o In the book of Jude, verse 12, I read that certain false teachers are TWICE DEAD. What does this mean? Let us first remember that this pas sage is highly figurative. The reference is to apostates who are likened (in the Revised Version) unto “hidden rocks . . . shepherds without fear . . . clouds without water . . . autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots . . . wild waves of the sea . . . wandering stars.” Thus you see on the face of it, that one does not need to attempt to give a literal meaning to these words. Such is never the case in any literature, yet the meaning is un mistakable, and all the more impressive by these comparisons. However there is a' twofold descrip tion of the man who is unregenerated. That is, he is “ twice dead,” as it were for these two reasons, either one of which would indicate that he is a lost soul: (1) He is “ dead in trespasses and sins,” never having been regenerated (see Ephesians 2 :1 ); and he is dead in a false religion, trusting in a false sense of security. This condition is de scribed in Revelation 3:1, “ Thou hast a name that thou livest, but art dead.” John is here speaking of unregenerate church members. Sad, indeed, it is to see people who think that any certain ritualism, church attendance, almsgiv ing, or self-righteousness can make them fit for the presence of a holy God. “Nothing but the blood of Jesus” can take away the sins of the unregenerate heart! What is the second death? I have just been reading the second chapter of Rev elation, and would like your explanation. There are two more references in the book of Revelation to “the second death.” In this chapter the eleventh verse reads, “ He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.” Let me call your attention to Revelation 20: 6, 14, where we are told it is “ the lake of fire.” The term is used in the sense of eternal punishment, separation from God, remorse, suffering and sorrow; not in the sense of physical death as the whole body of Scripture makes plain. Bear in mind always that death, in the Bible, never means cessation of ex istence. It means separation. The prod igal son was separated from his father, and from his father’s house. Note here that the father said, “ This my son was dead, and is alive again.” (Luke 15:24.) (Continued on Page 24) T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
What is the difference between the cherubim and the seraphim? The cherubim and the seraphim are not identical; there are different ranks and orders in the angelic hosts. The cherubim and the seraphim are but two of these. The cherubim appear to have to do with the holiness of God as out raged by sin. The seraphim have to do with the uncleanness in the people of God as you will see in the reading of Isaiah 6:1-8. Christians shall judge angels accord ing to First Corinthians 6:3. Who are these angels, and when will this judg ment take place? These angels are referred to in the sixth verse of Jude: “ And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath re served in everlasting chains under dark ness unto the judgment of the great day.” (Read 2 Pet. 2:4.) The likelihood is that the judgment of the angels mentioned will take place at the Great White Throne, where wicked men are to be judged, though there is no definite statement to that effect in the Word of God. The part Christians will have in judging angels is not re vealed, and where the Scriptures are silent we must be silent also, accepting His Word for it on faith. In Luke 1:46 and 4? I read: “Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” The Catholic Church teaches that Mary is to be worshiped. The verse you have quoted is a defi nite statement made by Mary that she was a sinner and needed a Saviour. She made this statement to Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, and that forever settles the question you ask. No Christian should pray to Mary—no Christian should worship her. Mary prayed with the disciples and the other women in the upper room as recorded in Acts 1:14. This is the last reference to Mary in the Bible. Here she was praying with others; praying and waiting for the promise of the Holy Spirit in accordance with the express command of the risen Christ. Not only was she obedient to Him here, but she made no claim to superiority. She is listed as just one with the other be lievers on the Lord Jesus, praying to the Father in the name of the Son. There is not the slightest suggestion in all the Word of God that we are to pray to Mary.
Dr. Louis T. Talbot
What is wrong with Unity? The Unity School of Christianity was founded about fifty years ago by a woman, Mrs. Myrtle Fillmore. We might summarize its contradiction of the Word of God in six denials of the “faith which was once [for all] delivered unto the saints.” 1. Unity denies that the Bible is uniquely inspired. In their magazine Unity (Feb. 1929), Mrs. Fillmore says: “ Beginning from the very first chapter of Genesis, the Bible is an alle gory.” “ Everybody can be inspired; if we think that inspiration ceased with Jesus, or with Paul and the apostles, we hinder the stream of God-thought from flowing to us; and we get no direct revelation.” 2. Unity denies sin and the personal ity of Satan. In Unity (No. 5, page 403) we will find this statement: “ There is no sin, sickness or death.” In “ Lessons in Truth,” page 185, this statement is found: “ God is good, and God is all; therefore I refuse to believe in the reality of the devil, or evil in any of its forms.” 3. Unity denies that salvation is by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. It teaches that we achieve per fection by a realization that we are God through constant aflirmation. Master and mind are one, says Unity. We all have a God-mind. Followers of Unity know nothing about the blood of Christ, and attempt to find salvation by the denial of the reality of sin and by the constant aflirmation, “ I am good, and therefore I am God.” 4. Unity denies that Jesus is the Christ any more than any man. Accord ing to their proclamation it is the privilege of every man to be every thing that Jesus was. In their brochure, Christian Healing, page 172, they state: “He became the Word of God incarnate because He fulfilled all the requirements of the law, but this is the privilege of every man. Similar state ments are to be found all through the writings of Unity. 5. Unity denies that death is uni versal, and teaches that Unity disciples may never die. 6. Unity also denies a real Heaven, and teaches reincarnation.
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