p. 138 | LIFE OUT OF THE BODY by Dudley Marvin Canright

Seventh-Day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Thursday, February 26, 1880

FromThe Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Vol. 55, No. 9

LIFE OUT OF THE BODY.

By Dudley Marvin Canright

BY ELD. D. M. CANRIGHT.

In 2 Cor. 12: 2, we read: “I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell; God knoweth; (such a one caught up to the third Heaven.”

It is claimed from this that a man can live in the body or he can live out of the body. Paul says he went to Heaven, and he saw certain things there; but whether he went in his body or out of his body, he did not know. This is as much as to say that he could have gone without his body. Very well. Let us look at this candidly. The first verse shows that the apostle is speaking of himself, and of certain visions he had received. “I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord.” Then he tells how this man was caught up into Heaven, and heard certain unspeakable things. We understand him to mean simply this: He could not tell whether he was actually taken up into Heaven bodily, or whether the revelations were simply pictured before his mind, so that he saw them as an actual reality. Looking at his writings a little further, we find what he means by being absent from his body. He says to the Colossians, “For though I be absent in the flesh [that is, the body], yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ.” Chap. 2: 5.

Remember that while Paul sat at his table in Rome, writing to the Colossians, hundreds of miles away, he says, “Though I am absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit.” His spirit, according to the theory of our opponents, was over there in Colosse, while his body was in Rome writing that letter. We ask our opponents if they really believe that Paul’s soul actually went out of his body, and left it there a dead carcass while his spirit was personally over at Colosse with the brethren?

In this case we know it does not mean this, and they themselves must admit that Paul was writing at the very time that he affirms this, that his spirit was in a place where his body was not. Again to the Corinthians he says: “For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already.” 1 Cor. 5: 3. Here he asserts that while his body is absent, his spirit is present with them. What does he mean by this? No one is at a loss to know what he means. While he was personally in one place, his thoughts, his affections, his mind, were at the other place. This is the case in the passage under consideration. Paul’s mind, his thoughts, were carried to Heaven. The Lord gave him a vision presenting before him Heaven with all its glory. It was so real that the apostle did not know whether he was really there bodily, or simply saw it in his mind. Notice further that if Paul’s soul, or spirit, actually left his body and went to Heaven, and then came back again, he must have had a resurrection from the dead; for James says the body without the spirit is dead. Will our opponents affirm thus of Paul? We think not. We leave the passage there.

In Rev. 6: 9, 10, a kindred subject is mentioned. We read: “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?”

It is claimed that this passage shows that souls have life separate from the body; and, furthermore, that some souls are alive and can talk. Therefore, it is a very strong text. But we think a little examination will spoil this pretty theory. Where were the souls seen? Under the altar, that is, according to their interpretation, up in Heaven, stowed away in a very crowded, uncomfortable position. And their position was so uncomfortable, that they cried earnestly to God for deliverance. Can we imagine such a scene to take place in Heaven?

The Lord said to them that they should rest for a little season until their fellow-servants should be killed. Verse 11. Notice what a spirit this view attributes to those holy spirits. They were the souls of those who had been slain on the earth. Now they cry to God, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” Certain wicked men had murdered them, and by thus doing had closed their weary pilgrimage on earth, and sent them to enjoy the glories of Heaven. It would seem that these happy souls really ought to have been thankful for such a deliverance by the hands of their slayers. At least it does not look quite right, that they should feel so vindictive as to pray that God would hasten their enemies into hell.

Put this with the parable of the rich man and Lazarus as interpreted by our opponents, and see what you have. Hell is so near to Heaven that the righteous can look down into it, and see those who are there and talk with them, as Abraham talked with the rich man. They can hear their moans and cries, and see the fire burning. These martyrs must know very well that in a few years, according to nature itself, their persecutors will die, and come into that very hell which is before their eyes. But they are so anxious to see those souls roasting in fire that they cannot wait. They pray God to hasten the day. Who can believe that the saints in glory would indulge such a spirit? Upon this text Adam Clarke makes this sensible comment: “A symbolical vision was exhibited, in which he saw an altar. . . . The altar is upon the earth, not in Heaven. They cried, that is, their blood, like that of Abel, cried for vengeance; for we are not to suppose that there was anything like a vindictive spirit in those happy and holy souls.”—Note on Rev. 6: 9, 10.

We agree with Dr. Clarke. These souls are not in Heaven. The scene was not there. They did not cry literally. The whole thing is symbolical, as an examination of the context will show. The chapter contains a whole line of symbols. First a white horse is seen going forth; next a red horse; and following these a black one. Then comes “a pale horse; and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell [hades, the grave] followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.”

This is a most terrific symbol to represent the persecuting power of the Romish church against the disciples of Jesus,—a pale horse, with death sitting thereon and the grave following after. All agree that this represents the papal persecutions. Immediately following this is our text. John says he saw under the altar the souls of those that had been slain by this persecuting power. The altar is symbolical, just as the other figures in the chapter are symbolical. These persons had been slain for the Lord’s sake, hence they are represented as being offered upon the altar. But this altar was upon the earth. Next they are seen under that altar in the grave, just where John says they went. But the text says they cried; yes, and it says that the blood of Abel cried unto God from the ground, but does that prove that the blood of Abel is conscious? By no means.

The blood of these martyrs cried to God for vengeance the same as James says, “Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth; and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.” James 5: 4. So the blood of these martyrs appeals to God for vengeance upon them that dwell upon the earth. The Lord tells them to rest yet for a little season, until their brethren who should be killed as they were, should be slain. This shows that these souls were in a state of rest and quietude.