QUESTION CORNER by Milton C. Wilcox

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Nov 30, 1915

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 42, No. 47.

QUESTION CORNER

By Milton C. Wilcox

CONDUCTED BY MILTON C. WILCOX, MOUNTAIN VIEW, CALIFORNIA

Note.—This department is for the purpose of helping Bible students. Answers must of necessity be brief, often only suggestive, never exhaustive, never infallible, only as they agree with the infallible Word. Such questions only will be answered as seem to the editors to minister to the mission of the paper. Questions of the same import cannot be answered repeatedly in the same volume. Name and address must be given, not for publication but as evidence of good faith and to insure reply by letter if thought best. It is well always to inclose stamp, not stamped envelope, unless answer is desired by letter alone.

204 — WHAT REST IS MEANT?

Please explain, in the Question Corner, the “rest” mentioned in Hebrews 4, especially verses 7-11, and what is meant by “the dividing asunder of soul and spirit.” What do “soul and spirit” mean? V. A. R.

The “rest” of Hebrews 4 is the rest of faith, or the rest that comes by faith in God. The children of Israel did not enter into that rest when they went into the land of Canaan, for they went in there as sinners. The Lord wanted them to have rest, rest in Him, rest that would come from their ceasing from their own work, not trusting in themselves for salvation, but trusting in the Lord alone. And those who believe, enter into that rest. God’s finished work in the beginning was a pledge of that eternal rest. His works were finished from the foundation of the world; and the fact that He rested on the seventh day, proved that they were finished, and also were a pledge to all who should come after, that when they would give themselves wholly to God, and accept the salvation He Himself offered, they would enter into that rest, beginning it in this life, and ending it in eternity.

The day mentioned, does not refer to any day of the week. God offered the rest to the children of Israel, and they would not accept it. Hebrews 3 and 4 shows this very clearly, “Again, He limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To-day . . . if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” From the time when God’s own children as a nation set aside His promises, God has called individuals, and He has asked them one by one to yield to Him, to enter into His rest. And the “to-day” means now, always now. “Now is the accepted time,” “now is the day of salvation.” And Sabbath rest waits for the people of God; for when they shall be gathered in, then we will have God’s finished work of grace, which will remain forever.

Verse 12 relates to the word of God in its power. It is living and active, and it is “sharper than any two-edged sword.” The dividing of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and the discerning “of the thoughts and intents of the heart,” shows the piercing, penetrating power of that Word. There is nothing that it does not reach. It is like a hammer that breaks the rocks, and like a fire that melts them, as stated in Jer. 23:29.

The matter of soul and spirit is worthy of note. The soul life is the life that all creatures have, irrespective of character or condition. The beast has the soul life, as has also the fowl, the insect, the worm. Soul life is the life that pertains to the animal man. The spirit life is the life that is given directly from God. It was given of God in the beginning. Adam possessed spirit life before he sinned. When he sinned, he lost it. Before he sinned, soul life, body life, the whole man, was subject to the power of his spirit life; but when man sinned, he lost the spirit life, and the flesh became contaminated. When man accepts the Lord Jesus Christ, God gives him the spirit life again. The Word reveals the difference between the two. We have, for instance, in 1 Cor. 15:44: “It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. So also it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. Howbeit that is not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; then that which is spiritual.” The word “natural” here is literally soulical. See the margin of the American Revised Version, psychical. The natural man has a soulical body. The Christian has the spirit also; and when the Lord Jesus shall come and make us immortal, then the body will be made spiritual. Heb. 4:12 simply indicates that the word of God discerns and reveals the difference between the two. Those who reject the Spirit of God, will come down to death, and will be dead souls; but those who accept the Lord Jesus Christ, shall be preserved entirely without blame, their whole spirit and soul and body, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thess. 5:23.

205 — CHANGE OF THE SABBATH

Did Constantine change the Sabbath? Is it not rather to be charged to the Catholic Church? C. A. D. M.

No, Constantine did not change the Sabbath. Constantine’s law for Sunday, however, was used by an apostate church to help in bringing about the change. The change of the Sabbath in the professed church of Christ was brought about by the Roman Catholic Church, who not only acknowledges that she made the change, but contends that she did it. The change itself was gradual, beginning even before Constantine’s time — just as soon as error and tradition crept into the Christian church — and it went on until the change was complete. The Protestant church, called out of the Roman Catholic Church, inherited many of its errors, and did not drop off the spurious sabbath. In the last great reformation, this is to be brought about in the church of Christ, through the great threefold message of Revelation 14. The little tract on “Who Changed the Sabbath?” will help our correspondent out.

206 — NATIONS IN THE NEW EARTH

Please explain the meaning of Ps. 68:31. Does it mean that after God has gathered His people as individuals for His kingdom, the inhabitants of the world will come as nations? L. B.

We hardly think that the text so teaches. It rather shows what would come because of the gospel preaching. “Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall haste to stretch out her hands unto God.” It is akin to expressions found in Isaiah 61. There are scriptures, however, which would indicate that there will be nations in the new earth, as for instance, Rev. 21:24, 26: “And the nations shall walk amidst the light thereof: and the kings of the earth bring their glory into it.” “And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.” These nations are probably identical with the division of God’s people into twelve tribes. Matt. 19:28 may help us here: “And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, that ye who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit on the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” This would constitute the nations of the new earth.

207 — THE 144,000

Will those who are raised in the special resurrection, have part among the 144,000?

The one hundred and forty-four thousand may include those who die under the sealing message and have a special resurrection, although there is nothing that is definite regarding it. It really is not an important question. It is one that we can leave with God to decide. Our greatest anxiety ought to be that we shall be numbered among God’s faithful people, whether numbered in the one hundred and forty-four thousand or in some other company. If we are faithful and true to God, we can leave all of that with Him.

208 — FOREORDAINED TO BE LOST

If the plan of salvation was ordained before the world began, was not the created man destined to commit sin, and are not those finally lost foreordained to that state? Is not this taught by Rom. 9:17-23? L. C. B.

We do not think the conclusion follows. Foreknowledge does not demand foreordination. God has foreordained the good, and made it possible for every one to obtain it. Those who choose His way choose the righteousness, choose the life, choose the name. Those who reject His way choose sin, choose death, and if the choice is persisted in, reap the fruit of their own sowing. Righteous character cannot be formed without test, and even the infinite God must take the awful risk of sin. At the same time, He gives “more grace,” so that where sin abounds, grace much more abounds. Rom. 5:20. With the passage in Romans, read what the same apostle says in 2 Tim. 2:20, 21; also Jer. 18:1-10.

On whom will God have mercy? Rom. 9:15. First, on the obedient ones. Ex. 20:6. Secondly, on the worst of sinners; for “He delighteth in mercy,” and “He will abundantly pardon.” Micah 7:18, 19; Isa. 55:6, 7. Whom will God harden?—God hardens only those who reject every overture of mercy after repeated appeals, as did Pharaoh, and thus do despite to the Spirit of grace. See Heb. 10:29. Then God withdraws His Spirit.

For brief though fuller treatment, see the tract “Bible Election,” for sale at this office.