The resurrection.
I. THERE WILL BE A RESURRECTION. For us the Jewish notion of a resurrection is equivalent to the idea of a future life.
1. The yearning for a future life is involuntary and apparently instinctive; the belief in a future life is almost universal amongst people in all degrees of civilization, and with all varieties of religion; the need of a future life for the execution of justice and the development of the hopes and promises of this life is such that we might expect a righteous God to secure it. Providence would be a mockery if it permitted the holiest aspirations of the most spiritual men of all ages and creeds to grow to noble fruits by feeding on one huge delusion (1 Corinthians 15:19).
2. In addition to these presumptions in favour of a future life, we have the following direct evidences:
II. THE RESURRECTION WILL RESULT IN A JUDGMENT AND DIVISION OF DESTINIES.
1. It will be an occasion of revelation. Men's past history will be rehearsed, their secret thoughts exposed, their true character made known (Romans 2:16).
2. It will result in justice to all. Now we see justice hindered and delayed, so that the wicked often prosper and the righteous seem to fail (Psalms 73:3). Then men will receive according to their deserts (Psalms 83:17). To those, however, who have repented and sought forgiveness and newness of life in Christ, the justification will consist, not in their meritorious works, but in their faith in the grace of God (Romans 4:5).
3. The conditions of life thus brought about will be seen to be the natural fruits of the life on earth. The judgment will really only bring to light inevitable natural processes. Its results will be the development of natural law—the fruit-bearing of character (Galatians 6:7, Galatians 6:8).
III. THE RESURRECTION WILL ISSUE IN TWO MAIN COURSES.
1. Eternal life. Life is the issue of godliness—not indolent rest, nor selfish pleasure, but glad, restful living. This implies not only continued existence, but
2. Eternal shame and contempt. This implies suffering—spiritual, but most bitter. It is the. degradation of life as opposed to the fuller development of life in God's people. This is more terrible than physical torture (Isaiah 66:24). Note:
1. It implies continued existence—not annihilation—and also the preservation of conscience. The lowest degradation is where conscience is extinguished, and shame becomes impossible.
2. The eternity of the suffering implies, at least, its duration beyond any known bounds. Such a prospect is unspeakably awful, whatever the consideration of other aspects of truth may suggest in regard to the final issues of all punishment.