1. “Α. Β.,” Bristol. “Absent from the body.” It is far more blessed to receive the word of God—as it indeed is the word of God—than to reason about it. In this our present state we cannot fully understand what it is to be “absent from the body, present with the Lord.” There is perfect consciousness. When Paul was caught up into paradise, he says, “whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth.” He must have been as conscious in one case as in the other, or he would have known. What he heard was beyond our present state to understand; it was impossible to utter the words. But surely this is enough for faith. Those absent from the body are as conscious as we who are still in the body. On these matters there is a common and vulgar mistake. It is often said, “What do we know of the other world, or state of the departed; no one has ever returned to this world?” We will take the two persons you name—Moses and Elias. Moses died, and the Lord buried him in the land of Moab, nearly fifteen hundred years before he came and appeared with Christ on the mount of transfiguration. (Deut. 34) Elias had been taken up to heaven eight hundred years before. (2 Kings 2) Both appear in glory; they talk with Jesus. They are perfectly conscious of what was about to take place: they “appeared in glory, and spake of his decease, which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.” Thus the fact of perfect consciousness is revealed in those (whether in the body, or absent from the body) who have departed. We might also point to the case of the rich man who died, and was buried, and lifted up his eyes in hell. Is he not perfectly conscious of the state and danger of his brethren on earth? It is a solemn thought that those who have departed whom we knew and loved, may often think of us on earth. The spiritual intelligence of Moses and Elias was far beyond what it ever had been before they departed.
2. Brixton. We scarcely see what there is to answer in your letter. In the quotation you give from Caesar Malan—“Faith does not consist in persuading me that Jesus has saved me, but in believing that He is the Son of God, the Savior.” This was, no doubt, to meet the thought so common amongst the Reformers, of making faith subjective, that is, believing they were saved was salvation, instead of faith resting in the Son of God, the Savior. And so of your quotation from J. N. D., “Voice to the Faithful.”
But how has God revealed to you His Son? Has not the Holy Spirit revealed to your conscience your lost, loathsome condition as a sinner? Has He not opened your eyes to see Jesus, the Son of God, meeting that lost condition by the death of the cross? Is He who died on the cross known to your soul as the Son of God? Then hearken to His words, read them slowly: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life,” &c. Do you believe the word of the Son of God? What need, then, have you of further evidence?
3. “F. J.,” near Bristol. The scripture is quite clear on the point you ask. “Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the Lord: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death. Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath-day.” (Exod. 35:2, 32Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day, a sabbath of rest to the Lord: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death. 3Ye shall kindle no fire throughout your habitations upon the sabbath day. (Exodus 35:2‑3).) To gather sticks even on the sabbath-day was a presumptuous sin, that was punished by the man being stoned to death. (Num. 15:3232And while the children of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man that gathered sticks upon the sabbath day. (Numbers 15:32).) Thus those who were under law were bound to keep it in every point. The Christian is not under law, but under grace. To the Jew the law was a ministration of bondage and death. To the Christian the ministration of the Spirit is liberty, joy, and peace. He is dead to the law, and alive to God. The sabbath was bondage to the Jew, yet, on the part of God, a beautiful type of rest in Christ. The Lord’s day is a day of joy and liberty to the Christian. He delights in freedom from earthly care and toil, to serve and worship Him he loves. It is not a legal command, there is no such command to keep the Lord’s day. If any one goes back to the law, with its command, he puts himself on the ground of death and the curse. (See Gal. 3:1010For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. (Galatians 3:10).) The Lord’s day speaks to our hearts of eternal redemption, for Jesus is risen from the dead.
4. “A. C,” Oxford. In John 1:11In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1) we are taken back to the past eternity: “In the beginning was the word.” In eternity was the self-existent, the blessed, and glorious Person of Him who became flesh, and dwelt among us. “That which was from the beginning” (1 John 1) means the beginning of Christianity in the Person of Christ. The old commandment, which they had from the beginning, was the obedience of Christ. There could be nothing new, or further, or superior to that. It was the delight of His heart to do the Father’s will. It was not obedience contrary to His own will. It is new to us, in a sense, as the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth—true in Him and in us. He is now in glory, and we now take His place, the same principle of obedience true in us. Partakers of the divine life, we delight to do His will; it is our new nature. (1 John 2:7, 87Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. 8Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. (1 John 2:7‑8),) It was when He was about to depart, for the present, He says, “Whither I go ye cannot come.... A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another, as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” (John 13:33, 3433Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. 34A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (John 13:33‑34).) It is old, as seen in Him on earth; it is new, as seen in us now He is in heaven. The Epistle of John was written to those whose sins are forgiven. (Chap. 2:12.) It is important to remember this, in love one to another.
5. “H. A. L.,” Plymouth. There is nothing in the scripture your friend referred to about insuring your life. If you have eternal life in Christ, that is sure enough. “He that hath the Son, hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life.” It is most blessed when this is also true of a household. The future of such a household is to be caught up to meet the Lord.
As to the text, “But if any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” (1 Tim. 5:88But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. (1 Timothy 5:8).) The context shows this is in reference to the daily or present need of the household, and has nothing to say to insuring for the future. We believe idleness, and want of industry and providing for the family, a source of great misery in the present day. May the Lord lead each one to do that which is acceptable in His sight.