Page:The Annihilation Theory Compared with Holy Scripture.pdf/15

Rh The Bible exalts the nature of man, the annihilation theory degrades it. The Bible appeals to us as immortal beings—the annihilation theory regards us as merely temporal beings. The Bible places us a little lower than the angels, the annihilation theory puts us on a level with the brutes that perish.

Do not mistake our meaning on the question of immortality. We do not possess any inherent immortality—it is because the Lord lives that we live also, “in Him we live and move and have our being.” The stream of life flows continuously from Him; and that the life that flows into us is of a higher order than that which animates the brute creation is evident from the fact that we are endowed with spiritual freedom and rationality. Though now we inherit tendencies to evil, by Divine Grace we may invert our natures, and choose the good and inherit the kingdom of heaven. It is worth our while to consider very carefully “How much then is a man better than a sheep?” (Matt. xii. 12.)