Correspondence

 •  2 min. read  •  grade level: 8
Question: Please explain “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.” (1 Cor. 11:3030For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. (1 Corinthians 11:30)).
Answer: These persons had failed to judge themselves—failed to discern the Lord’s body in the broken bread—they had eaten in an unworthy manner, though they were true Christians, and hence God in His government of His house, had to chasten them by bodily sickness even unto death, in order that they might not be condemned with the world. How could any intelligent person teach that “the discipline here is not connected with those weak and sickly ones”? We should say it was very closely connected with them. No doubt others were called to learn and take warning from the discipline exercised upon those erring members; but surely no father would think of chastising a good child for the misdemeanor of a bad one.
Question: Please tell me if there is any difference between confessing our sins and asking the Father to forgive us our sins.
Answer: We cannot rightly ask forgiveness of our sins when we know we are forgiven for His name’s sake, We are forgiven for eternity. (1 John 2:1212I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake. (1 John 2:12)). But it is needful to confess our sins, if we would walk in communion with God. And “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Answer: These scriptures apply to the time when the Lord shall come to this world as Son of Man. One shall be seized in judgment and the other will be left for Millennial blessing on earth. He will take away in judgment all that offend, and them that do iniquity. (Matt. 13:41, 4941The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; (Matthew 13:41)
49So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, (Matthew 13:49)). Those left behind will be the King’s subjects in the earthly kingdom Judgment swept the earth in Noah’s day and in Lot’s day; so shall it be when the Son of Man comes.
We often hear the words, “one shall be taken and the other left,” applied to the Lord’s coming for the church, but those who are taken in that event, are taken to be with the Lord, and those who are left are like the foolish virgins, left behind to believe the lie, and for judgment.
Matthew 25:1313Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 25:13) should read, “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour.” (See New Translation). The term Son of Man should not be here, as this passage stands in connection with the Lord’s coming for His own.