C.—Do you understand the Scriptures to teach that all mankind will reach and maintain the perfection of life which Adam lost– which you called “everlasting life?”

A.—It would seem as though such love, when seen, would beget love and obedience; but we are assured there is a second death, and while those who become subject to it, will not compare in numbers with the saved, yet, there will be some, who will not reach perfection, even at the end of the thousand years, who being incorrigible will be cast into the lake of fire (the second death.)

God made provision before our creation for the recovery from the first death, (the present Adamic death,) but, if after experience with evil and a knowledge of good, they do not appreciate good, they will die for their own sin (not Adam’s). There is no recovery from the second death–Christ will not die for them again. Justice and love can do nothing more for them.

In the garden in Eden it is stated that the Lord planted the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

 We might surmise that originally the lessons of good (of righteousness) were to be learned first thereby better preparing man to avoid the lessons of evil altogether, however the Lord knew that due to man’s lack of knowledge he would chose the opposite course and would thereby gain his knowledge (experience) with evil first, a much more difficult and trying method then He would have had them learn, but nevertheless both needful and effective in teaching the lessons needed. Thus he permitted it planning to give him his lessons in righteousness at a future date.

 And so it is that man gains his experience with evil and its rewards first, or as the prophet states the matter:

 “And I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom (knowledge) concerning all that is done under heaven; this burdensome task (or sore travail: the present experience under the domino of sin, the permission of evil) God has given to the sons of man, by which they may be EXERCISED (afflicted, taught a lesson).” Eccl 1:13

 “I have seen the God-given task (the experience with evil) with which the sons of men are to be occupied (exercised in).” Eccl 3:10

 “Sorrow (vexation or grief) is better than laughter, for by a sad countenance the heart (the character) is made better.” (Eccl 7:3)

 “Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us.” (New Living Translation)

 “Make us glad according to the days in which you have afflicted us, the years (6000) in which we have seen evil.” (Psa 90:15)

 And so it shall be for shortly now man is to learn the lessons of righteousness and its rewards, for God “has appointed a day (a 1000 year day) in which He will judge (Greek: Krino, try, test, teach, distinguish) the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:31)

C.—So you believe that some are condemned to the second death during the Gospel Age?

A.—Yes, in 1 John 5:16, and in Heb. 6:4-6, we are informed that some commit this sin now, but from the conditions mentioned, they are evidently few. Only those who have been brought to an (accurate) knowledge of God and his good word (unfettered by the errors taught by men), and who have received the Holy Spirit–in a word, the Saints are the only ones who could commit it–those who have already received all the benefits of ransom from sin, etc., and who know it. If these, being washed, like the sow, willingly go back to the wallowing in the mire of sin, they commit the sin unto death.

Those not begotten of the Spirit (the un-consecrated) as well as the mere nominal believer could not commit this sin having never been begotten of the truth.

We do not mean simply backsliding, but open apostasy and rejection of Jesus’ work of ransom and purchase as explained by the Apostle.

And now there is another thought I would like you to notice: Jesus not only ransomed his bride from death, but as her head becomes her leader, example, forerunner, and captain of her salvation to the spiritual condition and divine nature. The death and resurrection of our Lord are inseparably joined: the death was necessary as our ransom, to release us from the condemnation of sin, and to justify us before God; the resurrection was necessary that through our Lord’s guidance, grace and strength bestowed through the Spirit we might be able to walk in his footsteps as he hath set us an example–“being made conformable to his death.”

B.–I see a force, then, in Paul’s expression, Rom. 5:10: “Reconciled by the death— saved by the life.” His death justified us to human life, but his example and aid enable us to “become partakers of the divine nature” and life immortal.

C.—If justice could not let mankind go free from death, how could Jesus be permitted to live if he became man’s substitute? Must not his life be forever forfeited?

A.—It was forever forfeited–he never took the same life back again. He was quickened (made alive) to a higher life by the Father. He was “put to death in the FLESH, but quickened by the SPIRIT” to a higher plane, a spiritual body. As we shall be, he, our leader, was “sown a natural body, raised a spiritual body.”

Had he been raised a fleshly being, with fleshly life, we could not go free. It would have been taking back our “ransom“– our “price.” As Paul says, “He took upon him the form of a servant (flesh) for the suffering of death.” He had no need of it further; he left it. “He made his soul (life) an offering for sin:” “My flesh I will give for the life of the world.”–John 6:51. It was given forever. “This man, after he had offered one sacrifice (his perfect flesh or life) for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God.” Heb. 10:12, having received a higher life.

B.–This change, then, accounts for his acting so strangely after his resurrection–appearing in different forms–as the gardener to Mary, and “afterwards in another form to two of them,” etc., his appearing in their midst, the doors being shut, and then shortly vanishing out of their sight. I often thought it peculiar.

But did not his fleshly body disappear from the tomb?

A.—Yes; “His flesh saw not corruption.” What became of his flesh, I know not any more than I know what became of the various bodies in which he appeared after his resurrection, and of the various fleshly bodies in which angels appeared at various times. “They saw not corruption;” but, remember, it was not the atoms of matter which composed the body–(and which are continually changing)–these atoms did not sin, and were not cursed nor forfeited by the fall. It was the flesh life, and Christ’s laying down his flesh life, which comprised the ransom.

C.—Now, another point: Are all our sins, actual as well as imputed, forgiven?

A.—While all are justified from Adam’s sin UNCONDITIONALLY, yet, where knowledge of right and wrong is possessed, obedience is expected as far as they are able to obey.

Failure in this respect is the occasion for their being beaten (corrected) with many or few stripes in the age to come; while the “little flock” who now believe into and are baptized into Christ, become members of his body, are by their faith justified from all things (Acts 13:39), will not be beaten with stripes in the world to come. True, they now receive “chastisement whereof ALL ARE PARTAKERS,” but not as a penalty; only as the “rod and staff” of Christ, the Shepherd, to guide his sheep.

Thus the sins of the “Church of the First-born” are passed over, (not imputed), and she is justified, not from death only, but “from all things.”

This is beautifully pictured in the law by the Passover. Wherever in that night the lamb was eaten and his blood sprinkled, the first born was passed over–spared.–Exod. 12. So, during this night–the Gospel age–Christ, our Passover (lamb) is sacrificed, and we “keep the feast.”–1 Cor. 5:8.

We feed on our Lamb with some of the “bitter herbs” of affliction to sharpen our appetite. All such are passed over. This type shows the special value of Christ’s death to his body, “The Church of the FIRST-BORN.” Thus it is that,

“God is the Savior of ALL MEN (from the Adamic curse and to a restoration of all that was lost, specifically human perfection), but especially (now, He saves some to the Divine or Immortal nature) those that believe (and who have fully consecrated themselves, who have presented themselves “living sacrifices” now during the “acceptable time”, the Gospel age).”– 1 Tim. 4:10; Rom 12:1; 2 Cor 6:2.

Continued with next post.