Your ShelfYour Projects

Question Corner

11%

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 8, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 10.

Read the full edition

Question Corner.

By Editor

"If ye will inquire, inquire ye." "But avoid foolish questions."
[From time to time we will reply under this head, if deemed advisable, to such candid inquiries as may be sent us. Correspondents wishing a reply to their questions must give their full name and address, not for publication unless they wish, but as an evidence of good faith on their part, and to give us opportunity to reply by letter if deemed best. It is always well to inclose stamp. Let the questions be short and pointed, and such as may be answered in limited space. The questions will be numbered continuously.]

128. CHRIST COME IN THE FLESH.

Please explain 1 John 4:3. Some say that the apostle was speaking of Christ's first coming, when he took on the form of humanity. Others say that he was speaking of Christ dwelling in our flesh.
The apostle has reference to the work of the gospel; and the gospel to every soul who believes it is "the power of God unto salvation" (Rom. 1:16), "Christ in you the hope of glory" (Col. 1:27); Christ dwelling in the heart by faith (Eph. 3:17), "the life also of Jesus" "manifest in our body," "manifest in our mortal flesh" (2 Cor. 4:10, 11). That it is this to which the apostle refers is evident from 1 John 4:4: "Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." The only power which will enable us to overcome is the life of Christ within us, held by faith but not the less real and actual.

129. THE BIBLE AND SLAVERY.

Does the Bible sustain slavery or involuntary servitude?
The Bible sustains nothing but what is of Christ-likeness and character. But "whom the Son makes free is free indeed." The freedom of Christ knows no kind of slavery, and this is the only condition of man sustained by the Bible. God permitted slavery, and at the same time mitigated it as far as possible. God has also permitted sin, and at the same time in his great mercy he has restrained it and mitigated its effects. But he has never sustained either sin or slavery.