Notes on Former Queries: Vol. 2, 379; Departed Go; John 1:29

John 1:29  •  4 min. read  •  grade level: 9
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Q. Referring to vol. 2 Q. 379, please explain 1 Timothy v. 11, 12 in connection with verse 14. What is the “first faith” which they have cast off?
A. I should like to send the explanation I heard a short time ago as to this query, viz., that the word faith in 1 Timothy 5:1212Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith. (1 Timothy 5:12) is the old English word meaning faithfulness, in which sense it is also used in Romans 1:1717For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. (Romans 1:17). “faith to faith,” (i.e., faithfulness on the part of the giver to faithfulness on the part of the receiver) Romans 3:33For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? (Romans 3:3). Galatians 2:2020I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20). and 1 Peter 1:55Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:5). The verse might read thus. — “Having judgment (being talked about and judged by their neighbors) because they have cast off their fidelity” to their first husbands.
Q. What becomes of the departed spirits until the resurrection? Where are they?
A. They go to Hades. This word is used in Luke 16:2323And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. (Luke 16:23) for the present abode of lost souls; in Acts 2:27, 3127Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. (Acts 2:27)
31He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. (Acts 2:31) for the abode of Christ when absent from the body; in 1 Corinthians 15:5555O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? (1 Corinthians 15:55) for the abode of spirits of believers. We therefore see it is the place of all departed spirits, and is divided by a great and impassable gulf into a place of blessing and of misery. At the first resurrection the former will be emptied, at the second resurrection (or death) the latter (Revelation 20:1313And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. (Revelation 20:13)), and then hades (or hell) having no further use is shown in a metaphor (ver. 14) to be finally abolished forever.
Reply: Is there not some slight confusion in the above answer to this query? (What becomes of the departed spirits until the resurrection? Where are they?) The question is as to the spirits. Are we not told, “Absent from the body, present with the Lord How then can this be, if, as you say they are in Hades or the grave? The entire answer is to me and others so confusing that I think you must have misunderstood the question. Further is not Luke 16:2323And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. (Luke 16:23) rather a figure of the future than the present? Again the latter part of your answer seems to huddle up the grave, Hades and hell all as one; surely it cannot be said that Luke 16:2323And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. (Luke 16:23) is “a metaphor, to be finally abolished.”
Answer: If our correspondent will re-read our reply to Q. 8, he will see that all allusion to the grave (where the body lies) is entirely on his part, as well as any mixing up of this with Hades. The reply mostly speaks of the latter. It is also not stated in the reply, as the writer seems to refer, that Luke 16:2323And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. (Luke 16:23) is a metaphor; as to this being future, the fact of the rich man’s brethren being alive sufficiently refutes this.
Reply: I cannot think that John’s faith in Jesus as the Messiah was failing. It had been revealed to him by God Himself that the One in whom the Spirit should descend was He that would baptize with the Holy Ghost; he had borne record that Jesus was the Son of God; and he had heard the voice from heaven proclaim the same truth. It seems very improbable that, after having these weighty testimonies, his faith should ever waver. I think a reference to Luke 7:11-1811And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. 12Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. 13And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. 14And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. 15And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. 16And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people. 17And this rumor of him went forth throughout all Judea, and throughout all the region round about. 18And the disciples of John showed him of all these things. (Luke 7:11‑18) may furnish the true reason why John sent his disciples to ask the Lord. “Art thou He that should come, or do we look for another?” In the 12-15 verses we have the account of the raising to life of the widow of Nain’s son, and then in the 15th and following verses we read, “And there came a fear on all; and they glorified God, saying that a great prophet is risen up among us, and that God path visited His people. And this rumor went forth throughout all Judea, and throughout all the regions round about.” And then the Evangelist adds, “And the disciples of John showed him all these things.” Now it seems only natural that the Baptist should think his disciples faith would be shaken by this report. He had said “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world,” whereas this “rumor” simply acknowledged Him to be great prophet. So to re-assure their (not his own) faith, he sent them to the Lord to get from His own lips the confession that He was the Messiah.
Answer: The above remarks are very interesting, but we still think that John’s long imprisonment from which no act of Jesus rescued him, together with all absence of any direct claims to an earthly kingdom on the part of the Lord, had shaken even the Baptist’s faith.