Question Corner by Editor

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Apr 23, 1894

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 20, No. 25.

Question Corner.

By Editor

"If ye will inquire, inquire ye." "But avoid foolish questions."

[From time to time we will reply under this head, if deemed advisable, to such candid inquiries as may be sent us. Correspondents wishing a reply to their questions must give their full name and address, not for publication unless they wish, but as an evidence of good faith on their part, and to give us opportunity to reply by letter if deemed best. It is always well to inclose stamp. Let the questions be short and pointed, and such as may be answered in limited space. The questions will be numbered continuously.]

138. HEB. 6:4-6.

PLEASE explain in Question Corner of Signs what is meant by Heb. 6:4-6. SEVERAL SUBSCRIBERS.

The text reads as follows: "For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame." Our understanding of it is that those who have known Christ in the fullest sense, and after knowing him turn again to the bondage of sin, cannot regain again the fullness which they have lost. That is, as the scripture above expresses it, "it is impossible . . . to renew them again unto repentance." This does not mean that God is not willing to save everyone, but it does mean this, that when the soul has tasted of the fullness of God, and turns, in the light of that fullness, back to sin, it is impossible for it to ever come in that condition where it can appreciate blessings from which it has turned. As a similar truth is expressed in Heb. 10:29, it is counting the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and doing despite unto the Spirit of grace. The blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and the power of the Spirit of God are the only means by which God can cleanse and save the sinner. But if man turns from them, the Lord has no reserve means by which to reach him. That is what is expressed in the scripture we are considering. But with such individuals there is no genuine repentance. There may be sorrow because of the consequences of sin, but it is not a real sorrow because of the sin itself. There is always hope for everyone who earnestly and truly desires to do God's will, and who truly repents of sin; that is, who has such a sorrow for sin that his whole being cries out for freedom from its bondage. Such an one may know that God has not forsaken him, but that it is the Spirit which leads him on; and if he will follow the Spirit, the Lord will lead him back to light. Heb. 6:4-6 should never be a discouragement to a single soul who longs to be free from sin, and who desires above all things to do not his own will but God's will.

139. JESUS' PARENTS; PERFUMERY; THE "OTHER SHEEP."

Will you please answer the following questions: 1. Were Jesus' parents Jews? If not, of what descent were they? 2. What does the Lord say about using perfumery upon our clothing? 3. In John 10:16 what did Christ mean when he said, "Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold"? READER M.

1. Jesus' parents were Jews. This is shown in the first chapter of Matthew and the second and third chapters of Luke. They were of the family of David and the tribe of Judah. 2. The Lord does not prohibit the use of perfumery upon the clothing. He does not say we shall use it or we shall not use it. He does say, however, that the incense which was made for the tabernacle anciently must not be used for private purposes. See Ex. 30:31-38. But it would probably be impossible for that to be made now, because it is somewhat uncertain as to just what the ingredients were. In regard to these things God has given us certain principles, in economy and in propriety, and desires that we shall have a sanctified judgment in regard to all these things. If, in the light of these principles, one's conscience condemns him, they had better not use such articles; at the same time, they must be careful not to judge others. One of the best ways is so to live that perfumes will not be needed, and that can be done by being scrupulously clean and living in harmony with the laws of health. 3. The "other sheep" of whom our Saviour spake were the Gentiles. The gospel was first preached to the Jews. It was to be afterward preached to the Gentiles. See Isa. 56:1-8; 60:1-3; Eph. 2:11, 12, 19, 20; 1 Cor. 12:13. The Spirit and truth of God unites them in the one Shepherd, Christ Jesus.

140. SECRET SOCIETIES.

Is it consistent with the faith of the Seventh-day Adventists to unite with any secret organization? E. G. F.

To our minds it is not consistent for any Christian to unite with secret organizations. For an expression of the views of Seventh-day Adventists on secret societies, see No. 103 of the Bible Students' Library, published at this office. Price, 3 cents.

141. FORBIDDING WORK ON THE SABBATH.

Should we forbid our children who are not of age to work on the Sabbath? and is the doing of this carrying out the same principles which we find in Sunday laws? L. G. M.

The government of home is an altogether different thing from the government of State. The only province of State laws is to suppress incivility and to protect the lives, property, etc., of the subjects of the State. But God has given greater authority than that to parents. They are to train their children for eternity, always by love and moral suasion, if possible, but if necessary for the good of the child, by punishment. The command which the Lord gives is, "Train up a child in the way he should go." "Bring them [the children] up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." Again we are told, "Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him." Prov. 22:15. Many other passages refer to the same thing. In 1 Sam. 3:13 the Lord severely rebukes Eli because he restrained not his sons. And in the Sabbath commandment we are told that "in it [the Sabbath] thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter," etc. This is the negative side of the question, however, and yet it is one which the Lord wants us to regard.

But parents have a duty which is positive, as well as negative. They are not only commanded to restrain their children from doing evil, even by punishment if necessary, but they are commanded to teach them the better way, and so fill up their hearts with that which is good that they will not have the desire to do that which is evil. In order that this be the case, the instruction of the word of the Lord must be followed:—

"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart; and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." Deut. 6:5-7.

If the love of God is in the parent, and the parent is a diligent student of God's word and works, he will find that this instruction in regard to what he should do, and in teaching the children what to do, will be much more effectual than in telling them what not to do.

But, again, there are some parents to whom the knowledge of Christ and how to train children has not come till later years, when the children are more or less grown, when the constant repression would do no good, and restraint would only arouse rebellion in the children. What ought a parent to do in such a case as this? In the first place, as touching upon the question above asked, he should not permit his children who are under his control to dishonor the Sabbath day by work. Just as long as the child is under his control, it is the duty of the child to obey, and the Lord will hold the parent responsible for the work which the child does which could have been prevented. But in prohibiting work of this kind the Spirit of Christ ought always to rule. The parent's example should be consistent. What he says and the commands he issues should be in such a way as to appeal to the good judgment and reason of the child. And, even though they are not submitted to with good grace or proper respect for parental control, this should place no resentment in the heart of the parents.

There are great dangers lying on both sides. There is the danger of being so severe in home government as to drive our children from us, by continually telling them they must not do this and they must not do that, while the active mind and healthful body must find something to do. There is danger of telling them what they must not do and giving them nothing better than what is prohibited in its place. There is just as great danger on the other hand of allowing children to have their own way, utterly unrestrained, and thereby developing in them a nature that is wholly selfish and evil. God desires that that course shall be pursued which is laid down in his holy word. If we have that word laid up in our heart and the love of Christ permeating our being, he will teach us the better way, and we, through his help, may train our children for eternity.