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Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 1, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 9.

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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 Correspondents wishing a reply to their questions must give their full name and address, not for publication unless they wish, but as an evidence of good faith on their part, and to give us opportunity to reply by letter if deemed best.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.]

127. NATURAL CHRISTIANS.

When Christ says there is more rejoicing over one sinner that repenteth than over ninety and nine just persons, that need no repentance, does he mean that some persons are natural Christians? This question was asked by a person claiming that a strictly honest, moral person would be saved, as they had nothing to repent of.
There are no "natural Christians," nor "strictly honest, moral persons." "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God." "There is none righteous, no, not one." See Rom. 3 : 9-23. All by nature are carnal or fleshly, and the "carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." Rom. 8 : 7. The only way for man to become moral is to become a partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1 : 4; John 3 : 3-5; 2 Cor. 5 : 17); but then it will be God working in him to will and to do (Phil. 2 : 13), and his righteousness is of God through Christ (Isa. 54 : 17; Jer. 23 : 6; Rom. 3 : 22). What then did Christ mean? He did not mean that there was not gladness over those who remain true, but there is more joy over those snatched from Satan's power. So there is more joy in heaven over the redemption and recovery of one lost soul or lost world than over the unfallen beings in the universe and the unfallen worlds. All in this world are among the sinners. Will we not give Heaven joy by yielding to God?