NO. 364: JESUS THE CHRIST

by Epiphany Bible Students

No. 364

It is rather a sad commentary that many earnest and sincere Church members to not know the clear meaning of the name Jesus Christ, the One they desire to worship. This is not only true of lay members, but is also true of quite a few of their ministers who are attempting to “preach Christ and Him crucified.” “Thou shalt call His name Jesus,” was the command of the angel to Joseph, His stepfather. Jesus is the equivalent of the Hebrew Jeshua, or Joshua, and means Saviour – “for He will save His people from their sins,” said the angel. Jesus continued with only the given name Jesus all during His boyhood and was known by this name to His family and neighbors. However, when He presented Himself to John at Jordan for Baptism, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him from on High; and from that time onward He was known as Jesus Christ. The word Christ means anointed; and the clear indication is that from Jordan on, from the time the Holy Spirit was poured out upon Him, He was then known as Jesus the Christ – or the Anointed Savior. Thus, the name Jesus Christ and Anointed Saviour mean exactly the same thing.

In a broad sense there are four offices He would hold in the saving process for the human family – that of Prophet, Priest, King and Judge. Be it noted there are also four attributes of the Divine character – Wisdom, Love, Power and Justice; and each one of these attributes finds its full application individually in the four offices just named.

First – The work of a prophet is to teach the people the truth: “I will send you Elijah the Prophet... and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers.” (Mal. 4:5, 6) And such a ministry is founded upon the attribute of Wisdom.

Second – The purpose of a Priest is to forgive and bless. “We have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities... Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy (forgiveness), and find grace (favor, blessing) to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:15,16) Surely, such forgiveness and blessing are primarily a work of the attribute of Love.

Third – As a King (Ruler), Jesus will use particularly the attribute of Power. “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and of things in earth, and things under the earth... that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ (the Anointed Savior) is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2:10,11) It needs no argument that such a rulership, regal authority, is the direct result of the attribute of Power.

Fourth – And as a Judge He will use specifically the attribute of Justice. “God hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained (the Anointed Saviour); whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:31) As Judge, the risen Lord will use specifically the attribute of Justice – strict, impartial and perfect Justice. “The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him... shall make Him of quick understanding... He shall not Judge after the sight of His eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of His ears (as must now be done in our courts, thus often resulting in the conviction of the innocent, and more often resulting in the freeing of the guilty): With righteousness shall He judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth... Righteousness shall be the girdle of His loins, and faithfulness the girdle of His reins.” (Isa. 11:2‑5)

A MORE DETAILED ANALYSIS

While the foregoing gives an overall summary of the Anointed Saviour and His work toward men, there are various details of each of these that may be itemized under 21 subheadings; and some of these we shall now consider:

(1) OUR RANSOMER – “The Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28); and this is further emphasized and clarified in 1 Tim. 2:4‑6: “Will have all men to be saved... The man Christ Jesus (the Anointed Saviour) Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” In this latter text the word ransom is from the Greek anti-lutron, and means a corresponding price – an exact equivalent. This word ransom finds a fairly good illustration in our present‑day kidnapping crimes, where a ransom is demanded for the‑release of the victim. When demands are met, the victim is released; and it is much the same in the case of Jesus as Ransomer, one great difference being that Jesus Himself provides the ransom price. In 1 Cor. 7:23 it is stated: “Ye are bought with a price”; and we are further informed in Rom. 5:12: “By one man (Adam) sin entered into the world, and death by sin: so death passed upon all men.” From the fall in Eden the great enemy has held the human race as in a gigantic vice, from which none could escape. “None can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him.” (Psa. 49:7)

But Christ Jesus (the Anointed Saviour) was well able to provide the ransom price; and He did this by “pouring out His soul unto death,” giving His human life and life rights as the exact equivalent of the man Adam in Eden. “Behold, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the root of David, hath prevailed to open the book... thou wast slain, and hast redeemed (ransomed) us to God by Thy blood... Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing.” (Rev. 5:5‑12) As such He substituted His perfect human body for the perfect human body that Adam lost in Eden; His perfect life rights for those lost by Adam in Eden. “The Son of Man is come to save that which was lost.” (Matt. 18:11) Thus, the question properly arises, What was lost? We answer, Four things were lost. First, Adam lost in Eden his peaceful fellowship with God; second, he lost his perfect home in Eden; third; he lost his dominion over the brute creation; fourth, he lost his right to life. The Dying process lasted 930 years, at which time Adam returned to the dust whence he was originally taken.

The doctrine of the Ransom is the foundation stone of all Biblical teachings; it is the touchstone by which we may gauge the truth or error of every other attempted Scriptural interpretation. If such teachings impinge in any way against this touchstone, we may be sure there is something wrong with that teaching. Thus, a proper understanding of the Ransom immediately annihilates the idea that man is a dual being; that is, that he has a soul and body separate and distinct from each other. “In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die,” was the clear edict to the man Adam (Gen. 2:17). There are those that contend that Adam died spiritually on that day. But, if he died physically 930 years later, he must then have been both spiritually and physically dead; so just what else would be left of him? However, the record is clear enough, “Man became a living soul” (Gen. 2:7). Thus, when Christ Jesus (the Anointed Saviour) “poured out His soul unto death,” He provided an exact equivalent for what the man Adam lost in Eden – He became the Ransom, the corresponding price, by which He could “redeem them from death; ransom them from the power of the grave” (Hosea 13:14).

(2) MEDIATOR – In Heb. 12:24 it is stated “Jesus the mediator of the New Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.” In the verses immediately preceding, there is minutely detailed the Covenant with the nation of Israel at Sinai, with Moses as Mediator, and compared with Jesus as the proposed Mediator of the New Covenant; so it is in order first of all to define the meaning of mediator. He is a go‑between for two parties, much the same as a broker in the stock market. When we buy stock on the New York Stock Exchange, the broker who transacts the action not only represents the buyer, but he represents the seller also, and he is legally and ethically bound to give to each a fair and impartial representation. While money is the medium of exchange in a stock deal, the buyer paying and the seller receiving the amount involved, Jesus as Mediator of the New Covenant provides not money, but His blood, His human life and human life rights, to bring the opposing parties into accord. It should be noted also that the parties to a stock transaction need not be enemies – but actually good friends; but the mediation of Jesus will be between two parties actually at variance with each other. The Jews at Sinai were also out of accord with God – because of inherited and acquired sin; thus, in no position to have any direct dealings with God. But, with Moses as the go‑between, the Law Covenant was completed, through the sprinkling of animals’ blood. So also with the New Covenant, the Christ – Anointed Saviour – shall “make His soul an offering for sin.” (Isa. 53:10), as He mediates the New Covenant.

That this New Covenant is not yet in operation should be readily apparent. If it were, man would be unable to continue in his sinful course as he has been doing for the past six thousand years. There is now no command to the Gentile world to forsake sin and follow righteousness. Rather, there has been a call (“Many are called, but few are chosen”) to such as would hear, a call to “follow in His steps.” But, as stated in the opening paragraphs, when the New Covenant and the Mediator (better than Moses) are established, then it will be a command for “every knee to bow, and every tongue to confess that Christ is Lord.” Certainly, all will agree that this condition does not prevail at this time.

The purpose of the New Covenant is to give life to all who will accept it under the terms of that Covenant. “God will have all men to be saved” from the various evils that now afflict the human race; but, once that salvation is accomplished, then it will be a matter of each individual’s choice whether or not he wishes to avail himself of further benefits that will then be available. That will be the “resurrection of judgment” (John 5:29, Dia.), the word ‘judgment’ here being from the Greek krisis, which actually means a trial time – a trial time with sufficient knowledge available to permit those tried to make an intelligent choice between good and evil.

(3) FATHER – In Isa. 9:6 we have the prophecy, “unto us a son is given... His name shall be called Wonderful... The everlasting father.” St. Paul states, “As by Adam all die, so by the Anointed (Saviour) also, will all be restored to life.” (1 Cor. 15:22, Dia.) The first Adam did not give us life; he gave us a sentence of death, which is slowly executed upon each individual until he is finally placed in the tomb. It is a common expression for men to say, I am living in New York, St. Louis, Los Angeles, etc.; but the fact is that they are all dying in those places, of which every funeral procession gives mute evidence.

But the life that will come from the second Adam (the Anointed Saviour) will be just the reverse; it will bring to the race life in perfection – “God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death will be no more, nor mourning nor crying; neither will there be any more pain... These words are faithful and true.” (Rev. 21:4,5) Instead of the aging process we now see on all hands, there will be just the reverse at the hand of the “Everlasting Father”: “Man’s flesh shall be fresher than a child’s: he shall return to the days of his youth.” (Job 33:25) At the present we see men going from youth to old age and faltering steps; under the Mediator, the Anointed Saviour, the Everlasting Father, just the reverse will occur – man shall return to the days of his youth.

(4) LAW‑GIVER – “The Government shall be upon His shoulder.” (Isa. 9:6) And, since all God’s works are perfect, we may expect a perfect Government when the Anointed Saviour takes unto Himself His great power to reign. Under present unfavorable conditions all governments are far from perfect; in fact, most of them have been miserably imperfect due to the vicious, corrupt and selfish men who have been at the heads of the various governments. “To the intent that the living may know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.” (Dan. 4:17) Even with the few noble rulers of history, their efforts were much impeded and negated by corrupt and ambitious underlings. As the perfect Law‑giver, the Anointed Saviour will have no selfish motives. “With righteousness shall He judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth” (Isa.11:4) – class distinctions will not enter into the administration of justice under the Perfect Law‑Giver.

(5) THE GREAT PHYSICIAN – That the human race is in dire need of better doctors to cure their diseases is apparent on every hand. It is our conviction that many of our better physicians are men and women of high ideals, who work conscientiously and altruistically to ease the ills of the human race; yet they are forced to admit their limitations against the ailments that afflict the race. Not long back a very good and personal friend of ours dropped dead of a heart attack in just a few minutes. He had been a brilliant physician, with a very lucrative practice. We were discussing his sudden demise with perhaps ten fellow members of the Medical Association, when one of them sadly remarked that in instances such as that one they were forced to admit their limitations in their treatment of bodily ills.

The human afflictions are not only physical, they are also mental, artistic, moral and religious. “When I would do good, evil is present with me,” is the open confession of the Great Apostle (Rom. 7:21); and it needs no argument that that noble “example of the believers” exerted all his indomitable will to combat the weaknesses which had come to him through heredity. Said the Prophet Isaiah (1:5,6); “The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores; they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment.” Further on the subject by David (Psa. 51:2‑5): “Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity... Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.” Doctors have listed about 2,000 diseases that afflict humanity – many times more than can be found in any of the brute creation. “I am fearfully and wonderfully made,” is a further statement by David (Psa. 139:14); but man’s great physique and sensitive nervous system have also subjected him to more numerous and more intricate bodily disorders than can be found in any of the lower animals.

And for all of this the Great Physician (the Anointed Saviour) will in due time produce the remedies that will effect a complete and permanent cure. “The Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves in the stall.” (Mal. 4:2) “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities (through the work of the Great High Priest); Who healeth all thy diseases (by the hand of the Great Physician)” – Psa. 103:2. This healing has been partially extended to the faith class during the Gospel Age, and will be given fully and completely to all the non‑elect during the Kingdom reign who will avail themselves of it.

(6) THE GREAT AND JUST JUDGE – Previously we touched lightly the Anointed Saviour’s office of Judge, but we now offer some elaboration because of the confused and extensive misunderstanding that prevails on the subject throughout Christendom. In previous centuries the belief was general throughout Christendom that the Great Judge would eventually put in an appearance in a 24‑hour day, sentence all the sinners to eternal torment, and take His faithful with Him into the heavenly abode. It is a tribute to the increase in knowledge (Dan. 12:4) here in the end of the Age that many Christian believers no longer accept such an erroneous view; but many of them still have only a hazy conception of any different view on the subject. However, if we consider the Judges in Israel, after the entrance into Canaan, we find their most important work was to deliver their fellow Israelites from their enemies; and in this they were but a type of the Anointed Saviour who will deliver mankind in general from their enemies of heart and mind – namely, sin, error and selfishness. “The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son” (the Anointed Saviour) – John 5:22.

Such judgment to be successful will involve several things: First, the human race will be put under providential conditions conducive to accepting the harsh, yet merciful, conditions applicable to such judgment. Such conditions do not now prevail, because all will agree that it now is as easy for man to sin as for the smoke and sparks to fly skyward. Even with the faith class, who have resolutely attempted a better way, a certain margin of failure has accompanied their efforts to keep the perfect law of God. Secondly, it will be necessary to teach the unbelief class just what the law actually is – what is required of them – before they can even make the attempt to keep the law. All will agree that the conflicting teachings of the numerous sects today must carry with them a considerable amount of error. It has been well stated that behind every argument lies someone’s ignorance. And this has been especially true of religious arguments. But the promise is sure to all, “I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go.” (Psa. 32:8) And, “When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.” (Isa. 26:9) The people will first be told clearly and certainly what they must do before they will be judged for what they do. It is established law in the courts of our land that “Ignorance of the law excuses no one”; and this may continue measurably true during the reign of the Christ – the Anointed Saviour. But the ignorance will surely and completely first be eliminated before judgment will be meted out. Then, “the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.” (Isa. 11:9)

Such a situation would require, thirdly, that the necessary help be given for the success of the willing, and suitable punishments for willful violations – punishments not too severe, nor yet too lenient for each individual case. Then, finally, the judgment must be pronounced – innocence for the innocent, and guilt for the guilty. “Then will the King say to those at His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed ones of My Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the formation of the world’... He will then also say to those at His left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed ones, into that aionian fire (annihilation), which is prepared for the Adversary and his messengers.’” (Matt. 25:3441, Dia.)

From the foregoing it should be clear that the judgment process and the salvation process are companion accomplishments. As the one occurs, so does the other. Thus, instead of the judgment being a fearful thing, the world is admonished to “sing unto the Lord, all the earth... show forth His salvation from day to day – Declare His glory among the heathen.” (Psa. 96:1‑3) He will “judge the world in righteousness”; and none will be asked to perform more than he is able to do. Such a situation today is impossible – even though the judge may have the most noble intentions. We still are faced with the indisputable truth, “Man looketh on the outward appearance,” and must judge accordingly; but in the judgment process of the Anointed Saviour all will know that “The Lord looketh on the heart.”

(7) THE GOOD PROVIDER – Despite man’s best intentions to improve his condition, the result has been mostly dismal failure. Since the great increase of knowledge in the time of the end – from 1799 onward – almost all the great inventions have been produced, resulting in great freedom from the burdens of the curse. But, “A morning cometh, and a night also.” In the more advanced countries today we find much the same evils as were charged to Sodom: “Pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her... they were haughty, and committed abomination before Me; therefore, I took them away as I saw good.” (Ezek. 16:49,50) Jesus compared the world in His first Advent to sheep that have lost their way – without a shepherd; but St. Paul writes of The Anointed Saviour as “That great shepherd of the sheep, who will make you perfect in every good work.” (Heb. 13:20,21) “Our God shall supply all your needs through Christ Jesus, our Lord.” This He has done for the faith class during this Age, and will perform it for all mankind in the Age just ahead, supplying the things needful for them to gain the salvation then available.

At the outset we stated that there are 21 offices, or titles, which apply to the Anointed Saviour; but we have offered detail on only about a dozen of them. Some of those we have not discussed, and which have Biblical labels are the Advocate, the Bridegroom, the Deliverer, the Captain (of our Salvation), the Head (of all things), the Prince of Peace, the Revealer, the Purifier and the Refiner. Some of these operate only during this Age, while others operate now, and will also operate in the next Age. The 21 evils that are rampant among men all find their cure through the person, offices and work of the Anointed Saviour; nor are they to be found elsewhere. Once this is clearly discerned, we may join heartily and with increased fervor in offering the prayer, “Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth.” That alone will produce “The desire of all nations”; and, as we consider those things already accomplished in that direction, we may have increased confidence in the performance of the remainder, for “He is faithful that promised.”

All of the foregoing may be summarized in the words of St. Peter (Acts 3:19‑23) “The restitution of all things.” The general premise, and the ultimate consummation are also contained in these texts: “A prophet (the Anointed Saviour) shall the Lord your God raise up unto you... Him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever He shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear (obey) that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.” We are told further that when That Prophet occupies His office of Teacher of the people that Satan will be bound – “that he should deceive the nations no more.” (Rev. 20:3) But after that he will be “loosed for a Little Season.” That “Little Season” will be the Time of Trouble at the end of the Millennial Age, just as the present Time of Trouble now marks the end of this Age. “Every man’s work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it.” (1 Cor. 3:13)

However, when the trial time of the Little Season shall arrive – in the eventual separation of the Sheep and the Goats – most of the 21 evils mentioned herein will have been eliminated; thus, there will be no more any need for their corrective offices to be operative. But there are several of them that will find their real prominence during that Little Season. The Anointed Saviour will then act in delivering the Sheep (as Deliverer), even as He destroys the Goats; He will still be their King, because man will not obtain “restitution” of his kingly domain that was lost in Eden until after the full end of the Little Season, when the Lord’s words will apply, “Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the Kingdom.” Also, at the end of that Little Season the Judge will pronounce His final judgment upon “the just and the unjust” – after which “cometh the end, when He shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God, even the Father, when He shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He hath put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” (1 Cor. 15:24‑26) This “last enemy” cannot possibly mean the tomb, as we understand it today; because, once the resurrection from the death state occurs, in that instant the bonds of the grave are broken, and the healing, instructing, and reviving processes begin to work – all of which must be completed by the beginning of the Little Season.

Both the sheep and the goats will have been perfected physically by the time the Little Season begins, and to all outward appearances they will all be the same. But it will require the trial time – the graduating process – of the Little Season to determine which of them are also perfected mentally, morally and religiously. These may be classed as the concealed vestiges of the dying process – the evils they willfully refused to forsake – even though they were outwardly obedient during the Mediatorial Kingdom. All who enter that Little Season will be perfect physical specimens; most of the 21 offices of the Anointed Saviour will have accomplished their full purpose, and will have passed forever out of existence as such. But a few of these titles and their works will carry right on through the Little Season to its full end. “Then cometh the end,” when all of the 21 offices will cease to operate, as the sheep “inherit the Kingdom” – have had all restored to them that was lost in Father Adam.

Briefly we would recap the 21 offices of the Anointed Saviour as described by the Epiphany Messenger:

  1. The Ransomer – “Who gave himself a ransom for all.” (1 Tim. 2:16)
  2. The Advocate – for the Church. (1 John 2:1)
  3. Our Righteousness – “righteousness of the law... fulfilled in us.”(Rom. 8:4)
  4. Bridegroom – of the Bride, the Church, which is His Body. (Eph. 1:22,23)
  5. High Priest – who forgives and blesses. (Heb. 4:15,16)
  6. Teacher – In the Kingdom the people will learn righteousness. (Isa. 26:9)
  7. Deliverer – from sin, error, pain and death. (Rom. 11:26)
  8. Captain – of our salvation. (Heb. 2:10)
  9. Head – of the Church and of all things. (Eph. 1:22,23)
  10. Mediator – He will stand between God’s justice and man during the Kingdom. (See Heb. 12:24)
  11. Father – “The everlasting Father.” (Isa. 9:6)
  12. Perfect Law‑giver. (Isa. 2:3)
  13. Prince of Peace during the Kingdom (Isa. 9:6), but not during this Age. (Matt. 10:34)
  14. King – “King of kings” (kings, the Little Flock – Rev. 19:16, and King during the Kingdom).
  15. Revealer – to make manifest. (Mal. 3:2)
  16. Executive for God. (Isa. 11:4)
  17. Physician who healeth all our diseases. (Psa. 103:3)
  18. Lord of Lords (Lords, the Little Flock). (Rev. 19:16)
  19. Judge – together with the Little Flock – “know ye not the saints shall judge the world.” (1 Cor. 6:2)
  20. Purifier and Refiner. (Mal. 3:3)
  21. Provider – provides life, perfect home, etc., in restored paradise. (Psa. 103:4)

  

As said, some of these offices are operative now for the Faith Classes – for the “called” or elect classes, and many of them will continue to operate for all mankind during the Kingdom proper. Also, quite a few of these offices will terminate at the beginning of the Little Season – such as Mediator, Ransomer, Physician, etc. But all who have received Present Truth must know that the Christ will continue all through the Little Season until the end in the offices of King, Judge, Revealer, Deliverer and Provider of the Sheep – until the “end” of the Little Season when He shall have “delivered up the kingdom to God” (1 Cor. 15:24) by transferring Kingship to the Sheep, to those who entered the Little Season with perfect characters. Those who enter the Little Season with unholy heart condition, who have failed to perfect moral and religious qualities – who have failed to rid themselves of Adamic defilements (the dying process) – will be destroyed in the Second Death at the end of the Little Season. Then the Restitution work will be finished, and Acts 3:19‑23 will be fulfilled. At that time He will have “put all enemies under his feet,” and 1 Cor. 15:24‑26 will be fulfilled.

The above is well summarized in E‑17:124, 125, 126: “‘Then cometh the end (the end of the Little Season, when He shall have ruled over all the earth and given every man the opportunity to gain eternal life, which His Ransom‑sacrifice, a corresponding price, enables Him to give), when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father (for God will be the final Judge over the earth and will exercise His judgment through Christ, the Head, primarily, and secondarily, the Church, His Body, as His Vicegerent); when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and (all) power (every vestige of the governorship and of the pretended authority and the pretended might of Satan, all of this will be put down by the almighty hand of Christ, the Head, and the Church, the Body, using God’s power as that almighty power in their hand). For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death (thus we see that not only persons are these enemies, but also things. The Adamic death in the sense of the dying process is this last great enemy; and because of His faithfulness, Jesus became the One who will after the close of the Millennium finally destroy it).’... The sad tragedy of sin will forever have ceased to be enacted. The ages to come will witness the realization of the angels’ song of Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, good will to men.” (Luke 2:14)

The foregoing is beautifully summarized in the words of the angel at the time of Jesus’ birth: “Behold, I bring you glad tidings, which will be a great joy to all people; because today was born for you, in David’s City, a Savior, who is the Lord Messiah.” (Luke 2:10, 11, Dia.) This is clearly emphasized by the Apostle Paul: “Now according to a plan of the ages, which He formed for the anointed Jesus our Lord.” (Eph. 3:10,11, Dia.) Thus, the “plan of the ages” is assured of accomplishment through the Anointed Saviour.

“Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men... the righteous shall see it, and rejoice, and all iniquity shall stop her mouth. Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving kindness of the Lord” (Psa. 107:31‑43) – through the ministration of the Anointed Saviour.

Sincerely your brother, John J. Hoefle, Pilgrim

Reprint of December 1975, No. 246

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LETTER OF GENERAL INTEREST

Dear Brethren: Grace and peace!

Your letter reached me Friday and was most welcome. Yes, I get David’s Bulletins and will be watching to see what he writes about the book. He also sends me his News Releases, which I find very informative. It is the type of information I would have no access to otherwise. It seems to me that lying, conniving and evil are increasing at a more rapid pace. With news reports and world leaders frequently contradicting themselves, one cannot know what is really going on. Without the sure knowledge of the Truth that this destruction of the present order of things is permitted by our Lord as a part of God’s plan, I would live in panic.

As we know, the New Testament was written to the Saints. Some object to a class of unbegotten consecrators. The High Calling has a limited time and a limited number. Brother Russell taught a class of unbegotten consecrators after the door to the High Calling is closed; and that such a class will be inspired by the Scriptures written to the Saints. All Scriptures are comforting to consecrated believers. Of course, they cannot apply to themselves Scriptures regarding the Divine nature, the anointing and the aspirations of the Saints – but there are many Scriptures that apply to all the truly consecrated. The Youthful Worthies are on trial for faith and obedience Just as were the Ancient Worthies. They are not on trial for life. The spirit‑begotten are not only on trial for faith and obedience, but are on trial for life. That Servant taught that the unbegotten class would share in reward and service with the Ancient Worthies. (Vol. 6, page 157) It has always seemed to me there is too much emphasis put on the reward, as if one consecrated to a position rather than out of love for God and Christ and the appreciation of His blessings to all mankind. Consecration is the same for all – a heartfelt desire to do only the Lord’s will.

In spite of the fact that the brethren had seen what happened when Brother Russell died, they proceeded to act in much the same manner when Brother Johnson died. There are some who do not go along with the errors now being taught by the LHMM, but they continue to stay with them – some because of the fellowship, some because they feel they can do more service with a large group, and some for other reasons. If these brethren would read the June 8 Manna text and That Servant’s comments, it would seem that alone would show them the way to help the brethren is not to join them in their errors, but stand for the Truth and call to them.

I am thankful and most grateful for your continued efforts to send out the monthly papers. Although Brother Hoefle is no longer with us, his writings from the reprints are still refreshing. His writings attest to the fact that he was faithful to the “faith once delivered unto the saints” – the Truth as taught by That Servant and the Epiphany Messenger. My warm Christian love and prayers are with you.

Your Sister by His Grace, ------- (MISSOURI)