p. 7 | Question Corner

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 25, 1903

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 29, No. 12.

Question Corner

1337.—“Bring Us Not into Temptation.”

One of the petitions of the Lord’s prayer is, “Lead us not into temptation.” The A.R.V. translates, “Bring us not into temptation.” A ruler is often said to do that which he permits or allows to be done. “Bring us not into temptation” is equivalent to “Do not suffer us to be brought into temptation,” keep us from the power of the evil one. God “tempts no man,” but He does suffer trials to come to us. 1 Peter 1:6; Matt. 4:1. The prayer is, of course, in harmony with God’s will, to be kept from temptation. A good prayer to connect with this is Ps. 19:13.

1338.—Mortal or Immortal?

Dear Sir,—Can immortal create mortal? Did God, who is imperishable, create perishable beings or things? and as “in Him is no sin,” and “He is the Life and Light of men,” how can life create death? Were Adam and Eve created mortal? M. C.

We do not know what God could do, but we do not believe, nor do we see how He could create mortals. By immortal we understand “deathlessness, incorruptibility;” by mortal we understand “subject to death, corruptibility.” We do not believe that mortal, perishable, corruptible beings were in God’s plan, because all these are the fruits of sin, and sin is no part of His plan: “in Him is no sin.” How then did God create Adam?—Not immortal; for there existed the possibility of sin, and it was not in God’s plan to have immortal sinners. Neither did God create Adam mortal, for it was not His plan that man should die. What then?—God created man neither mortal nor immortal, but a candidate for immortality. He was a perfect being possessed of eternal life, held by faith in God. If sin had not come in, faith, by the power of God’s life, would have developed an incorruptible character which God would have owned by bestowing upon it physical immortality. Such will be the gift when Christ comes. Everlasting life is given actually now that we may have power to conquer sin; but it will not be given absolutely till character is immortal, and then man’s temple of character will correspond with his character.

1339.—Soul and Spirit. Luke 8:52-55.

Do you believe in soul? If so, what is Spirit? and where does it go when one is dead? Is the soul and spirit the same? MRS. E. D. K.

We believe there is soul and spirit. But soul and spirit do not always mean the same thing. Sometimes soul means the whole person. See Gen. 2:7; 1 Peter 3:20. Sometimes soul means animal life, common to all. Sometimes it means thought, mind, faculty. Sometimes spirit and soul are used meaning the same thing. In Luke 8:55 spirit simply means life, the vitalizing energy. (Compare Gen. 35:18.) It came from God as the breath of life. Gen. 2:7. When man dies, it goes back to God, not as separate entity, but as life only. Eccl. 12:7. And “the dead know not anything,” nor will they till the Life-giver comes and restores life.