9, Correspondence.

F.B.— Please explain Ecclesiastes 10:22A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left. (Ecclesiastes 10:2). What the wise man plans in his heart he carries out by his right hand, the figure of prompt effective action; on the contrary, the fool’s plans are worked out with the left hand, that is, either not at all, or in a lazy, clumsy manner. While the wise man is working, the fool is dreaming or muddling.
A.J.K.— Will you please tell me the meaning of “The strength of sin is the law” (1 Cor. 15:5656The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. (1 Corinthians 15:56))? When man was told by the law what he was to do and what he was not to do, he desired more than ever not to do what he should and to do what he should not. Therefore when the law was given the offense abounded (Rom. 5:2020Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: (Romans 5:20)). Man after he had the law was a greater sinner than before (see Rom. 2:17-2917Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, 18And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; 19And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, 20An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. 21Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? 22Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? 23Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonorest thou God? 24For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. 25For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. 26Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? 27And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? 28For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God. (Romans 2:17‑29)). The effect of the law is not to change man’s evil nature, but to draw out the evil that is there (Rom. 7). “By the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:2020Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. (Romans 3:20)). And as the guilt of the law-breaker is thereby increased, it is called “the strength of sin.”
W.T.— Why “in his body” (2 Cor. 5:1010For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:10))? The phrase “in (or, by) his body,” limits the matters gone into before the judgment-seat of Christ to the things done during a person’s life on earth. Please explain Matt. 6:2323But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! (Matthew 6:23) (latter part). You must read carefully the whole of vs. 22 and 23. “The light of the body is the eye;” if the light “that is in thee be darkness [that is, if thou art blind, though claiming to be able to see as well as any and better than some] how great is that darkness.” A blind man cannot see in the light any more than in the dark. The Jews are examples of those whose light was darkness, for they closed their eyes, lest they should see and be converted (Matt. 13:1515For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. (Matthew 13:15)). The verse means that the person who thinks he is going right when he is going wrong is the one who will go furthest astray. A terrible example of the result of this delusion is found in the present Laodicean condition of the professing church. Christendom believes itself to be rich, and increased with goods, and in need of nothing; but it is, in fact, “wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Rev. 3:1717Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: (Revelation 3:17)).