p. 2 | Question Corner

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Dec 15, 1909

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 36, No. 49.

Question Corner

Please Be Definite.—For instance, a question comes to us asking us to be so kind as to explain the meaning of the latter part of “the 28th verse of Hebrews.” But the question is not definite enough so that we may know what chapter is referred to. There are five chapters in Hebrews which have 28 verses or more: chapter 7, chapter 9, chapter 10, chapter 11, chapter 12. If our correspondent will tell us what chapter is referred to we will be glad to answer the question if we can.

2991.—Not Able to Kill the Soul

Kindly explain to me how I can harmonize what you say regarding the condition of the dead with Matt. 10:28: “Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul.” J. H. V.

But the text says nothing concerning the condition of the man in death—absolutely nothing. The Bible nowhere tells us that the soul as it is generally spoken of, has consciousness apart from the body. We might say that the word from which “soul” is taken, psuche in Matt. 10:28, is the same word that is translated “life” in Matt. 16:25, and “soul” in Matt. 16:26. It simply means life and nothing else. Man can not take away our life finally. He can bring temporary death, but our life rests with God. Man can not take away future life; but God can; and the very fact that He can, proves that the soul is not immortal. If we would only get the Bible idea of what is meant by “soul,”—not a being of itself within the man, but just simply life, that which makes a man a living creature, as used in the text under consideration,—we would have no trouble regarding man’s future. The Creator gives man life that he may use it to God’s glory; and if man refuses to do that, God takes it away, and man dies, and eventually eternally dies. This is reasonable and just. “Soul” is sometimes used for the whole person in the Bible, but not in these texts.

2992.—God of the Living

How can I harmonize the topic in a recent number of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES, “Where Are the Dead?” with Luke 20:38: “For He is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto Him”? J. H. V.

We wish our querist would read the connection. Note why the Sadducees asked the question that they did. Note also that the question was not in regard to man’s intermediate state, but concerning the resurrection. “In the resurrection therefore whose wife of them shall she be?” That is the question. And yet some would use this text to prove that the soul was immortal, and existed in a conscious state after death; utterly regardless of the logic of the situation. What a reflection on the reasoning power of the Master! He starts out to prove to those Sadducees who professedly believed only in the books of Moses, but did not believe in a resurrection,—to prove from the books of Moses that there will be a resurrection; but instead of proving that there will be a resurrection, He proves that the dead live regardless of the resurrection, and therefore there is no use of such an event! Think of it!

Not so did Jesus reason. He proves that there will be a resurrection, and He proves it from Moses. He proves it by saying that God calls Himself the God of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and He is the God of the living; but if they were forever dead He would be calling Himself the God of the dead. In His purpose they are not dead, in His purpose they will live again; for all the promises of the new heavens and the new earth are given to them, consequently in God’s purpose they live. He calls “things which be not as though they were.” Rom. 4:17. And therefore He speaks of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, who are dead, just as though they were alive, because in His purpose they will live in the resurrection. Our Lord’s logic was good, and He did prove from the books of Moses that the dead would live again. Why endeavor to pervert the Master’s words? All who are in the graves “live unto Him,” because in the resurrection they shall all live.

2993.—The Earthly House of Our Tabernacle

Does not the expression, “the earthly house of our tabernacle,” in 2 Cor. 5:1, refer to our body? F. R.

There are three conditions mentioned in 2 Corinthians 5: one, this present worldly condition expressed by “the earthly house of our tabernacle,” “in this we groan,” “in this tabernacle,” “mortal;” secondly, the condition of death, by “dissolved,” “unclothed;” thirdly, the immortal life to come, by “the building from God,” “a house not made with hands,” “habitation which is from heaven,” “being clothed,” “clothed upon,” “swallowed up of life.” Remembering these three conditions, there is no difficulty in understanding what the apostle means. This earthly condition is a time of trial, sorrowing, groaning, testing. The condition of death is that which he calls “unclothed.” He does not desire that. He does not wish to be unclothed; but he does desire something, and that is to be “clothed upon with this house which is from heaven.” He desires that mortality might be swallowed up of life. When will that be? That will be at the resurrection. Read 1 Cor. 15: 51-54; where we are told that mortality shall be swallowed up of immortality at the last trump, when Christ shall come. Then we shall all be changed; not unclothed, not die, and thereby go to heaven; but clothed upon, made immortal. Mortality shall be swallowed up by immortality. The same thought is expressed in Rom. 8:23; “Even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for our adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” But when is our body redeemed?—At the resurrection, when Christ shall come.

2994.—Woman and Her Hair

Please explain 1 Cor. 11:5, 6. SUB.

Such questions profit little. They relate to customs which existed in the days of the apostle. Heathen women and heathen priestesses dressed in certain ways. The Lord gave certain rules for His own people so that they should not appear like the heathen. The apostle Paul writes here as to what is seemly, what is proper, for modest women in the worship of God; but he tells us in verse 16, “But if any man seemeth to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God.” That is, he was not laying down absolute fixed rules for women to follow. God has given us general principles by Timothy and Peter; these should be followed, but just how must be left to each individual. The Christian should aim at modesty, simplicity, and unobtrusiveness in dress. It has been said that those who are best dressed are those whose dress is not noticed, where the individuals themselves dominate over their dress.