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"a living soul", was "of the earth, earthy", was "not spiritual", and possessing a nature of
"flesh and blood" could not, even when unfallen, "inherit the kingdom of God"
(I Cor. 15:). Moreover, Adam unfallen was but a type. The true Adam was Christ.
"The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening
spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural: and
afterwards that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth earthy: the second man is
the Lord from heaven . . . . . now this I say brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit
the kingdom of God" (I Cor. 15: 45-50).
We purposely refrain therefore from including in the present exhibition of our
problem the added conditions of sin and death that are also involved. These will come
later. We have big enough problem before us without added complications.
Before man was created there was an order of spirit beings, of varied ranks, Angels,
Principalities and Powers, some of whom, when the foundations of the earth were laid
"sang together" and "shouted for joy" (Job 38: 7). It was therefore not outside the
realm of possibility for God to have created another company of spiritual beings, and
placed them directly and without further ado "in heavenly places". Should it be objected
that God did not choose angels for this high honour, we reply, that is true, and we do not
suggest that the church could be or should be but another order of angels. What we do
ask is why, seeing that they were chosen to "spiritual" blessings in "heavenly" places,
were they nevertheless brought into being as "natural" and "earthy" creatures? What
purposes did the long wait and the entry of Adam serve? For the answer to this and the
statement of further allied problems, we must await the unfolding of the Scriptures in the
succeeding articles of this series.
No.2.
"Strangers in a land not theirs."
pp. 28 - 31
We have expressed in a few words a part of the problem that the words "in Adam"
introduce, and we now look to the Scriptures to provide an answer, if the provision of an
answer should be in conformity with the will of God. If, on the other hand, the reason
why the church having been chosen in Christ before the overthrow of the world must
come into conscious existence in Adam, only to be "changed" or "translated" later should
be a secret which God does not intend to explain, then we shall abide by this decision,
resting satisfied in the adequacy of Divine wisdom and the sovereignty of the Divine will.
In this article we are leaving the question of Adam and the church, for the smaller yet
concentric question of Abraham and Israel. In many things, the story of Israel portrays
the wider story of man; and where we may not be able to grasp unaided the great sweep
of the purpose of the ages, we may be able to learn by type and symbol, what the record
of Israel sets forth in the Scriptures. We come therefore to Abraham, and the promise to
him of a seed and a land, and we shall discover that here, as with the church, the line