A CORRECTION by G. W. A.

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 30, 1860

A CORRECTION.

By G. W. A.

How often we hear it remarked by pious, well-designing persons in prayer-meetings that they are bound to press forward and have a part in the kingdom to come, and then wind up by saying, "for eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man to conceive of the glories that God has laid up for them that love him."

We think the meaning of this verse is too often misunderstood. The apostle Paul never gave it as a reason why we should "try to prove faithful," that we knew nothing of the nature of our reward, and the felicity of the future world—but just the opposite, and it is proved by this very text, when taken with its connection. The passage probably means that we know nothing of the future world by the testimony of our senses—by seeing and hearing—for it is all a matter of faith.

This text when correctly quoted (for it is seldom quoted right), reads, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." But is this all, as it is generally used? Listen to the next verse. "But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." What has God "revealed unto us by his Spirit?" Answer. The very things that "eye hath not seen, nor ear heard;" those things "which God hath prepared for them that love him."

Therefore we conclude that although in the present imperfect state we "see through a glass darkly" in comparison with the reality, yet by the help of the Spirit which "searcheth all things," we may have unspeakable conceptions of our glorious inheritance, for Christ in describing the office of this Spirit said, "He will show you things to come." G. W. A.