Question Corner by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, Cal. · Jul 4, 1906

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 32, No. 26.

Question Corner

By Editor

We wish to say again that anonymous communications to this department, whatever the questions, find their quickest way to the waste basket. We do not ask the writer's name for publication, and invariably append whatever the querist desires if not too long. If no request is made, we give initials.

1840.—To Live or to Die. Phil. 1: 21-23.

Will you kindly give a concise explanation of Phil. 1: 21-23. C. T.

The scripture reads: "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labor; yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better."

There are three things mentioned in this passage. Paul had no choice between two of them—life and death. He would escape persecution, and Christ would be glorified by his death if he died a martyr to his faith. If he lived, he would still work for Christ. Between these two things he knew not which to choose. There was a third thing that he desired above these, and that was neither the grave nor living here; it was to depart from this world and be with Christ, which was much to be preferred to the other two. When does such departure take place? —Not at death, but at the Lord's coming. John 14: 1-3; 1 Thess. 4: 16, 17, Phil. 3: 20; Matt. 16: 27; 1 Tim. 4: 8. Then, and not till then, did Paul expect his reward, and it was this departure from the earth that Paul preferred either to life or death.

The word rendered "depart" in Phil. 1: 23 is in Luke 12: 35 rendered "return," when Christ "shall return from the wedding."

1841.—His Angel.

What is meant in Acts 12: 15, "It is his angel"? N. B.

Every child of God has a guardian angel. Heb. 1: 14. The people referred to seemed to have the idea that Peter's angel spoke as would the apostle. Of course they were mistaken.

The other text referred to (Luke 24: 37) clearly shows that some of the disciples at least believed in "ghosts," or phantoms. Of course, when their hope in Jesus had gone, they were left to their old superstitious fears, common especially among fishermen. Belief in a conscious state of the dead has been held since Satan's first lie, "Ye shall not surely die." The Jews had imbibed some of the same errors. They might have thought it an evil spirit. These, of course, are composed of substance, but have not flesh and bones like humanity. The evil spirits are fallen angels. Rev. 12: 4, 9. No evil spirit can possess the soul or mind of a person without that person's consent, or his body without God's permission. See Job 1 and 2.

1842.—Knowing the Time of Christ's Coming.

Does any one but the Father know the time of Jesus' coming? Will you kindly answer in the Question Corner, or by letter? It seems that Jesus would know, and yet His own language in Matt. 24: 36 seems to indicate He does not. O.

It seems to us that He knows. See John 2: 20. The word rendered "know" in Matt. 24: 36 is sometimes used in the sense of "making known," as in 1 Cor. 2: 2: "I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified;" that is, "I determined not to make known anything among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified." So to no other being in the universe has the Father given the commission to announce the day and hour of Jesus' coming save Himself. No one save the Father knoweth in order to make known. When He declares from the throne, "It is done," then may we know that Christ Jesus our Lord is about to appear. Then it is that probation is closed and character is fixed. This is our understanding of Matt. 24: 36.

1843.—Mechanical Prayer.

A good brother (and he is one of many) writes a letter and encloses a card which he has received. This card requests him to pray for missions and missionaries and to write five other cards like it to as many names, asking them to pray the same prayer, and each of them write to five others, etc. This card numbers six hundred and something, in a chain numbering 1,000 links. If the receiver of the card can not write, he is asked to return the card so that the "chain" will not be broken. Another request comes to this brother in the same month, asking him to write nine prayers and send them to as many persons, with the promise that he would be "signally blest" in so doing, but that if he did not do this some great misfortune would come to him. The brother wishes to know what the Signs thinks of it.

The heathen and superstitious have prayer wheels to turn or beads to count, and they think that the greater number of revolutions of the wheel or the more beads told off, the greater their merit before God. The prayer on that wheel may be good. Each turn of the beads may represent a good prayer; but going over them that way, trusting in the form, the number, is as dead and hopeless of results as the hills of Gilboa or the waters of the Dead Sea. Let every soul seek God, humble himself before God, giving himself to God, and receiving Christ as His Saviour. Let him know His own need and God's goodness. Then will he seek God. Then will his heart go out to others. Then will he pray with the Spirit, definitely, specifically, prevailingly; and one such prayer is worth more than the whole chain of a thousand or ten thousand links. There are dear, timorous souls ever praying for others, who would fear to refuse a request of this kind. But their prayers are of no more worth because of this "chain." It is mere formalism, hoping that in some contrivance of ours we can accomplish results. Besides all this, think of the expense involved. Our advice is to pray, and pray earnestly, but utterly ignore all these schemes and plans, which are purely human and heathen. And ignoring, be afraid of no evil results; "the curse causeless shall not come."