 |  |
passage twice, Mr. Pitt has the temerity to speak of taking it "as it is written". Moreover,
he appeals to the context, not by quoting it, but by assuming that it refers to "the
disembodied state". It will be found, however, that the context speaks of not desiring to
be "unclothed", but "clothed upon", that "mortality might be swallowed up of life".
Surely this reference is not to "the disembodied state" (see I Cor. 15: 53, 54). The
passage as it is written in II Cor. 5: 8 is as follows:--
"We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body and to be
present with the Lord."
How, in face of the context, it "is quite clear in its reference to the disembodied state",
we are quite unable to understand.
Another example of prejudice is the following:--
"Christians who have a firm hold on the blessed hope of the Lord's second advent will
scarcely need to be warned that it is impossible to believe both in Conditional
Immortality and the Rapture of the Saints."
Mr. Pitt is difficult to follow; he commences with the Second Advent, but diverts
immediately to the Rapture of the Saints, a different, though a related subject. That
Conditionalism and belief in the Second Advent can go together is evident by the full title
of the Mission that stands for Conditionalism in this country:--
"THE CONDITIONAL IMMORTALITY MISSION---INTERNATIONAL.
(FOR LIFE AND ADVENT TESTIMONY)."
"This mission was established to bear testimony by press and platform to (1) the
plenary inspiration and integrity of Holy Scripture; (2) the full atonement of our Lord
Jesus Christ; (3) life in Christ alone; that is, that life is not inherent in man, or in any
part of him, but is the free gift of God, through Jesus Christ, to all believers, and (4) the
pre-millennial personal advent of Christ to reign over restored Israel and all nations."
While it is true that believers hold varying views as to what constitutes "a firm hold on
the blessed hope of the Lord's second advent", and as to the "Rapture of the Saints", it is
clear that Mr. Pitt's statement quoted above is contrary to the facts.
On page 15 comes the final instance of prejudice:--
"It must suffice in a pamphlet to establish from Scripture the undeniable fact that the
spirit of man is conscious after his body has been laid in the grave."
The reader whose critical caliber is such as to have been misled by the discussion of
II Cor. 5: 8 quoted above, will probably believe that Mr. Pitt's pamphlet is really packed
with overwhelming proofs. It contains not one; yet such is the mind of man, that
reasoning like this can pass for truth.
We consider this pamphlet an example of what to guard against in controversial
literature.