ELDER C. H. CAYCE: `Dear Brother in the Lord-Will you kindly give me, through the columns of your paper, I- your views on (Romans 10:17)?  Will the Lord suffer one of His children, one of the elect, to wander off into sin and die in that condition? Have we such a case on record? I know that the Lord saves His people with an everlasting salvation, that there is no final falling away, or falling from grace, as some term
it.

There are some Campbelites here who claim that if a child of God wanders off in sin and dies in that condition, he will be lost. I know that nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ,
but the point I want to know is, Will the Lord suffer one of His children to die in disobedience-in Babylon. Your views on the subject will be greatly appreciated. Yours in an humble hope, CHARLES W. LYENS.
Holt Ave., Macon, Ga.

OUR ANSWER
In our issue of Nov. 19 we gave our views on (Romans 10:13-15), and in the article we quoted also the 17th verse, which reads, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” The faith referred to in this text is, we think, the historical, or rather, the doctrinal faith produced by hearing the gospel or doctrine of Christ preached or proclaimed in its purity and simplicity. But that does not produce hearing. “The word” that “is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart,” produces or gives the hearing. Unless the hearing
has been given by the Word of God, the character does not hear the preaching understandingly-hence no faith. We offer the above in connection with our editorial in Nov. 19th issue.

We think some of the Lord's children have died in sin or disobedience. See (Hebrews 3:7-19). Turn to your Bible now and read the entire chapter. Verse 17 says, “But with whom was He grieved forty years?
was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcasses fell in the wilderness?” These were God's chosen people-national Israel-and they were a type of God's spiritual Israel. They died in rebellion in the wilderness. We think many of God's children are in other orders-in Babylon-and many of them pass away from this world without ever having united with the true church or visible organized kingdom which Christ set up here in the world. Hence many of the Lord's children die while in Babylon. The command is to come out of  Babylon, but we think many of God's people do not obey this command. Many who have an experience of grace do not believe the doctrine advocated by the Primitive Baptists, which is the doctrine of the Bible, the doctrine of God our Saviour, and live and die with membership in the different societies called churches. We think they
die in Babylon, but they will be, and are, as happy in heaven as others of the redeemed. Their home or happiness in the glory world does not depend upon them having membership in any church here, but alone upon the finished work of Christ. While this is true, yet there is a sweet rest and comfort enjoyed and realized by those who believe the truth and have membership in the church of Christ, which is not felt or realized by any others. The Saviour instituted this church or kingdom here as a home and resting place for His children while they are in this world, and no one can enjoy the rest in that home unless they have membership there, or unless they are living in the home.
 

May the Lord help us all to live as becometh His children; and may we show by our life that we appreciate the precious home our Saviour has prepared for us here in His church. Let us be satisfied
with it and with what He has put in it. C.H.C