Question Corner

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · May 21, 1902

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 28, No. 21.

1239.—Man's Privilege of Choice.

I have been led to believe that the seventh day is the Bible Sabbath and that flesh-eating is wrong; but some bring up Romans 14, which seems to teach very clearly that it is left entirely to each individual to do as he desires about eating and Sabbath-keeping. This confuses me; please let me hear from you on this through the Signs. J. R.

(1) For the lessons of Romans 14, see the Question Corner of our issue of April 30, question 1230. (2) It is left to every individual to do just as he pleases about every moral question. Every man must “be fully persuaded in his own mind.” It will avail naught for a man to practise Sabbath-keeping while in doubt about it. He is not, in such a case, serving God from choice, or through love, but through fear. His service is the service of a slave to fear. Every man may keep the Sabbath or not, as he chooses. He may eat herbs or flesh-meats or both. Man is not his judge; God will not compel acquiescence; but man must reap at last the fruits of his own sowing. If he chooses to disobey God's Word, he will reap the wages of sin, which is death. If he chooses to feed upon that which is unwholesome, he will reap the harvest of disease. But for his own soul's sake, let him choose in harmony with God's Word, that he may possess the righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. It is God's Word that will judge him in the last day. John 12: 48. Romans 14 is not written to tell what a man should do morally, but to tell him what he should not do—namely, judge his neighbor.

1240.—When Were the Gospels Written?

How long after Christ's ascension were Matthew's, Mark's, and John's Gospels written? W. E.

According to the best calculations and guesses, Matthew wrote two Gospels, one in Hebrew about A.D. 42, the other in Greek—our present Gospel—in A.D. 60; Mark is placed by many in A.D. 61, by others earlier than Matthew. John wrote his Gospel at the close of the first century, A.D. 98 to 100.

1241.—When Did Sin Originate?

When did sin originate with Lucifer—away back before the creation of the world? E. B. P.

Just when sin originated, when the working of its leaven began in the mind of Lucifer, we do not now presume to speak. The question was over the supremacy, as many scriptures show. The elevation of the Son aroused envy in Lucifer the Light-bringer. And yet when the foundations of the earth were laid, “the Morning Stars,” of which Lucifer was one, sang together God's praise. Job 38: 6, 7. When it began, everything wrought by the Son aggravated Satan's envy and permeated his heart with the desire to destroy Christ's kingdom. See “Patriarchs and Prophets,” “Introductory,” “The Great Controversy,” chapter 29; Isaiah 14; Ezekiel 28; 2 Peter 2: 4.

1242.—In the New Earth.

Will you explain how Isa. 11: 6-9 can be fulfilled in the new earth in the light of Matt. 22: 30?

(1) Isa. 11: 6-9 speaks of the peaceful condition of the Messiah's kingdom. This kingdom would have been established gradually if the Jews had only yielded to God, upon this earth in its present condition. Ezekiel's sanctuary (Ezekiel 40-48) would have been built. The marshes and deserts and salt lands would have been healed by the water of life. The wild beasts would have grown mild under the power of righteousness, and the smallest infant would be safe on the hole of the basilisk or adder. But it was not thus fulfilled, for God's people did not meet the conditions; but it will be fulfilled more gloriously in the earth made new. The blessed Spirit of absolute peace will preside over all nature, so that if serpents and children were present, no harm would come to the feeblest.

2. The New Jerusalem, where Jesus begins His reign and where the saints are first taken, is a part of the new earth, even before it descends. To that city will be taken the little children who died in merest infancy, the nursing child and the sucking child; and here will they grow up to maturity. All who are raised in the first resurrection will come up with immortal bodies, of course in nature like Christ's body; but the children will not be grown; that process will be completed during the thousand years by the healing virtue of the fruits and leaves of the tree of life. Mal. 4: 2; Rev. 22: 2.