p. 7 | Question Corner

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Aug 20, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 34.

Question Corner

1266. Is She Bound to Him.

Does 1 Cor. 7:15 mean just as it reads? If an unbeliever departs, forsaking wife and family, is the wife still bound to him in the sight of God?

She is not bound to follow him, but she is still his wife. There is but one Biblical cause for complete separation of husband and wife, namely fornication. If either party has proved false to marriage vows,—committed fornication,—the other after legal separation—divorce—can marry again.

1267.—Misled Ones.

What will become of those who have been misled by preachers, and believed their church was right? J. L. H.

We do not know. It is a great satisfaction to us to know that God, the Judge of all the earth, will do just right. God addresses us as individuals; let us heed His voice for ourselves, as we must stand before His judgment seat for ourselves. Rom. 14:11, 12. See Eze. 33:1–20.

1268.—Feet-Washing.

Do you believe feet-washing ought to be practiced in the church? J. L. H.

We believe the Word, not to neglect it, but to do it. Read John 13:3–17. “If ye know these things happy are ye if ye do them.” Note verses 13–15.

1269.—Eating Swine’s Flesh.

Will you please tell us where it says in the New Testament, “Eating swine’s flesh and doing abominable things”? I. M.

There is no such passage in the Bible. “Swine’s flesh” does not occur in the New Testament. You probably refer to Isa. 65:4, “Swine’s flesh and the broth of abominable things.”

1270.—The Falling Stars.

When the stars fell on Nov. 13, 1833, was it only in America, or throughout the world? What is the history of the case? Were they actual stars? If so, what became of them? did they return to whence they came? or were they simply meteors looking like stars? I remember the time yet, tho four years old when they fell; people were much scared, thinking the day of judgment had come? G. W. G.

They were meteors, not stars. The distinction in terms between meteors and stars which we have did not obtain in the time of the New Testament. Prof. Denison Olmsted, of Yale College (1791–1859), as the result of special study which he put upon the phenomena, said:—

“Those who were so fortunate as to witness the exhibition of shooting stars on the morning of Nov. 13, 1833, probably saw the greatest display of celestial fireworks that has ever been since the creation of the world, or at least within the annals covered by the pages of history.

The extent of the shower of 1833 was such as to cover no inconsiderable part of the earth’s surface.

This is no longer to be regarded as a terrestrial, but as a celestial phenomenon; and shooting stars are to be no more viewed as casual productions of the upper regions of the atmosphere, but as visitants from other worlds, or from the planetary voids.

In 1799 there was a remarkable shower noted in the Old World. Others have been predicted by scientists, but they have amounted to very little. Prophecy was fulfilled in 1833.

1271.—Ascended into Heaven for what?

Please show me the harmony of the following scriptures, John 3:13; 2 Kings 2:11; Eph. 4:8. B. Q. W.

2 Kings 2:11 refers to the translation of Elijah. Eph. 4:8 refers to the “multitude of captives” (see margin) which Jesus took with Him to heaven, a later event than the utterance of John 3:13, which reads, with the verse previous, as follows:—

“If I have told you of earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things. And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man which is in heaven.”

The thought is that no one but Jesus Christ has come from heaven to tell these things. He was of the very nature and atmosphere of heaven, and by His life-union with the Father, practically dwelt there. There is yet a deeper meaning in it. No man hath ascended, or ever will ascend into heaven unless he in his life and new birth came down from heaven. See verse 3, margin, “Except a man be born from above, he can not see the kingdom of God.” The earth-born are of the earth, earthly. The spiritual man has his origin in heaven.