PANEL DISCUSSIONS with Dr. Samuel H. Sutherland and Dr. Charles L. Feinberg
of a friend or relative who may have died unbaptized. This erroneous view is not supported in any way by the Scriptures. Salvation is by faith alone while the individual is still living. After death there is no second chance. Most Bible scholars hold to the view that when a person is baptized pub- lically, confessing Christ as his Lord and Saviour, he is thus taking the place in the army of the Lord, filling in those ranks left vacant by the home-going of the saints. Paul’s testi mony is, “If this Christian faith has no future in it, for it’s very heart mes sage refers to the resurrection from the dead, then the entire principle is of no value.” He is talking about new converts in the ranks of the Lord’s army, filling in the vacancies, and thus the testimony of the Lord goes forward. As to the second question, Paul makes it very clear (Gal. 3) that if righteousness could have come by the law and thus given life, righteousness would be accomplished thereby. In actuality, however, the law killed peo ple. The law was never meant to justify but rather to show how sinful we are in order that we might turn to Christ. The law is like a mirror which will show up the need for cleansing. It was never meant to make us pure. Only the efficacious blood of Christ can remove the stain of sin. Q . Hollywood, Calif. — “Why did God send His Son to be bom of a woman, instead of sending Him in glory for
Q , Garden Grove, Calif. — “When the Lord, Moses, and Elijah appeared transfigured before the disciples, Pet er, James, and John, what kind of bodies did they have?” A. We do not believe that Moses and Elijah were transfigured with the Lord. They simply appeared with Him, Peter, James, and John were given a preview of His resurrection body. As to what kind of bodies Moses and Eli jah had no one knows. At the Rapture of the Church we will receive our resurrection bodies which will be glo rified and fashioned like unto His glo rious body. When a believer dies in the Lord his physical body is placed in the grave awaiting this wonderful moment of culmination and transfor mation. Q , Walla Walla, Wash. — “Will you please explain 1 Corinthians 15:29 concerning baptism for the dead? How could those in Old Testament times, living by the law, be saved?” A. The first question is one which has been asked very frequently. It is a difficult passage, and according to some Bible students there are no less than forty different views of the por tion. One interpretation is that the Corinthians had a pagan practice of this type to which Paul was referring. This hardly seems possible. The Scrip ture doesn’t use such heathen rituals to explain Biblical doctrines. One large and growing cult holds that liv ing persons can be baptized on behalf
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