. Of course Enoch and Elijah who did not die, are exceptions. None that have died, as recorded in the Bible ever expressed a thought of entering into conscious joys, immediately at death. If there is a state of conscious happiness for the righteous between death and the resurrection, it is exceedingly strange that no inspired man ever mentioned it; and since it is not mentioned in all the inspired word, I am confident it does not exist. Perhaps the reader will say that what I affirm is false; that inspired men did look for immediate conscious happiness, in the presence of the Lord, at death. What inspired writer has recorded it? Perhaps you answer Paul; for he said he had a desire to depart and be with Christ. So he did; and he is not the only Christian that has had such desire. The time which elapses between death and the resurrection is nothing to the unconscious. To the saint of God, the next moment after he closes his eyes in death he opens them in the resurrection. By faith he triumphs over death as he falls in his icy embrace, the next moment to him he leaves the grave, where he has slept centuries perhaps, and ascends to meet the coming Lord; and as he looks upon the empty grave and calls to mind his last thoughts while struggling with death, he cries out, "O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory?" But to the question. Did Paul say he expected to be with Christ immediately at death? No. Then this must not be made to contradict that which we have already quoted from inspired men. We look for them all to agree. When did Paul expect to be with Christ? At his coming. When he came down to the time when he was to close his earthly career and seal his testimony with his blood, he says, "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a 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. The apostle's work is now done. He is about to depart. And he tells when he expects to receive the crown of righteousness. It is at the advent and resurrection, the time when all who love Christ's appearing will also receive a crown. This perfectly agrees with what he says in 1 Thess. iv, 13-18. "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." The apostle would comfort his mourning brethren, and to this end he would not have them ignorant concerning them that are asleep. Then if our departed loved ones are now with Christ, he will certainly tell us so. He will not withhold any consolation he can give in truth. If they are now in conscious happiness he will make it known. But all he says of their present state is, they are asleep; and the first and only consolatory words he has to offer relate to the resurrection of the sleeping saints at the coming of Christ, when the living will be changed, and all, the dead and the living, be forever with the Lord. He has not one word to say of their present bliss in the "spirit world," or anywhere else. This is altogether unaccountable upon the supposition that he believed that those for whom they mourned were in conscious bliss. It is certain from his silence concerning this upon such an occasion, when this information was so much needed, and when he himself proposed on the outset to dispel their ignorance concerning those who were asleep, that he did not believe in such a state for the dead and the doctrine is entirely fabulous. The hope of bliss in a disembodied state is no part of the Christian hope. In fact such a thing as disembodied men is unknown, unrecorded, and unrecognized, throughout all the Book of God. But how sweet the true consolation and hope as expressed by the apostle: "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." Yes! Amen! Comfort one another with these words of true Bible believer's consolation. And let all the people say, Amen. And let all ministers of the present day comfort their bereaved hearers with these words: the coming of Christ and the resurrection! But they will not do it, because they suppose they have something better.