INCOMPREHENSIBLE by James White

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 13, 1858

INCOMPREHENSIBLE.

By James White

It is always better to confess our inability to answer a question, than to give an answer involving unsafe or untenable conclusions. And if we hold ourselves under obligation to explain every question that may arise on all doctrines, we shall sometimes find ourselves involved in difficulties greater than those we are laboring to remove.

The question is often asked, Was Adam created mortal or immortal? And this reasoning has been adopted on the subject: If he was immortal he could not have died; so the sentence of death would have been a nullity. But if he was mortal he would have died necessarily; so the sentence would have involved no change of condition. Therefore it is concluded that he was neither, but on a probationary ground, just between mortality and immortality.

We can comprehend the fact that a mortal man may be on probation for eternal life, and death be the penalty for transgression; which, of course, would never be executed if he did not transgress. For when it is said, "If ye do, ye shall die," the converse is implied. "If ye do not, ye shall not die." Thus by the grace of God he would become immortal through obedience.

And we can comprehend the fact that an immortal being could have his nature or mode of existence so changed by the power of God as to become subject to death. To doubt the possibility of this is simply to doubt the power of God, or to assume that if God created a being, not by his nature subject to death, he could not change his nature and make him subject to death; thus placing his creatures beyond his power. But we cannot comprehend how a man can be neither mortal nor immortal, neither subject to death nor exempt from it, any more than we can comprehend how a man may be neither dead nor alive. If he was not subject to death he was exempt from it; or if he was not exempt from it he was subject to it. They are opposite states or conditions, between which there is no more an intermediate state than there is between good and evil or right and wrong, or justification and condemnation.

Then the question has been asked, Would God so reverse his work, or so change the nature of any being? We can easily determine whether God would do so by examining what he has done; and though the Scriptures do not afford evidence on this point in regard to "the first man Adam," they do in regard to the second Adam—Christ. That Christ existed before his incarnation, and "before the world was," the Scriptures clearly prove; and that he was then immortal all will freely admit. But he was made mortal—subject to death—to redeem man from mortality. How this could be done it is not our place to inquire; we rest it on the power of God which is beyond our comprehension. But if the Anointed One underwent this change from immortality to mortality for man's sake, it was doubtless quite as possible for man to pass through the same change. And if he did, the great "mystery of godliness" would be presented thus—the Son of God following man through this wonderful and mysterious change to redeem him from the stupendous consequences of his rebellion. "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!"

I think it quite possible that man might have been created either mortal or immortal; but I cannot conceive the possibility of his having been neither, but between the two. And we cannot really believe what we cannot comprehend unless it is directly revealed.

But if any require a definite answer in regard to my belief whether Adam was created mortal or immortal, my answer is this: the Bible is silent about it, therefore I do not know.

J. H. W.