Australasian Signs of the Times, vol. 18
September 28, 1903
“Will We Believe God?” Australasian Signs of the Times 18 pp. 467, 468.
We state it as the simple truth that not to believe that eternal life for man is in Christ alone, is one of the greatest insults that can be offered to the God of heaven. BEST September 28, 1903, page 467.1
Please read carefully the following scripture, and see whether we have stated more than the exact truth:— BEST September 28, 1903, page 467.2
“He that believeth not God hath made Him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son. And this is the record, that God hath risen to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Be that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” 1 John 5:10-12. BEST September 28, 1903, page 467.3
Here is the plain statement that to believe not a certain “record” is to make God a liar. That record is just as plainly stated to be that the eternal life that is given us “is in the Son” of God, and that “he that hath not the Son of God bath not life.” BEST September 28, 1903, page 467.4
Now the doctrine of the immortality of the soul causes men not to believe that record. They who believe the doctrine of the immortality of the soul do not believe that they who have not the Son of God have not life. Therefore the doctrine of the immortality of the soul “hath made God a liar,” because it causes men to “believe not the record that God gave of His Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God bath not life.” Therefore we any that not to believe that future life is given us in Christ alone, is to insult the God of heaven by making Him “a liar.” It does make a difference how we believe on this question for when God is made a liar, He ceases to be Jehovah. He ceases to be God. BEST September 28, 1903, page 467.5
Nor is that all; for when the Lord is thus removed from His throne Satan is put into His place. See here: In the event of man’s sinning,— BEST September 28, 1903, page 468.1
GOD SAID
“Thou shalt surely die.”
BEST September 28, 1903, page 468.2
SATAN SAID
“Ye shall not surely die”
BEST September 28, 1903, page 468.3
Which of these told the truth? It is impossible for both to be true. The doctrine of the immortality of the soul teaches that the devil told the truth, for that doctrine teaches that there is no death, and if there be no death, then every man has life, independent of belief in Christ, which, as we have read from the word, makes God a liar. Therefore, the doctrine of the immortality of the soul sets God aside as a liar, and exalts Satan as the one who tells the truth, and as the one who is to be believed. BEST September 28, 1903, page 468.4
Here we close our investigation of this subject. These evidences certainly show that the doctrine of the immortality of the soul is subversive of the truth of God. We have proved by logical deduction from sound Scripture premises that the doctrine of the immortality of the soul is subversive of the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead; that it is subversive of the doctrine of the coming of the Lord; that it is subversive of the doctrine of the judgment; that it is subversive of the mission of Christ; that it supplants Christ in the honour of opening the way from this world to another, and bestows that honour upon Satan; and finally, that it puts God aside as a liar, and exalts Satan to His place as the one who tells the truth. BEST September 28, 1903, page 468.5
The logical summary of all this is contained in one word—Spiritualism. The immortality of the soul is the foundation of Spiritualism: and through the already prevalent belief of that doctrine, Spiritualism will yet lead the world to the active acceptance of every point which we have charged. Therefore, we pray all to flee this thing, and believe “the record that God gave of His Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” BEST September 28, 1903, page 468.6