p. 172 | TO CORRESPONDENTS

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 29, 1879

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

20.—1 PETER 4:1, 2.

What is the antecedent of “he,” in 1 Peter 4:1, 2? J. McM.

ANS. It is some one who has once been a sinner, but has ceased from sin; who has once lived in the flesh to the lusts of men, but does so no longer. It is not therefore Christ, but a converted sinner. The suffering in the flesh spoken of, we think refers to crucifying the carnal mind, Rom. 6:6; mortifying the deeds of the body, Rom. 8:13; mortifying the members, Col. 3:5, and other like passages, by which it is shown that we must die to the world, become dead to sin, and thus live no longer therein. He that has thus “suffered in the flesh,” or subjected his sinful, fleshly nature to a crucifixion, as Christ was literally crucified, hath ceased from sin. If he has not ceased from sin, then he has not suffered in the flesh.

21.—LUKE 11:24.

Is it the spirit or the man who walks through dry places, as described in Luke 11:24? What is the house, and who returns to it? D. B.

ANS. The spirit. The whole narrative sets forth the condition of a man who is awakened but does not persevere in the Christian life. The evil spirit finds a natural home in the evil heart of man. Being cast out, he finds no rest elsewhere. He is ever watching to regain an entrance to his old home. He finds it empty. Here is the fatal mistake of the man. He should have stored it with the graces of the Spirit, and kept constant guard over it by watchfulness and prayer. Then the evil spirit would not be able to re-enter. But as it is, it is a better and larger house for evil than before, and so he takes with him seven others worse than himself, and they enter in and dwell there. The last state of that man is worse than the first. He cannot so easily be aroused again to religious things. Indeed it will be about as much harder to arouse him now than it was at first, as it is harder to cast out eight unclean spirits than to cast out one.

22.—SEEKING TO PHYSICIANS.

1. We are informed in 2 Chron. 16:12, that king Asa was diseased in his feet, and sought not to the Lord but to the physicians. Was it right for him to do so? 2. Is it in accordance with the will of God now that his children apply to physicians for medical aid? M. E. B.

ANS. We do not know what kind of physicians they had in those days. At any rate, it seems that Asa did not receive much benefit from them. There may have been circumstances which rendered it manifestly improper for him to seek to physicians, instead of seeking to the Lord without the use of any outward means. We do not know. 2. In reference to the second question, the view we hold suggests an answer like this: There are certain laws of health, and laws of treatment through which we may relate ourselves to nature in such a way

that she can effect a restoration when we are sick. It is the part of the true physician to instruct and assist us in carrying out these. To such physicians as these, and to this extent, we think it right to apply. But when we have gone to the extent of our knowledge and ability, then we can cast ourselves on independent faith. We are not relying on God any the less while doing those things which are in accordance with the laws of his own instituting. But it would be inconsistent to try to exercise faith in him to do what we can and should do ourselves.