ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jul 15, 1880

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS.

We think "God could have prevented" man's sinning by withholding the freedom of his will. But then, of course, man would not have been a moral agent, and could not have developed any character at all. A moral system necessarily involves choice and probation. Whether God foreknew that sin would exist we have no opinion to offer. As we cannot pretend to fathom the mind of the Infinite, we desist from useless speculations thereon. The profitable subjects are more in number and of wider range than we have time and capacity to compass fully. Even if we could understand the extent of God's foreknowledge we do not think it would at all affect our relations and duties. These are plainly revealed. "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law."

JUDGES 1:19. We read in Mark 6:5, 6, that Jesus "could there do no mighty work," because of their unbelief. It was not a question of mere power; but of opportunity to work according to an established plan. He always taught that blessings should be according to the faith of the receiver. Of course a want of faith made it impossible to bestow the blessing. In the Old Testament the rule was the same. The people were instructed that God would go with them and subdue their enemies before them if they put their trust in him; but if they denied him he would forsake them. Judah had more fear of the iron chariots of the Philistines than he had confidence in the power and faithfulness of God. Therefore he was weak before his enemies.