October 1928
T h e
K i n g ' s
B u s i n e s s
603
where it is clearly linked with the coming of Christ. Verse 4 o f the passage under discussion looks to the time when “mortality shall be swallowed up of life.” This is identical with the teaching o f 1 Cor. 15 concerning the resurrection day. While the apostle longed to put on immortality at once, he saw that this could not be done until that future day,' The 6th and 8th verses would seem to destroy the theory of an intermediate body. “ Whilst we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord . . . .. we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” This seems to clearly indicate that to be present with the Lord, awaiting His second coming, is to be absent from the body. EH §& ife Did the Race Start With One Man? To M rs . T. H. P. Our correspondent feels she has a better explanation than has yet been offered, in answer to the question “ Where did Cain get his w ife?” She points out that Adam” means “ red earth” and that his body was formed o f the dust o f the ground. “ I f you can conceive of the numberless millions of particles o f dust,” she writes, “ then you can have a very faint idea o f the number of men that were created in the beginning. Cain’s wife was one of the daughters, of the many men and women created the day that Adam was created.” A careful reading of the text of Scripture should easily show the fallacy- o f this argument. We are dis tinctly told in the cases o f the creatures of the air,-the water and the land that they were created in great num bers as well as in pairs. O f the water creatures, we read : “ Let the waters swarm with swarms with living creatures” (lit. reading, o f Gen. 1 :20) . To such a creation the rocks abundantly testify. When we corné to the sixth day we find a very differ- ènt method in the creation of man. We are told in chap ter 2 exactly how God formed, a body from the dust o f the ground and breathed into it the breath of lives'. - Man became a living soul (not millions o f souls). Because this one man longed for a companion, God created a. woman from parts of the body o f the first man. God did not' even mold another body lest the human race should have, two distinct origins. In the case o f animals, male and female were created side by side. In the case o f man, where God intended marriage to be communion of, soul in the service*: ¿ f God, there must be a closer, union.' Thus the solidarity o f the race was established. The world o f natural men as literally originated with one man Adam, as the world of spiritual men originates in One Man, the Second Adam. M?hen Scripture refers to Adam and his wife, to make this mean men and their wives is taking an unwarranted liberty. 1 Cor. 15:45 declares that “ the first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam wasmade a quickening spirit.” Let us be satisfied with these statements and find our explanation of Cain’s wife in other quarters. EH ^, 1 ^ jk 3S Inheriting the Earth To C. S. You ask how believers- in the Church Age could “ inherit the earth” according to our Lord’s words in Mt. 5 :5. He is not talking here o f a grant o f land. Even the
Heaven’s Cure for Earth’s Care
"A/f AN Y a burden, many a labor, Many a fretting care, Busy footsteps coming, going, Little time for prayer. Duties waiting on my threshold Will not be denied, Others, coming }round the corner, Crowding to their side. How shall I their number master? How shall 1 get through? How keep calm amid the tumult? Lord,, what shall I do? Give Thy strength to meet my weakness ■ , Give a, heart at rest; Give a childlike, trustful spirit, , Leaning on Thy kfeasfiiff Thou danst Still the wildest conflict,- ' Bid the billows cease; ' Thoie,const fill’, earth’s busiest moment With Thy perfect peace.
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Jews do not inherit the whole earth. The utmost bounds of Jewish promises for the kingdom age are'the land be tween the Euphrates and the Mediterranean. It. is not a question at all" o f who inhabits the earth, but who inherits it, Paul tells us plainly that it is Christ who inherits it and believers in Him are “ joint heirs with Him in all things” (read Rom. 8:17 ; 4:13, 17; Eph. 1 :10-11). Those who most truly inherit the earth are those who. see God in it and make it the field of their service for Christ. The church is called to -suffer with Him, and some day, as His Bride’, will reign with Him over all the earth. .W e have a better title to the earth than the Jews as a nation ever had or ever will have. A s individuals who, under grace, accept Christ' (Rom. 11), they may share in it. - Another Hymn Story Straightened In our August issue we invited our readers to enlighten us if possible on the matter o f H. G. Spafford, author of the beautiful hymn “ It is W ell'W ith My Soul.” Books o f hymn stories Lave stated that Mr. Spafford went to Palestine, became insane and imagined himself a new Mes siah. We have a note from Dr. W . E. Blackstone, who was intimately acquainted with Mr. Spafford for many years, and lie assures us that any .statement that he was insane is erroneous. Dr. Blackstone '-visited' the Spafford family in Jerusalem after the death of Mr. Spafford and would surely be in a position to know the facts. It is indeed unfortunate that the compilers o f hymn stories have not been more accurate in their statements, & D ON T FAIL TO SEE THE K. B. CHRISTMAS PROPOSITION ON INSIDE BACK COVER !
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