12 BEING WITH CHRIST.
By man’s rebellion against God. Who was the
chief agent in promoting this transaction? The
devil! What does Jesus call him because of this
work? A murderer. John 8:44. If death is
the door of Heaven, Satan has acted the part of
door-keeper of Heaven, for he has had the power
of death.
One of the principal proofs that men reach
Heaven by dying, is found in our text which is so
often quoted: ¢ The spirit shall return unto God
who gave it.” Does this prove that death ushers
men into Heaven ? Please consider before you an-
swer. If so, please observe that this text is not
descriptive of the case of the righteous only; it is
spoken of death as the common Jot of man. Then
we get all men into Heaven by dying, whatever
may become of them afterward. Can it be true
that every wicked man is to enter the gates of the
holy city when he dies? Sec Rev. 21:27; 22:
14, 15.
But does not this text really teach the entrance
of the righteous into Heaven at death? Not un-
less it does that of the wicked also; for the text
is descriptive of the common portion of mankind.
The infirmities of old age are first described, and
then the dissolution of man in death. The fact is,
Solomon is admonishing the young men to attend
to the service of God before these infirmities come
on which lead to final dissolution. If it were only
one class spoken of, it would be rather the wicked
than the righteous, for Solomon would not have a
young man grow up to these infirmities and con-
sequent dissolution unprepared.
It is the unbuilding of the man after the infirm-
ities of old age have worn out all his strength,
that Solomon “desoribes ; it is not his translation