C. Can we go further and learn God’s plan relative to Satan, the tempter? A.—Our only source of information on the subject is the Bible, and its accounts, while brief, are to the point, and furnish us all requisite information. Scriptures refer to evil spirits as “legion,” or a multitude under a head or prince called Satan. They were at one time angels of God. 2 Peter (2:4) and Jude (6) speak of them as–“The angels who kept not their…
C.—Does not the race get back, in the second Adam, spiritual life? A.—Certainly not; Adam was not a spiritual but a human being, consequently had human life and powers, which were declared “very good” i.e. perfect.” The consecrated are the only ones warranted by the word of God in expecting a change from human to spiritual conditions–spiritual bodies with spiritual powers “like unto the angels,” (the Great Company class) AND “like unto Christ’s glorious body” (the “Little Flock”). This spiritual…
C.—Do you understand the Scriptures to teach that all mankind will reach and maintain the perfection of life which Adam lost– which you called “everlasting life?” A.—It would seem as though such love, when seen, would beget love and obedience; but we are assured there is a second death, and while those who become subject to it, will not compare in numbers with the saved, yet, there will be some, who will not reach perfection, even at the end of…
C.—If ransomed, why do they remain in death, and others die, since Christ has paid the price? A.—But the price is not yet fully paid. To have a clear understanding of God’s plan, we must recognize the distinction which he makes between the world in general and the Church, or called-out ones of the present time. God loves the world, and has made great and rich provisions, as we have seen, for their coming in his due time, to a…
In our last post the question was asked by Brother C. as to, How the life of one could purchase the life of many? A.—By the rule of SUBSTITUTION Rather than try each individual separately (the Lord knowing that they would all fail eventually for the very same reasons that Adam failed) chose rather to have all mankind represented in just one man, and in his trial. Thus Adam was substituted for the race as a whole, and through his…
B.–I begin to see a harmony and beauty connected with the introduction of evil which I had not suspected. May we not reasonably say that God could not have displayed those qualities of his nature so attractive to us–mercy and pity–nor could his great love have been made so apparent had not the occasion for their exercise been presented by man’s necessities? A.—I am glad that you have suggested this thought. It is true, that though “the Lord is very…
A third brother now joins the discussion, Brother C. C.—Brother A., may I interrupt you here to ask, Why, if it was proper and wise that Adam should have a trial under the most favorable of circumstances, as a perfect man, should not all his posterity have a similarly favorable trial? We all know that we are born with both mental and physical ailments and imperfections. Why did not God give us all as good a chance as Adam? A.—If…
The following is taken from R250 (with some editing) “To make all see, what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God.” “Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:–that in the dispensation of the fullness of times, he might gather together in one, all things…
God’s Service is Its Own Reward Is not the service of God its own reward that we should be unduly concerned about how we are to be paid for it? or that we should spend any time comparing our wage with our brother’s, or grudge that he should have as much as or more than we? If we recall the greatest happiness we have ever known, the purest and deepest, do we not find that it came in connection with…
The Last-called Gentiles became First Compare with the Jews the case of the Gentiles. They were not even permitted to enter into the vineyard until the seventy weeks of special covenant favor which God had made with the Jews had expired. They stood idle in the market-place. If any should ask them why they remained unemployed so long they might truthfully reply: “Because no man hath hired us”, we were there in the market-place, at least a good many of…