Page:Studies in the Scriptures - Series I - The Plan of the Ages (1909).djvu/192

 i86 The Plan of the Ages.

such a condition that death was possible he was

The question arises, then, If Adam was mortal and on trial, was he on trial for immortality ? The general answer would be, Yes. We answer, No* His trial was to see whether he was worthy or unworthy of a continuance of the life and blessings already possessed. Since it was nowhere prom- ised that if obedient he would become immortal, we are bound to leave all such speculations out of the question. He was promised a fontiwuance of the blessings then enjoyed so long as obedient, and threatened with the loss of all death if disobedient. It is the false idea of the meaning of the word mortal that leads people in general to con- clude that all beings who do not die are immortal. In this class they therefore include our heavenly Father, our Lord Jesus, the aaigels and all mankind* This, however, is an error : the great mass of mankind saved from the fell, as well as the angels of heaven, will always be mortal; though in a condition of perfe6lion and bliss, they will always be of that mortal nature which could suffer death, the wages of sin, if they would commit sin. The security of their existence will be conditioned, as it was with Adam, upon obedience to the all-wise God, whose justice, love and wisdom, and whose power to cause all things to work together for good to those who love and serve him, will have been fully demonstrated by his dealings with sin in the present time.

Nowhere in the Scriptures is it stated that angels are im* mortal, nor that mankind restored will be immortal. On the contrary, immortality is ascribed only to the divine na- ture originally to Jehovah only \ subsequently to our Lord Jesus in his present highly exalted condition j and finally by promise to the Church, the body of Christ, when glori- fied with him. i Tim. 6 : 16 ; John 5 : 26 ; 2 "Pet. 1:4; i Cor. 15 ; 53, 54,

�� �