Question Corner by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Aug 23, 1905

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 31, No. 34.

Question Corner

By Editor

1707.—Flesh and Blood. 1 Cor. 15:50.

"Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood can not inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." 1 Cor. 15:50.

Does this verse mean that flesh and blood can not enter or go to heaven?
Did Adam in creation possess flesh and blood? If not, when did he come into possession of flesh and blood?
If Christ redeemed flesh back to heaven by taking flesh upon Himself, why did He take blood if He did not aim to redeem it back to heaven?

Read the context of the above scripture. Note that the resurrection is the subject of the chapter. Note also the contrast between the two heads of the race, the two Adams. In the first Adam all die; in the second, all shall be made alive. Verse 22. The first Adam became "a living soul," the second Adam was "a life-giving Spirit." The first was "natural," the second "spiritual." "The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second Man is of heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly." Verses 44-49. Then follows verse 50. Now in reply to the questions:

Is not that what the text says—"flesh and blood can not inherit the kingdom of God"?
Adam in creation possessed flesh and blood, and spirit, too, was placed on probation to form a character in which the spiritual life would be dominant over the blood-life, the life of the flesh. Lev. 17:11. When that spiritual character had been formed, and the time of trial passed, man would have become spiritual, and his life spiritual life.
Christ never redeemed human flesh back to heaven, for it was never in heaven. He became human to redeem to God human character. But when He took human flesh, He took it with all its infirmities, its corruptions, its life; He must do this or He would not be man. But He did not possess blood to redeem blood. He became man to redeem man, and to demonstrate that humanity, even in its corrupt state, could receive enough of spiritual life to overcome the carnal life, the life of the flesh. The culmination of His sacrifice was to pour out the life of the flesh upon the cross. That life was given. He was raised by the spirit of God. Rom. 1:4. Even so is the child of God now quickened, and by that Spirit will he be raised. Rom. 8:11. Then shall the righteous inherit the spiritual, the heavenly, because children not of him who became a living soul, but of Him who is a Life-giving Spirit.