“HE CANNOT DENY HIMSELF.”
By C. P. B.
A CORRESPONDENT asks, “Is it not impossible for God to do a wrong act?” We answer, Yes, quite impossible, for the reason that God “cannot deny himself.” 2 Tim. 2:13. But because God cannot deny himself it does not follow, as our correspondent seems to imply in his letter, that He who created matter, i. e., caused it to spring forth, or come from nothing, could not, if he so willed, also utterly destroy, or annihilate, that which he called into being. We do not, however, think that God will annihilate any matter. There is certainly nothing in the Scriptures to warrant the claim that matter will cease to exist. “The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” 2 Peter 3:10. But the apostle says (verse 13) that “we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” This “new” earth will, we understand, contain the same matter of which the present earth is composed. Burning changes the form of matter, but does not destroy it; and so in Mal. 4:3 we read of the wicked, not that matter of which they are composed shall be annihilated, but that it shall be ashes. The wicked are to be burned up, decomposed, and reduced to their original elements, but not annihilated in the sense of bringing matter to nothing. C. P. B.