Earlier text: THE TESTIMONY OF HIS WORKSCOUNTERACTING FORCES.
By W. C. Mathewson
EVERY particle of matter in the universe has an attraction for every other particle. This attractive force is called gravitation. Thus this earth attracts other planets with a certain force, and vice versa. The most familiar illustration of gravitation is the attraction that this earth has for bodies upon or near its surface. This particular kind of attraction is called gravity. The terms gravitation and gravity are purely scientific. The Scriptures mention these powers, but under a different name: "Who [Christ] being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the Word of His power." Heb. 1:3. The term "all things" includes the planets, upheld in space by gravitation, which is an exercise of "the Word of His power." You could measure this power if you could weigh the universe; but such an accomplishment is beyond the limit of human possibility. "But with God all things are possible," who has "weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance." The force of gravitation is a constant force. Should it cease to act in any locality, the whole universe would become disorganized, and destruction of life and property would ensue. Were this earth suddenly to cease its attraction, how quickly we should be irresistibly drawn to some other heavenly body, and instantly killed. Thus the laws of gravity are good laws in preserving the lives and homes of men. Since every particle of matter in the universe has an attraction for every other particle, heaven itself must be a factor in producing the equilibrium of the universe. The attraction of heaven doubtless exerts an influence upon the earth. Suppose that it exerts a greater influence than any other heavenly body, that the power of gravity for a short time ceases, and we are drawn to the central heaven, landed there with all safety. Would not such an experience be extremely pleasing? Who would care to resist that drawing power? While we are not drawn to heaven in just that identical way, we are certainly drawn there in a manner no less real. There is a power even stronger than gravitation, that is drawing all men there who are willing to be drawn. How do we know this? The Saviour said so: "I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me." John 12:32. The Creator and Preserver of the universe was lifted up, but is He drawing all men to Him? Are there not thousands of individuals who are being drawn farther away from Him every day? Then, has not His promise failed?—No; being free moral agents, we may resist5this drawing power if we so choose, by allowing ourselves to be drawn by a power from an opposite source. An illustration may enable some to see this fact more clearly. A stone rests upon the surface of the earth, held there by the drawing power of gravity. A strong man lifts the stone, slowly raising it above the ground. Does gravity cease its work while the stone is being raised? A change has taken place; but the force of gravity has not diminished the least iota. The application of an upward force greater than the downward causes a change of motion to an opposite direction. Similarly, the respective drawing powers of Christ and Satan are operating on every human soul, whose choice will determine the direction of motion. While the power of Satan is drawing men away from heaven with the greatest possible speed, the power of Christ is still acting with undiminished energy. If individuals would alter their choice, the power of Christ would take immediate effect, and draw their thoughts and affections heavenward. Christ's power is absolutely worthless to all who choose the power of Satan; while Satan's power is entirely harmless to those choosing the power of Christ. There are many things in this sinful world that are attractive to candidates for immortality. Both the pleasures and the cares of life exert a bewitching, drawing influence. The more we behold, the more we become fascinated and captivated, powerless to resist, if not unwilling. While the serpent is charming the bird, the bird is intently gazing at him. While the bird remains in this attitude, the serpent's charm can not be broken. While the serpent-bitten Israelites were looking at the serpents, their wounds were increasing, their vitality diminishing. A look is powerful for harm or good. The apostle Paul, understanding this, said, "We look not at the things which are seen." Why?—Because "the things which are seen are temporal," and therefore combustible materials for the day of God's wrath. 2 Cor. 4:18; 2 Peter 3:10, 11. If we look—center our minds—on worldly things until probation closes, we shall be identified with them, and likewise perish. In view of this, Christ says, "Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth." Isa. 45:22. Turning from the temporal things of life to view the "invisible," the "eternal," we again become fascinated, captivated, drawn, but by a counteracting force. 2 Cor. 10:5. Yielding to this mighty current of life, the words of the psalmist become personally ours: "O bless our God, . . . which holdeth our soul in life." Ps. 66:8, 9. We become not only drawn toward Him, but unwaveringly held in that current of divine power. If we choose the power of Christ constantly, altho there will be an antagonistic force, there will be absolutely no retrogradation. Advancing from faith to faith, from strength to strength, from victory to victory, we find ourselves at last on the "sea of glass," "more than conquerors through Him that loved us." W. C. MATHEWSON. A Heavenly Meditation Before Sleep
CLOSE up your heart at your down lying at night; and if possibly you can, fall asleep out of some heavenly meditation; so shall your sleep be the more sweet and secure, and your heart in better plight whensoever you awake. He that thus raketh up his fire over night shall find fire in the morning.—Puritan. WE offer Christ the submission of our hearts, and the obedience of our lives; and He offers us His abiding Presence. We take Him as our master, and He takes us as His friends. Our Lord takes us up into a relationship of love with Himself, and we go out into life inspired with His Spirit to work His work. It begins with the self-surrender of love; and love, not fear or favor, becomes the motive. To feel thus the touch of God on our lives changes the world. Its fruits are joy and peace, and confidence that all the events of life are suffused, not only with meaning, but with a meaning of love. The soul that is bound by this personal attachment to Jesus has a life in the eternal, which, in time, transfigures the life with a great joy.—Hugh Black. THE ONE THOUSAND YEARS.
By Charles Nelson
"AND I saw thrones," says the prophet, "and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them; and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." Rev. 20: 4. It is believed by many that those mentioned in the above verse and who have part in the first resurrection (verse 6) will reign with Christ upon the earth during the thousand years. Some persons even believe that at this time men will repent and receive salvation. But when we carefully study this verse, and compare it with other texts of Scripture, we find that this reign will not be upon the earth, neither will men be saved after the coming of Christ. Christ, when He comes the second time, has His reward with Him, to give to every man according to his work. Rev. 22: 12; Isa. 62: 11. The harvest, the end of the world (Matt. 13: 39), has come, and Christ comes to reap. Rev. 14: 14-16. He is no longer mediator and high priest, but King of kings and Lord of lords. Rev. 19: 16. The time of probation is past, the destiny of every soul is fixed. No change will then be possible. The unrighteous will remain in that condition, and those that are holy will be holy still. Rev. 22: 11. The righteous dead will then put on immortality, and, together with the righteous living that are changed, be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. 1 Cor. 15: 51, 52; 1 Thess. 4: 16, 17. The remnant (those that are left on the earth) will be slain with the sword of Him that sits upon the horse, and all the fowls will be filled with their flesh. Rev. 19: 21. The righteous will then be taken by Christ to the Father's house, where there are many mansions. John 14: 2, 3. Here they will reign with Him a thousand years. Rev. 20: 4. During this time the wicked (who will not be raised till the thousand years are finished, Rev. 20: 5) will be judged. Those who reign with Christ will have part in this work, as we see from our text, and also from 1 Cor. 6: 2, where we read that the saints shall judge the world. While this judgment is going on in heaven the earth is desolate, empty, waste, and turned upside down. Isa. 13: 9; 24: 1. All the mountains and islands are moved out of their places. Rev. 6: 14. The prophet Jeremiah, beholding the earth as it is at this time, describes its condition in the following language:— "I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. I beheld the mountains; and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by His fierce anger." Jer. 4: 23-26. Under such conditions a thousand years' reign upon the earth would be impossible. It will be after the second resurrection, when sin is eradicated, and God the Creator makes all things new, that His people will reign upon earth. Rev. 21: 1-7. CHAS. NELSON. ORIGIN AND EXTINCTION OF SIN.
By H. A. St. John
1. All sin originated in Lucifer. In Lucifer, an exalted angel, was sin first found; self-caused, self-cherished, self-developed, and self-disseminated, until many angels were thereby infected. 2. All sin originated in heaven. The one place above all others where such an evil thing could have no cause to exist, and where it could not long survive. It was cast out, by casting out everything inseparably connected therewith. 3. All sin originated in selfishness. He in whom sin originated said, I will be equal with God, I will be above the stars, etc. Thus we see it was I, great big I, a conceived and cherished purpose to exalt himself at the expense, discredit, or discomfort of another, that constituted the root and origin of sin. All sin extinguished with selfishness. The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation from sin and its cause, selfishness, to all that believe. Divine love has provided the remedy. Effectual, infallible, and glorious as is this balm for every wound that selfishness has made, none are compelled to accept it. But many have, and many more yet will receive this Gospel by faith, and all such will be forever freed from sin and selfishness. All sin extinguished in the earth. Selfishness and sin being transferred to the earth by the casting out of Satan and all the angels that sinned, will be extinguished from the physical world when God shall rain brimstone and fire from heaven and burn up all the works of selfish and sinful men and angels. All sin extinguished with Satan. Jesus was manifested to destroy him that hath the power of death, that is the devil. Root and branch will all sin be destroyed when the heavens and earth shall burn as an oven. We may safely conclude that the last flickering flame of the lake of fire will expire on that spot when Lucifer, the originator of sin, expires. So we may say that selfishness and sin will be extinguished, finally and eternally, in the very same one in whom it began. Then God will have a clean universe. The slimy path of the old serpent will have been wiped out forever. The valleys and hills of holiness long hidden will be uncovered, and again echo with the footfall of the glorious Creator and Redeemer. Divine and infinite love, as a consuming fire, will have gained an everlasting victory over its deadly6enemies, selfishness and sin, and then, as before, self-renouncing love will be universally respected and obeyed as the law of life for the universe. O PRECIOUS prayer! I make it my own
And waft it away to the great white throne.
So deep and so wide is life's great sea,
And my boat is so small, O God! keep me.
Hold Thou the rudder in Thy strong hand
Till we enter port on the heavenly strand. Let no storms of passion, no gales of pride,
No waves of trouble with whelming tide,
No current of pleasure with strong, deep flow,
Turn us from the course we fain would go.
From fogs of doubt that darken the soul,
From rocks and reefs and treacherous shoal,
From every danger of life's rough sea
We look for safety, O God! to Thee.
—Anon. “THE LOST TRIBES,” or the “Ten Lost Tribes,” of Israel is not a Bible term. It was evidently coined to meet the exigencies of a theory. What is taught concerning the truth of the ten tribes is well set forth in a study of the question in a New York paper called Salvation. The study is especially based on the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. The result of this study held in Bible-class is thus stated:— The ten tribes were never “lost,” except in the heedless fancy of superficial readers of the Bible, but were compressed with the other two into “All Israel” (repeatedly so called by Ezra and Nehemiah) by the natural operation of a common captivity and exile among alien races. So far as genealogical identification for purposes of inheritance was concerned, it might be argued from the genealogies recorded that only those attached to the tribe of Judah were able to verify their records; and of those who were temporarily excluded for that reason from the holy things (Ezra 2:59) it might be argued in the same way that they were, at least in part, of other tribes. Of such we should suppose were those “of the people” (Neh 5:1) who complained “of their brethren the Jews” for oppressing them with usury and mortgage. But the uniform terms of both Ezra and Nehemiah, in indicating those who returned from captivity and those who remained and helped the return with their wealth, are “Israel,” or “all Israel,” only the priestly tribe (Levites) being specified in the return; while Judah is mentioned afterwards, repeatedly and only in contradistinction from the main body, or (Ezra 1:5) “with all those whose spirit God had raised;” and (3:1) “the children of Israel” (4:1). Note the following: “The adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity builded, “and they sent to the king an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem” in particular or par eminence, the builders; “the children of Israel [even] the priests and the Levites and the rest of the children of the captivity kept the dedication,” etc. (7:7); “and there went up some of the children of Israel”—second re-migration under Ezra (9:1); “the people of Israel have not separated themselves from the people of the lands” (11:1); “there assembled out of Israel a very great congregation.” And so on, through both books. Only the heathen, as was natural for them, gave the whole people of Israel the common appellation of “Jews.” But the avoidance of this term, more or less provocative of jealousy, by Ezra and Nehemiah, is proof conclusive, that Israel was now and hence forward one nation, as the prophets had foretold. The assumption of one name by the whole nation later, as we find it already in Esther’s time, was natural as to a title so honorable, but was not significant of exclusion; for we find in the New Testament no indication that the descendants of those tribes that remained scattered, as in the time of Esther, throughout the Persian empire and later throughout the succeeding empire of Rome, were the less regarded or regarded themselves, as Jews, but were really compressed by their providential chastisement into a conscious national unit, under the same religion, and owning its universal center in the temple and priesthood at Jerusalem. A writer in The Reaper (February, 1902) adds this interesting note:— We read in Acts 2:5 of “Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven” being present at Jerusalem at Pentecost, and we may very well believe (with the case of Esther before us) that the “Parthians, Medes, and Elamites” who come first in the enumeration, included many members of the ten tribes, whose families had not left their ancient homes. We may refer to the expression which the apostle Paul uses when he says, “Unto which promise our twelve tribes hope to come.” Acts 26:7. The word translated “twelve tribes” is in the original a compound noun, and in the singular (dodeka-phulon), so that the force of it would be rendered somewhat thus: “Unto which promise our twelve-tribed people hopeth to come.” Such language indicates the unity of Jacob’s race, and does not encourage the view that ten tribes formed a section by themselves who had been lost sight of, or had lost sight of Israel’s hope. How They Became Convinced
By Editor
[Believing it would be of interest to our readers, the editor of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES has asked Sabbath-keeping ministers and evangelical workers to tell in a few words the scripture or scriptures, the truths and principles, which constrained them to accept the unpopular truth of the seventh-day Sabbath. These testimonies must not exceed 500 words. Let us hear from all.] THE Third Angel's Message (Rev. 14:6-14) found me, twenty-six years ago, a class leader, a Sunday-school superintendent, and a steward in the M. E. church in Baltimore City. The scripture that led me to obedience as regards the Sabbath was Dan. 7:25, which told me of a power that would seek to change God's times and law. The same power is clearly portrayed in 2 Thess. 2:3, 4. Matt. 5:17 told me that it was an utter impossibility that God's law should ever be changed. These scriptures settled me on the Sabbath question. I wish, also, to say that the good old Review and Herald and the SIGNS OF THE TIMES did noble work in feeding my soul in those days; and they have been the best side lights to the Bible I have been able to obtain since. May God continue to bless these faithful messengers. JOHN F. JONES. Oxford, Md. IN 1864 father, who was a Baptist minister, one Friday evening called his family together and said: "Children I must confess to you and the world that I have never kept the Lord's Sabbath. I have recently studied the Bible prayerfully for light upon this subject. A few days since, being fully convinced of error, I promised God if my life was spared to see another Sabbath day I would keep the Sabbath according to the commandment. This will probably lead to my resignation as pastor of the Baptist church. This confession and statement may seem strange to you, my dear children. Your mother and I are fully agreed in this step that means so much to us as a family." At this time I was a boy sixteen years old. I observed the Sabbath for some time out of respect to my parents, but the question forced itself upon my mind that I must know and act for myself in a matter of so much importance. I began thoroughly to search for myself for evidence in favor of keeping Sunday. John's Gospel I had committed to memory in the Baptist Sunday-school. This chapter had led me to believe in the pre-existence of Christ. John 1:1-14; 17:4, 5. Now God used this chapter more than any other scripture to lead me to see that Christ was the author of the Sabbath of the fourth commandment. I saw that the Sabbath law of Ex. 20:8-11 presented the Sabbath institution as a memorial of the Creator; and from John 1:1-3, 10 I saw that Christ was the Creator. "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not." John 1:1 carried my mind at once to Gen. 2:2, 3, where I learned that the "Creator," who was Christ, "rested on the seventh day," and then "blessed the seventh day and sanctified it." From these scriptures I could see no other Sabbath instituted by Christ but the seventh-day Sabbath of the fourth commandment. When I sought for apostolic example it was all in harmony with the precepts and example of Christ. Those most intimate with the daily life of Christ refrained from embalming their Lord on the Sabbath, and the inspired apostle declared that in so doing "they kept the Sabbath according to the commandment." Luke 23:54-56. With no intimation of first-day sacredness I was shut up to one conclusion. After struggle and conflict with many temptations to lead me into paths of worldly gain, I decided to stand with those who would help to make up the "breach" in the law of God. I have found the blessed promise fulfilled, given to all who take their feet from off the Sabbath and "call the Sabbath a delight, the Holy of the Lord, honorable." See Isa. 58:12-14. R. A. UNDERWOOD. "THE law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple." Ps. 19:7. It was the commandments of God that brought me to Christ, and caused me to accept present truth. I had learned from the Word of God that sin was the transgression of the law of God. 1 John 3:4. I saw at once that I was a transgressor; therefore, a wretched sinner against God. I had also learned that the wages of sin is death; therefore death was staring me in the face. The longer I looked into the great mirror of God, the more wretched I became. There was but one remedy for me, and that was Jesus. I at once confessed my sins, and God for Christ's sake forgave them all. Wherefore the law was my schoolmaster to bring me to Christ, that I might be justified by faith. To-day I am rejoicing in present truth. Keeping all the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." Rom. 8:1, 2. Therefore, I recommend to my unconverted brother the same great Teacher, that he may also be led to Christ, and be justified by faith; and thus being led, accept all of "the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." This includes the Sabbath of the Lord our God. T. GODFREY. Concordia, Kansas. WANT OF FAITH.
By The Commoner
ALL our troubles come from a want of faith in the all-wise and all-powerful God, who has told us that all things work together for good to them that love Him. If we love Him, and “keep His commandments,” we should keep on serving Him and leave the rest to Him. If our earthly parents strive so hard to secure the safety and happiness of their dependent child, surely the One who “so loved the world” will protect and bless His children, to whom he has said: “It is I; be not afraid.” We may not be able to see the stars because of the thick clouds, but we know they are still there, and if we but wait patiently and trustingly, in God’s own good time the shadows will break away, and in the glory of His presence there shall be no more night. Our trials and afflictions are largely due to the fact that we have set our hearts upon the material things of this life, and when we are called to part with them, to give up the wealth for which we have labored, the power for which we have struggled, the position to which we have aspired, to leave the hilltops for the roadside of the valley, we feel that we can not bear to lose them, because they have absorbed part of our very life, and it is this that makes losses and disasters so crushing. If we have lifted ourselves to that serene height whereon even our calamities serve for spiritual perfecting, and have so developed our faith in God’s goodness that we can say calmly, “God knows best,” then we can face the darkest shadows without a fear; meet the greatest losses without faltering, and, in the midst of the wildest tempest of despair, soar upward to a region where no grief can follow us; and no disaster or defeat rob us of the peace which compensates for all losses in this life. The darker the shadow, the closer should we cling to His promises; and the more trials and troubles assail us, the higher should we seek to climb onto the vantage ground of unfaltering faith in God’s Word.—The Commoner. SOUL, SPIRIT, LIFE, IMMORTALITY.
By Editor
A CORRESPONDENT asks for a definition of these terms, their nature, difference, etc.; not an easy thing to give briefly. 1. Soul.—Primarily the word applies to the whole person,—living creature,—including both man and beast. "And man became a living soul," that is, a living person. Gen. 2: 7. "All the souls that were therein he [Joshua] utterly destroyed that day." See Joshua 10: 28-39. "Eight souls were saved by water," that is, eight persons. 1 Peter 3: 20. "Every living soul died in the sea." Rev. 16: 3. In the original Hebrew we have the expression "dead soul." Soul is also used to denote the life common to all, both man and beast (Gen. 1: 20, margin; 35: 18), and to express the affections, impulses, energies, etc., of the entire man (Judges 10: 16, 1 Sam. 30: 6). "Bless the Lord, O my soul." Ps. 103: 1. In the latter case it is used synonymously with heart and mind. It is spoken of as "living" and dead. "The soul that sinneth it shall die." Eze. 18: 4. But never once is it said to be immortal, deathless, or undying. 2. Spirit.—Primarily "spirit" applies to a spiritual being. "God is a Spirit." John 4: 24. Angels are spirits. Heb. 1: 14. Evil angels, or demons, are evil spirits. Mark 5: 1-20. It also means life pure and simple, and especially that life unperverted which God through Christ gives to every one who believes. But used in this sense it never means a separate entity existing alone before coming into the body, and capable of existence after it leaves the body; it is never spoken of as having a consciousness separate from the body. When the spirit or life goes back to God, it returns as it came from Him—the breath of life; and the man returns to dust. Gen. 2: 7; Eccl. 12: 7. Never is the spirit of man said to be never-dying, deathless, or immortal. God in His wonderful wisdom has made man a thinking, acting, living being, composed of body, soul, and spirit. Separated, the man dies; and in that very day his thoughts perish." Ps. 146: 4. 3. Life is that principle or energy which sustains the same relation to man that the steam does to the engine, the electricity to the trolley-car or arc light. With God is the fountain of life. Ps. 36: 9. Everything that lives receives life from Him, and uses that life according to the law of its being, organization, or formation. In this way the mineral uses the life to crystallize the particles which compose it; the vegetable to grow and produce seeds from which shall grow other vegetable products of like nature. And so through all the mineral, vegetable, and animal kingdoms, the life received from God through earth and sun and rain and food always acts according to the law of the organization of the creature it enters. Because of this the life which each possesses is spoken of as its life, his life, her life. It is the life of a rose, of a tree, of a dog, of a horse, of a man. If sin had never entered, this life would have been eternal; but sin perverted the law of every creature of earth. As the law, the channel of the received life, was and is perverted, the life itself is perverted, and works out death instead of continued existence. Man, whose sin is the cause of all the trouble of earth, suffers with the rest of creation. His life is as a vapor, a cloud, a weaver's shuttle, a thing of vanity. God does not count this perverted life His life any more than He counts perverted love His love or perverted righteousness His righteousness. A right line is a straight line. Perverted the least, it is no longer straight but crooked. Righteousness perverted is sin. Love perverted is hatred. Beauty perverted is ugliness. Life perverted is death. Hence those who know not God are said to be dead in trespasses and sins. They are "alienated from the life of God" (Eph. 4: 18); "having no hope and without God in the world" (Eph. 2: 12). To say that the wicked, the sinful, the rebellious, have the life of God, is to contradict the direct and positive testimony of Holy Scripture. But God's life is in the world, and He gives it freely to those who believe. This is not the soulical life, the life common to all creatures. It is not designated by the term soul, but with the term zoe. With that alone is the adjective eternal or everlasting used. We never read of eternal or everlasting psuche, but ever and again, and especially in the Gospel and epistles of John, of eternal and everlasting zoe. God's law of life is His great moral law; the exemplar of that law is Christ Jesus; and when man yields to that law as it is in Christ Jesus, he opens his whole being to the stream of God's eternal life, to work in that man not according to the law of his flesh, but as God will, according to God's law. Therefore it is written:— "He that believeth on the Son hath eternal life; but he that obeyeth [believeth] not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." John 3: 36. See also John 6: 40, 47, 53, 54. "He that hath the Son hath the life; he that hath not the Son of God hath not the life. These things I have written unto you, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, even unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God." 1 John 5: 12, 13. Theistic evolution and Christian Science tell the sinner that he already has the divine immanence, that he already possesses the life of God. It is not true, as the Scriptures above quoted clearly declare. "He that hath not the Son of God, hath NOT the life." Verily, verily I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, ye have not life in yourselves." John 6: 53. "The words that I have spoken unto you are spirit, and are life." Verse 63. Faith—yielding all to God—opens the great channels of life from God to the believer. O let it in! There is no other power which will enable the soul to live above sin. God gives it now that we may use it for Him; it is actual and altogether vital to success. When character is formed by it and sin is no more, eternal life will be absolute. 4. Immortality is incorruptibility. It indicates a condition, and is never set before us as a goal to be attained. See Rom. 2: 7. It will be bestowed upon the faithful when Jesus comes and the great character trial is over. 1 Cor. 15: 51-54. Then, when God's people stand before Him with incorruptible characters, will He place the stamp of incorruptibility, immortality, upon their entire being. Then it will be true, "neither can they die any more." Every part of the universe of God will be open to the inflow of His life direct from the great Fountain, and its outflow in constant blessing to His entire creation. ALTHO, among the things that a man can "get" in this world, the "principal thing" is wisdom (Prov. 4:7), it is also true that "in much wisdom is much grief." Eccl. 1:18. It was Solomon through whom we are advised to get wisdom, yet it is Solomon who says there is "much grief" connected with wisdom. This, of course, depends upon the use that is made of it. Wisdom, as well as honor or wealth, may be so perverted that it will lead one away from God. Of itself it will not keep one in the right way. See Eze. 28:3-7, 17. The Scriptures do not commend men for their wisdom; the one righteous quality in man is faith. "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." Gal. 3:6. All other qualities that commend the individual to God are built upon, or added to, faith. See 2 Peter 1:5-8. Cain had as good instruction as Abel had; he knew the "letter" of the commandment as well as Abel did. It was not by his superior wisdom that Abel offered a "more excellent sacrifice than Cain;" it was by his faith. Enoch was not translated because of his wisdom, but because of his faith. See Hebrews 11. Moses was "learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians," the then leading kingdom of earth; but when he undertook in his own wisdom to deliver Israel, he failed. At that time, notwithstanding his wisdom, he feared the wrath of the king, and fled for his life. Forty years later, it is said that "by faith he forsook Egypt [taking Israel with him], not fearing the wrath of the king." The "wisdom of Solomon" is a proverb the world over, and his wisdom was God-given in direct answer to prayer. "God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, . . . and Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the East country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men." 1 Kings 4:29-31. "And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom." Verse 34. Did all this wisdom keep Solomon from falling? For answer read the record in 1 Kings 11:1-13. Sufficient for the present purpose is verse 4: "It came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father." The Scriptures tell us more than that "the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God." We have in Solomon's experience the demonstrated fact that wisdom imparted direct from the mind of God will not, in and of itself, either save the sinner or keep the professed Christian from falling. We are not justified by wisdom, but by faith (Rom. 5:1), and then "the just shall live by faith." Gal. 3:11. Then, if the wisdom that is of God is powerless to convert the sinner, or to sustain the just, without the reciprocity of faith, it is no wonder that the wisdom of man comes so far short. The wisdom of man is but the perversion of the wisdom that comes from God, and is therefore a positive detriment to the work of the Gospel. Not many wise are called (1 Cor. 1:26); that is, not many "wise" respond to the call. "God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise." Verse 27. "The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. Therefore let no man glory in men." Ch. 3:20, 21. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of [true] wisdom," and that fear comes from faith in the Word. It is only by letting the Word of Christ dwell in us, that is, in the heart, that it is of any avail. The Jews were instructed out of the law of God, and therefore knew His will. Rom. 2:18. This was their wisdom and their understanding in the sight of the nations (Deut. 4:6), and "a good understanding have all they that do His commandments." Ps. 111:10. But their knowledge of God's will could not save them. Their "wisdom" failed to bring them to Christ because of their lack of faith. Rom. 3:20. When the Gospel was preached to them it "did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." G. WHAT A CONCEPTION!
By Editor
A religious antinomian weekly in speaking of the Decalogue remarks:— “This Decalogue was given as the best those could receive to whom He gave it. It was intended to so utterly destroy hope as to drive to Christ for salvation—a pedagogue to bring, or drive, us to Christ; but, after Christ came, we are no longer under the tutor. Gal. 3:24, 25.” The idea is that it took fifteen hundred years to drive that people who knew the Decalogue to Christ, that during this whole time they were hopeless, or that God sought so to make them. What a conception of God such an interpretation of Gal. 3:24 gives! Generation after generation were to be driven to despair by the Decalogue, but no deliverer came; nor did He come until the whole nation was so given up to dead formalism and satisfied self-righteousness that the great mass of people rejected Him! “But does not Gal. 3:24 say, ‘Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith?’” It does. But does Paul mean that for 1,500 years the law was the schoolmaster of himself and the Galatians to whom he was writing, through generation after generation of hopelessness, before they could be brought to Christ? Does he mean that Moses and Joshua and Samuel and David and Elijah and Isaiah and Malachi all died in this utterly hopeless condition? Every true conception of God's love and goodness revolts from it. But the law was then Paul's schoolmaster to bring him to Christ. Romans 7. It was the schoolmaster of every converted Galatian to bring him to Christ. It was the schoolmaster of Moses and Joshua and Samuel and David and Elijah and Isaiah and Jeremiah and the good of all ages to bring them to Christ; and they found Him, one and each and all; found Him there and then when and where they lived; found Him the Redeemer, the Justifier, the Saviour from sin.8The law condemns the sinner. It shuts him up in the prison-house of sin. It holds him in bondage to sin. It is over him a tormenting lord. It presents but one avenue of escape—Christ Jesus. Moses was condemned by the glory of the law, pressed home upon his heart by the Holy Spirit, and it drove him to the Angel of God's Presence, where he found pardon. Nay, more, for the power of forgiving love wrote the law in his heart, and the transfigured soul shone out in the glory of his face. So Samuel found Him. So David found him. So all others have found Him who alone is able to save. And so Paul declares: “The law hath been our tutor to bring us to Christ” (R.V.); “is become our tutor” (American Standard R.V.). It has been that all the way. It is become that to every one, even as in Paul's day it became that to the idolatrous Gentile Galatians. Gal. 4:8. Why are we thus brought to Christ?—To “be justified,” brought into harmony with the law, to have the law written in our hearts. When the law is written within us, what change does it make in our condition?—“We are no longer under the law,” no longer condemned by it. What is our relation to it?—The law is within the heart; and the language of the soul is: “O, how love I Thy law; it is my meditation all the day.” “This is the love of God that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not grievous.”