Man as Deceived by Charles L. Taylor

Pacific Press Publishing Association · Mountain View, California · Apr 9, 1912

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 39, No. 15.

Man as Deceived

By Charles L. Taylor

MADE "in the image of God," upright and innocent in mind and morals, connected by faithful obedience with the great infinitude of everlasting life, man once enjoyed both the inflowing and the outflowing of the current of divine energy, and was a blessed candidate for immortality, which, as a benediction of Heaven's seal of approval, would be granted when probationary time should end, and when probationary trials should work out a finished and fixed character.

There came that baneful day, however, when man changed his relation to the original plan of life; when he changed mind and master.

Life Only by Obedience

Surely God had made it plain that man could hold his life only through obedience, and that disobedience would bring death. "In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die,"—be deprived of life. These words were absolute and unequivocal, capable of no misunderstanding nor false interpretation.

There was but one way to accomplish a change in man's relationship to the life plan, and that was to undermine his confidence in the One who had spoken. If man could be led to doubt God Himself, then the command of God would become inoperative and nil. And as God's word of command was, in fact, the very life of His creatures, to doubt and deny that word would mean death.

The Line of Attack

This was the enemy's line of attack. All the venom and poison of disrespect and hateful scorn were wrapped up in the sinister question, "Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?" Gen. 3:1. And when he had succeeded in leading the woman to partake of his unbelief, Satan openly and defiantly brought the charge that God had misled and deceived. "Ye shall not surely die," he declared; "for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods [literally, like God], knowing good and evil." Gen. 3:4, 5.

"Ye shall not surely die," said the tempter; or, as Young renders it, "Dying, ye do not die." Death is not death, was the thought suggested by the tempter. In reality, he gave our first parents to understand that within themselves, existing independently, there was an inherent life principle, a secret something, which made them immune to death's power. They were deceived into believing that they were akin to the divine, and therefore in possession of everlasting life and immortality, regardless of God.

The Message of Falsehood

The message of falsehood was received; but in the very act of receiving, man severed his connection with the Author of life, and thus lost from his experience the very thing which he expected to gain. In changing his leader, man changed his nature. In following satanic teaching, he became the tool of the satanic mind. Henceforth he would bear the impress of death rather than of life. For "to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness." Rom. 6:16.

It were well to repeat what has been previously stated: Life, eternal life, life in the absolute, inheres only in God, the Creator. The great life current did flow out from Him to His creatures, but it was ever and only His life, and was held by His children only in trust, and subject to withdrawal by Him at any time they proved disloyal.

His Character and Nature Both Changed

That a great change took place in man's character and nature is easily seen by reference to the Scripture story. First, he lost the beautiful garments of light and glory which had hitherto been his covering. Gen. 3:7. Second, he became estranged from God. Gen. 3:8-10. Third, when asked regarding his disobedience, he justified himself, and placed the responsibility of his failure and sin upon God. Gen. 3:11, 12. In short, depravity showed itself in his every movement. Righteousness was gone, sin had taken its place. Innocence, happiness, holiness, love, faithfulness, obedience, all had taken their flight.

The irrevocable sentence of death had already passed upon him. So soon as sin found a place in the experience, so soon all that was lasting and godlike was gone, and death reigned. Sin brought the inevitable consequences of mortality and decay.

The Power and Pleasure of Everlasting Life

Before sin entered, man's connection with God enabled him to know the power and the pleasure of everlasting life. After sin entered, his isolation from God left him to know only the horrible weakness and pains of everlasting death. Before sin came, access to the tree of God's power and energy perpetuated the gift of life with which his Creator had endowed him. Gen. 2:9, 16. After sin came, withdrawal of the tree and its life-giving properties made him at once the subject of corruption. Gen. 3:22-24. God had made him from dust (Gen. 2:7), and now to dust he must return (Gen. 3:19).

Over and over again, in different portions of the Scriptures, this story of the fall, this divine record of man's passage from life to death, is emphasized. "By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Rom. 5:12. "The sting of death is sin." 1 Cor. 15:56. "By man [that is, by man's action] came death." 1 Cor. 15:21. "The wages of sin is death." Rom. 6:23. "Sin . . . bringeth forth death." James 1:15.

What Is Death?

Now death is the absence of life. He who is dead has ceased to be. Thought has ceased. Ps. 146:4. In death, there is a complete "cessation of all vital phenomena." Without a resurrection it would indeed be what men have declared it, "an eternal sleep." Such theological definitions as "death being merely separation from God," and "everlasting life in torment," and kindred phrases, find no support nor countenance in the Scriptures.

It was most terribly true, therefore, that man, deceived by sin, became the subject and entered into the kingdom of mortality, decay, death. Dying, he would die, perish, and pass into eternal oblivion. Considered apart from God, for him there was no future beyond the grave. Mortal life—a few short years of degeneracy and rebellion—was his all.

Not Left to Perish

But a kind and merciful Father left him not thus to perish. That day of sin, defeat, and darkness was lighted by the beaconfires of a blessed hope. That day God gave His Son. Gen. 3:15; John 3:16; Rev. 13:8. That day of irrevocable decree God interposed Himself in man's behalf, and the wonderful plan of salvation became operative,—that plan which enables God to be just, and yet the justifier of him who believes. Rom. 3:26.

Ages have passed since the fateful day when sin found entrance, but the blessed Gospel of life is still sweet and fresh and wholesome. The atmosphere of hope surrounds the earth. And while it is true that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23), and by nature are without God and without hope (Eph. 2:12), yet Heaven ceaselessly invites us to receive and ever stands ready to give the boon of life to every "prisoner of hope."

Dear reader, have you entered into covenant relation with God? Do you know the gift of life as God has proffered it through His Son? If not, quickly accept the divine invitation, and just now receive the sovereign gift.

[Mr. Taylor's article next week will be on the subject of man in death.—Ed.]

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