Then, what about those whom we have known whose spiritual condition was
doubtful when they passed away? Is it not extremely likely that God has
some way of developing what is good in them, and casting out what is
evil? We feel that just at present they would be out of place in either
world. Is it not reasonable to think of some intermediate stage of
preparation?
Besides; from what we know of the divine method of procedure, it does
not seem likely that He would thrust a frail human spirit into the
blinding glory of heaven all at once. We are used to gradual changes;
they suit us better. An infant newly born is not conscious at first that
any radical change in its life has occurred; but it accommodates itself
easily and naturally to its new life. And so it would seem uncongenial
to us to be thrust at once into the excellent glory. A stage of
preparation--be it long or short--would seem to be desirable and
necessary. And if it is desirable and necessary, it is provided.
Then there are sins of the mind which are not cast off with the flesh.
The sins may be forgiven, but the evil inclinations cling to us. We need
a certain time and a certain process to have them eliminated.
We can easily conceive too--in fact we meet with cases of the kind quite
often--where a man that is not a Christian has a soul of goodness that
makes him really the superior of many so-called Christians.
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