INTERESTING QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
Question.—In what sense can the statement in Job 19:26 be true, since we understand he will not have power to "see God" as a human being?
Answer.—The passage might be understood in two different ways: (a) As an expression of Job's trust in the Lord that notwithstanding the serious malady with which he was afflicted, and the apparent utter destruction of his skin, by a loathsome disease, yet he hoped for recovery and that he should yet praise the Lord in the flesh and in health. Or (b) it may be understood to refer to a future life and Job's confidence that though his sickness might result in death, complete dissolution, yet it did not mean in him an everlasting extinction. As previously stated, God would call and he would answer in his flesh. His seeing God in the flesh should not be understood as that which is impossible, of which our Lord says, "No man hath seen God at any time," and of which the Apostle says, "Whom no man hath seen nor can see." It should be understood in the way in which it is commonly used today; viz., that God's people see him in his works, as we sometimes say, "I see God's hand in this." And again, we are informed that "all flesh shall see the salvation of God." And again, "Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth."
Question.—Why do you quote and comment on Luke 22:43,44, when old MSS. omit these verses?
Answer.—Because while some old MSS. omit these verses, we find that others do not. If you will look in the foot-notes of Tischendorf Testament, you will find that "S2" omits these verses: the S represents the Sinaitic MS. but the 2 represents a secondary or altered reading of that MS. From this it is evident that the Sinaitic MS. originally contained these verses; but some later hand obliterated them, thus making this MS. to concur with the Vatican and Alexandrine. On the whole we are inclined to think these verses genuine, partly from the fact that they are in old MSS. and partly from the fact that the incident narrated is only what we should expect under the circumstances.
Question.—In what sense of the word are we "changed from glory to glory," even as by the spirit of the Lord?—2 Cor. 3:18.
Answer.—After we are justified by faith we are called to the adoption of sonship; and after we accept that call by making a full consecration of ourselves to the Lord we are made recipients of the spirit of his holiness, the spirit of adoption into his family, and after we receive this spirit of adoption we are guided by it and taught by it respecting the things pleasing and acceptable to our heavenly Father; we are, so to speak, under this influence moulded and fashioned into the likeness of his dear Son our Lord Jesus. This moulding and fashioning we are required to do to a considerable extent for ourselves, but are stimulated to such transformation of character by the light of the knowledge of the divine character which we behold in God's Word. This transforming of our characters is not instantaneous but gradual—we grow more and more like Christ, we are changed from glory to glory in our minds, our wills, our hearts, our characters—this change will not be complete until our resurrection, when we shall be like him and see him as he is, and share his glory to the full. An article on this subject will be found in our issue of March 1, 1893.