The Harp of God: Proof Conclusive That Millions Now Living Will Never Die — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
The Harp of God: Proof Conclusive That Millions Now Living Will Never Die
John Stuart Mill · en
[180]Satan induced mother Eve to believe that God was keeping back
something from them and, therefore deceiving Eve, induced her to violate
the law. There was no real wrong in the fruit which Eve ate. The wrong
was in disobeying the Lord. When Adam found that she had violated God's
law, knowing that she must die he preferred to be with her in death
rather than to be separated from her; so he became a party to the
transgression also by voluntarily and willingly violating the law of
God. Jehovah in the exercise of his perfect justice, sentenced man to
death. This sentence deprived Adam and Eve of the right to life. They
were driven out of Eden and in due time they lost life itself. For 930
years they were compelled to go about in the earth and earn their bread
by digging in the soil and partaking of such food as they produced,
which was imperfect and poisonous. In this manner they were put to
death.
[181]This sentence of death passed upon Adam had an indirect effect
upon his offspring. Before he was driven from Eden he and Eve had not
exercised the authority given to them by Jehovah to beget and bring
forth children on the earth. This they did exercise after being driven
from Eden. Being now under the sentence of death and undergoing that
death penalty, it was impossible for their children, born under such
conditions, to come into existence perfect. It would follow, then, that
when the children were born, while they would have a measure of life and
the rights incident to that measure of life (and these we call "life
rights" as distinguished from right to live), they would have no right
to life, because Adam having no right to life could not bring children
into the world who would have greater right than he had.
[182]Any human being that is living possesses the right to food, air,
light and certain privileges in society; and these are called life
rights; that is to say, they are incident to animation, privileges
belonging to creatures that live in any measure. The right to live,
then, means a just right of existence which cannot be properly taken
away.
[183]Because the parents possessed no right to life, every child born
into the world from then until now has been born imperfect, unrighteous,
a sinner, disapproved in God's sight, under condemnation, and therefore
with no right to life. The life that any of us has lived has been merely
by permission; and all who have died have died justly; for nothing but a
perfect creature is entitled to life. For this reason the Prophet wrote:
"Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me".
(Psalm 51:5) St. Paul writing under inspiration, expressed the same thing,
saying: "Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by
sin; and so death passed upon all men, for all have sinned".--Romans 5:12.